Thinkpads Forum

I am planing my purchase of a T520 (1600 x 900 & Nvidia GPU). Which of the Wifi options should I get? I have no idea of the features/performance of any of them.

ThinkPad b/g/n
Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2x2 AGN)
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)
Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250

I went with the ThinkPad card mainly cause I'm cheap. It's a Realtek card. I mainly just use it for internet purposes and for that it works fine. I'd say the 6250 card only has value if you plan to use WiMax.

I went with the Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN). I also am cheap (according to my wife) but prefer to label myself as frugal. I also have plaster walls in the house and wanted to ensure good signal on my deck, which is the farthest point from my router. The 6300 works hands down better than any previous wifi card in any of my personal Thinkpads or work Thinkpads. It's probably a less than $40 option - I'd personally consider it money well spent.

wolfman wrote:The 6300 works hands down better than any previous wifi card in any of my personal Thinkpads or work Thinkpads.

+1.

I know it's not exactly a scientific test but I got an extra bar on my home network upgrading from the Realtek card to the 6300. It also detects more networks with the 6300 card. Because the 6300 uses 3 antennas and the Realtek card only 1 I think you do get better signal. I'm not sure what other performance differences there are.

I have a W520 w/the 6300 card. Hands down the best reception I've ever experienced on any of my machines. Good luck and enjoy.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info. To me it looks like the 6300 is the way to go.

WA2SI wrote:I have a W520 w/the 6300 card. Hands down the best reception I've ever experienced on any of my machines. Good luck and enjoy.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

I can agree with that. I have never had the reception I'm enjoying with this T520 and the 6300 card.

sir_synthsalot wrote: Because the 6300 uses 3 antennas and the Realtek card only 1 I think you do get better signal. I'm not sure what other performance differences there are.

My buddy just got the T420s with the lowest wi fi card, the realtek card. It does have 3 antennas on it with 3 wires connected to it.
It's very poor card for wi fi.My buddy is looking at getting the Intel 6300-N.

On another note, i just got a T410 with wi fi intel 6200-N card and it's great.It picks up wireless singles that that other laptops could not...

I'm extremely happy with my 6205, but the 6300 is notably better under the right conditions (my buddy has an otherwise-matching T520 with 6300). The 6205 is still way better than what most computers have.

SaberX wrote:My buddy just got the T420s with the lowest wi fi card, the realtek card. It does have 3 antennas on it with 3 wires connected to it.
It's very poor card for wi fi.My buddy is looking at getting the Intel 6300-N.

On another note, i just got a T410 with wi fi intel 6200-N card and it's great.It picks up wireless singles that that other laptops could not...

My Realtek card had only two connectors but I think when people say it uses 3 antenas that refers to MIMO technology and not the physical number of antenas. The Realtek card is 1x2 MIMO and the Intel 6300 card is 3x3 MIMO.

SaberX wrote:... intel 6200-N card and it's great.It picks up wireless singles ...

Remarkable Intel technology -- my previous card picked up only signals!

Thinkpad BGN is even better at signal capturing compared with 6205N according to my experience.
And WIDI/mywifi is pretty lousy at least in my instance.
You don't have to pay extra money for a worse card.