X21 with MiniPci Intel 2200 card

[SaberX]

I just wanted to post this info.
I just got a X21 laptop.
I have a Intel Pro 2200 B and G wireless Mini PCI card.
Well today i also recived the new set of wireless antenna's for it.
So i thought i would try it out in the X21.From what i have been reading there was a very good chance that i would of had to do the No-1802 bios thing.
So i took the keyboard off.Installed the 2200 wireless card.
Than booted up the system.It booted up to Win 2000 Pro fine(no error at all).
It came up new hardware found and went looking for drivers.I exited it all.Than i used the install file i found on the intel's web site for the card.It installed the drivers and software fine.
Than it connected to my Linksys Wireless G router woth no problems.
I have a very stront single with it.Twice as good as with the D-link pcmcia card i used befor.
For not i have the antenna wires coming out through the 56K hole and just taped on the outside edge of the screen.I used hockey tape to tape the wires on the out side of the lcd cover.It's very sticky and a cloth type tape.
One of thease days i'll open up the lcd and see about the wires inside.But for now i'm happy everything went smoth with no error's.

Bill

[The Spirit of X21]

That's great! I've tried to put the antennas inside the LCD frame of my X23 and found that the wireless reception is horrible if I'm more than a few feet away from my router. Still trying to solve that little problem. . .

[SaberX]

Well today i striped down the LCD.I wanted to feed the wires from the wireless MiniPCI card inside the LCD.Just to see what it's like.
My first try i routed the wires and it never picked up the router.Now the Linksys wireless"G" router was up three floors and on the other side of the house.But the end of the wires there was a 1" square tab.I had those tab's taped to the underside of the LCD lid.Backside of the LCD panel.
But i left the laptop on and when i lifted up the lcd panel to remome the wires,The wireless single came in strong.
So i than fliped the 1" square tab's and put the LCD back together.And now the single comes in very strong.Comes in at 54megs and most times 4 out of 5 green bars.And this is with the wireless router about 100' and up three floors away.
It's about twice as good as my D-link DWL-650 PCMCIA card.

I'm very happy.I did lose the 10/100 card.But i use the wireless most of the time now.I also have a cheap 10/100 pcmcia card if i need it.
So now i have a nice X21 with 384 ram,internal wireless b and g with very strong single with no bios mod's.

[The Spirit of X21]

Interesting story, though I'm not clear on the positioning of the tabs. I'm wondering if they are metal tabs and if so, do you have them taped to the lid or to the LCD panel itself? In addition, are the tabs facing the LCD panel or are they facing the plastic lid?

[SaberX]

Here is the e-bay listing of the ones i got after.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/tc2-Mini-PCI-Antenna ... dZViewItem
They are not metal tabs.Not sure what they are made of.
But i have them taped to the lid on the inside.Not to the lcd panel.
Up in the top corners.
Looking at them it looks like it makes no diffrence what way they go on the lid.But i have then flat on the lid.
I had them installed one way and got no single.So without turning off the laptop i just fliped over the two tab's and bingo.Full single.
So i just taped the wires to the lid and routed them down to the wireless card.Put every thing back together and it's been a few days now and still works great.
I wouold have never though to just flip the tab's over.
But in my case it work.

[The Spirit of X21]

Thanks for the link. I believe what is happening with my current setup is that there is no metal exposed on my antenna wires, causing reduced reception. The antenna link you posted has metal exposed, and it looks like taping them to the lid with the metal side facing outward allows your reception to increase. I definitely need to try this!