The consensus best wireless card for T41?

[pufftissue]

Hello, I wanted to know the consensus best 802.11 card for the T41 in terms of usable range and throughput.

I have an ibm-authorized intel 2100 card, and its range is worse than my dell truemobile 1300 b/g card.

Which card is the absolute best that IBM makes?

Is it the atheros a/b/g card, or the new intel 2200b/g? Or is the cisco 802.11b aironet card? I'm primarily concerned about range.

Bonus points if someone can tell me if the orinoco 802.11b gold pcmcia card will give me better range than a built-in solution, and why.

Thanks!

[cynic]

The IBM a/b/g is better. It is based on the Atheros chipsets which are fantastic.

The orinoco card (if you are looking at the b only) is pre-Proxim buyout and uses a Lucent chipset. Later orinoco cards used Atheros chipsets. The classic gold cards have less power and since their antenna is located with the card and is a flat card (vs cards that have extended antennas), will have less range than the miniPCI cards which have the antennas installed in the screen.

[sktn77a]

I have the IBM a/b/g card and an IBM/Intel 2100/b card. With an 802.11b wireles router-based system, the a/b/g card is notably better (faster).

[pufftissue]

Thanks very much for your input.

Here's my current dilemma:

1. The facts: Have IBM Intel 2100/b card. Range is not so bad that I KNOW it's broken, but it is not as good in my own house as the Dell with their dell truemobile b/g solution. I am using a 802.11b router.
I am about 60 feet and the signal is so weak that the network is detected, but can't connect.

2. Why I think my card sucks or antenna is broken:

a. Signal strength in the exact same spot vs the Dell truemobile b/g solution (in my room) is worse. I can connect with dell laptop.
b. I have a dell axim x30 with 802.11b/bluetooth, and i can pickup the networks in my home & neighbor's, and I can connect just fine.
c. I have a proxim orinoco gold pcmcia 802.11b card and that works from my room.
d. I bought the SMC elite 802.11b high power card, and that gives me about a 65% signal strength, full 11 mbps; in other words, works fine.

The intel 2100/b card in my t41 can't connect!

3. My questions:

My other cards/mini pci lan's work fine. Is the problem with my t41 antenna, motherboard, or is it just the fact that the intel 2100/b card sucks that bad? How do I know which one the problem is? Why are my pcmcia wireless cards getting better range than the internal mini pci card, when people say the internal ones always do better b/c of the built-in antenna in the screen?

4. My course of action:

a. Send in to IBM for repair with a nonspecific complaint that the range is not what all the reviews say it is (T41 always places at or near top when pcmag, etc, tests range).
b. Get the IBM 802.11a/b/g card.
c. Fix the internal antenna in the screen?

I'd appreciate someone's, anyone's help. I'm bummed that the ibm's ultraconnect cards have hereto stunk.

I have increased the transmit power on the 2100b card already.

Thanks for reading. I'd appreciate the help.

[K. Eng]

I know that compared to the Dell TruMobile B/G part, the Intel 2100/b sucks. When I was customizing a Latitude D600, I found a chart on Dell's website with range tests that concluded as much.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/learnmo ... subcat=gen

Look at the indoor Line of Sight figures: a paltry 30 meters for the Intel part, 60 meters for the TruMobile B/G.

My other cards/mini pci lan's work fine. Is the problem with my t41 antenna, motherboard, or is it just the fact that the intel 2100/b card sucks that bad?

I would guess that the 2100/b is the problem, though it would be pathetic if it the PC Cards were beating it. I would suggest finding someone else with a T4x series w' wireless and comparing performance with your T41. Edit: from the link I gave you above, Dell claims that the TruMobile PC Card has a 50 meter indoor LOS range and does indeed beat the Intel 2100/b

How do I know which one the problem is? Why are my pcmcia wireless cards getting better range than the internal mini pci card, when people say the internal ones always do better b/c of the built-in antenna in the screen?

I have the Atheros ABG card (see signature) and it has performed very well with almost every 802.11b and g network I have encountered (never tested the a capability because no one seems to use a). Connection drops are rare and the drivers are very stable.