Installing internal wireless on T23-- error 019C

[Dngrsone]

Limited space in subject line is cramping my style.

Okay, I have a T23 style 2647-8MU with the built-in 10/100 ethernet and internal modem on mini-PCI.

I have recently acquired a 93P3477 802.11g wireless mini-PCI card that I was hoping to install in place of the modem card so I can dispense with my PCMCIA wireless card.

Now, if I install the wireless mini-PCI card, the BIOS throws out an error 019C complaining about having more than one network device installed.

I updated the BIOS and have the same problem.

It makes no sense that the computer wouldn't be able to handle two network cards; after all, the modem is a form of network card, and the computer has no issues with a plug-in PCMCIA network card, so why is it doing this?

If I hit Esc I can still get into Win okay, but is this a serious issue and can I fix it somehow?

I have yet to get antennas, I'm waiting to resolve this issue before I do so.

[rkawakami]

Hi! Saw your question in the other currently-running T23 internal WiFi thread but I'll answer your question here...

I've replaced both an existing Actiontec modem/WiFi card and the regular modem-only MiniPCI card with a generic Broadcom 802.11b/g wireless card in several of my T23s without any complaints from the BIOS. I'd have to check to see what BIOS levels were being used, but I know for a fact that they're not the latest (1.20 IIRC). I think one is 1.17; the others are probably around 1.08. I don't believe that the T23s require any hacking (ie. no-1082) but again, this is based upon BIOS versions at least a couple of years old.

The only thing that I can recommend is to load the BIOS defaults (which probably was done when you updated). It shouldn't hurt, and then again, it may not help either.

And this just occured to me, but it may not be relavant: What is the Embedded Controller version?

[Dngrsone]

Thanks Ray,

I had to update the controller when I updated the BIOS, so I am using BIOS 1.2 and controller v 1.04.

I'm assuming that one can't roll these back at will.

I was using BIOS 1.18 prior to the upgrade, IIRC.

So, do you think it's a matter of too new a BIOS or just an issue with the type wireless card I picked?

[Kaervak]

Doing a quick google search on 93P3477 shows it to be an Atheros based wireless card. It's pretty common for the 019c error to happen with those cards. What you need to do is find out the model of the Atheros chip used (usually on the chip itself) and follow the instructions in this thread. http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... ht=minipci

I had to do this with my Atheros 5002 based MiniPCI card to get rid of the 019c error on my T23. There is one catch, newer Atheros based cards (AR5005 IIRC) can't me modified. My understanding of what's happening is the EEPROM of the Atheros card is being modified so that it no longer identifies itself as a "Network Controller" and ID's as a wireless controller. As with all hardware modifying, be careful cause you may screw up the card. It's really easy to do, just pay attention to the options.

[Dngrsone]

Thanks, Kaervak... it looks like mine is Atheros 5213A-00.

We'll take a stab at it.

[Dngrsone]

It worked! Now I need to buy some antennas and find some drivers for Win XP.

Thanks again, guys!

[Dngrsone]

Well, got my antennas in, installed them (broke the frame on the right side ), and installed some drivers (Ekahau v4.1.2.137).

Problem is, while the internal card can see the wireless router, it won't connect to it.

I have shared WEP 128bit encryption set and have entered the key, but it won't connect to the router. The Netgear WG511T wireless card connects to the router fine, but it goes through the Netgear Wireless Connection Wizard, not through Windows network.

Any idea what I have done wrong?

[Musti]

Well, got my antennas in, installed them (broke the frame on the right side ), and installed some drivers (Ekahau v4.1.2.137).

Problem is, while the internal card can see the wireless router, it won't connect to it.

I have shared WEP 128bit encryption set and have entered the key, but it won't connect to the router. The Netgear WG511T wireless card connects to the router fine, but it goes through the Netgear Wireless Connection Wizard, not through Windows network.

Any idea what I have done wrong?

1. Is Wireless Zero Configuration running on the machine?
Start-> Run -> services.msc
scroll to bottom, you'll see the service. What is its status?

2. Is Windows configured to take care of the wireless, or Netgear? I presume Netgear. To check? Double click on the wireless connection icon, click Properties, then click Wireless Networks tab. The first option is Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings. Is it checked?

3. What I find useful when configuring any wireless setup is to disable all kinds of encryption and try connecting. Don't worry, nothing will be hacked when you're doing the testing for 30 minutes tops. (Unless you have truly industrious hacker neighbours who do nothing but scan the wireless spectrum 24-7)

[Dngrsone]

Thanks for the reply, Musti.

Wireless zero is started and set for automatic execution.

The Internal Wireless is set to let windows handle network configuration, the Netgear card is not.

Doh!

It appears that the problem arose out of the Proxy having a static IP address set for the laptop... with DHCP assignment, I connected.

I get the feeling this card won't do bluetooth, even though the vendor advertised it as Wifi and Bluetooth.

[Musti]

I get the feeling this card won't do bluetooth, even though the vendor advertised it as Wifi and Bluetooth.

Check this link out. Gotta love it when sellers provide extensive info about the products they're selling. Hope it helps.

http://tinyurl.com/yzw3pp

[danage]

i have seen only one version of a minipci with wlan and bluetooth. it had 3 antenna connectors, and one was marked bt.

does yours have that? if only main and aux, then it's probably no bluetooth.

[Dngrsone]

They are selling two different cards, there-- a Wifi a/b/g and a bluetooth/modem.

As I have only one mini-pci slot...

No, I only have two antenna connectors.

Are bluetooth antennas the same as Wifi?

[Dngrsone]

Bah! My reception with the internal wireless is terrible... I might have to go back to the PC Card.

[waynesdukeess]

I was looking for help with conn settings and saw your post.

I left the pcmcia WALM for mini pci. I used only small coax with
connectors to card. ea cable about 10in and 1/2 bare wire on end
for ant. secured to bot and side of laptop. much better sig

like: pcmcia=30-40% mini card 70-90%
much faster DL speeds

look for open or shorted connections

luck,