Good Wireless Mini PCI Card

[flashstar]

I recently got an Xjack 108 mbps wireless card for my T23 but there is a problem with the drivers in that the card only runs at a fraction of the bandwidth that it should be at and it causes massive cpu utilization. The result is waiting 2 minutes for each web page to load. I don't want to use an external pcmcia wireless adaptor because I don't want to take it out whenever I put away my laptop. What mini pci internal wireless card do you recommend using? My laptop was not designed for internal wireless initially so I understand that the signal will probably be poorer.

Thanks.

[RealBlackStuff]

Broadcom b/g BCM94306MP or BCM94306SG are known to be good.
So do (non-IBM) Intel 2200BG and 2915BG.
You'll need to put in antennas under the palm rest.

There are plenty posts about this subject in the T2x/T30 forum.

[flashstar]

Thanks for the information. My only concern now is whether I'll get the 1802 error on my laptop. My model did not originally come with a wireless card so maybe I won't get the error? I'm curious because there is a place that is selling pre-modified Intel 2200 bg cards that will supposedly work without applying a patch to fix the error. The only problem with these is that it will take them 7-14 days to ship from Hong Kong and I really don't want to wait that long.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0236179091

Could I just use a regular 2200 or Broadcom?

Btw, what is the difference between the 2200 and the 2915? Also, is the Broadcom better and does it come with Vista-compatible drivers?

Thanks

Moderator edit: Shortened URL to prevent horizontal scrolling

[RealBlackStuff]

Neither should give you the 1802 error. Even if they did, it's a fix of 1 minute only.
The 2915 is abg where the 2200 is only bg. But a seems to be obsolete.
There's a minimal performance gain with the 2915, not really worth the extra money.

As long as the Intel 2200bg is NOT an IBM-issued version, i.e. a real Intel version, you're fine.
If they advertise them with an IBM part number, STAY AWAY.

[rkawakami]

I can't attest to any of the Intel wireless cards in a T23. I've only used the Broadcom BCM94306 or the factory Actiontec cards. They do not throw any 1802 error (in non-wireless or wireless systems) and my understanding is that the T23 will not ever no matter what MiniPCI wireless card you use. (If I'm wrong, somebody please let me know). Some Intel wireless cards do generate a "Code 10" error and I believe that there's some information here in the forums as to why and if it affects T23s. As to Vista drivers, I don't know. These Broadcom cards have been obsoleted as far as I know. I use an XP driver available from Gateway and Belkin. These cards were heavily used in HP and Dell laptops so you can probably find drivers for them at those web sites.

As far as what card is "better", you get different answers. The Broadcom cards work for me on both "b" and "g" networks seemlessly. Since my home broadband connection is a pokey 1MB DSL line, I'm not going to be speed-limited with a "b" connection anyway. The card also works with NetStumbler.

BTW, there's several different versions of the Broadcom card floating around. The "MP" in BCM94306MP defines the card as being the MiniPCI format. There's an MPSG version certified for use in Singapore and an MPLNA version (Latin and North America????). I know I've used the first two without any problems; not sure if I have an MPLNA around.

[jronald]

I have 1 each, Broadcom in the laptop Im currently on and an Intel 2200 in my other T23. The Broadcom was new from Geeks.com and the Intel was a recycle, most likely from a Compaq or Gateway. The XPP drivers found found the 2200, I had to load the Broadcom drivers. I added the antennas to both, see my "I Went Wireless" thread. On my primary, I added one to the lid and 1 in the palm rest, on the other I added the rubber ducky antenna.
Both were maybe a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. Take your time, print the manuel and you can handle it.

Ron