Thinkpads Forum

Wow, there is almost nothing good I can say about this card, besides it doesn't catch on fire.

Can't keep connection. (drops and whatnot)

Freezes card and IBM software doesn't know wtf

Connection just *stops*, times out, and wireless software thinks everything is ok.

When it does work, connection is around 50-60% when 10 feet from the base station. The old Atheros card could be a few hundred feet off in the driveway and pushing 80%.

Is there some crazy "work" setting I am missing here?

Sounds like the card is defective. As far as I know the 3945ABG wireless is almost the same as the 2915ABG, except that it uses a PCIe interface.

Next, give the drivers direct from Intel a try. The ibm build ones might be crappy.

Intel ones are just slightly better, but the reception is nothing near what my old Atheros mPci gave. Looks like the first upgrade before more ram will be the atheros a/b/g mPci-e card that IBM has on sale right now

Have you cracked it open to reseat the card and reconnect the 2 antanea leads? I would give that a try as a general troubleshooting step. Dont do it if your not comfortable digging in the machine.

AssPenny wrote:Have you cracked it open to reseat the card and reconnect the 2 antanea leads? I would give that a try as a general troubleshooting step. Dont do it if your not comfortable digging in the machine.

I had my z60m torn open the first night upgrading ram. Not shy about opening these suckers up .

If it's that bad, seems like you ought to also see if Lenovo will just replace the Intel card with the Atheros one for free. Or send you another Intel card, in case the one you have is defective.

own6volvos wrote:Wow, there is almost nothing good I can say about this card, besides it doesn't catch on fire.

Can't keep connection. (drops and whatnot)

Freezes card and IBM software doesn't know wtf

Connection just *stops*, times out, and wireless software thinks everything is ok.

When it does work, connection is around 50-60% when 10 feet from the base station. The old Atheros card could be a few hundred feet off in the driveway and pushing 80%.

Is there some crazy "work" setting I am missing here?

I had the very same effects on my Atheros card in the T40p. Finally I gave up and shipped the notebook back.
IBM servicefound out that the card went bye bye every once in a while. The new card has never let me down.
(software and hardware tests were ok., but the card was broken)

This sounds like the same kind of problems that everyone has had with the 2200 and 2915 cards and Linksys routers. What kind of wifi router are you using?

Dlink 634m router. Been perfect for other laptops and handhelds. It just acts as an access point on my network, with the dhcp server/router being a linux box.

you can never go wrong with the Atheros chipsets. I've always ordered my Thinkpads with the Atheros chips. They get better reception and you can enable the additional european and japanese channels (12-13).

I think it might be better in the longrun with the atheros anyways. I could just sell this thing on ebay or something.

I am not having a great eperience with my 3945ABG either.

It sorta works, but the range is way less than than what I had with the Atheros on the T43.

I may try a little 220V action on the Intel...you know, to jump start the bugger...

Hmmm, I have on order a 2007-68U with the 3945abg. Do folks here with experience with Intel and/or Atheros wireless cards think that I should ask Lenovo to substitute the Atheros card (understanding that this would delay the shipment)?

Does anyone think Lenovo would actually do it? Or maybe they'll make me pay for the Atheros card, in which case I'll just keep the laptop order stock and replace the card myself if I notice poor performance.

serpico wrote:Does anyone think Lenovo would actually do it? Or maybe they'll make me pay for the Atheros card, in which case I'll just keep the laptop order stock and replace the card myself if I notice poor performance.

its about as likely that pigs will fly withOUT sufficient impetus..
or
no..
better to just get an atheros based card and swap it of change the model to one WITH the atheros card..
for me, so far, with my T43p it does just fine with the intel card.. same for the X41 and X41T..
for some reason getting the atheros and top options in one thinkpad is not easily possible..
the T60p i have on order has the intel 'cuz thats the only way they come when you want a verizon EvDO as well.. <sigh>

own6volvos wrote:atheros a/b/g mPci-e card that IBM has on sale right now

Got a link to that sale?

should we totally write off the 3945? I've ordered 2007-68u which comes with the 3945, from comments/feedback that i've been reading, sounds like the 3945 has been installed to fail

should I buy the atheros card and keep it handy before the tp arrives?

is the atheros card the generic 11a/b/g wireless mini Pcie adapter? 40Y7062?

fullauto or owns6volvos:

Is there a verdict on the Intel 3945 card?

my 'Express' D6U is now scheduled to ship in May (they're pulling a Vista on me), so I'm going to cancel that and go with either the 62U with Atheros (which will require that I swap the hard drive to get 7200rpm) or order the 68U w/ 7200rpm and swap the WiFi card.

one benefit of the 62U is that I will have a quiet Seagate drive rather than the noisy Hitachi.

any thoughts are appreciated!

hoya wrote:fullauto or owns6volvos:

they're pulling a Vista on me

awesome.

I just got this machine on Wednesday, and I haven't had any problems with the wireless card.

My T40 had the Atheros ABG card, which also worked well. Other people have stated they think the Atheros card has better range, but my experience was the Atheros card constantly misreported the signal strength -- it seemed to think almost every signal was at least 20% higher than it really was.

