Thinkpads Forum

Hi,
Good part:
I recently installed an Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN in my T61.

Not so good part:
I found that my laptop has 2 antenna wires while the card has slot for 3. What is the implication? Will I be able to leverage the full potential of the card? Do I need to install a 3rd antenna (I'm not sure that's technically possible)? If yes, where can I buy one?

Any comment/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Abhi

asarkar wrote:What is the implication?

The implication is that your T61 was manufactured to support a 802.11a/b/g WiFi card only.

asarkar wrote:Do I need to install a 3rd antenna (I'm not sure that's technically possible

The most straightforward thing to do is to install an additional WiFi antenna on a suitable chassis surface under the palm rest (on whichever side you normally cover least with your palms) using a piece of double sided tape.

See here for something on ebay that will work nicely. That's basically what I did on both a T60 and a T61.

Cheers,

Bill B.

bill bolton wrote: The most straightforward thing to do is to install an additional WiFi antenna on a suitable chassis surface under the palm rest (on whichever side you normally cover least with your palms) using a piece of double sided tape.

Thanks for your advice Bill.
Before moving on to purchase an antenna, I am wondering if I really need one. Is it something I must get to make this card useful?

Abhi

Unless you have a draft-N AP, otherwise the 2 antenna would be sufficient for your 4965AGN in the 802.11G environment.

One antenna would be just as good in a non-Draft N G environment because G makes no use of a multipath signal, instead considering it interference.

N should work okay with two antennas, from what I understand. Three makes for a little better "spatial multiplexing," but I haven't found much information about how much.

Lamar