ThinkPad 11a/b/g Mini PCIe Adapter 41A4070

[bcomisky]

I just ordered my x60s.. in the Lenovo online configuration my choices were between:

• ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Express Adapter
  Intel PRO/Wireless ABG Mini-PCI Adapter also enables [standard]

I went with the former, "Thinkpad", thinking it was an Atheros based card. The tabook.pdf lists these options:

• 11a/b/g wireless, Mini PCI Express adapter, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
  1a/b/g wireless, ThinkPad 11a/b/g Mini PCIe Adapter, Atheros AR5006EX

And later in the options page it gives these corresponding part numbers:

• 11a/b/g Wireless Mini PCI Express Adpr42 40Y7026
  Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Mini PCIe Ad42 41N3008

When I got my order confirmation though it showed 41A4070 for the part number:

Qty Component Description Cost
1 41A4070 CTO TP WIFI WIRELESS ABG $28.50

Can anyone verify the make of the 41A4070 card? Is it an Atheros card?

thanks,
Bill

[bijou]

[quote="bcomisky"]
Can anyone verify the make of the 41A4070 card? Is it an Atheros card?
thanks,
Bill[/quote]

I ordered a x60s today hoping to get the Atheros card and my confirmation reads exactly like yours. My guess is that "CPO TP" means "configure to order Thinkpad" and is not telling you who the manufacturer of the card is. I too am worried because the item number is different from the Atheros card's number on tabook.

[bcomisky]

I called Lenovo this morning and asked a salesperson specifically about the 41A4070 part number. I was told that it was a "build" number that actually refers to the 73P4301 (I'm not sure if it will be the same for all builds using 41A4070).

During the discussion I was told this card was made by IBM (not Atheros) and I could not substitute the 40Y7026 instead. However, after getting off the phone I googled the number, and found this thinkwiki entry which identifies the card as the Atheros AR5004X.

Here are the PDFs from Atheros website corresponding to the cards:
40Y7026: AR5006EX
41A4070/73P4301: AR5004X

The AR5006EX is a mini -PCI express card, where the AR5004X is a mini-PCI card. I haven't seen any reference to a mini-pci slot on the x60s, only a mini-pci express.

So could this information be correct? Can anyone verify whether the x60s has a mini-pci (not mini-pci express) slot?

Bill

[bcomisky]

I found the "Wireless & networking accessories - ThinkPad X60/s" page on Lenovo's site:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-63280

It shows these part numbers and descriptions:
40Y7026: ThinkPad abg wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter
41N3008: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945abg Mini PCI Express Adapter (NA)
40Y7030: ThinkPad 802.11bg wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter II

The last one is a mini-pci (not express) so it's probably the same as the 41A4070 (or 73P4301) which apparently is an Atheros AR5004X chipset. I'm not sure where the mini-pci vs mini-pci express slots are located on the motherboard, so this could affect where the heat from the wifi card is felt.

Bill

[bcomisky]

Ok, after even more investigation, I think this is the same card as the

40Y7026: ThinkPad abg wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter

I still couldn't find a non-express mini-pci slot when looking through the maintenance manual or in the system service parts list, and asked another (seemingly more informed) salesperson who said the number is just different when it is a built-to-order machine, and it will be the same card as I'd seen listed in the wireless accessories, etc. Which is 40Y7026 (or 39T0499 for the replacement part number).

ok, I'm done
If it turns out to be different when I receive it, I'll report back.

Bill

[ssimon]

Actually the 40Y7026 FRU ends up being the Atheros AR5BXB6 Mini-PCI Express card. I got one several days ago to replace the Intel one that came with my T60p and this is the Exact model you'll receive if you order this FRU!

This is fully compatible with both the T60 & the X60 line, and maybe others but not 100% sure on them.

What is REALLY exciting about this card is that asside from the fact that it is better then the Intel counterpart (heard reports it just gets a bit hotter), it is FULLY supported and compatible with Apple OSX without any tweaks. That's because it is exactly what the MacBook Pro uses (see link below)!

