WLAN in WWAN slot

[truk]

I had a 4965AG card, and I bought an 4965AGN. I want to use both (one running a ad-hoc connection all the time, and the other as my normal wireless card) for a setup I need at work. Whichever card is in the second slot doesn't work, even if the first is disabled. I've tried driver versions 13.4, 14.?, and I'm not on 15.1 I think (it's whatever the latest off Intel's site is.) AC says the radio is off, the intel utility says the hardware radio switch is off (which it's not,) and windows just says no signal. There is not a whitelist issue, as they are both whitelisted cards. I've been searching all night for a solution, so if anyone has any idea on what to try next it would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[twistero]

Try taping pin 20.

[EOMtp]

Taping Pin-20 will not solve the matter. You did not state what machine you have, but you posted in the X60 forum, so let's go with that. First, the two miniPCIe slots in an X60[s] are wired differently. Second, a WLAN card will not work in the WWAN slot no matter what you do, such as using a modified BIOS, taping Pin-20, etc.

If you indeed need two active WLAN devices, then add a small USB device, such as the following:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-802-11n-EDU ... 231c5d161c

More devices:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Min ... m270.l1313

[twistero]

So, the WWAN slot in X60 machines have USB lanes only?

[EOMtp]

So, the WWAN slot in X60 machines have USB lanes only?

Yes (?) -- i don't recall which slot is which way, but they are not wired the same.

[twistero]

Guess I can trash all my fancy ideas about putting a SATA controller in the WWAN slot then...

To the OP: If you really want an internal solution, there are mini pci-e form factor WLAN cards with USB host interface, and those will work in the WWAN slot. Like this or this.
Otherwise, an external USB or CardBus device are viable choices, too.

[truk]

The first post was correct if I looked into it a bit more. I knew about the taping of pin 20 for the whitelisting, but it actually is a disable pin. With pin 20 taped, both connections work great! I may do a board mod to actually hook pin 20 up to the actual hardware disable switch.

[twistero]

Hah! So the WWAN slot is actually a full-fledged mini pci-e slot. This makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Congrats!

[EOMtp]

... putting a SATA controller in the WWAN ...

Two points:
1) The two miniPCIe slots on the X60 differ from the two slots on the X61.
2) You may be interested in the discusion below:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84374

[twistero]

Two points:
1) The two miniPCIe slots on the X60 differ from the two slots on the X61.
2) You may be interested in the discusion below:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84374

I just realized that the OP never stated whether they have an X60 or X61, and I assumed X60 all along.
Oh well. My order of mini pci-e socket will arrive soon. After soldering it on, I'll just test it myself.

As for the discussion you linked to, the OP in that post has an PATA/IDE SSD in mini pci-e form factor, which will certainly not work in any machine except those specifically designed to take one, i.e. the earlier netbook models.

[truk]

Sorry, I forgot to mention I had an x61 tablet!

[EOMtp]

... I forgot to mention I had an x61 tablet!

... and that solves the "mystery" of why the WLAN card worked in the WWAN slot after taping Pin-20. Had this been an X60[s/T], then the WWAN slot could not have been used for a WLAN card, even after taping Pin-20.

[Raceboy]

AFAIK the WWAN slot in X60/s/T is fully functional miniPCIE slot. I can double-check in the schematics but I remember it being so.

[EOMtp]

... X60/s/T is fully functional miniPCIE slot. I can double-check in the schematics but I remember it being so.

If you have the schematics, would you please check and see what you discover? I remember something about the WLAN slot being wired differently from the WWAN slot on these machines, but I no longer recall the exact difference(s). Great if you could clarify. Thanks.

[Note: There was a thread on this Forum with a posting of the exact differences between the two slots, because it had come up that a WWAN card (Sierra Wireless MC5720) would not work in the WLAN slot and/or WLAN card would not work in the WWAN slot. The two slots were not symmetric, and the difference was more than just how the BIOS treated them. I cannot find that posting/thread, if it still exists -- perhaps it was lost during the Forum database conversion sometime back.]

