Problem with wireless internet Thinkpad A30 - Please help!

[Davincimath]

I had the model A30 Thinkpad laptop for about almost a year now, and I really need some help.

1) I can connect to a wireless router
2) When I do get connected at 11.0mbs, the laptop acts as if the connection cannot be reach, or, as if it were offline.
For instance, when I am "connected," I cannot do any web browsing or anything that would require internet access in which I have been able to get connected to a wireless router. And again, it acts as though it were offline even though it states that I am connected at 11.0mbs.

So, I do not know what to really do. I was assuming that I made need to buy a blue tooth, a wireless usb antenna, or whatever you may think I need to buy or diagnose, because how I am online now at almost anytime is when I am on my brother's computer, at the library, a computer cafe', my laptop (wit the use of an ether net wire), etc.

If anything seems confusing, don't bother to stop, ask me anything. Thanks for thee help friends!

[jronald]

Basics
Are the antenna's connected
Can you connect via Cat5 cable
What is your IP address once connected? It will probably start with 10.192. (we dont need the rest of it)
In Hardware Manager, do you have any yellow exclamation points.

Ron

[Davincimath]

Hmm. I do not have antennas as of now, the cat5 cable I have no problem connecting with. Now, the ip address I have yet to know since I do not have any wireless internet to connect to as of now I am replying to you using my brother's computer. I checked my computer manager, the there seems to be a problem with my network, IBM High rate LAN MiniPC whatnot, so, I guess I need a new miniPC card?

[Harryc]

Install the High Rate Wireless LAN Mini PCI combo card firmware, then de-install and reinstall the High Rate Wireless LAN Mini PCI combo card driver.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... Networking

[jronald]

No antenna's is an issue

Ron

[Harryc]

Well, yes but we're assuming the OP did not remove the covers to look. What is the machine type/model as listed on the sticker on the bottom of the machine? It'll be a (7) digit alpha-numeric like 2357-3CU

[Davincimath]

Harryc, I did as you told me, I haven't had the chance to connect to a wireless yet, I'll let you know what happens, because I have a feeling it's going to be the same...

Now, my 7 digit number is 09N1795

[Harryc]

No products match '09N1795'.

[RealBlackStuff]

The sticker Harryc mentions will have something like: TYPE 2357-3CU
look for the word TYPE in front of it.

The number you quote is the MS Windows sticker number, not what we are looking for!

[mediasponge]

I ended up replacing the IBM High Rate Wireless card (the Actiontech one) in my A31p. The symptoms were similar. It would claim it was connected, but had no bars, and kept dropping off. It turns out that the wireless card did not support 802.11g, which my router (and most others) were broadcasting. I installed an Intel PRO 100 VE mini pci card, and it has been fine ever since. I lost the modem capability in that deal, but who dials up anymore? The OP needs to find out which wireless card is actually inside the unit.

[ajkula66]

mediasponge wrote:

I installed an Intel PRO 100 VE mini pci card, and it has been fine ever since.

Hmm... there's some confusion going on here, since PRO 100 is a LAN card, and not a wireless one...

[rkawakami]

@Davincimath: In case you are still around, here's a picture of where to find your TYPE number on the A30 (I think it's the same as on an A31): http://www.kawakami-ca.com/images/a31p_type_label.jpg

[tcone]

It turns out that the wireless card did not support 802.11g, which my router (and most others) were broadcasting.

Yes, these "High Rate Wireless LAN Mini PCI" cards only support 11mbps and WEP/WPA (not WPA2!, WPA only if the firmware is up to date).

[mediasponge]

mediasponge wrote:
...
Hmm... there's some confusion going on here, since PRO 100 is a LAN card, and not a wireless one...

Sorry. What I actually installed is this: Intel Pro/Wireless. What I have should be the 2200BG. Worked with no hacks in an A31p.

[john518]

just a thought....I had 2 desktops that would do the same thing.
If I remember right it had to do with the proxy settings.

[Davincimath]

Sorry if I took way too long to reply, I'm kind of delaying because of errands and stuff...

TYPE 2652-46U is this it?

[mediasponge]

TYPE 2652-46U is this it?

That's the right number. This is the description from Lenovo:

Product: ThinkPad A30 2652-46U [change]
Operating system: All [change]

Original description: PIII-M 1.13GHz (512KB), 128MB RAM, 30.0GB HDD,
15.0 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, 8x-2.3x DVD, 802.11b wireless (MPCI),
Modem (MPCI), Ethernet (CDC), TV out, Li-Ion battery, Win2000

A range of models all used the IBM High Rate Mini PCI wireless card that is now obsolete. What I don't know is if the BIOS in yours will need to be hacked to use an Intel 2200BG replacement. My A31p worked fine.

[Davincimath]

Lol, so I guess a new laptop will do; very well then, I'll be getting a new one. Thanks though guys, you really did helped me a lot. But if you know how to hack, heh, let me in some of that stuff, thanks.

[virge]

Lol, so I guess a new laptop will do; very well then, I'll be getting a new one. Thanks though guys, you really did helped me a lot. But if you know how to hack, heh, let me in some of that stuff, thanks.

The "hack" is actually quite simple. Just involves downloading a program, burning it to CD and then running it. For more info:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... et_devices

[ajkula66]

I might be wrong since it's been quite a while since I've owned an A30/p with integrated wireless, but I don't think that their BIOS (unlike one on A31/p) throws the error in the first place...

[Adda]

As far as I can tell the A30's will accept any wireless mini-pci card.
My A30 was not born with wireless, but I installed a 2200BG card in it's mini-pci slot and took some antennas from a dead HP laptop, and threaded them in it's case, it works perfectly.
This 2200BG card doesn't work in R51's or R50p's (and most likely most other ThinkPad models) without the BIOS hack.

[Davincimath]

Oh man, I am at the Long Beach Mark Twain Branch Library where you can get free Wi-Fi, as with other places like Star Bucks, or Itsagrind, etc, and I've brought my A30 Thinkpad laptop; guess what? For some odd reason, the wireless works! Cheers friends!

[virge]

Oh man, I am at the Long Beach Mark Twain Branch Library where you can get free Wi-Fi, as with other places like Star Bucks, or Itsagrind, etc, and I've brought my A30 Thinkpad laptop; guess what? For some odd reason, the wireless works! Cheers friends!

It probably works because its a public hotspot and there is no encryption...