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USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

X60/X61 and X60t/X61t Series
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dandreye
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USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#1 Post by dandreye » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:01 am

Hi All,

Has anyone tried this kind of adapter in the WWAN slot of X61s?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112842224267

If so what is the actual max speed like?


Thanks in advance!
2x T480s, 6x X61s, X60s, T43, T42

axur-delmeria
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#2 Post by axur-delmeria » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:48 am

Probably not gonna work.
I don't see any USB 3.0 host controller chip, so it's probably just tapping into USB 3.0 signals already in the mini PCIe slot.

But the X61 series never had USB 3.0 to begin with. In fact, I haven't heard of any laptop/desktop board with USB 3.0 signals on the mini-PCIe connector-- a quick google search yields only this document from PCI-SIG, which has "Request" printed on the header of each page.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

jdrou
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#3 Post by jdrou » Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:16 am

Note that dealextreme carries what appears to be the same card but only refers to USB 2.0 :
http://www.dx.com/p/mpcie1u-n01-mini-pc ... reQXWWPXFJ
Also on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/MonkeyJack-Adapt ... B074QKBRP7
which specifically says "Not compatible with USB3.0"
AliExpress calls it USB 3.0 (probably just because of the blue color) but also has the note:
"Please note: The USB 3.0 connector on the adapter card actually works as the USB 2.0 signal "
Current Thinkpads:
X31, X40, X61T, X61, X201, X220 (i7 IPS), W520 (FHD), T440p (FHD),
T480 (QHD)
Dells: Latitude C840, Precision M70, Precision M4400, M6400 (WUXGA), M6600, M6700, 7730, XPS 13
Daily driver: MS Surface Pro 7 (i7)

dandreye
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#4 Post by dandreye » Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:54 am

Makes sense ) The lack of any visible chip on it did cross my mind too but seeing blue colour in the USB socket I thought perhaps I'm missing something.

How about this one with NEC UPD720202 chipset then - is it worth trying? (obviously after some DIY including removal of those large upwards facing connectors):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281761364810
2x T480s, 6x X61s, X60s, T43, T42

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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#5 Post by wileE » Sun Mar 25, 2018 8:28 am

I have USB 3.0 in my X61 via Expresscard.

You have to remove the PCMCIA slot and connect an Expresscard slot to the PCIe, USB 2.0 and power lanes of the WWAN slot.

Thread in german forum - large pic warning: https://thinkpad-forum.de/threads/16775 ... ost1838234

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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#6 Post by dr_st » Sun Mar 25, 2018 8:49 am

That's one impressive mod. :thumbs-UP:
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

dandreye
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#7 Post by dandreye » Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:25 am

wileE:

Very nice mod indeed: well done ) Whereabouts did you get that black plastic ExpressCard housing that the adapter plugs into: is that a hacked PCMCIA cage or a completely brand-new part?

I'm now undecided whether I go for the same one as yours or use a variation on the adapter in the latter advert of the two I shared above, so that all I need to add is a USB3.0 socket:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/XT-XINT ... 05411.html

Btw is the power obtained via the WWAN slot (be it (a) obtained directly from the slot and then fed to the USB3.0 ExpressCard or (b) obtained from the card advertised above and then fed directly to the USB3.0 socket) sufficient to run a typical portable USB3.0 HDD, e.g. Hitachi Touro? That's all I really need USB3.0 in my X61s for.
2x T480s, 6x X61s, X60s, T43, T42

wileE
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#8 Post by wileE » Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:52 am

The Expresscard housing is from a X200.

Power from the WWAN slot is good for one USB 3.0 HDD.

wileE
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#9 Post by wileE » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:20 am

dandreye wrote:
Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:25 am
all I need to add is a USB3.0 socket:
That is not easily done. The USB 3.0 socket is nearly 3mm deeper than the USB 2.0 socket.
If you cut out a piece of the motherboard on one of the right 2 USB sockets to make the USB 3.0 fit, you will lose the 5V power supply of the socket.

dandreye
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#10 Post by dandreye » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:13 pm

wileE wrote:
Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:20 am
That is not easily done. The USB 3.0 socket is nearly 3mm deeper than the USB 2.0 socket.
If you cut out a piece of the motherboard on one of the right 2 USB sockets to make the USB 3.0 fit, you will lose the 5V power supply of the socket.
I was actually thinking of modding the single left hand side one: is that one any easier to replace with a USB3.0 one by chance?

