X23 wifi clarification

[The Spirit of X21]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking at the Hardware Maintenance Manual for the X23 and I've been wondering if it is possible to add internal wifi without losing either the built-in ethernet or the modem.

[cmarti]

If you want built in wifi you will need to replace the mini pci modem/ethernet card with a mini pci wireless card.

[underclocker]

X22, X23 & X24's have one Mini-PCI slot and one CDC slot. If the Mini-PCI slot is filled with a WiFi G adapter, then the CDC can take either a modem, Ethernet or Bluetooth CDC adapter. The only combo card that I've heard will work in the Mini-PCI slot is the combo IBM modem / WiFi B adapter.

I'm not positive about the modem, but I have tried both the Ethernet and Bluetooth, they work. Some ThinkPads also take combo Bluetooth/modem CDC's, I'm not sure if these work here either.

I use a 3Com XJack PC Card adapter in the PC Card slot for the missing modem or wired Ethernet adapter.

[The Spirit of X21]

Thanks underclocker. Just what I was looking for.

[cmarti]

I'm not positive about the modem, but I have tried both the Ethernet and Bluetooth, they work. Some ThinkPads also take combo Bluetooth/modem CDC's, I'm not sure if these work here either.

Do anyone knows if a Ethernet/Bluetooth CDC card exist that can work in the X23?

I am not interested in the modem, only in wifi,bluetooth and ethernet.

I will use the pcmcia slot for my sierra card.

[underclocker]

A combo Ethernet / BT CDC sound like a nice idea, but certainly none exist for any IBM machines.

A summary of CDC's is here -> http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/CDC_slot

Perhaps some other machines had them, but the CDC form factor is rather small. Bundling the modem with BT is a small wonder.

I'd say it doesn't look good for all internal wifi G, Ethernet and BT. Maybe the combo modem/BT CDC will work and that would get you wifi G, Ethernet and BT.

One slim possibility is using a combo wifi G/BT mini-pci card with the Ethernet CDC, I have seen this combo but not for IBM. However, my X23 works fine with a non-IBM Broadcom wifi G adapter. Didn't need the hack.

Combo wifi G/BT mini-pci adapter link here ($31 plus shipping);

http://msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.a ... &class=com

http://www.royalbusiness.com/product_in ... 1494/scs/5

[cmarti]

Combo wifi G/BT mini-pci adapter link here ($31 plus shipping);

http://msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.a ... &class=com

http://www.royalbusiness.com/product_in ... 1494/scs/5

Thanks underclocker,

I have one of those cards installed in my girlfriend X30 but only the wifi part works I have tried everything but it seems that the b/t side need some king of switch to make it work, i also tried on my previous 600X without success.

This is the card:

http://msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.a ... &class=com

I can trade that card for another 802.11G card to anybody who like to experiment with it to see if it can be make to work the b/t part.

[underclocker]

As a follow up, I had a similar issue with an R50e and the combo modem/BT CDC. The machine booted fine, the modem was recognized, but I couldn't activate the BT portion of the CDC. Perhaps the BIOS has to be programmed to handle BT.

Additionally, on the X24 or X23 w/BT there is a mechanical switch. Maybe it's electrical power related or a combo BIOS/power switch?

Newer models use the same Fn-F5 combination that handles power to the wifi adapter, too. Maybe it's a soft-switch now?

[cmarti]

Maybe it's a soft-switch now?

I believe that's the reason the MP54GBT2 didn't work because the machine it was designed too had a switch to turn on and off the b/t, but to were do the cables are connected?