T41 and 2200BG issues...

[Datashifter]

Ok, so my T41 (2373-7FU) came with a 2100B WiFi card, which I opted to replace with a 2200BG card, FRU 93P3483. Intel chipset, IBM Branded, model WM3B2200BG. Bought it off eBay for a decent price.

Installed it shortly after receiving it, and have only managed about one minute of success after many hours of banging my head against it.

I've tried more drivers and connection utilities for it than I care to admit to. The one which gave me the one minute of success was found at the following link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-70504

File name is 6hwc05ww.exe, and it contains drivers and a connection utility.

Driver version is 9.0.4.39 dated 12/19/2007.
Intel ProSet/Wireless WiFi Connection Utility version is 12.4.0.0, although the installed components and plug-ins listing (under Help, then About - in the connection utility) states it as being version 12.4.0.11.

After it managed to connect to my wireless router (WRT54G running DD-WRT v23 SP3, using WPA2 AES) for about one minute - which made me a happy camper - the 2200BG card lost its connection for some reason. It had pulled an IP addy via DHCP from the router, and appeared as though it was going to work but it lost its connection before I could test anything. Subsequent attempts to reconnect were unsuccessful, and I was no longer a happy camper. The connection utility tells me "No WiFi networks found."

First thought to run through my head was to try a reboot. Same result - "No WiFi networks found." This is a little disturbing, as there are at least a dozen WiFi networks within range, including mine, and it sees none of them.

I have run the Manual Diagnostics Tool included with the WiFi connection utility. It passes the Hardware Test (says Wireless Hardware is enabled), it passes the Driver Test (says Driver is loaded. w29n51 Version 9.0.4.39), it passes the Radio Test (says Radio is ON), and it fails the Scan Test (says There are no networks available to connect).

Troubleshooting it states to make sure you're within range of an access point - I would imagine less than 5 feet would be within range. Next step states to turn the radio off and back on again - have tried this many times to no avail. Next it states to verify the wireless band setting matches the access point band setting - the wifi card's settings under device manager have been set to 2.4GHz, and that's what my router uses, no problem there. Next step states to switch the access point to off and back to on - the issue is not with the access point, as one of my desktops in another room is able to connect via WiFi without issue, and can see at least the above mentioned dozen wifi networks within range.

I should probably take this time to mention that the IP address the 2200BG card pulled for that one minutes of working time was not a duplicate IP address - it was indeed a unique IP address.

The FN+F5 hotkey shortcut permits me to turn the WiFi card on and off, as expected, and the LED below the LCD screen reacts accordingly. Despite several reboots and cycling the card on and off and back on again, I have not managed to get so much as a single second of connectivity since that approximate one minute of connectivity. During that one minute, it saw my router and about 11 other routers, and now it's seeing no routers at all.

Any thoughts? Should I just give it the old heave-ho, and toss the 2100B back in?

[underclocker]

I have four thoughts;

1) To eliminate all software issues, boot from an Ubuntu CD and see if it works.
2) Could be a registry issue, but I doubt it.
3) Did you remember to reconnect the wireless antenna leads?
4) I've purchased wifi adapters before that were damaged, they seemed fine but I had problems. When I looked more closely, at least one transistor had broken free from the adapter, it was still stuck to the huge label on the adapter. Now that will cause intermittent behavior!

[Datashifter]

I have four thoughts;

1) To eliminate all software issues, boot from an Ubuntu CD and see if it works.
2) Could be a registry issue, but I doubt it.
3) Did you remember to reconnect the wireless antenna leads?
4) I've purchased wifi adapters before that were damaged, they seemed fine but I had problems. When I looked more closely, at least one transistor had broken free from the adapter, it was still stuck to the huge label on the adapter. Now that will cause intermittent behavior!

1) Will try an Ubuntu Live CD - good idea!
2) I doubt this as well, but you never know. I'll see how #1 works out first.
3) Yep, I connected up both antenna leads.
4) I hope it's not a loose SMT component, but if it is, I'll solder that puppy back on. Thanks for the tip! If #1 brings about no success with the WiFi card, I'll consider pulling the card, removing the labels and doing a very close inspection of the components NOT located under the metal shielding. I didn't even consider inspecting the card before trying to use it...

[sjthinkpader]

Was the AP set for "Open" SSID or "Hidden". Is the WiFi client set to "Connect to hidden AP"?

Can you try a fixed IP address?

