Thinkpads Forum

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.