IBM T30 - outdated...

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JASE · #1 Post by **JASE** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 3:28 am

We have a number of T30 ThinkPads in the office. These machines are equipped with the IBM Highrate WiFi 802.11b Mini-PCI adapter. The machines are fast and by no means outdated.

We have now (due to security reasons) switched from WEP to WPA-PSK encryption. The Highrate Mini-PCI adaptor does not support WPA-PSK, so we have bought a handfull of the IBM 3B Mini-PCI WiFi cards.

Guess what! - the T30 will not accept this card. The BIOS stops and claims that the card is unauthorized. Best of all - the (IBM) 3B cards works in a DELL!?

So now we arw forced either to scrap the T30 machines or degrade our network security - nice going IBM!

Br.

JASE

sktn77a · #2 Post by **sktn77a** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 7:37 am

These were IBM-manufactured 3B cards (not some other brand)? If the T30 really is incompatible, it would be much cheaper to use a PCMCIA card than scrap the computers.

vakero1 · #3 Post by **vakero1** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 7:43 am

Yeah, why don't just use pcmcia cards?

mattfromomaha · #4 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:38 am

It is my understanding that the T30 antenna can't handle newer protocols, so that's why the internal card is erroring out. It was probably difficult for IBM designers to anticipate what standards would be invented in the future and make the antenna compatible with it....

PCMCIA cards, or even those little USB wireless adapters, outta work.

aabram · #5 Post by **aabram** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:48 pm

Or you could just build intra-office VPN and run it over existing wifi network with the advantage of not having to upgrade neither machines nor cards.

sjhwilkes · #6 Post by **sjhwilkes** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:59 pm

Use the hack. The no-1802.com program changes one byte of your BIOS so all wireless cards work:
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~mjg59/thinkpad/wireless.html

Myung · #7 Post by **Myung** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 7:58 pm

I've recently bought Cisco mini-pci adapter for my T30. Cisco mini-pci has not supported WPA, but the new driver now seems to support WPA(released today).

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-42683

I guess JASE wanted the convenience of onboard wireless card, not PCMCIA card.

So, somehow if you can return 3B mini-pci cards for Cisco mini-pci cards, WPA could be used.

JASE · #8 Post by **JASE** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:52 pm

The hack worked just fine - the Mini-PCI card is now working without any problems.

Why do IBM make these restrictions in the BIOS - do they really thing that we will scrap a 1½ year old machine and just by a new one?

JASE

JHEM · #9 Post by **JHEM** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 5:31 pm

JASE wrote:Why do IBM make these restrictions in the BIOS - do they really thing that we will scrap a 1½ year old machine and just by a new one?

Because IBM has to certify the laptop for RF emissions standards around the world (including DK!) and it's a bit difficult to do that when they don't have a crystal ball that tells them what WiFi cards might be manufactured in the future!

Regards,

James

DaveO · #10 Post by **DaveO** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:48 pm

sjhwilkes wrote:Use the hack. The no-1802.com program changes one byte of your BIOS so all wireless cards work:
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~mjg59/thinkpad/wireless.html

Hi, Is it really as simple as running the no-1802.com file in DOS, does it update itself? or do i have to actually know something about the bios code and use the file as a tool to update it?
I have a couple of T30s that I would like to upgrade from current high rate wireless cards to intel 2200 "g" or the "abg" atheros cards (ibm or otherwise). Would anyone know if one card is prefered over the other as far as compatibility with our Linksys wrt54g router?
Thanks
Dave

sjhwilkes · #11 Post by **sjhwilkes** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:56 am

Yes it really is that simple. I'm running 2200BG now, and it has MUCH better reception than the IBM Cisco card it replaced (as well as supporting G) I guess in two years 802.11 chipsets improved.
There's no A band antenna in a T30, so the 2200BG is the best deal at about $35 each.

I'm kind of surprised none of IBM's big customers (the government for instance) pressured IBM to re-certify the T30 with one of the G cards.

There's a new T30 BIOS just out, I'm reluctant to upgrade to it in case they've blocked the no 1802 hack. Anyone else dared?

Simon

DaveO · #12 Post by **DaveO** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 6:28 am

Well I'm stoked!! My "unauthorised" cards arrived, and finally the old girls are up to ''G" wireless spec.....The patch is a no-brainer, the 2200BG cards work as they should. (The only thing is I cant get the proset software to load...says I have to remove installed version??...news to me.... works without it anyway, or am I missing something?)
Thus ends a long saga and justice is served!
Thanks for the tip Simon, much appreciated.

Regards,

Dave

sjhwilkes · #13 Post by **sjhwilkes** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:51 am

How much did the 2.5Ghz PIVs cost you? How hot do the systems run? How big a hit has battery life taken?

I'm tempted to do the same, I've already done 7K60 and 1GB RAM, trying to get as much life out of this as possible before splashing out on a T42p (Or it's successor if I can wait that long)

Simon

DaveO · #14 Post by **DaveO** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:21 pm

sjhwilkes wrote:How much did the 2.5Ghz PIVs cost you? How hot do the systems run? How big a hit has battery life taken?

I'm tempted to do the same, I've already done 7K60 and 1GB RAM, trying to get as much life out of this as possible before splashing out on a T42p (Or it's successor if I can wait that long)

Simon

I bought the 2.5ghz P4s on ebay, paid average US$150.
I havent noticed much more heat full speed on AC power, well less than I expected anyway..... and as far as battery life is concerned I let speedstep drop them down to 1.2ghz as I did with the old 1.8 P4. I usually run on AC anyway. Obviously at 2.5 they would soak up the battery a bit more.....after all it is a 40% speed increase.

Some later T30s were available with 2.4ghz so I am not too concerned with over stressing the system.

Regards
Dave

IBM T30 - outdated...

IBM T30 - outdated...

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