[twistero]

Just soldered a mini PCIe socket, SIM slot and associated components onto my 6363-P3U X60 tablet motherboard. Neither my Intel 6300 nor Intel 3945 card is detected in the WWAN slot. I don't have any USB-based mini PCIe card on hand to test.
While there's always the possibility of a bad soldering job, I'm inclined to think that the WWAN slot on X60 might be USB only. I would love to be proven wrong, though.

[dmdsoftware]

I tried to add a minipci 3B card (using bracket) into the second slot of a X61T.

Primary card is 4985, the second card is a Centrino 6300. I'm using Middleton's bios.

Both cards show up in linux but it reports that hardware disable switch is on so I can't use either. FN F5 or toggling the hardware switch has no effect. In the BIOS I have WLAN and WWLAN enabled under security, and the WLAN Power setting under config is ON.

The WLAN ID doesn't light up either.

When I remove the second card the WLAN shows up with power on etc.

Any ideas what I can try? I don't really want two cards, but I don't want to use the 4985 -- it has issues in linux (such as no power management among other things). The newer card is more linux compatible. However, I can't remove the first card because the screws are stripped, and other means of removing the screws didn't work. I don't want to possibly damage the Thinkpad to swap a part that isn't broken to begin with.

I don't know why all Thinkpads didn't come with thumb screws for the minipci slots. The X60 and X61 cards are easy to get in and out, I don't even need a screw driver.

Any ideas?

[EOMtp]

minipci ... the screws are stripped

Before you try drilling out the screw(s) or using a Dremel tool to cut a slot for a flat blade screwdriver on the screw head, you may wish to try a pair of precision pliers -- point the pliers down on the screw head, grab and twist. The right pliers will easily bite into the screw head, and will not slip.



http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brands/e ... %20Cutters
http://www.goodluckbuy.com/mtc-5-micro- ... 125mm.html

[smugiri]

Any ideas what I can try? I don't really want two cards, but I don't want to use the 4985 -- it has issues in linux (such as no power management among other things). The newer card is more linux compatible. However, I can't remove the first card because the screws are stripped, and other means of removing the screws didn't work. I don't want to possibly damage the Thinkpad to swap a part that isn't broken to begin with.

I don't know why all Thinkpads didn't come with thumb screws for the minipci slots. The X60 and X61 cards are easy to get in and out, I don't even need a screw driver.

Any ideas?

I had exactly the same problem and ended up buying an 3Com XJack a/g PCMCIA card. The card slides into the laptop when not in use and the in/out slide action also turns it off. And it has been 100% linux compatible since maybe 2007.

You can buy one of these eBay for less than $10 when they show up.

[twistero]

AFAIK the WWAN slot in X60/s/T is fully functional miniPCIE slot. I can double-check in the schematics but I remember it being so.

Any progress on this? Thanks in advance.

[truk]

Both cards show up in linux but it reports that hardware disable switch is on so I can't use either. FN F5 or toggling the hardware switch has no effect. In the BIOS I have WLAN and WWLAN enabled under security, and the WLAN Power setting under config is ON.

This is where taping pin 20 works. It's an active high disable pin, and taping it enables the device. You can shut off and turn on still with the hardware switch, just not seperately with the thinkpad util. This worked for me, just before another user pointed out a intel 5300 would do what I needed on its own.

[Hoge Morris]

Thanks for the links, EOMtp.

I have the same problem: the slots on the screws are stripped in my x61s (the previous owner apparently tried, and failed, to get that card out). Would you mind recommending which one of those angled pliers is the one to get?

I even tried installing the 6200 in the WWAN slot thinking that, heck, I could just turn off the WLAN card. The machine (runs Win 7) asked for a driver (even though I have the Middleton BIOS installed) and Device Manager doesn't recognize the 6200 in the WWAN slot.

By the way, I opened my other laptop (x60s) to see its setup, and the previous owner must have ordered it custom. It has the WWAN bump on the screen bezel, but no WWAN card. Instead, it has an 802.11n card with 3 antennae plugged in--and it has a sticker on the base of the laptop, so it's clear that this was a custom setup from the beginning.

