wireless mini-pci card hassle

[tp23]

I have tried two Broadcom 94306 wireless G min-pci cards on both a T-23 and T-20 and while the cards install and windows device manager reports the cards are working, I still connot connect with my Linksys 54BG wireless router. Yet both a Belden USB wireless nic and D-Link Air-Plus cards work perfectly on both notepads.
As the readme suggested, I uninstalled any kind of wireless ethernet drivers before installing the Broadcom drivers and mini-pci cards and rebooted, still cannot connect with my router. Tried 2 internal antennas too. I know the mini-pci slot is ok because the 10-100 internal ethernet that came with the Thinkpads works fine on these two ThinkPads.
Any advise will be appreciated.
-BB

[danage]

Among other possibilities, it is likely you have one of these 2 problems:
a) The antennae are not sufficient/correctly connected. Do your T23/T20 have wireless antennae pre-installed? If not, which did you use with your cards? Note that without an antennae, you will not just have bad reception, but NONE AT ALL.
b) Software trouble. More information would be necessary for a diagnosis: Does the driver produce a yellow exclamation mark? Does the client manager run? Does it show any networks?

[tp23]

The T20 has the factory installed antenna under the display, the T23 did not have antenna but both cards came with new antennas pairs and I routed one pair under the keyboard to the leading edge of the palm rest. When that did not work I taped the other new antenna pair to the top edge of the display crossing in the middle.
All the supplied antennas are new, coaxial and my wireless router is less than 2 feet from my work desk.
The driver package contained two setup.inf files, one of which would not install because it applied to a different chipset version. The driver that works shows in devicemanager as being the correct driver and tells me the device is working properly, the stock IBM ethernet cards that I removed from both machines worked too.
Can anyone advise me about getting these Broadcom BCM 94306 minipci wireless G to work in T2x machines?

[danage]

All the supplied antennas are new, coaxial and my wireless router is less than 2 feet from my work desk.

Please be more specific. Which Operating System do you use? Does your Client Management Software or (XPSP2) the Windows Wireless Zero Configuration Service show any networks? Does it even work at all? If you use XP, try halting the Service if you have an OEM client manager in operation.

The driver that works shows in devicemanager as being the correct driver and tells me the device is working properly, the stock IBM ethernet cards that I removed from both machines worked too.

That makes it appear a software issue. Please give more details on what you use and what you have tried so far.

Can anyone advise me about getting these Broadcom BCM 94306 minipci wireless G to work in T2x machines?

I am trying to help you.

[tp23]

I am trying to help you.

I know that but I'm serious about making this T-23 internally wireless.

Am using the card driver supplied by the dealer. Broadcom does not have a driver specific for this card, the card is generic, it just has a Broadcom chipset.

Just running barefoot, XPSP2 without any network services programs installed.

Followed card driver's install readme to a "T"

With Windows Zero Configuration turned off, the mini-pci card installed perfectly but still would not connect with the access point.

In the card's properties window, none of the previous settings were altered.
Also, after disabling and un-installing the mini-pci card and re-installing my PCMCIA wireless G card, could not connect with my access point until I turned Zero Configuration back on.

Your turn.

[jdhurst]

The LinkSys 54 and 55 series routers have definite incompatibilities with cards that vary with firmware version. I have successfully used these routers now with the very newest firmware and with Intel 2200bg and IBM 11 a/b/g cards. So try new firmware. ... JD Hurst

[tp23]

So try new firmware

Hmmm, thats an idea, I'll report on the results.

Thanks.

[tp23]

Upgraded my router's firmware to thr latest version and .........no good. Neither one of the Broadcom cards connect.
However, I ordered a new PRISM b/g card to try....at least this one will be new, both the Broadcoms were used.

[danage]

First thing: In your Router, make sure your WLAN is set to SSID broadcast enabled. A hidden SSID is useless anyway, any monitoring tool will have it within seconds.

Followed card driver's install readme to a "T". Just running barefoot, XPSP2 without any network services programs installed.

OK, now if your card comes with a client manager (software that shows available networks and lets you choose which one to use) use that. Disable the WZC Wizard in the device manager. Use your card's client manager to search for your network. If it shows up, can you connect?

If your card does not have such a program, leave the wizard on. When you double click the wireless symbol in your system tray, you can make the wizard come up and have it show a list of available wireless networks. Does your network show there? Can you connect?

Either way, if your network shows up, try troubleshooting protocol related issues. Turn off any MAC filter or encryption. Enable DHCP. Set your card to retrie TCP/IP address from DHCP and so on.

Good luck!

[tp23]

I give up for now....nothing works, when the Prism card comes in I'll give it a try....Possible that only iNTEL/IBM cards will work....... I'll give it one more try.

Thanks.

[tp23]

The Prism card works on my T23! It found my router and connected at 54mbps. Now its time to do some tweaking.............