How Do You Add Bluetooth to an X40?

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dwilsonfl · #1 Post by **dwilsonfl** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:03 am

Just got an X40 for Christmas, and am adjusting to the quirky little beast. Might keep it instead of my T41 but I need to have Bluetooth. ( and a bigger faster HD) Is the antenna already there and I just need a card, or is it better to just get an adapter?

Thanks,

David

mikeh · #2 Post by **mikeh** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:31 am

Congratulations on the X40!

There is an antenna, but the BT card is non-standard. Even one from a different thinkpad that fits in will probably not work.
Much easier to just get a USB dongle. I have one just sticks out 8mm (1/3" for the yanks) so I leave it there.
The bigger HDD is a problem, as the X40 uses a rare 1.8" drive. Can you get by with an external USB 2.5" drive when needed?

tim S · #3 Post by **tim S** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:55 pm

The correct bluetooth/modem is generally available on eBay for around $20.00. it's the same as the one in your T41 if I'm not mistaken. You probably won't find the third bluetooth wire in the screen but you can use the AUX wire from the wireless, one antenna wire is usually all that's needed for the wireless anyway.
The LED bluetooth covers are also available from China on eBay.
The hard drive is another matter all togther. Read all the posts here, then decide the best way to go.
Tim S

dwilsonfl · #4 Post by **dwilsonfl** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:57 pm

I have an Actiontec BMDC200 card here, FRU 91P7315

would that be the card?

sjthinkpader · #5 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:22 pm

I've used an aftermarket Hitachi Bluetooth antenna with BMDC200 in quite a few Thinkpads. This combination worked fine. These antennae are available on eBay.

Both antenna ports on the WiFi card needs to be terminated correctly.

proaudioguy · #6 Post by **proaudioguy** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:25 pm

I wouldn't give up my second WIFI antenna for blue tooth. Anyone that says you don't need it is naive. Please research "diversity". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_diversity

You can get away with a single blue tooth antenna as it's generally not that critical and usually very close range.

dwilsonfl · #7 Post by **dwilsonfl** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:34 pm

makes sense to me. Thanks everyone.

Don't know if I can transition to the X40 from the T41, though the little guy is quicker than I thought it would be.

I'm running a 1.7 Dothan, 1.5 meg Ram, 80 gig 7200 T41 versus the 1.2, 1.256, 40 gig 4200 X40. Screen real estate no big deal, kyb took a bit of getting used to. I do have an external 2.5 I can use for file storage as well as online sites. But the HD on the X40 seems slower, as do downloads for some reason. Maybe a cache issue? Took forever to download the updates. Way slower than the T41.

Battery life on the X40 is amazing, portability is too, so if I can get closer to what I have on the T41, maybe the tradeoffs will work for me.

I'm reading Harry's thread with interest on the HD front.

mikeh · #8 Post by **mikeh** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 12:28 am

tim S wrote:The correct bluetooth/modem is generally available on eBay for around $20.00. .... You probably won't find the third bluetooth wire in the screen but you can use the AUX wire from the wireless,

And decent international shipping! I wish those cards were available when i was looking

.
And sorry, it was the AUX antenna wire i was using. Bad memory here.
But BT doesn't need much of an antenna. The dongles just have one on the PCB, and that seems to work well. You just need it to protrude from the metal case, I suppose?

How Do You Add Bluetooth to an X40?

How Do You Add Bluetooth to an X40?

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