What is best/fastest PCMCIA WiFi card ?

[Wind]

I just found out my X31 does not have any wifi card. As I am building them (2 or 3 X31) with fastest possible internet access in mind, I need to decide which wifi card to buy for them...
I do not expect to need PCMCIA slots and PCMCIA WiFi cards seem to be very easy to install and they are cheap, I am considering to go this way. I found somewhere that Atheros chip wifi cards are great performers. But can anybody recommend particular PCMCIA Wi-Fi card that works great (super fast) on X31 ? I need it to work both under XP Pro and Linux Mint...
(I have b/g/n router and very fast cable internet at home...I want to have fastest possible net access on my X31s)
Thanks

[Radioguy]

Well, you do have an mini-pci slot in an X31, and if using existing slots is important to you, I would choose that route before PCMCIA for a number of reasons. If you insist on PCMCIA (PC Card, Cardbus) you're slightly limited on the most current tech, since it's an older form factor, and one that most of the networking brands are offering less products based on (ExpressCard models are more likely to have more current "faster" chipsets). Mini-PCI, while older than Mini-PCI-E, is still a form factor which networking companies offer relatively current chipsets in. Also, you have the option of high-power cards with longer range (Senao, Ubiquiti), but those can be battery drainers if you plan on going unplugged most of the time. Of course, the install is not as easy as sliding in a PC card, but I think you have more options for a "better" card, and better reception, since the mini-pci card makes use of the internal antennae (if you have that installed).

Whether PCMCIA, USB or Mini-PCI (-E), the fact that you are going to work near your router, means the "best" cards may be overkill. In your situation, I would go with an Atheros (traditionally better - most especially for sensitivity) from one of the popular brands (Linksys, D-Link, Netgear, Belkin etc). Quite often you'll find they actually offer the same exact card rebranded with their own label, and that's when looking for sales makes most sense.

Do a search for wifi cards in the main "hot deal" forums at Slickdeals.net or Fatwallet.com, and you'll probably find someone found a good price somewhere. Also look at the adverts from Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Fry's, MicroCenter, Best Buy etc.

[ParatoOptimal]

Others have already solved this for you.

Other usefull info other than on Lenovo's site can be found here ...
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X31

You can get the Hardware Maintenance Manual here ...
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc ... 9t6189.pdf

DO NOT throw away your dead X31. Keep it for parts or sell it for parts in the MARKETPLACE thread on this forum.

[ParatoOptimal]

Radioguy,
Why would you choose internal 802.11g over an 802.11n PCMCIA card?

[ParatoOptimal]

PCMCIA Card >> D-Link DWA-642

[stanislaw lem]

Hi, I'm having a problem and this thread seemed closely related.

I also bought an x31 without a wireless card and so purchased a wireless card off ebay that stated it was taken from an x31. I'm running windows 7 and no matter which drivers I try I can't seem to get windows to detect the wireless card, all the drivers seem to be for previous versions of windows with no compatibility

[RealBlackStuff]

You probably bought an ancient card that can only do B and not G and/or N.
No drivers under W7 for such an old card...

[ParatoOptimal]

stanislaw lem,
You want an Intel 2200 card. It's b/g.
If you read of anyone getting an 802.11n card working, let me know.


I had a Linksys 600n (Maybe, forget model) PCMCIA card that seemed so, so and better than the draft-n USB dongles I had used before. I got the D-Link and it blew the Linksys away. I bought a total of 4 and gave two as gifts. The giftees can't get over their speed and now solid, non-dropping connections. I use mine with W7 and Ubuntu.

[ParatoOptimal]

I saw a DWA-645 on cowboom.com.
I don't know how it differs from my DWA-642.

[Insulator_King]

Ha,

How funny. Just installed a Belkin N1 Wireless card in my X23F5d8011 Ver 1000. Works great! I am using a friends office that had wireless N only enabled, & I had to update from my old D-link DWL-g650.

It is PCMCIA btw.