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Wireless card for T420s

T400/T410/T420 and T500/T510/T520 Series
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positive
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Wireless card for T420s

#1 Post by positive » Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:51 am

Hi All,

What is the best wireless LAN card for the T420s? I want to use standard Lenovo parts, as i don't want to modify the bios.

Thanks

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:26 am

Check the parts list in the T420s HMM.
Pick the Intel 6300N.
You'll need a genuine Lenovo card with FRU 60Y3233, otherwise no-go.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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positive
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#3 Post by positive » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:53 am

Thanks RBS. I noticed the three antenna connections on the card, but my existing modem only has two. Is there a third wire to hook up? Thanks.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:18 am

Only your machine can tell...

MikalE
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#5 Post by MikalE » Sat Dec 30, 2017 9:38 am

Don't quote me, but I think only the black and grey wire will be attached. The white wire isn't used.

I don't know if it is the same with the T420, but for my T520 I had to use the whitelist BIOS to use the 6300N card.
A31p P-IV 2Ghz, 2MB, 2653-R6U
T500 T9600 2055-BE9
T510 i5 4384-DV7
T510 i7 4349-A64
T520 i7QM 4242-4UU Highly Modified
T16 i7 1260P 21BV000SUS

SaberX
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#6 Post by SaberX » Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:48 pm

I know this post is few months old BUT i did a wireless upgrade on a T420s before.
Went on ebay and got the cheap Chinese wi-fi card. The Intel Ultimate-N 6300.Listed for Lenovo.
And cheap too. Was only like $7.50 CDN. Free shipping.Just had to wait 5 to 6 weeks for it.
Just plug in and go.
Just did the same on my T430.Getting solid 450Mbps.
Also the T420s and the T430 has the 3 wires.The third wire just had the cover over the end and tucked to the side of the case....

Bill Wheeler
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Thinkpad T61 , T60p , T430
[Donor]

TonyJZX
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#7 Post by TonyJZX » Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:05 am

I believe the 420s has a whitelist so unless you get a Lenovo version 6300 you're gonna get a Error 1802?

Mine did.

Also makes keeping up to date with the current 2018 spectre meltdown bios an issue.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#8 Post by RealBlackStuff » Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:49 am

On my T420 I used this BIOS from www.bios-mods.com:
Lenovo_ThinkPad_T420_83ET76WW-83uj28us_NWL_LEN21_ADV_RAM_Speedo_AES_vBios-2170.zip
It has every mod con you can think off.

D/L here for T420: https://www.sendspace.com/file/ssxsqk

They also did similar for T420s:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a5k88tud9fbja ... S-2170.zip

ji2o0k
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#9 Post by ji2o0k » Mon Sep 03, 2018 9:36 am

I know you don't want to modify the BIOS but another vote for whitelist BIOS that RealBlackStuff posted....you can actually flash using a Windows based program which makes it so easy....

I would suggest the Intel 7260 AC - great wifi card. I have the T420s with whitelisted BIOS and using a Intel 7260....solid....

But if you still prefer the Lenovo parts, the N card is the way to go and you can pick it up on eBay for a good price...

TonyJZX
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#10 Post by TonyJZX » Tue Sep 04, 2018 10:52 pm

Only thing is both the 420 and 420s have official bios updates that have all the spectre meltdown etc.

I dont think any of the whitelisted ones have these... if these things are important to you.

ji2o0k
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#11 Post by ji2o0k » Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:02 am

^ the above is true - the current whitelist BIOS files for T420s doesn't include the Spectre meltdown fixes....

The latest BIOS 1.46 from Lenovo addresses this and it doesn't appear there is a modded whitelist BIOS 1.46 out just yet....

MikalE
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#12 Post by MikalE » Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:17 pm

Actually, there is a 1.46 modded version I am running on my T520 so I could use the Intel N-6300 wi-fi card as an upgrade.

RBS gave me the website address and who to contact there, but all I remember is that it is a BIOS mod forum and the guy is Russian or Ukrainian.

It flashed without incident and works fine.
A31p P-IV 2Ghz, 2MB, 2653-R6U
T500 T9600 2055-BE9
T510 i5 4384-DV7
T510 i7 4349-A64
T520 i7QM 4242-4UU Highly Modified
T16 i7 1260P 21BV000SUS

Sweater Fish Deluxe
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Location: Ukiah, California

Re: Wireless card for T420s

#13 Post by Sweater Fish Deluxe » Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:14 pm

BIOS version numbers differ between the different systems. T420s BIOS 1.46 is equivalent to T520 BIOS 1.49, both released June 2018. I don't think there's modded versions of either of these or the equivalent T420, X220, etc. BIOSes.

MikalE
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Re: Wireless card for T420s

#14 Post by MikalE » Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:22 pm

I see. I did not realize they would be different between machines of the same type and family.
A31p P-IV 2Ghz, 2MB, 2653-R6U
T500 T9600 2055-BE9
T510 i5 4384-DV7
T510 i7 4349-A64
T520 i7QM 4242-4UU Highly Modified
T16 i7 1260P 21BV000SUS

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