Click THIS LINK to see what it looks like generic. The Lenovo one is identical, just has a white sticker. See picture below:

[Wolfie]

So should one order the Intel or the Thinkpad wireless card for a X60s?

[ssimon]

So should one order the Intel or the Thinkpad wireless card for a X60s?

Well, let's put it this way, I just replaced the Intel with the Atheros I described above and am using it to write this now. Works like a dream and heat does not seem to be an issue in the T60p. It's not any hotter then the Intel.

Since it is the SAME card for both the T60 and the X60 I say go for it. It is more sensitive and has some cool client interface software (you'll need to get that on the web) that you can setup after removing the Access connections crap from Lenovo.

[christopher_wolf]

[...] after removing the Access connections crap from Lenovo.

And what authority, pray tell, verified that AC was crap?

[trentblase]

[...] after removing the Access connections crap from Lenovo.

And what authority, pray tell, verified that AC was crap?

No external authority needed. The user has complete authority over his or her own laptop. I can totally see how Acess connections would be useful to certain people, but I had to uninstall it. It's mostly bloated overmanagement of things that Windows can do on it's own.

My biggest problem with it (and there may be a way to prevent this, but I wasn't able to figure it out) was that it doesn't let me have both wireless and wired connections at the same time. I was probably able to get this to work a few times, but it was inconsistent at best. I like persistent connections so I can do network file operations quickly and then be able to unplug and maintain my IM sockets.

My other problems were that it was just slow. It would delay my boot time if I checked "allow network at windows login" whereas the windows wifi manager makes this work transparently. It used a lot of system resources. It wouldn't reliably reconnect to the wifi network after coming back from sleep (which windows handles fine), etc, etc.

So my personal determination was that it was crap, and since I had no use for managing multiple location profiles (which seems to be it's one strength) I removed it.

[Wolfie]

I'm still confused. If the Thinkpad version is better, why is the Intel one the standard version? There's no cost difference between the two when purchasing the laptop.

[ssimon]

And what authority, pray tell, verified that AC was crap?

No external authority needed. The user has complete authority over his or her own laptop. .........
.........
So my personal determination was that it was crap, and since I had no use for managing multiple location profiles (which seems to be it's one strength) I removed it.

Amen to that trentblase!

christopher_wolf, have you ever tried to use Access Connections with a dynamic Global Policy-based certificate generating server 2003 and Radius box? Guess not. Access connections IS CRAP for anything more than basic Location A/B for home or strateforward security. It does map printers, which is a nice touch, but it cannot even properly handle LAN and Wireless simultaneousely, and definetly cannot deal with automated Global Policy setups at all. Have a read as to the probelms people had with AC and how they magically went away when it was uninstalled. In my opinion AC is a s useless as the Presentation Director.

And, as trentblase already said, EVERYONE is different and we all evaluate something based on OUR PERSONAL experiences with it.

[ssimon]

I'm still confused. If the Thinkpad version is better, why is the Intel one the standard version? There's no cost difference between the two when purchasing the laptop.

Read my post above, "better" is subjective and depends on your environment and personal preferences....

My advice, try both and even try the Atheros client utilities if you got that card then make up your own mind.

[edcard]

I'll second ssimon's advice. I purchased an Atheros (39T0499/39T5578) card on eBay to replace the Intel card originally installed on a TP X60, and the difference is incredible. Where I used to get fluctuating 20% strength, I now get 90 or 100% steady connections.

I also think the Atheros card may be slightly cooler to the touch than the Intel card.

Purchased from dragon_on_the_edge for about $40 inc. s/h.

[blackomegax]

Might be a LITTLE irrelevant, but at school there's one specific classroom with very poor wifi, and with the intel ABG card it cant hold a connection to save its life, and its only 1mbit when it does.

with the intel ABGN card its a 4 bar connection at around 48mbit.

with the atheros abg it gets about 36mbit link-state and 3 bars.

I'd go out on a limb and say the 3 antenna diversity of 11n is better than a 100mw card (which never ever ever uses 100mw, according to ACU), but the atheros has the added advantage of native linux support and packet injection