Wireless Issues with Intel ABG Card

[cxls]

I'm having weird wireless issues with my Intel 3945ABG wireless card. Wireless signals never go above 60% despite the fact that my other ThinkPad gets 100% signal in the same location. I've uninstalled Access Connections and the driver and reinstalled both, only to have the same result. I have Windows Vista--I can't remember if I had the same problem under XP. I never really noticed. But I have Vista drivers, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm thinking about getting the Atheros ABG card. Should I just do that? And will Lenovo replace the card with an Atheros for free since the Intel card is terrible, or will I have to pay?

EDIT: There are two access points in my house. On this computer, one always registers as 60% signal, the other always 40% signal.

[FRiC]

Are both of your ThinkPads the same Intel 3945ABG card? In my limited experience, the Atheros cards either get 100% signal, or no signal, while Intel cards will show intermediate signal strengths.

[SHoTTa35]

There's an Intel driver that's out to fix that. THe IBM ones aren't available yet but intel realeased one that fixes exactly that problem i head. Surely you wont get FN+F5 to turn off the Wifi but Windows Vista has that already, just edit the shortcut of Windows Mobility Center to sometihng like CTRL + ALT + M and that way you can open it really fast to enable/disable wireless. I do it all the time with my Thinkpad T42 when i'm trying to save battery power and don't need wifi.

[cxls]

The other ThinkPad has an Atheros abg. It's an old T40. I wonder if I could swap the wireless cards. Hm.

Does Lenovo plan to fix their driver so there'll be Fn+F5 access too?

[FRiC]

Older cards are Mini PCI, newer cards are Mini PCI Express, so you can't swap them. I like Atheros cards too, will buy one for my T60 ASAP.

[SHoTTa35]

the FN (hehe.. the FN - LOL ) is not so great if you ask me. You still have to press 2 keys (far apart i might add) and use the mouse to select turn on. With Vista i mapped those 3 keys right beside each other. I could even use another so that i can just press 1 finger (in the center of all 3 keys) to activate Windows Mobility Center (with 1 hand i might add) and then use the mouse to click the turn off button.

Surely tho i wouldn't get rid of it, it's nice to have to turn on my Thinklight and brightness of the screen and other lil things but i don't miss it enough to put it on my clean install of Vista Business. There's right no no IBM stuff on here, just Vista and Office 2007.

[cxls]

I installed the Intel drivers, and now signal strengths seem to be working. I think. The wireless router that's separated from me by a wall registers as having 99% signal. That seems extremely good considering there is a wall (and a closet w/ door) in between. The 60% reading for the router two rooms away seems much more accurate.

By the way, even with this Intel driver I can turn it on and off with Fn+F5.