What 4G/LTE wlan card for x230?

[PRAGUEGUY]

Any recommendations welcome...I prefer whitelisted ones, but can live with others, too. Thanks.

Is there anything you may know of, which works via USB or Expresscard? thanks


xxxx

our official distributor has this. x230 IS NOT listed...can it be that the card will not work, thanks

http://www.pcnet.cz/detail.php?kod_zboz ... &kat_id=32

759160 - Lenovo 4G EM7345 Mobile Broadband LTE/HSPA + Tx4/X240/Lx40/W540/X1 (2+3nd)/X250

Výrobce : LENOVO
Cena bez DPH : 3 500,00 Kč
Cena s DPH : 4 235,00 Kč

Popis :
Modul pro připojení k internetu přes GSM síť
NTB musí být WWAN ready/Capable , tzn osazen anténami. V opačném případě nebude modul samostatně funkční

COMPATIBLE WITH:

ThinkPad T540p, T440, T440p, T440s, T450,T550
ThinkPad X240s, X240, X1 Carbon (2nd+3nd Gen), X250
ThinkPad L540, L440, L450,L550
ThinkPad W540, W550s

[precip9]

LTE compatibility is not like HSPA was. The spectrum for LTE is chopped up in many different ways worldwide. So you can get general advice on cards, but it is almost mandatory that you know someone who is using the card, or can talk to someone at the carrier who seems to know. Even then, it is a gamble.

Here is a point of confusion. Both HSPA and LTE bands are identified by numbers. But the numbers do not mean the same frequencies. The numbering systems are completely different!

A personal experience. I have a Sony Xperia ZL that I used with Tmobile USA. While mobile, I got around 3 mb/s. Stationary, of course, was much higher. I switched to a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Speeds while mobile about 25 mb/s. Some of the reasons for this are in the specs. The Samsung has LTE Advanced, which supports channel bonding. The Sony does not. But there are also issues of firmware compatibility.

So, in a backwards step, the world has moved away from the universal compatibility of GSM/EDGE, to the wide compatibility of UMTS/HSPA, and now, the poor compatibility of LTE.

[PRAGUEGUY]

Thanks. I will do a gamble..or perhaps wait a bit for greater penetration. In the meantime I can buy a USB stick marketed by some of the operators...


this is one of them.

https://www.mall.cz/t-mobile-operator/t ... c?v=719908

unfortunately it is a Huawei...I once tried to install one to a friend, and it had terrible drivers and was messy to use...
but it should work with T mobile networks.

another one is this...
http://www.czc.cz/d-link-dwm-221/164121 ... 6b863b233a
not supported by any operators, but looks a more serious product. Also more expensive a bit.

[fultontech]

Another issue is the antenna and if it is compatible. Anything beyond the Gobi 3000 is unknown.

[fultontech]

Probably be of more help if I fully read the post.

[precip9]

Thanks. I will do a gamble..or perhaps wait a bit for greater penetration. In the meantime I can buy a USB stick marketed by some of the operators...


this is one of them.

https://www.mall.cz/t-mobile-operator/t ... c?v=719908

unfortunately it is a Huawei...I once tried to install one to a friend, and it had terrible drivers and was messy to use...
but it should work with T mobile networks.

another one is this...
http://www.czc.cz/d-link-dwm-221/164121 ... 6b863b233a
not supported by any operators, but looks a more serious product. Also more expensive a bit.

Check if your operator has rolled out LTE Advanced. If they have, you want an adapter that supports it. Also, Tmobile in the U.S. has added a lot of spectrum. If this is true where you are, then you need to decide whether you want all the bands. For example, my Xperia ZL did not handle LTE Band 12 (700 mHz). In cities, it was OK, 2100 mHz. But away from cities, it would drop to HSPA, where LTE was supported only on 700. The newer Saumsung supports LTE 700, so there are fewer dead areas.

You might consider a phone, because the phones have more bands than the adapters. Most personal users now tether phones instead of installed adapters. In the U.S., only business use adapters built in. Of course, where you are, it may be different.

[PRAGUEGUY]

Well, I sometimes use tethering of my Xperia Sony, but I find it clumsy.
The neatest solution is built in, and a phone is three times the cost of a card.

I have bought http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271577076251? ... EBIDX%3AIT
this..I will report back what happened.

I got some good advice by PMs, there are horrible tricks and tweaks involved...my laptop cannot have an official built in card for LTE, it has never been officially sold by lenovo in my country, and is not available.

The above item apparently has been tried, I am told you have to "paste, glue over Pin 20 for this to work..." I will ask some service person to do that, I do not want to dig out my PC WAN card anyway, you need skill to put the thing back together properly (like getting the torque right on all screws).
I hope I have not wasted 120 GBP.
The tethering is a good idea though...but I am quite conservative, and am attached to my Sony, one of the last mobiles with a QUERTY keypad. And I dont believe it has LTE.
Also, if you are tethering your phone, you need a data plan, and I want to use a prepaid card..that is, with tethering you must have the same service package for your mobile and your laptop.