Thinkpads Forum

I prefer to use the drivers from Intel...so if anyone else does, here is the link for the latest drivers (10.1.1.3) released 5/1

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts ... uctID=2259

-JD

Thanks for sharing.

Anyone getting a better signal with using them?

Personally I dont see any difference at all. The release notes don't indicate what changed

I see a few cosmetic things....but no difference in performance that I am aware of. Perhaps someone might offer something else

-JD

AuroraGuy wrote:Personally I dont see any difference at all. The release notes don't indicate what changed

The readme file at the link you posted shows a whole bunch of changes--software problems that most people never encountered, I suppose.

But there isn't much that software can do to improve the poor RF performance of the hardware. Maybe I'll have to try the Atheros wireless card. The Atheros card in my X40 detects far more access points than the 3945abg.

I downloaded and installed the new Intel 3945ABG driver onto my X60 a few days ago, and it seemed to work OK. I don't think I rebooted after that, but don't recall. Then today, in anticipation of replacing the Intel 3945ABG card with the Atheros card (which I bought because I'm not happy with the weak signal performance of the Intel card), I downloaded and installed the drivers for the Atheros card. And the problems started when I rebooted. I got a blue screen with one line that said IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and a bunch of other lines. I booted into safe mode and tried to roll back to a System Restore point from yesterday. It seemed to restore OK, but when rebooting apparently normally, it got to the point where the little balloon above the System tray shows the IP address assigned to the wireless card, and then crashed again into the same blue screen. This happened twice--safe mode, system restore, crash. The system wouldn't restore to the day before I installed the Atheros drivers. Each time I tried to restore, it displayed today's restore points. The third time, in safe mode, I rolled back the Intel driver to version 10.1.0.13, I did not do a system restore, and the X60 now seems stable. So I don't know whether the instability was due to the new Intel driver or not, but I don't see how the Atheros drivers (for hardware not yet installed) could be the problem.

I supposed the 'safest' bet is to stick with the Lenovo provided drivers...but I have had no issues with the Intel driver and have been running it almost 24/7

Sorry if my thread here caused you greif.

I bought an ultrabay and spare SATA drive for playing. I always backup things (Using Acronis Migrate easy) before ever playing.

It has saved me many times.

-JD

AuroraGuy wrote: Sorry if my thread here caused you grief.
-JD

Well, of course, that's the mystery--whether the new Intel driver caused my problem, or the Atheros driver, or something else.

Well, I don't think it's the Intel driver causing the problem. I rolled back to the previous driver, I can still boot into safe mode, but it still crashes in a regular boot up.

Now I believe it was Notebook Hardware Control (NHC) that was causing the problem. I rolled back to a restore point before I installed NHC, and now the computer seems stable.

i installed the latest drivers from intel as well....but i had issues where it would have to disconnect and reconnect a few times before the ThinkVantage software would connect me. I think the 2 softwares were battling with each other (I ended up having to install the intel one..it didnt seem to want to connect at all if I didnt). I tried to set the Intel software to "let windows connect" but then nothing worked after that.

I ended up uninstalling all of it, and went through the IBM updater and installing the latest version through there again and now I'm all back to normal

If you install the Intel drivers you have to just install the drivers. You're going to have the software conflict if you install everything (app and driver).

duffy wrote:If you install the Intel drivers you have to just install the drivers. You're going to have the software conflict if you install everything (app and driver).

it was wierd..i tried installing just the drivers, but then when I tried connecting using the IBM software it would just try and immediately tell me it failed. before it was at least trying to get an IP address/etc, it would just be unsuccessful.

oh well...if its an important upgrade, I hope IBM/Lenovo will make it available through their update system

While I haven't tried this current combination of Intel drivers and Access Connections, I can say that in the past, Access Connections would only work with the Intel drivers downloaded from IBM. The Intel drivers downloaded from Intel's site would not work with Access Connections. For the Intel drivers downloaded from Intel's site, one would have to use the Intel PROSet software, or else Windows to control the connection.

GomJabbar wrote:While I haven't tried this current combination of Intel drivers and Access Connections, I can say that in the past, Access Connections would only work with the Intel drivers downloaded from IBM. The Intel drivers downloaded from Intel's site would not work with Access Connections. For the Intel drivers downloaded from Intel's site, one would have to use the Intel PROSet software, or else Windows to control the connection.

that sounds about right....I did notice that when i downloaded the drivers from the IBM site yesterday to fix this issue it explicitly said "compatible w/ Access Connections" or whatever. So yeah..I would suggest that everyone just wait for the IBM version as there will be problems, one type or another if you get the Intel ones

I only have this to say on this....

If you use the INTEL drivers *dont* use the IBM Access Connections. It is not setup (yet) for the new Intel drivers.

I would have presumed that if your running the INTEL OEM drivers, you wouldnt be trying to use Access Connections

The Intel driver does it all (for what I need at least). I dont care for the IBM access connections. Too bloated for my needs.

But New Intel drivers are not compatible with current IBM Access connections (duh!)....at least not yet


Btw, an interesting note. I have had no issues connecting with INTEL OEM drivers (this new one) with almost any access point but my one Aironet (Cisco). At times...during boot...it wont auth until I reboot the laptop again. The Cisco never even sees an attempt - even when tossed into debug.

if the trouble persists, I will remove this latest driver and return back to the Intel one I last used.

YMMV.

-JD