Thinkpads Forum

I've bought T21 from second hand. It has a single Usb1.1 port in completely unreachable place. So I had to buy a usb2.0 Pcmcia adapter for it. It has 2 ports. But I noticed that It has wiring for 2 auxiliary ports (4 ports total) that are just not connected. So I decided to put a small BT and Wifi adapter inside the laptop itself - so it would be really portable all-in one device.
I've taken out bt and wifi adapters out of their plastic casing, and put epoxy glue (so it won't short circuit).
I placed BT adapter beneath touchpad buttons - there is quite some free space there.


And I placed Wifi adapter near the processor.This is wifi adapter:


here wifi is inside (not soldered here on the picture yet)


BT works perfectly. I'm using it with skype and google talk.
Wifi reception is not very great b/c it's covered with metal from all sides, but it still works pretty good at home. I've teken very good sensitive wifi usb adapter with ceramic antenna. Even in this condition it works better than most pcmcia usb cards, but of course worse than laptops with built-in wireless.
Next project (which should be very easy) - is to put inside a usb wireless adapter from a wireless mouse which i just bought
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Great work!

I must say I quite like the idea.

I'm considering something similar with my old lifebook, which really has heat problems with the pcmcia wifi card.

Could you give the specific make of, the USB2.0 card?
Do all 2.0 cards have the extra two connections?
Is this because it is a two-port card which uses the same circuitboard as a 4-Port card?

Helluva mod, dude!! Is it reliable?

Could you give the specific make of, the USB2.0 card?

This is the card I used:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CardBus-USB-2-0-2-p ... dZViewItem

Do all 2.0 cards have the extra two connections?

Don't know, but might be.

Is this because it is a two-port card which uses the same circuitboard as a 4-Port card?

Yes, there is a wiring for additional 2 usb ports.
I didn't buy the 4-port pcmcia card b/c it would have been too bulky (thicker than laptop itself). This 2-port card is pretty slim.

Is it reliable?

Not sure what you mean, but if one decides to do such mod - it is important to isolate the card by putting lot of glue, or masking tape, so it won't short circuit anything.

Thanks for the info.

I'm really thinking of doing such a mod myself, just to to have done it.

If you don't mind me copying your idea of course

I was just wondering how you deaktivate wifi if you dont need it?

Do you think it would be possible to install a switch somewhere, like in the supply line of the usb cables?

I was just wondering how you deaktivate wifi if you dont need it?

You have 2 options (in windows):
1) In "Network and dial up connections" you can disable/enable the wifi connection whenever you want.
2) In the systray you have safe remove or unplug hardware icon - just as with disk-on-key. This deactivates any usb peripheral completely (stops the power to it)..
The drawback of this - is to re-enable the device once again - you need to restart the computer.

That's a very practical idea and you really did a great job!
I tried a similar mod a while ago. However it was more difficult than I anticipated. My target machine was TP240 and I replaced the 2.5" hard drive with 1.8" one and tried to stuff 1. 4 port USB hub, 2. Ethernet USB adapter, 3. Bluetooth2.0 USB adapter, 4. SD/MMC/MiniSD/SONY Memory stick into the left-over space of the hard drive caddy(with some casing mod) and hoping I can still keep the original USB port working. Well it was a long story which I am not ready to tell yet. Anyway everything is working fine. All that's left is the soldering work(more than 50 tiny solder spots left) but I just haven't got time to do it (to get it overwith).

It would be really nice to have a 10.4" laptop with built-in wifi(mini-pci), bluetooth, SD/MMC/MiniSD/SONY Memory stick reader, ethernet. It will probably be the slowest laptop(Celeron-300) with all the advanced tech. in it.

Here are some photos if anyone is interested.
http://www.ele.uri.edu/~sclan/xjv
(from "20060607 mod prep" to "20060615 mod soldering04", six photo albums total)