wireless card for T30

[winslow]

trying to install an intel wm2200gb wireless card in my recently resurrected T30. System is completely up to date with the latest BIOS, controller, ect. When I boot the system after installing the card the system just displays unauthorized card and won't do anything till I remove the card. What's the secret here?

[Harryc]

No secret. Either use a genuine compatible IBM part, or hack the BIOS. See this thread.

[winslow]

where can I find the part #, availability of a genuine part. Can't find one on the website? Anyone know a part #?

[Harryc]

Officially, the T30 only came with 802.11b cards.

26P8437 - High Rate Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Adapter
26P8442 - High Rate Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Adapter
26P8319 - Cisco Aironet Wireless 802.11b
26P8435 - Cisco Aironet Wireless 802.11b

With that said, I have had good luck with some EBay offerings like this one. Has guaranteed compatibility.

[winslow]

with that card there is no need to hack the BIOS? I can plug it in ,install the driver and be good to go?

[Harryc]

Ask the seller, that's what they guarantee.

[winslow]

since my G41 just went down hard maybe I'll try the card from that.

[jronald]

Use the Bios hack
I was shocked at how easy it was

I put an Lite-On card in my wife's T30
Running Everex drivers for XP
Of the 8 or so brands I can lay my hands on
The POS card is by far the best for sensitivity
In my neck of the woods, the other laptops see my 4 WAPS
and maybe a 5th one
This Lite-On card always sees 7 or 8 around me
Will solidly connect to 1 bar, and generally blows the Intel and Broadcom out of the water!

Ron

[jronald]

Just a minor update
When I removed the CMOS battery
I had to reload the hack

Ron

[olex126]

I use an Atheros 5005GS in my T & A series machines. 802.11 b/g/super g (108 Mps.)

Requires the 1802 hack to the computer BIOS AND ALSO the 019C fix to the wireless card's EEPROM. The 019c fix changes the bits in the card's EEPROM to appear as "other" to an IBM BIOS, and not a wireless card.

I have modified six of these cards so far and everyone worked like a charm.

As jronald mentioned previously, whenever you remove the CMOS battery OR reset your BIOS to default, you will have to load the 1802 hack again.

Regards.

Dave

[jronald]

The Lite-On card is Atheros based also
Everex StepNote NC1502 Wireless Card WN2302A
Above is the card I use...on my non-OEM T23 wireless (1 ant in the palm rest)
It sees at least 1 extra WAP over the Broadcom I took out.
Not sure if it is the Atheros or LiteOn, but it does make a difference!
Now the wifes and mine have this card
Ran about $24.00 shipped off fleabay

Ron

[jronald]

Just figured it out, the Lite-On is a AR5005G

Ron

[richp]

OK, I have been looking at the wireless cards, I pulled one from a T40 that worked and stuck it in my T30, it's a 91P7406 which comes up as a cisco and does not work, signal strength is Zero on the IBM utility and I did the windows update and downloaded the update, still no go.
The card is a *maybe*, the thing got peed on by a cat while it was closed and charging, the T40 has not come up since then so maybe the card got fried, don't know.
I looked at this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-IBM-THINKPAD-T3 ... 1|294%3A50
and it seems to come with the bios fix to get it past that. Yes, my T30 has an antenna.
Is there a better one, I read mention of an antenna in the palm rest ? Better than the LCD frame mounted one ?
I also bought a docking station off of ebay, sweet, no more fiddling with chargers and stuff, actually bought it for my daughter after I got done replacing the power plug, I want to minimize that possibility as much as possible but it works on my T30 too so I'm getting another one or two, second one for work.