For example, in my home, the Atheros would report 100% signal from an access point with 3 walls between it and the PC. The Intel card reports the signal strength between 65%-75%, which makes a lot more sense to me.

dbertoni5000 wrote:I just got this machine on Wednesday, and I haven't had any problems with the wireless card.

Yesterday and ditto on the problems.

I can't wait to test the Cisco multi-AP, though...to see if it really works.

Strangely enough, the 3945 a/b/g card in my T60p give me a better experience than did the Thinkpad a/b/g II in my T42p. The latter would not hold a connection with the a band on my D-Link 7100 at home, but the 3945 will. So far (two days) it has had no problems remaining connected to the 802.1x PEAP wireless t my office.

WilsonF, what kind of chipset does your router use?

I've got a Netgear (WGT-624) with an Atheros chipset, which works pretty well with my T40, which also has an Atheros chipset (X5001+). I've tested with an Intel 2915ABG and that also works ok with the Netgear router.

Again, the 2915ABG and the 3945ABG seem pretty similar except for the PCIe interface on the later card. I doubt the 3945ABG is defective in design (I hope not).

Guys,

I can really use your help here.

I'm in the process of sending my T60 back.

Why?

It can't hold a WiFi connection. Sometimes it doesn't
see the network. When it does connect, it throws all
the other wireless laptops and wired desktop off the
network.

The Lenovo tech thinks I have an electrical shortage
in the card.

Now that I read this thread (and others) I see that the
problem is probably the card inside the T60 and Linksys
routers (which I am using - WRT54GX4).

What do you guys suggest I do? Lenovo is sending me
a new T60 but it will probably have the same crap card
inside.

Ronbo that really stinks, man. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble...

After all these wifi issues I've read of here, I took some liberty yesterday at work to see if I could duplicate any issues...I could not.

I've tested fairly extensively now on several devices using a combination of large file downloads and VPN tunnel testing with more large file and some burst ftp and http, too. I just can't break this 3945...and this was on older drivers (just updated today via sys update).

Dlink DI-724U for 2.4Ghz 54Mbps B/G at various ranges (and various numbers and densities of walls) with excellent to good link...no issues

LinkSys WCG200 for 2.4Ghz 11Mbps B/G at varoius ranges in my home (not many walls) and even outside at an estimated distance of 120 - 130ft (through the brick house) with good link...no issues

Cisco Aironet 1240 for 5Ghz 54Mbps A at various ranges and walls, etc. (office again) with good to excellent the whole way. I even went down the hall (out of our office) to the other side of the building to test this Cisco high end AP and could not shake it. I have yet to get my hands on a mesh aironet to test the multi-AP but I'm working on that.

You HAVE to have a bad card man...because what I've experienced CAN NOT be a fluke. This new Intel card is SOLID.

This new Intel card is SOLID.

Great read. Thanks.

I am hoping that you are saying that the T60
comes with the INTEL card and normally it is
rock-solid.

That gives me hope that the replacement will
be fine.

Otherwise, all I am going to get is another T60
with the same issues.

NJRonbo wrote:

This new Intel card is SOLID.

Great read. Thanks.

I am hoping that you are saying that the T60
comes with the INTEL card and normally it is
rock-solid.

That gives me hope that the replacement will
be fine.

Otherwise, all I am going to get is another T60
with the same issues.

No, I meant the Atheros card...



jk

Most configs are indeed the Intel 3945ABG. I'm sure there are those that still swear by the Atheros cards, but Lenovo did choose to include the new Intel card in most of their configs for a reason, I'm sure.

Let me know if you still have issues with the new one...I'd be glad to help you troubleshoot some more...

jeremivw,

Now you got me confused.

Which network card do I want? Intel or Atheros?

I believe tech support gave me the option of having
a new network card sent to me and replacing it myself
or by one of their local service centers.

If you think the card I have (I can check when I get home)
is the problem, I can have Lenovo ship me a replacement.

So the three questions are...

1. Do I want the INTEL or ATHEROS?
2. How can I find out which I have on my system?
3. How easy/difficult would it be for the average guy to
replace the card if Lenovo sends a new one?

Thanks. Your insight on all this has been very helpful.
Once I get home and check my laptop I may consult you
once more.

NJRonbo wrote:jeremivw,

Now you got me confused.

Which network card do I want? Intel or Atheros?

I believe tech support gave me the option of having
a new network card sent to me and replacing it myself
or by one of their local service centers.

If you think the card I have (I can check when I get home)
is the problem, I can have Lenovo ship me a replacement.

So the three questions are...

1. Do I want the INTEL or ATHEROS?
2. How can I find out which I have on my system?
3. How easy/difficult would it be for the average guy to
replace the card if Lenovo sends a new one?

Thanks. Your insight on all this has been very helpful.
Once I get home and check my laptop I may consult you
once more.

1). Sorry for the confusion. I was just kidding about having the Atheros. I have the Intel and you want the Intel, too, IMO.

2). Just use the Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager/NICS to see which card you have. It's probably the Intel card.

3). Fairly straightforward, I think. It's under the keyboard and there aren't that many screws to it yourself...should be a piece o' cake!