IP address: 192.168.1.50 (just one example, outside of the DHCP range)
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 (same as router)
Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (GW router's address)
DNS server: 192.168.1.1 (same as GW router using forwarding)

[Datashifter]

Was the AP set for "Open" SSID or "Hidden". Is the WiFi client set to "Connect to hidden AP"?

Can you try a fixed IP address?

IP address: 192.168.1.50 (just one example, outside of the DHCP range)
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 (same as router)
Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (GW router's address)
DNS server: 192.168.1.1 (same as GW router using forwarding)

The AP is set to "hide" my SSID, but the SSID was manually (and correctly) typed in. As for the client being set to "Connect to hidden AP," I haven't seen that option, and considering how the numerous neighbors around me (I live in an apartment complex) aren't all hiding their SSID's, and how I can't even see their AP's, I do not believe it has much (if anything) to do with the SSID being "open" or "hidden."

Plain and simple, I cannot see ANY access points at all - not mine, nor anyone else's, except for during that one minute of "success" where it saw all the AP's around me, and it associated with and connected to my AP, pulled an IP from the DHCP pool, and appeared to function.

As for the fixed IP, sure! I can assign it any IP address I desire to, however, doing so does not force the wifi card to see my AP, nor anyone else's. The connection tool says it sees no access points. It is not that I'm having problems negotiating a connection with my AP, so much as it is the connection utility saying it sees absolutely no AP's at all, which is utter bull, as there are at least a dozen around me, many of which are not hidden...

Let me go give ubuntu a shot. I had to redownload it, as I lost the copy I had on hand from a couple years back, and it literally just finished downloading again. I also seem to have misplaced my nubuntu cd as well... I'd probably lose my head if it weren't attached so securely to my torso.

[Datashifter]

2200BG card appears to be bunk.

I got to looking at that WiFi card, and even with a 10x jeweler's loupe (considering how bad my eyesight is) I'm hard pressed to see how I would ever spot a tiny crack in one of those solder joints.

Only last-ditch thing I can think of trying on it would be the good old fashioned "blow torch from a few inches away," in the hopes it's just a faulty solder joint which can be reflowed without much trouble.

I figure the best bet might be to just heat the whole puppy up, and then let her sit for a while to cool off - undisturbed. Chances are I will likely trash the card, but heck, as is, it is already trash... There's a slim possibility I may get lucky. Never know until you try!

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Datashifter]

Well, I'll be... I got lucky! I carefully and evenly heated the board with a butane soldering iron without a tip (a small blowtorch in effect) and just tested it out. It connects and works in ubuntu now! I did both sides, even the components under the metal shield, so there's no telling which side the failure was on...

It must have been a bad solder joint which was reflowed while I carefully performed my act of "abuse." Now, to see if it'll work in XP as well...

[Datashifter]

Hot diggity, she's workin' like a champ!

The 2200BG now passes all the tests in the "Manual Diagnostics Tool" and seems to be holding steady!

I'm one happy camper!

I don't know that I would recommend this reflow method to just anyone. You really, really have to keep that flame on the move, heating the board entirely (one side at a time), just until you see the solder begin to liquify - then back off after having seen the solder liquify at least once all over the board. Don't scorch the circuit board, don't bake the chips or components and don't keep reflowing the same area over and over again. I did the first side, then I walked away for a couple hours to visit a neighbor, and when I came back, I did the other side. I let the second side cool for about 10 minutes before I dared to touch the board, and then the testing began.

I wonder how many of the other driver combinations I tried would have worked had I not been chasing my tail in software, and instead had been chasing a faulty solder joint...

Thank you so much, underclocker, for suggesting that it might have been an issue with an SMT component's solder joints! I probably wouldn't have given that particular idea much thought, despite my many prior years of soldering work. I mean, I didn't think these small boards ever saw that much flex! Then again, I did buy it used...

[underclocker]

Now that's some nice work! You're quite welcome. In my case, the only reason I even thought of it was because the adapters were packed in a padded envelope. I'd guess that the adapter never flexed while in a machine, but while traversing the US Postal System, it probably was subjected to quite a bit of abuse.

The first thing a postal agent does when you hand them a padded evelope is try to bend it (if it's rigid it costs more).

[Datashifter]

Update: 6+ years later and the 2200GB still works like a charm!

I have since moved on to Toaster Oven Reflow Soldering using a "RefloLeo" and have invested in an 852D+ SMD Hot Air Rework Station.

Seems I do a lot of repairs these days...