Which A/B/G wireless card to upgrade in my T40?

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jim_0068 · #1 Post by **jim_0068** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:21 pm

I'd like to upgrade my a/b card in my t40 to the better a/b/g wireless card and would like to get the proper version however i see different versions available on ebay.

Could someone please tell me the one i should get?

Thanks

#2 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:40 am

39T0071
T40 Parts manual

karim_ps · #3 Post by **karim_ps** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:23 pm

Go for Intel's cards to keep the Centrino platform in

ajkula66 · #4 Post by **ajkula66** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:30 pm

Given that the a/b card that was originally installed is Atheros and not Intel, there was no Centrino platform on that T40 to begin with...

#5 Post by **Johan** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:36 pm

Jim:

Maybe you will find a bit of useful information in the thread T42p: WLAN-swap (Intel to Atheros): Advantages/difficulties?... as much of that which is discussed there also applied to T40's.

Johan

jim_0068 · #6 Post by **jim_0068** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:33 pm

Sorry but i'm more confused..i know that my computer was not a centrino but does that matter? Cant i still use the intel card?

Also i think you might have linked me to the wrong thread, something about serial port adatpors in that one. I'll try to search for the real one though.

ajkula66 · #7 Post by **ajkula66** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:25 pm

You can still use the Intel card, no problem there.

#8 Post by **schen** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:52 pm

jim_0068 wrote:Sorry but i'm more confused..i know that my computer was not a centrino but does that matter? Cant i still use the intel card?

Also i think you might have linked me to the wrong thread, something about serial port adatpors in that one. I'll try to search for the real one though.

Centrino was a technology/marketing bundle that Intel dreamed up to accomplish several things... not the least of it being to sell more chips. Basically it was a combination of their chipset, CPU and wireless card is supposed to deliver the nirvana of power, speed and extended battery life. So when a machine with one of those chipsets detected that it was operating with all 3 of the magic parts, you'd get a nice looking Centrino splash screen on boot-up! As far as I can tell, the least of the 3 parts in terms of contribution to their goal was the wireless card.

Among many forum members, it is often replaced with an Atheros chipped WiFi card that deliver some arguable benefits, among which are: more power (meaning better range or better signal acquisition at a given distance), better speed (especially when you combine an Atheros chipped card with some Atheros chipped access point) giving the SuperG 108 speed, and they are often cheaper as well since Atheros isn't as well known of a name (at least among typical consumers).

So, many folks are willing to give up the Centrino label (and the cool splash screen), as well as some battery life for the better performance. Hope that clear things up some. I have both in my house and honestly can't really detect all that much of a difference although, I'll probably replace the Intel card in my wife's R52 with an Atheros one.

indicium · #9 Post by **indicium** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:41 pm

Do all T40's have the antennas installed? I also was thinking about installing a card. What is the part number for a Atheros card compatible with the T40's?

#10 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:54 pm

indicium wrote:Do all T40's have the antennas installed? I also was thinking about installing a card. What is the part number for a Atheros card compatible with the T40's?

I think this came up once before. I recall the answer was that nearly 100% of T4x machines have antennas, even when they did not have wireless adapters from the factory. However, I do think there may be a very rare exception that they are missing or were removed.

It is easy to check for them, just pop off the keyboard (4 screws for a T40) and look, you'd see them running right down the middle - a gray and black cable next to each other.

#11 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:57 pm

By the way, unless you know you'll be attaching to an "a" wifi network, the Atheros (or Intel) b/g adapters work just as well in the T4x machines and may even use less power because they are only looking for bg networks.

There are seven adapter models that will work (are compatible with the T4x BIOS) for T4x machines (from IBM), they all work pretty well, but some people have preferences;

-Cisco b
-Intel 2100 b
-Intel 2200 b/g
-Intel 2915 a/b/g
-IBM Atheros b/g
-IBM Atheros a/b/g
-IBM Atheros a/b/g II

I believe each adpater has more than one part number (some have several part numbers).

sktn77a · #12 Post by **sktn77a** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:46 pm

There's also the T43 a/b/g card (the last PCMCIA card made for the T series - 39T0355). It works in the T40 but Fn-F5 doesn't work with it. Otherwise, it's fine.

Edit: Yes, sorry, I meant mini-PCI (internal).

#13 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:50 pm

sktn77a wrote:There's also the T43 a/b/g card (the last PCMCIA card made for the T series - 39T0355)

It's a mini PCI card.

#14 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:00 pm

That part number is just an IBM Atheros 802.11a/b/g II wireless adapter.

The Fn-F5 key combination should work.

I'm sure you did, but did you try to uninstall and then reinstall the keyboard / hotkey driver package? I've seen the issue of Fn-F5 not working after a wireless adapter upgrade, but after upgrading/reinstalling various related drivers, it worked.

indicium · #15 Post by **indicium** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:32 pm

How do I find the matching part number for the Atheros cards? Is it in the Hardware Maintenance manual or somewhere else on the Lenovo website?

#16 Post by **underclocker** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:58 pm

It's available in many places. Harryc was kind enough to post a link for it in the first reply in this thread.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 46474.html

Please note, there are actually several part numbers for each adapter. I do not believe a comprehensive list exists on this planet. You'll have to review the description of any item you are buying very carefully if it's not one of the exact part numbers that do happen to be listed.

sktn77a · #17 Post by **sktn77a** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:17 pm

underclocker wrote:That part number is just an IBM Atheros 802.11a/b/g II wireless adapter.

The Fn-F5 key combination should work.

I'm sure you did, but did you try to uninstall and then reinstall the keyboard / hotkey driver package? I've seen the issue of Fn-F5 not working after a wireless adapter upgrade, but after upgrading/reinstalling various related drivers, it worked.

Yep, tried updating everything - BIOS, controller, hotkey driver, OSD driver, power management, etc. Could never get Fn-F5 to work in the T40.

Which A/B/G wireless card to upgrade in my T40?

Which A/B/G wireless card to upgrade in my T40?

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