WWAN module integration in T60

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Hi guys,

So for my first thread - got an Ericsson F3507g card (FRU:43Y6479).
But the T60 (1952-CTO) doesn't have an mini PCIe slot, so got one too and I'm preparing to solder it on the motherboard with the SIM slot too. Got an antena too.
What else could possibly be needed in order to get it working

Thanks in advance

PS: I've got pretty much experience with hardware and soldering so don't blame me for my decision.

[Peak2Peak]

As your Ericsson F3507g (FRU:43Y6479) is not one of the WWAN cards supported by the T60's BIOS whitelist, you will need to flash it to get around the BIOS whitelist - see ThinkPad BIOS whitelist (error 1802/1804) *READ 1st MSG* ...and tape over Pin 20 of your Ericsson F3507g card too.

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Could you please tell me - what's the idea of disabling pin 20, if there is no whitelist anymore?

[Peak2Peak]

It seems that on the T60, although a modded BIOS removes the 1802/1804 error message and whitelist checks it is still necessary to cover Pin20 of the WWAN card for it to operate - So can only assume there is a W_DISABLE# sent from somewhere within the system turning off RF operation.
Covering Pin20 (in this case) ensures Radio operation is active, when a disable signal (W_DISABLE#) is sent by the system. [See page 48 of the PCI Express® Mini Card Electromechanical Specification for further explaination etc].

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This seems to be quite one of the most useful threads.
Could someone provide me with suitable manual on modding the bios + files for this ?
(didn't find working URL's )

[RealBlackStuff]

Pick your choice for a ready-made modded BIOS: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... #post90337

If you want to DIY: http://www.endeer.cz/bios.tools/thinkpad-biosmod.html

Last but not least: have fun

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Hmmm - I've been reading through the Zender's BIOS thread, and he says so:

I think the answer is also simple. It won't work that way, cannot be disabled by F5 or wireless switch, WWAN led will not blink and cannot be used by AccessConnections. Unless you load it with the Lenovo-branded firmware, which is responsible for all this.

So the question is - my Ericsson card is IBM/Lenovo branded, would that mean that the blink light would work and the card would be manageable through the Connection manager?
And quite a stupid one - which blinker would be used for this adapter - the wlan one or?

And last but not least from me: could someone make a CLEAR picture of the motherboard around the miniPCI-e slot, the SIM slot (on the MB) in order to see if there is something missing.
Later I would be soldering the miniPCI-e slot and the SIM slot on the MB.
Any other info would be helpful if someone has made this kind of integration.

Cheers and thanks in advance

Crap - I've taken a taller miniPCI-e slot, now I've gotta take off the shorter one ...

[Peak2Peak]

Very early last year I did try out a Lenovo branded Ericsson F3507g with modded BIOS and Pin20 taped over on a T60 - the result was that the WWAN LED worked ok and was able manage the card via Lenovo's Access Connections software [can not remember version used].

The WWAN card has it's own WWAN LED indicator (as per page 41 of the T60 HMM Manual) - also just realised that as your T60 does not have an existing WWAN mPCIe slot, Sim card MB connector & Sim card slot (FRU: 42W3098) etc - your T60 would [probably] also not have an LED Clear plate with a WWAN icon - this can be found for example on ebay: IBM ThinkPad T60 LED Light plate bluetooth wwan - 15" if required.

Also there is a Solderless USIM Sim Socket Holder for Mini PCI-E WWAN Card 3G Modem which could save you soldering a Sim card MB connector

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The soldering job is one of the easiest things of all of the things needed.
I've taken a look at the thread about the BIOS re-flashing and I feel quite uncomfortable with the job that needs to be done.
Anyway first I found out that the Ericsson card does not support voice calling, so maybe I would take some other card probably branded by lenovo, but first I would need to test the slots.
So I'll keep on posting.

Thanks for the given info

[Raceboy]

I made a WWAN mod for my friends T60 that did not have miniPCIe slot (Radeon X1300 board). Soldered the slot off from dead board with heat gun (took just 2-3 minutes and came right off) and soldered it back also with heat gun (applied flux on the pads before that).
Bought a SIM card slot for 4:3 T60 (here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... ink:top:en) for $20, on the link I provided it's just $9.99 and applied Zenders BIOS. I used Ericsson F3507g card, it was non-Lenovo but worked well with taping pin20.
On my own T60p I used Zenders BIOS because I wanted to upgrade wifi card, works flawlessly.

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What about the Voice function, have anyone tried to put a card with such function and make a call ?

PS Thanks for the soldering info It gave me a lot of confidence on the successful result.

Cheers

[Peak2Peak]

As per my signature - Currently have installed a voice enabled Huawei EM770 WWAN card (with relevant Huawei utilty software that supports voice as well) - Am able to make & receive (PCM) voice calls (my mobile data plan allows this) via the T60's internal Mic & Speakers or via a bluetooth headset.

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Well everything is in place - modem, Sim holder, antenna etc...
But still cannot understand how to setup the connection.
At the moment I've installed Mobile Broadband software from Lenovo, but it just asks me for a PIN, and after entering it, nothing happens.
Does anyone could help me setting it up?

[daryl425]

I was thinking about soldering the PCIE slot on as well. Is the slot actually working? Can you plug other cards into the slot and see it loaded up in your OS? Where did you get the parts? And what did you have to do? Thanks!

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I was thinking about soldering the PCIE slot on as well. Is the slot actually working? Can you plug other cards into the slot and see it loaded up in your OS? Where did you get the parts? And what did you have to do? Thanks!

Well Daryl, I didn't get to the moment to solder slot and stuff, but just got a T60p laptop, with all the extras, and just plugged in the card, the Sim slot and the antenna. As I've read previously, soldering the slots would be enough to get things working.
For the moment I just cannot understand how to make the connection settings properly and stuff like this.

[Peak2Peak]

...and just plugged in the card...

If you are using the Ericsson F3507g (FRU:43Y6479), did you cover Pin 20?

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If you are using the Ericsson F3507g (FRU:43Y6479), did you cover Pin 20?

Yes it is covered.