Many thanks in advance.

[RealBlackStuff]

For stripped screws, see this: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=81210

Applying Middleton's BIOS only removes the so-called whitelist with approved wifi hardware, and allows you to install ANY wifi card.
You still need to supply the appropriate driver! W7 has most of them already 'native'.
The X60 WWAN slot and the hardware behind it is different from the X61 WWAN slot.

[Hoge Morris]

I did not notice that EOMtp's post was dated 2006, so he probably has not seen my question.

Here to report success. I ordered the Erem 2403 oblique nipper, and although it took lots of patience, eventually they cut into the stripped screws just enough to get them out. The nipper isn't cheap ($70 from Amazon.com) but it's a slick solution and a great little tool to have around.

Thanks, RealBS, for the link to the stripped screws topic, which I had seen before. I didn't ask about drilling out stripped screws--no intention of trying that on a motherboard--but did ask about which nipper to buy. But you were right; the driver needed to be downloaded (Windows 7 doesn't recognize the 6200 card). The Intel site can be confusing, but here's where you get the driver for the 6200: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... iid=dc_rss

I used a bracket which is readily available on eBay. The included screws are better than the original, extremely flat, stripped ones.

Rebooted, turned on the wi-fi power (Fn-F5), up and running. Palm rest is much cooler.

[crashnburn]

I did not notice that EOMtp's post was dated 2006, so he probably has not seen my question.

Here to report success. I ordered the Erem 2403 oblique nipper, and although it took lots of patience, eventually they cut into the stripped screws just enough to get them out. The nipper isn't cheap ($70 from Amazon.com) but it's a slick solution and a great little tool to have around.

Thanks, RealBS, for the link to the stripped screws topic, which I had seen before. I didn't ask about drilling out stripped screws--no intention of trying that on a motherboard--but did ask about which nipper to buy. But you were right; the driver needed to be downloaded (Windows 7 doesn't recognize the 6200 card). The Intel site can be confusing, but here's where you get the driver for the 6200: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... iid=dc_rss

I used a bracket which is readily available on eBay. The included screws are better than the original, extremely flat, stripped ones.

Rebooted, turned on the wi-fi power (Fn-F5), up and running. Palm rest is much cooler.

Wow! Would love to see some Pictures of the steps of how you did this.. and what the final looks like.

[crashnburn]

I read the whole thread carefully, and I see Positive Assertions as well Doubts to counter them.
I am wondering if the OP or someone else had success in getting the WLAN card to work in WWAN Slot,.. (In my case an X61T 7767-96U).

I have been a bit behind on hardware modding etc, so any clear step by step (hack/mod) guidance would be much appreciated.

I am currently already using the Middleton BIOS with Whitelisting so that is one step forward.

I am seriously considering using the Mini PCI-e slot on the X61T to do the DIY eGPU / ViDock solution.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/e-gpu-e ... idock.html
http://www.hwtools.net/adapter/pe4h.html - PE4H ver2.4 with PM3N has to be placed in the WLAN Slot.

I know I could use a USB WiFi/WLAN dongle but I'd like to use an INTERNAL Solution: Preferably a WLAN(N) in WWAN Slot?
Or if there is some new WWAN chip that includes WLAN (N) support as well?

I'd be interested in using an Intel / or Apple OSX 86 Compatible (Atheros) WLAN card in there.

Did anyone finally have success using a WLAN card in WWAN Slot or other way around? If so, were any special mods / steps taken.

[yak]

I did not notice that EOMtp's post was dated 2006, so he probably has not seen my question.

Don't confuse the date the user joined the board with the post date. You can see the post date in the top right corner of the post. This whole thread is from 2012.

[twistero]

I am wondering if the OP or someone else had success in getting the WLAN card to work in WWAN Slot,.. (In my case an X61T 7767-96U).

The OP did successfully use a mini PCIe WLAN card in WWAN slot in a X61 tablet, after taping pin20.