T21 and mini pci wireless B G card?

[SaberX]

I dont have this T21 yet, but just wondering if this mini pci card i have on hand will work in it.
I have a Intel mini pci wireless card . The FRU: is 93p4168 on the card.EC:J46420 Date 03/29/04.

From what i see by looking up this FRU # on line it's a IBM card.
Did anyone put a wireless card in a T21 or T2x system?
I'm looking up and doing serches on the "no-1802" now...

[truk]

It shouldn't give you a problem.

As for the errors, see here:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... et_devices

[Harryc]

That card is not for a T21.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Intel_PRO ... CI_Adapter

[truk]

That card is not for a T21.

Just to clear that up, that card was not made for the T21, and will give an error (why the link above). It is mini PCI and should be compatible otherwise.

[rkawakami]

If you are going to install that particular MiniPCI wireless card inside the T21, then you will have to remove the existing MPCI card. It would be a modem or a modem/ethernet combo card. In either event, you will not have modem OR ethernet capabilities unless you use a PCMCIA card. Don't know if you will get either error code mentioned above, with or without a PCMCIA ethernet card also installed in the system.

I've installed a couple of (slightly) different versions of Broadcom-based 802.11b/g cards in T23s and they have never thrown any error codes. This is after removing the factory modem/802.11b combo cards.

[SaberX]

Well i got the T21 today.I installed XP Pro on it.
Than i put in the Intel_PRO/Wireless_2200BG_Mini-PCI.
It booted up to Windows XP no problems.It asked for drivers.So i went on IBM's site and found drivers for the card.That installed find and everything is running good.Now i just have to wait a few more days for the antenna's from b-bay to show up.
So far i never got any bios 1802 errors.

[SaberX]

This now brings me to a new question.
I have a set of antenna's coming any day now.
But befor i go and strip down the laptop (T21) and run the antenna wires up inside the lcd screen.Will there be any interfernce up there?
I have read that running the wires in some of the older thinkpads like the 570 will not work good.
I'm thinking this T21 should be fine but like to here from people who done it.

[rkawakami]

Placement of the antenna(s) inside the lid of a T2x system gives you iffy reception due to the titanium composite being used in the lid. There have been several threads here discussing this. Try the following:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=28776
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=32377
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=34838
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=34959
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=37619

Some of these threads talk about the T23 but I believe that the T21 will be no different when it comes down to the installation of an antenna for your wireless card. And as far as "interference", you should not see any video signal distrubance by putting an antenna next to the screen. If you do try installing it in the lid, just make sure that you insulate the antenna so that it does not touch any other metal. You don't want to ground out your radio signal do you?

Best placement for the antenna seems to be in the base near the end of the battery bay (up against the outer edge of the laptop) or in the area where the RFID tag usually goes (left front edge of laptop near hard drive bay). Both positions will tend to be directional as there is something in the way "behind" the antenna (i.e., the laptop). The battery bay placement may still be affected by the titanimum case while the RFID area has a plastic window in which to shoot out the microwave signal (albeit low on the desk and under your left wrist).