T61 and WiMAX

[andy2000]

I would like to add an Intel 5150, or 5350 mini PCIe WiFi/WiMAX card to my T61. It works fine in the WWAN slot if I tape pin 20. The hard part is finding someone who will sell me a real WiMAX card.

I have already bought one "not an engineering sample" card from ebay, but it turned out to be a fake. Peeling back the label revealed the dreaded "ES" stamp on the Intel network controller. As expected, it sees the local Clear network fine, but it can't connect. Engineering samples won't work because the WiMAX security certificate is bad.

It looks like I need FRU 43Y6539 (5150), or FRU 43Y6533 (5350), but Lenovo's parts search doesn't recognize either part number. I can only find a couple of sites selling the 43Y6533 for shockingly high prices. I don't care if it's an official Lenovo part since I'm running a no-1802 BIOS anyway. I just want to make sure I don't get another useless engineering sample.

[sjthinkpader]

Jut buy the Sprint dual mode USB dongle.

[andy2000]

Jut buy the Sprint dual mode USB dongle.

I know I could use a USB dongle, but I'd rather have an internal card if possible.

[sjthinkpader]

What if you are in an area with no WiMAX? Open it up and put the EVDO card back in? Hold two accounts? Texas may have more coverage than other states but can you get WiMAX everywhere you go?

[andy2000]

I don't have an EVDO card, and I don't intend to get one. Austin has good Wimax coverage at a reasonable price. The Intel 5150/5350 is exactly what I want, I just need to find out how to get one.

[sjthinkpader]

Understand, good luck with that.

We recently got a Sprint dual mode USB dongle for travel use. In our case, it is being passed around on several computers. We had a EVDO PCMCIA card for several years. So far very little 4G connection around the country yet.

[Peak2Peak]

It looks like I need FRU 43Y6539 (5150), or FRU 43Y6533 (5350), but Lenovo's parts search doesn't recognize either part number.

Try also FRU: 42T0981 (5150) & FRU: 42T0965 (5350) - as found in the SL400/500 HMM

[GrandMasterKhan]

Braddah have you considered the 6250? Sold on the Lenovo TP site. 165 Benjamins I think but not sure if unlocked. BTW I wouldnt buy from eBay. Sure way to get ripped.

[andy2000]

Braddah have you considered the 6250? Sold on the Lenovo TP site. 165 Benjamins I think but not sure if unlocked. BTW I wouldnt buy from eBay. Sure way to get ripped.

After some more digging, I found the 6250 here:

http://www.directron.com/622anhmwwb.html?gsear=1

If that fails to work, I'll probably just go with a USB card for now, and worry about finding an internal one later.

I've had mostly good luck on ebay, particularly when it comes to buying parts for older Thinkpads. At least I won't lose any money (other than return postage).

[Peak2Peak]

andy2000 - Would your T61 support a Half height PCIe card such as the Intel 6250 in the WLAN slot as per your link?

[billp117]

I would hope this would work in an X200...let us know if you get it working.

[GrandMasterKhan]

Braddah, look at the x200 manual. If same setup around system internals then should but you would need the ants in place already. Were x200 models ship BB upgradeable?

[andy2000]

andy2000 - Would your T61 support a Half height PCIe card such as the Intel 6250 in the WLAN slot as per your link?

No, but it shouldn't be too hard to make a bracket, or extension to hold it in.

Unfortunately, the card arrived, and it's a 6200 (wi-fi only). I'm hoping it was just a mistake, but I suspect they got a load of 6200s, and thought they were 6250s because both the 6200 and 6250 have the same model number (622ANHMW). Apart form that, it was sealed in the original Intel packaging with the driver CD.

Intel would have a great product if it was possible to actually buy it! $150 from Lenovo is starting to look like a good deal.

[Peak2Peak]

andy2000 - I have come across another part number for the Intel 6250 - 622AGXHRU - is this the same product?

[andy2000]

I think I've figured it out. I think the Intel product brief for the 6250 has a typo:

http://download.intel.com/network/conne ... 323018.pdf

The correct model code for the 6250 with wimax is 622anXhmw (the X is for wimax). You can see clearly in this picture of a 6250 that the model code is 622anxhmw:

http://www.eastar4.com/ebay/intel6250-1.jpg

[andy2000]

andy2000 - I have come across another part number for the Intel 6250 - 622AGXHRU - is this the same product?

I think it's the same, but lacks N support.

[andy2000]

There's finally a happy ending to the story. After returning the 6200, they said they worked things out with Intel, and now have 6250's for sale. They said Intel felt bad about the error in their product sheet, so they gave Directron a good deal on some 6250s. They are a little more expensive than the 6200, but still a good deal. The new card arrived, and looks good (although I haven't had time to install it).

http://www.directron.com/622anxhmwg.html

Intel has also fixed their product brief so that it have the correct part number (622ANXHMWG instead of 622ANHMW).

http://download.intel.com/network/conne ... 323018.pdf

[andy2000]

One final note, I decided to install the card in my T60 instead of a T61. The WWAN slot in a T60 is USB only, and the WLAN slot is PCIe only, so that presents a problem with a card that requires both. I ran some wires from the WWAN slot to the unused USB data pins on the WLAN slot, and everything is working with the 6250 in the WLAN slot. I didn't bother connecting the pin for the WWAN LED since my LED plate doesn't have the WWAN icon. To mount the half height card I glued a threaded standoff to the chassis. I can post pictures if anyone is interested.

Now I can connect to the local clear service fine (unlike with the relabeled engineering sample). Unfortunately, my immediate need for mobile Internet is long gone, but I'm sure I'll use it in the future, even if it's just the occasional one day pass.

