internal wireless cards for Thinkpad A31p

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rmplayer · #1 Post by **rmplayer** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:12 pm

I have recently purchased a thinkpad and intend to install a wireless card. My question. Will a A31p thinkpad which has an internal port for I believe a type A card accept the newer 54MB and 108MB iinternal cards. If it will not then will the new pcmcia cards be any faster than the original 11MB type A card.

#2 Post by **schen** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:38 am

The majority of Thinkpads of that time came with some sort of 802.11b card (either Phillips, Intel or Actiontec usually). I've put Atheros Chipped MPCI cards in T23, A30 and A31 with good success. At times, you'll get the too many ethernet adapter error, but I've applied the commonly available 1802 Hack and get rid of the irritation.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that you should be able to use almost anything in your A31. As you can see in my signature, I've had good luck with the Atheros cards and the ones I use connect at the "SuperG" 108mps speed, combined with a D-Link DI-624 Router/AP. You should also bear in mind that if you use the Access Connection software from IBM/Lenovo, you should stay with a version earlier than 4.xx The newer v4.xx Access Connections seems to conflict with the drivers that allow those cards to connect at the higher speed.

#3 Post by **underclocker** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:19 am

A generic Intel Mini-PCI 2200G card worked fine in my A31. No hack required.

#4 Post by **schen** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:54 pm

underclocker wrote:A generic Intel Mini-PCI 2200G card worked fine in my A31. No hack required.

That reminds me; neither my T30 or wife's A31 needed the 1802 Hack, but my T23 and her A30 both needed it. I guess the BIOS on the newer machines had a more extensive list of wireless adapters.

STSinNYC · #5 Post by **STSinNYC** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:33 am

I'm using a Linksys WPC55AG adapter (PC card) in my A20m. Has the Atheros 5001 hardware, using the Atheros software, not the Linksys. The range is excellent, I think better than the Intel 3945ABG built-in wireless in my T60. The WPC55AG might be worth considering, software install was a snap and it connects quickly. Got it on eBay for around $30.

#6 Post by **schen** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 12:48 am

STSinNYC wrote:I'm using a Linksys WPC55AG adapter (PC card) in my A20m. Has the Atheros 5001 hardware, using the Atheros software, not the Linksys. The range is excellent, I think better than the Intel 3945ABG built-in wireless in my T60. The WPC55AG might be worth considering, software install was a snap and it connects quickly. Got it on eBay for around $30.

I'll have to check out that Linksys card, if I can get a good price. When I looked on the Atheros site some time ago, I didn't see Linksys listed as one of there clients which is why I bought D-Link. Of course one of there client's is Airlink101 which is almost always on the low end of the price spectrum, but I've had no experience with them whereas I've had a lot of positive experience with Linksys.

rbi · #7 Post by **rbi** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:23 pm

As it is said that most of the A31P can be wireless upgradable, does 2654MU3 have the wireless antenna?

#8 Post by **schen** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:23 pm

I may have to be corrected here, but if I'm not mistake, all A31s have at least the antenna leads in place even thought they didn't all have the MPCI card.

relax · #9 Post by **relax** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:43 pm

schen wrote:I may have to be corrected here, but if I'm not mistake, all A31s have at least the antenna leads in place even thought they didn't all have the MPCI card.

I have a (currently non-functional) A31P (2653-L3G) that came without wireless card and without antenna installed. I installed a Intel 2200BG which I got from ebay and the antenna I purchased from an IBM parts shop in Belgium. The card runs excellent and connects at 54Mb per sec.
I currently use an A31 from work, but it also comes without wireless card and without wireless antenna.

ElbertR · #10 Post by **ElbertR** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:03 am

schen wrote:I may have to be corrected here, but if I'm not mistake, all A31s have at least the antenna leads in place even thought they didn't all have the MPCI card.

If the A31 or A31P does not come with a build in wireless it DOES NOT have the antenna wires installed. Same with the bluetooth antenna.

You can order the antenna parts and install them yourself if you don't mind to completely dissassemble your laptop.

No big deal if you have the right tools and documentation. Have done this at least 3 times on A31 models.

Boricua65 · #11 Post by **Boricua65** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:42 am

Thank you all for your posts. This answers my question I had about using a b/g built-in card.

internal wireless cards for Thinkpad A31p

internal wireless cards for Thinkpad A31p

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