? Install non-IBM wireless card on T40p ?

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apoll0 · #1 Post by **apoll0** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:08 am

I'm not sure if this topic has been covered... anyhow,

My T40p (2373G3U) should be arriving within the next week. The first thing i want to do is to change the 802.11a/b card with the non-IBM Intel 2200BG card. I know that the IBM bios will reject it right away. I read somewhere on the net that the IBM bios can be reprogram with a simple "no-1802.com" program that modify the upper bit of the bios to bypass IBM's whitelist check.

This is where i got the info:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview ... id=1310709

and the program i'm referring to is this one:
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~mjg59/thinkpad/hacks.html

I've heard that this program works on the T30 models. Any of you had this experience with the T4x models? I wonder how closely related is the bios between the T30 and T4x models.

atlacatl · #2 Post by **atlacatl** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:08 pm

As IBM's policy, the a/b card cannot be upgraded. Officially, you can't. I have a T40p with the a/b card and it has the tamper proof screws. You can get the little wrench from any hardware store. Howeve, these screws are ever so sensetive. I broke the head off one trying to fix a creaky palm rest...

Anyway, it's recomended that if you do upgrade the wireless card, use gloves so that nothing is disturbed inside the machine. If you remove those screws, the IBM policy goes, you void the warranty in your laptop.

So, if you change the card don't disturb the inside of the machine. I.e. finger prints, and defenetely do not break the head of the screw

Leon · #3 Post by **Leon** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:31 pm

can you get new screws if you break them, so you won't get screwed??

G-Man · #4 Post by **G-Man** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:35 pm

Yes you can, but only in a screw kit for $20 something.

Regards,
G-Man

Leon · #5 Post by **Leon** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:44 pm

well, in that case, it would be worth $20 not to be screwed

apoll0 · #6 Post by **apoll0** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:23 pm

"tamper proof"? The whole point of getting a toy like a thinkpad is to TAMPER with it

I was wondering why would one where gloves ... fingerprints!!! I never thought of that. Man, in that case, I better go back and whipe all traces from my hp nc6000 before i sell it off

ok, back to the topic. I wonder why they would not want us to replace the a/b card.

G-Man · #7 Post by **G-Man** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:44 pm

apoll0 wrote:I wonder why they would not want us to replace the a/b card.

Because if it has an IBM wifi card then you can't call it Centrino anymore.

Regards,
G-Man

atlacatl · #8 Post by **atlacatl** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 2:13 pm

Someone posted that answer somewhere around here. The issue is the FCC frequency testing - The model 2373G1U has only been tested with a/b card and not anything else, hence you can't update the card.

Centrino is the (TM) for all Intel architecture. I.e. Mother board, Pentium M CPU and Intel wireless card.

Non centrino use the same stuff, minus the wireless card - And from what I hear, the non-intel wireless cards are better anyway. However, you don't get the cool sticker on your laptop...

apoll0 · #9 Post by **apoll0** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:26 pm

I personally find that heart-shaped sticker GAY

-- nothing against people who are "happy". There's just something wrong about a thinkpad with a heart-shaped sticker...

G-Man: The 2373G3U T40p ships with an IBM a/b card, so the system is not a centrino to start with.

atlacatl: "The model 2373G1U has only been tested with a/b card and not anything else, hence you can update the card" -- you mean CAN'T?

By the looks of it, IBM believes that they can only receive FCC approval for a combined antenna/transmitter combination, and so are attempting to make sure that this is the only way in which their devices can be operated in case they're held liable.

Further rambling here...
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~mjg59/thinkpad/ibm.html

As far as I know, hp (nc6000) is also pulling the same marketing scheme. Yes, I call it a marketing scheme!

... hey, i DO know why now

apoll0 · #10 Post by **apoll0** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:34 pm

This morning I contacted technical support again. This time I got the following response:
After speaking with a specialist I can confirm that only IBM wireless cards willwork on an X40 machine.

This prevents the customer to insert non-IBM cards that could adversely damage the machine and have it fixed at IBM costs.

This is the first confirmation I've had from IBM that the list exists. The excuse is, however, not obviously true. There is no restriction on inserting possible faulty devices into any other expansion slot.

Now to think of it, this scheme is even WORSE than the situation with MS Windows and Explorer.

Imagine Windows disallowing you to install a driver that it has not approved, the whole community will be in raged.

eriqesque · #11 Post by **eriqesque** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:37 pm

The stupid thing is that all of the wireless cards IBM has to offer will work on A/B preistalled wireless machines.
You just can't do it yourself.
But you can send it to IBM and they will do the upgrade for you.
For the cost of the new card and fee to install the new card.

apoll0 · #12 Post by **apoll0** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:39 am

hp is pulling the same stunt as ibm with the nc6000 models.

Love the laptops, but gotta hate the company.

? Install non-IBM wireless card on T40p ?

? Install non-IBM wireless card on T40p ?

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