[Peak2Peak]

To mount the half height card I glued a threaded standoff to the chassis

Could this be used instead (?): Half height to full height PCIe adapter.....and, YES please for pictures of this mod.

[andy2000]

Could this be used instead (?): Half height to full height PCIe adapter.....and, YES please for pictures of this mod.

Here are some pictures. It was fairly simple, and would probably even work on a T60 without a WWAN slot as long as the USB pads for the WWAN slot are working.

http://wine-in-a-box.org/AK/t60wimax1.jpg
http://wine-in-a-box.org/AK/t60wimax2.jpg

That bracket looks like exactly what I need. I'll have to pick one up to install next time I'm under the keyboard.

[Peak2Peak]

Many thanks andy2000 for pic's of the mod -
I take it that you jumpered between the PCIe connectors via Pins 36 (USB_D-) & 38 (USB_D+) and if the WWAN LED was required Pin 42 would be included in the mod.

[andy2000]

Many thanks andy2000 for pic's of the mod -
I take it that you jumpered between the PCIe connectors via Pins 36 (USB_D-) & 38 (USB_D+) and if the WWAN LED was required Pin 42 would be included in the mod.

You are correct.

[markmorto]

I ordered a half-height 6250 for another laptop (Dell Latitude XT), only to discover that the wifi antennas were too short and the card wouldn't initialize - as most don't with that model. It was only $6.00 on eBay, so it wasn't such a great loss.

After staring at it on my desktop, I decided to put it in my T61. I wasn't technically having any trouble with my 4965 card, but the 6250 is a later generation with true "N" (not draft) support.

I simply swapped out the cards, putting the half-height card in the WLAN slot. To keep it in place, I took a small, metal tip with a hole in it, removed from a very old Sony hard drive caddy, and screwed it into the lowest screw on the modem daughter card slot, resting it onto the top of the metal case on the 6250 card.

This kept the card in the "down", or mounted position nicely. The antennas (two, now, not three) reached easily to the card. I connected the grey and black, and left the white off altogether, taping the end off.

The results were pretty impressive, if Speedtest.net is a good gauge to go by:

Before: 4965 = Download at 16 Mb/s, upload at 5 Mb/s - or roughly the same as the other laptops in the house
After: 6250 = Download at 27 Mb/s, upload at just over 5 Mb/s.

I'm thinking my upload speed is being limited by Comcast, but there's a significant boost in download speed. I haven't tested the WiMax yet, not even sure if it's here in San Diego or not.

My router is a Netgear WNR2000 (dual-band wireless N)

[Megavvolt]

Is making both wifi and wimax work in T61 is hard as in T60?

Just got a WiMAX 6250 card in mail - works perfectly (but although as WiFi only) in LAN slot of my T61. The hardware switch turns the card on and off, etc. The only problem is, I get no WiMax.

I tried putting it in the WAN slot but in this case it stays turned off no matter what I try, and the drivers won't install (I get a yellow question mark in Device Manager.)

Update: Taping pin 20 makes the card work in the WAN slot, but I still get no WiMax capability. How could that be?

How do I get both Wifi and WiMax from it?

Should I put the card back in the LAN slot and jumper Pins 36 & 38 (USB_D+) with the WAN slot as andy2000 did it in his T60?

Using the latest Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 and Middleton bios.

[Megavvolt]

Ok, installed the drivers found here - thanks to RealBlackStuff who posted the link in this thread.

Now I have both WiMax and WiFi enabled - but with the card in the WAN slot.
Looks like T61 has the same problem as T60 and x6x machines...

I'd love to connect pins 36 and 38 of both the pci-e slots to give my 6250 card the USB lines it needs to work in the LAN slot where it sort of belongs, but I was actually planning to use the WAN slot for Gobi 2000 (already ordered and just waiting it to arrive)...

Will it be ok to run wires from WAN USB lines to LAN slot if I put Gobi 2000 into the WAN slot?

[Peak2Peak]

Will it be ok to run wires from WAN USB lines to LAN slot if I put Gobi 2000 into the WAN slot?

One of the major concerns would be, can the USB lines from WWAN miniPCIe slot supply enough current to power both a WWAN card and a WiMax card simultaneously - As yet I have not come across anyone who has done this type of set-up (both cards using the same USB lines) - you could be the first.

[Megavvolt]

Yeah, right - scary! I am thinking about adding a switch to toggle these two lines.
After all, I am not going to use 3G and WiFi/WiMax simultaneously.

Also, T61 has 3 USB ports - would it be ok to use D+ and D- lines from any of the three USB sockets? Would it be ok to switch between these lines when the machine is working?

Or, is there a way to 'find' 'unused' USB D+ and D- inside the machine?

Sorry for stupid questions - my Dad was an electronics engineer (but that's back in the day when they didn't use a lot of IC's) and I'm a philologist. I have no problem using a soldering station or dremel but I do have problems when it comes to reading schematic circuits (unless it's a very simple one)...

[Peak2Peak]

Adding a toggle switch between these two lines when the machine is working may be possible - as is using the USB_D+ and USB_D- lines from one of the USB ports may also be possible providing it can supply the required current for the WiMax card - but as said before as yet I have not come across anyone who has done these mods you are asking to their ThinkPads.

There may well be unused USB lines on the ThinkPads motherboard that could be used, but to truly confirm you would need to see the schematic diagrams.

[RealBlackStuff]

There are USB lines in the docking connector.
Pin 88 is USB_D+
Pin 89 is USB_D-
Have fun finding the pinout of this connector.

[Raceboy]

There are USB lines in the docking connector.
Pin 88 is USB_D+
Pin 89 is USB_D-
Have fun finding the pinout of this connector.

It's no problem, just do several test-measurings for GND and VCC and that way you can determine how to count the pins. Having the schematic of the system board is necessary for that though (I have one).