Thinkpad wireless broken after installing Linksys WUSB300n

[orrd]

After I installed the Linksys LWUSB300n and with its drivers, my Thinkpad X40's built in wireless no longer works. I even unstalled the Linksys drivers and software and the wireless still no longer works. How can this be fixed? Ideally I would like to be able to still use the WUSB300n occasionally. Thinkpad support wasn't able to fix the problem (they could only suggest resetting the bios settings to default and reinstalling the drivers as I had already done).

[The Spirit of X21]

Have you tried reinstalling the wifi drivers for your internal card?

[orrd]

Yep, I downloaded and installed the Thinkpad wifi driver (7rwc06ww.exe). Then I tried uninstalling the Linksys drivers, and then installing the Thinkpad wifi driver.

I also then uninstalled the Thinkpad wifi driver, and tried installing it yet again. That left it in the current state, where it isn't even recognizing the Thinkpad's wifi device (it's showing up in the Device Manager as an "ethernet controller" under Other Devices). Makes me wonder if I have the right driver for it, but Thinkpad support seemed to think I had the right one.

[GomJabbar]

There are several wireless drivers for the X40. Are you sure you installed the correct one? What is the model number of your ThinkPad (ie: 2386-KMU)?

Note: If you manually install the wireless driver, after you download it, you have to run it to extract the files to your hard drive, then you go to the directory the setup files were saved to and run (generally) Setup.exe. See readme file for your driver to be certain of exact procedure. If you use Software Installer or System Update, they should find and install the correct driver for you.

[orrd]

Here's what I have:

Product: ThinkPad X40 2372-WM9
Operating system: Windows XP

Original description: Based on 2372-CTO: P M 758(1.5GHz)LV, 256MB RAM, 40GB 4200rpm HDD, 12.1in 1024x768 LCD, Intel Extreme, IBM 802.11abg wireless(MPCI), Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), Secure Chip, X4 UltraBase + DVD, 8 cell Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro

I did run setup for the driver and it went through an installation process. The problems would make sense if 7rwc06ww.exe isn't the right driver for my system, but as far as I can tell that's the one I should be using. Anyone know?

[The Spirit of X21]

It seems possible that you don't actually have the IBM wifi (because it is CTO), but rather the Intel. Have you tried the Intel driver?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62875

[orrd]

Thanks for the idea, but it didn't recognize that driver either.

[GomJabbar]

Why don't you boot up into Windows SAFE MODE and use Windows System Restore to go back to a time before you installed the Linksys drivers?

[orrd]

Yes! I don't know why I didn't think of system restore before. And no one else, including tech support, mentioned that idea. Well, that did it. Thanks!

The only thing I'm left wondering about is if there is any way to get this card to work on a Thinkpad. Is there a different installation process I should try?

[GomJabbar]

You may be a victim of the following.
Intel wireless adapters have limited connection methods and cannot be controlled via Fn + F5 - ThinkPad

If so, the only thing I can think of to try would be to uninstall Access Connections, reboot, then unistall your wireless driver. Next install the latest Intel driver for your wireless card and reboot. Now try installing the Linksys drivers again. If this goes well, you can try installing Access Connections again (if you want to).

Intel PRO 2200bg, 2915abg, 3945bg, 3945abg, 4965ag, and 4965agn Mini PCI adapter wireless software for Windows XP, 2000 - ThinkPad

I am assuming you have the Intel wireless card. Please verify in Device Manager what you have before trying any of the above. The X40 does use other cards than the Intel ones.

Drivers and software - ThinkPad X40, X41