Thinkpads Forum

How and can I buy a mini pci card to upgrade later on? Thanks.

I'm not sure....you might want to look at the part numbers in the Hardware Maintenance Manual, to see if one exists. I am sure that if the card exists, you could install it, since my T61 came with an Intel 4965AGN.

You need to check whether you have the 3rd antenna for 802.11n. If you don't, it is useless.

A mildly related question:

Could you direct swap in the Intel N card in for the atheros N Card?

Yes, it will work.

Because I want to make an order I asked this question. How can I get the hardware maintenance manual btw?

HMM can be downloaded from the Support User Guides and Manuals:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... chineind=0

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 2x3547.pdf

XIII wrote:You need to check whether you have the 3rd antenna for 802.11n. If you don't, it is useless.

He could install one...

Most thinkpads shipped with extra antenna built-in the lid, eg. Bluetooth, so chances are that the N antenna is too.

They only charge about $25 extra for each of bluetooth and N when customizing a thinkpad, so you can see that the cost is only for the card, and the antenna is already included in the base price.

Thanks guys for that. It is so overwhelmed about your kindest input. That machine does come with bt and intel a/b/g mini pci card. So that means it will come with the antenn which later on I can buy a n card to replace the old a/b/g card?? Will it work like this way? Do I need to update my bios and change other settings? If the answer is yes, I might want to order one and do the replacement some time later until everything is tested well with the n card as I can see some comments on n card is not so positive.

SkiBunny wrote:Most thinkpads shipped with extra antenna built-in the lid, eg. Bluetooth, so chances are that the N antenna is too.

They only charge about $25 extra for each of bluetooth and N when customizing a thinkpad, so you can see that the cost is only for the card, and the antenna is already included in the base price.

Is it right SkiBunny? Will the a/g antenna be the same as N antenna or they are separate in T61?

rbi wrote:

SkiBunny wrote:Most thinkpads shipped with extra antenna built-in the lid, eg. Bluetooth, so chances are that the N antenna is too.

They only charge about $25 extra for each of bluetooth and N when customizing a thinkpad, so you can see that the cost is only for the card, and the antenna is already included in the base price.

Is it right SkiBunny? Will the a/g antenna be the same as N antenna or they are separate in T61?

N needs a third antenna, so if a third lead isn't in there, you don't have one, and would have to install it for N.

Tholek wrote:N needs a third antenna, so if a third lead isn't in there, you don't have one, and would have to install it for N.

I suspect that thinkpads usually ship with the extra antenna for both N and bluetooth already there. The 60-series ships with bluetooth antennas built-in regardless of whether the TP was configured with a bluetooth card. So in the case of the so-called N (which is really pre-N), you're paying $30 for a draft card made for specs which, according to an internal-use-only ibm memo that explains more, will be incompatible with the final standard that IBM among others is ratifying. The draft n-card was prematurely released because of pressure from computer marketing reptiles to help them hype sales.

It's as if you paid extra for pre-release Vista 2 years ago knowing you'd have to pay again for the GA (general availability) version today.

I think buying the pre-N draft card is a sucker move. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Tholek wrote:

rbi wrote: Is it right SkiBunny? Will the a/g antenna be the same as N antenna or they are separate in T61?

N needs a third antenna, so if a third lead isn't in there, you don't have one, and would have to install it for N.

I searched the Hardware Maintenance Manual and can't find if the model number 766415M would have a third antenna? Where can I get more info? Thanks

SkiBunny, was that specific to the Atheros based card, or inclusive of the Intel as well? Can you also point me at the thread where the memo is linked? (I've only heard it referred to, not read it myself)

I can see the possibility of the Atheros not making it to final spec, but there's been some statements that the Intel, being, or about to be, Draft 2.0 certified, will make it to final spec.

Shame if the Atheros doesn't though. It's likely the better performer, as usual.

I have a T60p (2623-D7U). It has 802.11 a/b/g, BT, and WWAN. When I look at the 802.11 card there are two leads. There are also 2 leads going to the WWAN card.

On the side of the LCD there is a small piece that I believe is the antenna.

Can the WWAN and a 802.11n be installed at the same time? Would I need a new antenna to handle both? (5 leads)

My T60 was designed before there was a draft-n card so I don't even know if it's possible to have a three lead card installed.

Tholek wrote:

rbi wrote: Is it right SkiBunny? Will the a/g antenna be the same as N antenna or they are separate in T61?

N needs a third antenna, so if a third lead isn't in there, you don't have one, and would have to install it for N.

biinkbok wrote:I have a T60p (2623-D7U). It has 802.11 a/b/g, BT, and WWAN. When I look at the 802.11 card there are two leads. There are also 2 leads going to the WWAN card.

On the side of the LCD there is a small piece that I believe is the antenna.

Can the WWAN and a 802.11n be installed at the same time? Would I need a new antenna to handle both? (5 leads)

My T60 was designed before there was a draft-n card so I don't even know if it's possible to have a three lead card installed.

The T60 is available with the same card, so yes, you should be able to install the third antenna. Whether it would void your warranty to do so is not something I know for sure. It should have no affect on the WWAN, though. Those are separate leads.

After a little more research, I determined from the hardware manual that you can install the third antenna, but you need to remove the WWAN antenna. If anyone knows how to run both info would be appreciated.

Tholek wrote:

biinkbok wrote:I have a T60p (2623-D7U). It has 802.11 a/b/g, BT, and WWAN. When I look at the 802.11 card there are two leads. There are also 2 leads going to the WWAN card.

On the side of the LCD there is a small piece that I believe is the antenna.

Can the WWAN and a 802.11n be installed at the same time? Would I need a new antenna to handle both? (5 leads)

My T60 was designed before there was a draft-n card so I don't even know if it's possible to have a three lead card installed.

The T60 is available with the same card, so yes, you should be able to install the third antenna. Whether it would void your warranty to do so is not something I know for sure. It should have no affect on the WWAN, though. Those are separate leads.

Argh. The T60p doesn't have both. (At least not currently)

You may have to switch them out. Someone else can probably tell you more.

Tholek wrote:Argh. The T60p doesn't have both. (At least not currently)

You may have to switch them out. Someone else can probably tell you more.

There is no laptop that has both according to this Lenovo Blog.

tfflivemb2 wrote:

Tholek wrote:Argh. The T60p doesn't have both. (At least not currently)

You may have to switch them out. Someone else can probably tell you more.

There is no laptop that has both according to this Lenovo Blog.

Doesn't the T61....?

Tholek wrote:SkiBunny, was that specific to the Atheros based card, or inclusive of the Intel as well? Can you also point me at the thread where the memo is linked? (I've only heard it referred to, not read it myself)

I can see the possibility of the Atheros not making it to final spec, but there's been some statements that the Intel, being, or about to be, Draft 2.0 certified, will make it to final spec.

Shame if the Atheros doesn't though. It's likely the better performer, as usual.

YEs I was indeed talking about the thinkpad abgn

And i was talking about the T61

After all the troubles the intel wifi cards caused on many ppl's X-series, i wouldn't touch the intel card on an x60/61.

Now this memo I've seen mention of...?

I just went to US Lenovo website and found that you can't customize with Thinkpad a/b/g/n. Only intel wilreless 4965AGN can be chosen. It is GONE! I mean for 14.1".

Well, they are more popular. They could have sold out, I guess.