As a backup option can I use a smaller e.g. Type C USB3.0 socket (w/o removing 3 existing USB2.0 ones) if I find enough space for it somewhere or it's only supposed to be used in peripheral devices?
2x T480s, 6x X61s, X60s, T43, T42

wileE
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#11 Post by wileE » Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:43 am

The left side is even worse. You will have problems with interference because of the cable lenght. Probably a working cable will turn out to be too thick for a X61.

I do not think a USB C socket will work. The devices will expect a USB C controller to negotiate what the socket can do.

dandreye
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#12 Post by dandreye » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:01 am

wileE:

Thank you: it'll prevent me from going a wrong way now )
2x T480s, 6x X61s, X60s, T43, T42

iamdmc
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#13 Post by iamdmc » Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:35 am

What about something like this with a usb controller built in?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2263001666

A bit expensive but should work
ThinkPad P14sgen2 (2021)
i7-1185G7 | 32+8GB RAM | 1TB Samsung 980 Pro (PCIe 3.0 speed) | UHD upgrade | Glass Touchpad | Intel AX210

The X61 is dead... long live the X61

Past IBM ThinkPads: T480s, T450s, X250, X230, X220, X300, T410, X61s, T60p, T41, X31, T23, A21m

flyingfishfinger
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#14 Post by flyingfishfinger » Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:57 pm

Would probably work, yes.

Before I moved to an X62, I used this to add a 2nd HDD to my X61.

I had routed the main HDD connector to an mSATA drive that I housed in the PCMCIA slot, and used this USB3 card along with a USB->SATA adapter to add a full 2.5" HDD into the normal drive bay.

It worked but it ran pretty hot, so I didn't use it very often.

R

axur-delmeria
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#15 Post by axur-delmeria » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:40 pm

With an already hot palmrest, putting a second card really isn't a good idea.
This USB 3.0 card might be better for the X200/201.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#16 Post by iamdmc » Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:15 pm

To be honest I'm abandoning the idea of USB 3.0 via mPCIe

I don't even need any more USB 2.0 ports, or any internal USB 2.0 ports so a USB 2.0 to mPCIe card is also useless

Trying to keep the palmrest cool... but thinking about alternate uses...

anyone considering crazy uses like eGPU with mPCIe?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mPCIe-to-PCI ... :rk:1:pf:0
because I am... really wondering what kinds of speeds I can expect... and if the X61 will even be able to make use of the PCI 3.0 x16 GPU with only x1 PCI 1.0 lane...

Crazier things have been tried and worked (to some degree)

Will post back results... might try a 1080 TI with the X61 + mPCIe riser-to-x16 ;)
ThinkPad P14sgen2 (2021)
i7-1185G7 | 32+8GB RAM | 1TB Samsung 980 Pro (PCIe 3.0 speed) | UHD upgrade | Glass Touchpad | Intel AX210

The X61 is dead... long live the X61

Past IBM ThinkPads: T480s, T450s, X250, X230, X220, X300, T410, X61s, T60p, T41, X31, T23, A21m

flyingfishfinger
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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#17 Post by flyingfishfinger » Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:22 pm

At one point made a GPU adapter that would fit an MXM GPU in the HDD slot. It would have needed a custom heatsink and small fans, and it basically implemented an MXM -> mPCIe adapter.

It used eGPU setup, which worked, and I got it to the point where it detected properly in Windows as a 2nd GPU. After that I had problems actually using it as an output device, but that's around the time I gave up since the X62 was on the horizon.

I think it could have worked, though.

R

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Re: USB3 via WWAN slot of X61s

#18 Post by iamdmc » Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:14 pm

Apparently, something similar worked on the X220 (albeit via expresscard)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dEgFrs ... xRnWZR-8mY

Just curious to see if it will work. I have some x16 riser boards already, so I bought a $2 mPCIe-to-USB board from ebay to see if I plug everything in, if it will work

This fun project is dual purpose... in my daily driver (T480s)
I know that the M.2 M-key(x4)-to-USB board + x16 riser will work at the same or better speeds as Thunderbolt 3. Connecting my 1080 TI to the x16 board, and powering it with an SFX PSU (Corsair SF600) should be all I need to get an eGPU working on the T480s.
ThinkPad P14sgen2 (2021)
i7-1185G7 | 32+8GB RAM | 1TB Samsung 980 Pro (PCIe 3.0 speed) | UHD upgrade | Glass Touchpad | Intel AX210

The X61 is dead... long live the X61

Past IBM ThinkPads: T480s, T450s, X250, X230, X220, X300, T410, X61s, T60p, T41, X31, T23, A21m

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