Will punching it fix the wi-fi?

[blockage]

OK had my T42p for about a month now an for the most part its great. However the wi-fi is really getting on my nerves. No matter what I do, the intel 2200bg won't stay connected to my D-Link WPA wireless network.

I've installed the latest drivers (9.0.1.21)

I tried using IBM connections with and without windows zero config service running (disabling it worked wonders with my last laptop)

I've now uninstalled IBM connections, reinstated zero config and am letting windows manage the connection. This seems to be the best so far. it stays connected most of the time when the machine is running on AC. When running on battery power its impossible to keep a connection for more than 3 or 4 minutes no matter what. And even on AC it still looses the connection often enough to make printing large documents a nightmare.

When the 2200bg loses its connection I usually can't reconnect until I shut the lid and open it again. I also seem to end up with lots of identical entries in the 200bg's preferred networks list.

Can anyone help?

[jdhurst]

There are two answers:

1. I think for that card, if you look in the card properties, there is a power management setting. Set it to use maximum power. The card has worked reliably for me, but I was using WEP at the time.

2. Consider using an IBM Atheros-based card. It just works better. I have used both, and my judgement is based on using both and trying very hard to get the Intel card to work nicely. It works, but the IBM card works better, smoother and more reliably. I have the IBM card in my T41, and it is just about flawless over long hours of operation.

Good luck. ... JD Hurst

[JHEM]

Both my T41p and T42p came with the Intel 2200BG card installed. After having used the IBM a/b/g card in my trusty T40 for so long, I wasted no time in replacing the 2200BG cards with the IBM 73P4301 Bartlett (Atheros) card.

Never looked back.

Regards,

James

[kaplanfx]

I see the AR5001x Atheros card all over e-bay often selling for 22 bucks U.S. is this a legitimate price, or are these some other card?

-kaplanfx

[K. Eng]

I'd first make sure it's an mPCI and not a PCMCIA (PC Card external). Also, the IBM BIOS will reject a non IBM approved mPCI card. You'd need some sort of hack to get around that - there is a hack available but I'm not sure how it works.

I see the AR5001x Atheros card all over e-bay often selling for 22 bucks U.S. is this a legitimate price, or are these some other card?

-kaplanfx

[blockage]

Thanks for you comments everyone. I've followed jdhurst's advice and set power management to max. Also while digging around in my router I found an option to turn off the proprietary high speed mode. This seems to have helped, I'll let you know how I get on after a couple of days.

T42p 2373
- Intel 2200BG with driver 9.0.1.21
- Uninstalled IBM Access Connections
- WiFi managed through windows

D-Link DI-624+ Router (UK model)
- Speed enhanced mode disabled

To keep the network secure I have also set:
- Authentication mode = WPA-PSK
- MAC address filtering enabled
- SSID broadcast disabled

[blockage]

Yup, its all good! And it was setting power management to max wot fixed it. I turned the router's enhanced mode back on yesturday without any probs.

thanks all
b