Upgrading Intel Wifi 5100 -> 5300?

[Atreides]

I didn't even know about this till someone mentioned it in another thread, and I'm intrigued.

Has anyone who's done it seen a worthwhile increase in speed/range? As Thinkwiki says it changes from 2x1 antennae usage to 3x3 (don't entirely know what that means), 5300 cards are fairly cheap on ebay though.

[Tony Chan]

I'm sure you will get a lot of "it depends" answer.

Personally, I upgraded my x200s from 5100n to 5300n on the x200s and I can see the improvement in my home, probably because the router is 2 concrete floors and 50 feets horizontally away from my laptop, going through multiple walls in difference floors. I also "see" more router/access points in my neighbourhood. Other 2 T400 I own all have 5300n and I only tried the 5100n on x200s for 3 or 4 days before I did the switch, so my experience with the 5100n is limited to say the least. But when watching my home video ( in raw format, i.e. large file ) that sits in my home server wirelessly, 5300n is always smooth as silk whereas 5100n did have few hiccups from time to time.

Btw, thought 5100n is 2x2 antennae instead of 2x1?

[Atreides]

I'm sure you will get a lot of "it depends" answer.

Personally, I upgraded my x200s from 5100n to 5300n on the x200s and I can see the improvement in my home, probably because the router is 2 concrete floors and 50 feets horizontally away from my laptop, going through multiple walls in difference floors. I also "see" more router/access points in my neighbourhood. Other 2 T400 I own all have 5300n and I only tried the 5100n on x200s for 3 or 4 days before I did the switch, so my experience with the 5100n is limited to say the least. But when watching my home video ( in raw format, i.e. large file ) that sits in my home server wirelessly, 5300n is always smooth as silk whereas 5100n did have few hiccups from time to time.

Btw, thought 5100n is 2x2 antennae instead of 2x1?

I think you're right, although I appreciate your response because it was your post somewhere else that clued me into it.

I'm very close to my router at home, and don't have a home server or anything like that so I'm not concerned with improvements there. I'll be back in the city soon though and I take my laptop everywhere there, and often used to find myself straining for a decent signal with my X60s. I figure since a webcam is impossible on the X200s, might as well put that extra space with the antennae to good use.

Unless someone says it really is completely useless, I'll go ahead and pick one up on ebay, do a few before and after speed tests in different parts of the house, and post the results here for any other curious mind.

Also I believe you are correct it should be 2x2, I had just looked here :http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Intel_Wif ... _%28AGN%29

[Atreides]

Don't mean to resurrect an old thread, but I've installed the new card and wanted to post my highly subjective results for anyone curious or searching through google.

I haven't done any extensive testing, but I can say the range has definitely improved. In the city I imagine I'll see much more, but even in my own neighborhood I'm seeing 4-7 networks now whereas before I rarely saw more than two. That being said I only have a lowly wireless-g router in my home so I can't say much for speed.

Nonetheless I am entirely satisfied with the upgrade solely for the additional range (especially when I'm back in the city), and would recommend it to anyone looking for similar and willing to spend the $15.