ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless vs. Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG

[nasa]

Buying an IBM laptop is so confusing! Could you please help me understand the difference (if any) between:

1) ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi Wireless
2) ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi Wireless II
3) Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG

As far as I can tell from the information on the IBM website, they all seem the same. (I'm looking, for example, at specs located at http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-57210)

I'm assuming there must be a difference between the 3, or else we wouldn't be given the option of choosing.

Thanks for your help =)

[dfumento]

Well, I can tell you the differences in chip sets, but don't know of comparative performance.

Intel 2915 ABG uses Intel 2915 Chipset compatible with Intel's newest chipset.

IBM Wireless I uses Atheros 5001X chipset.
IBM Wireless II uses Atheros 5004 chipset.

I would go for the Wireless II. My T42 has the Atheros, my X41 the 2915 and the T42 has better signal but that may be because the antennas are larger as they are alongside the panel in the T42.

[nasa]

Thanks dfumento. After I posted this topic I searched around this forum and found some interesting info (I guess I technically should have done this before I asked my question...sorry!). Apparently it seems like a lot of people are/were having problems with the Intel 2915. Specifically, it seems like it was a problem with the 2915 and a certain Linksys router. I don't know if the problems were fixed, but I think I'd rather avoid any potential problems altogether.

I didn't find too many people saying they had issues with the IBM Wireless I or II, so it looks like going this route is the way to go.

[vpn-user]

Yes, the Intel (the 2000BG card uses same driver) has some problems with the driver. Random disconnects and wireless does not come on after resume etc.

Go for the Atheros based card, you' ll even be able to do 108MBit with a compatible (Archos based) accesspoint.

[pointfielder]

Somebody did detailed benchmarking on T42p/T43/T43p on this forum and
concluded that the ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi Wireless II card was the best.

I own a machine with this and it has never given me any trouble, even
though I have tried connecting to different brand routers and access points.
This card has worked at places where Intel's cards have failed to connect.

[yossarian]

I've never had issues with my 2915 on t43. Be wary of Atheros chipset if you want to use linux on your laptop though. 2915 has native kernel supoprt, whereas atheros you may need to use madwifi or possibly (shudder) pay for a linuxant driver.