T21 Wireless miniPCI questions

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doctor bloomquist · #1 Post by **doctor bloomquist** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:22 pm

Quick question troops; is there such a thing as a mini PCI wifi+LAN combo card? My dad would like to have wireless in his T21, but it has no LAN daughter card. If I take out his LAN+Modem card and put in wifi he'll loose the LAN port.

If theres no such thing, would it be better performance wise to have internal wifi and a slot in ethernet card, or the other way around? Loosing the modem is not a problem.

#2 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:52 pm

Never seen such a card.
For wifi, your best bet is either a PCMCIA wifi card or a USB wifi stick.

#3 Post by **rkawakami** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:54 pm

Don't believe anybody has made a wireless/ethernet MiniPCI combo card. If you do run across one that works in a Thinkpad (i.e., has the proper 1" wide ethernet connector), please post about it here. I'd be interested in upgrading a T21 or T22 with that capability as well.

sparta.rising · #4 Post by **sparta.rising** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:02 pm

Or you could do internal wifi and a Xircom pcmcia ethernet adapter, that way nothing is sticking out of the machine.

#5 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:40 am

With a built-in (i.e. MiniPCI) wifi card, you still need to put some antennas in the laptop, and the only place they will fit, is under the palmrest. Reception is not great that way.
If you are lucky you may find a wifi lid from a T23. That will fit.

doctor bloomquist · #6 Post by **doctor bloomquist** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:34 am

Thanks for all the replies - is the Xircom card the same as this one http://tinyurl.com/6o5b9n or ebay item 320291160211, does the card fits flush in the pcmia slot?

I've put internal wifi in my t23 using rkawakami's guide (1 aerial in the palmrest, 1 in the lid's utraport), the reception is great for me.

My dad wants to go travelling though, and I dont know if internal or external wifi would work best in a crappy signal environment? Nothing sticking out of the pcmcia slot, whether wifi or ethernet, would be a bonus for travelling practicality.

A_senki · #7 Post by **A_senki** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:32 am

@doctor:
Xircom is good for T22, but it is takes up all of 2 slot.

Ray's guide is perfect for T23.
In T20, 21, 22 good places for wifi antennas: over battery and behind the asset id rf adapter's cover.

#8 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:12 am

I could always sell you a T23 with built-in wifi!
PM me if interested.
I do ship to Europe and the UK.

sparta.rising · #9 Post by **sparta.rising** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:21 am

Yes the xircom card sits flush with the laptop and it takes 2 ports.

doctor bloomquist · #10 Post by **doctor bloomquist** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:35 am

Thanks everyone! I think the best option for my old man is the internal wifi + xircom card. I don't see him needing the pcmcia slot for anything else, and don't want to confuse him with more bits to plug in etc.

And thanks for the offer RealBlackStuff, but seems a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!

sparta.rising · #11 Post by **sparta.rising** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:02 am

Xircom in a T23:
http://i36.tinypic.com/2quutqq.jpg

(I know I'm missing the hdd caddy)

(Picture taken for reference, the T23 has a lan card)

doctor bloomquist · #12 Post by **doctor bloomquist** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:19 am

That looks fine, great stuff ( apart from the T23 of course, do you use it as a chopping board

)

I did notice some of those xircoms come with extras (fax etc) does anyone know of a xircom pcmcia ethernet + usb ? would be great on a t21 (single usb slot!)

#13 Post by **schen** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:54 pm

doctor bloomquist wrote:I did notice some of those xircoms come with extras (fax etc) does anyone know of a xircom pcmcia ethernet + usb ? would be great on a t21 (single usb slot!)

No, nothing is 100% of course, but the development of devices in the PC Card form factor began to really taper off around the late 90's when more and more of these things became integrated into the newer machines. Therefore, the likelihood of finding a combo Ethernet/USB or anything else is extremely unlikely.

T21 Wireless miniPCI questions

T21 Wireless miniPCI questions

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