X22 MiniPCI Wireless Problems

[dr_zira]

Hi,

I'm trying to use a MiniPCI wireless card on my X22 with little success. First, I installed an ASUS WL-120g. It gave me very poor reception. For instance, I could barely keep a connection while sitting less than 5 feet away from my wireless router. I assumed that this problem was caused by the card not being connected to the Thinkpad's antenna (no connector), so I purchased an IBM MiniPCI card. After installing it today, I have had similar or worse reception than with the ASUS.

If I hold the laptop so it is actually touching the antenna of the router, I get about 60% signal stength. If I am sitting a few feet away, the strength is about 13-20% and cuts out frequently.

And, before you ask, there is nothing that could be causing interference. I do not own a cordless phone, nor am I using a microwave. My friend's Dell connects with no problems and my old Powerbook had no issues.

Any ideas? Any known problems with X22s?

Thanks.

[dmdsoftware]

Hi,

I'm trying to use a MiniPCI wireless card on my X22 with little success. First, I installed an ASUS WL-120g. It gave me very poor reception. For instance, I could barely keep a connection while sitting less than 5 feet away from my wireless router. I assumed that this problem was caused by the card not being connected to the Thinkpad's antenna (no connector), so I purchased an IBM MiniPCI card. After installing it today, I have had similar or worse reception than with the ASUS.

If I hold the laptop so it is actually touching the antenna of the router, I get about 60% signal stength. If I am sitting a few feet away, the strength is about 13-20% and cuts out frequently.

And, before you ask, there is nothing that could be causing interference. I do not own a cordless phone, nor am I using a microwave. My friend's Dell connects with no problems and my old Powerbook had no issues.

Any ideas? Any known problems with X22s?

Thanks.

Are you 100% certain you have the antennas connected? If so, do you have both the main and auxelary connected?

What you describe is the signal that is being picked up by the card with no antennas attached.

[LtTPfan]

Did you update your BIOS, embedded controller, and Access Connections; and did you download and install the latest driver for your card?

[dr_zira]

As far as I can tell, there is only one antenna connector on this card and one plug in the case.

Here are some (crappy) pictures of the card:
http://www.student.richmond.edu/~eg2tg/ ... nipci1.JPG
http://www.student.richmond.edu/~eg2tg/ ... nipci2.JPG

This is the whole inside of the case:
http://www.student.richmond.edu/~eg2tg/ ... nipci3.JPG

I have installed the most recent drivers and firmware updates that I could find. They are all from 2002-03ish. Here is a screenshot:
http://www.student.richmond.edu/~eg2tg/ ... ersion.bmp

Thanks.

[vincentfox]

Look on your digital camera for a "macro" or "closeup" function or switch.

On my camera it's a little slider switch with 2 positions, one icon that looks like a mountain, and one that looks like a flower. You want the closeup setting to get it to focus on something really close to the lens. Then try taking pictures again.

[LtTPfan]

PIC #2 tells me the problem. You have no antennas connected. Notice the two silver "buttons" in the upper right corner, left to right, those are respectively the main and auxillary antenna connectors. What you have connected appears to be a modem connection. Unless you have a white wire and a black wire tucked away in there some where, which should have tabs attached indicating main and aux respectively, you will need to add the antennas to your machine. I would suggest aftermarket that you can easily install yourself under the keyboard, rather than installing inside the screen which requires far more effort and possibly different hinges, etc..

[dr_zira]

Thanks LtTPfan, I'm an idiot and didn't think about the fact that the modem and NIC would need separate connections. Just Ebayed the antenna that I need, so hopefully, I'll be wireless soon.

[LtTPfan]

My [replacement] T30 is supposed to be here Monday. I'll be glad to be internal wireless as the PC card protruding from my 770 is a PITA, and I did get better reception with the internal wireless while I had it.

[asiafish]

I also have a non-WiFi X22 and am interested in making it wireless. What is generally considered the easiest and cheapest way to add built-in wireless to one of these? I don't care if its b or g wireless as either is faster than the DSL connection that I use. I don't believe that I have the antennas in mine either, so cheap and easy under keyboard would work fine.

Anyone in the Los Angeles area do this?

[vincentfox]

Oop ack THPHTHT!

I just got an Atheros 4G card from NetGate.

Put it into my X22 and it says.....

01C9: More than one ethernet devices are found. Please remove one of them.

Arrrgh! I thought an IBM card would have to work in an IBM??

Didn't read enough apparently.

Well I can use this card somewhere.

So what SHOULD I have purchased? Mine came with antenna wires installed and the ActionTec 802.11b/modem combo card. Just wanted to upgrade to 802.11g.