antenna wires for A31

[intelp4]

Hi eveyone. My buddy just gave me a A31 and have a few questions..

First off it did not come with wireless so he had a intel 2200bg card sitting there so gave that to me... I had to do the bios patch so i could install it with out the error... Now my question is where do i go about finding the antenna wires that will fit this laptop or what are my options?

[rkawakami]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

Factory antennas can be obtained from a couple of places:

- placing a WTB (Want To Buy) ad here in the Marketplace forum
- eBay; search for 27L0684 or try a search string of: "thinkpad antenna* (a3x*,a30*,a31*)" (without the quotes)
- Google the part number and see who might be selling them

However, if the lid assembly does not have the two plastic "windows" along the side edges, then your wireless reception/transmission range will be somewhat lessened due to the metal composite lid. If this is the case, then you may need to find some alternate locations for antennas. Popular places are underneath the keyboard or along the outside edges of the base. You could also use most any kind of laptop wireless antenna, with the shortest lead that allows positioning the antenna in your selected location. Again, note that your wireless range will probably not be the same as a factory installation.

ref: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-39593 (A3x lid assembly)
ref: http://www.kawakami-ca.com/antenna_comparison/ (several different styles of antenna)
ref: http://www.rkawakami.net/ibm_t2x/t23_wireless/ (installation of antennas in a non-WiFi ready T23)

[sjthinkpader]

...
However, if the lid assembly does not have the two plastic "windows" along the side edges, then your wireless reception/transmission range will be somewhat lessened due to the metal composite lid. ...

A31 uses just a regular plastic cover. The "hash" marks are stick on labels.

[rkawakami]

Ack! After all of this time looking at the A31s I have, I've never noticed that! I just assumed that they were the same as the T23 series.

[sjthinkpader]

Your antennae signal charts looked very interesting. I used those small Foxconn antennae for the 11n third antenna in Ts' and used the Hitachi Cable antenna in A31 placed just to the right of the Ultrabay port.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 1n+antenna

With two antennae 11n cards appearing, installing third antenna is no longer necessary.