Weird WIFI problem with Atheros BG adapter

[nutjobox]

I think its dead now. Ever since i got the pci adapter, it wouldnt stay consistantly on. It would lock up, and require me to 'repair' the connection. that usually worked, no big deal. sometimes it would that wouldnt work and i would have to restart the whole laptop (t40 2373-8cu)

Last couple days it would only work on a cold startup. Pretty much came to the conclusion the card was overheating inside. (very hot right on the thumbpad!)

Well now i cant get the wifi to come on at all. Weird part- when i hooked up my ethernet cable to the internal jack (intel pro) i had to go to device manager to enable it. once i did, the wifi light came on!! then, a popup noted how the pc found the wifi network and connected. but i couldnt browse the net. so i restarted the pc, and alas no more wifi again. wired works fine, but i paid $40 for this wifi card and only got 3 months use out of it

[PhilS]

Get a bootable Ubuntu Linux CD and try your system with it. I believe that Ubuntu comes with the madwifi drivers for the Atheros card and this will let you try the card eliminating any possible issue with your operating system drivers.

You may be able to find it with a Linux magazine, from the library in a Ubuntu book, or you can download it from their web site.

Phil Sherman

[nutjobox]

i tried the ubuntu. i think the card is dead, i even let the laptop cool off completely. ubuntu doesnt see any wireless stuff, im not sure if i need to enable it somehow. i cant get the wireless light to come on at all anymore, i think she's toast.

just found a 108mbs card for $35 on the bay, i snatched it up. supposed to have its bios modded to work on any t40, we'll see.

[nutjobox]

received the new atheros 5001x+ card today. Upon installation, windows immediately picked up the card and found a driver. Once the driver was installed, it said it could not start the device for an unknown reason. I rebooted the pc, and the card disappeared in the device manager. same thing as the other card.

im afraid i have a larger problem on my hands the only evidence i have is before my first card died, it would lock up the wifi if i put pressure on the thumbpad (right above the wifi card). it seemed that anytime i put pressure on top of the palm rest area the wifi card would lock up and require a restart. now, neither card works, but the device manager did see the new one the first time. this sucks.

[nutjobox]

another update

i found out that when i put pressure on the area where the harddrive is, the laptop will boot up with the wifi light blinking and working. after the desktop loads, it soon goes to BSOD. and, eny time i let up the pressure the WIFI light immediately goes off.

my diagnosis- bad motherboard. or dying. too much flexing, it seems this one is close to being cooked, at least the wifi is the only problem with it so far. only problem now is the new card i bought, i broke off one of the antenna jacks! not a good day. time for a pcmcia wifi card i guess....