Has anyone crammed a wireless antenna into a T22?

[Nolonemo]

I'd like to use a wireless card in the mini PCI slot of my T22. (Please don't tell me the T22 doesn't support miniPCI wifi -- I already know that) I use wireless all the time, but ethernet rarely & modem never, so a PC card would be fine for the wired stuff. I also already have a miniPCI wireless card that does work in the T22.

The issue is signal strength. My card (Orinoco silver) gets great signal strength with a 10" wire hanging out of the case, but I'd prefer something a little more elegant and secure.

I know people have put wireless cards in non-wifi ready laptops by opening the case and running the antennas around inside the case.

Has anyone done this with a T22? What was your signal strength like?

Seems to me you'd get better signal strength with the antenna in the cover than in the case, though. I've seen IBM's antenna installation instructions for wifi-ready T23s. What's the possibility of cramming in the same routing in a T22? Has anyone tried it in a non-wifi-ready T23? How would the T22 and T23 compare in that respect?

I have seen where people have uprgraded non-wifi-ready T23s to wifi by swapping out the LCD bezel, hinge assembly, etc. and adding the antenna. Would these parts fit on a T22? (I'd rather not spend the money, but...)

I should point out that disassembly/reassembly of the T22 isn't an issue for me, I have the manual, and I'm quite comfortable with the process (having practiced extensively on my 560x ) One way or another, I'm going to end up with internal wi-fi. Whatever the solution, I'll photograph the process and post a link to a how-to web page.

Thanks for any information and ideas.

[dementedlemur]

I have a wireless mini pci card in my T22. I have an antenna rigged up out the bottom of my laptop, and up the back of the lcd bezel. They sell antenna kits for the t22 on ebay that you install in the LCD bezel and then snake through the system, that would probably be your best bet for good reception.

[lilserenity]

Yes.

I have done so with my T23. However on the T22 you stand to loose both modem and ethernet, or just ethernet if you get a 56K Modem and 802.11b combo card.

The T23 doesn't suffer this issue (at very most you stand to loose the modem on the T23 if you get just a wireless card).

It is very possible, and I have been intending to write the guide for a *long* time now but with it being my final year at University I am struggling to devote time to optional matters like this.

I will post a message as and when i manage to get it all uploaded.

It's very easy if you are confident opening up your ThinkPad.

Vicky

[Nolonemo]

I have a wireless mini pci card in my T22. I have an antenna rigged up out the bottom of my laptop, and up the back of the lcd bezel. They sell antenna kits for the t22 on ebay that you install in the LCD bezel and then snake through the system, that would probably be your best bet for good reception.

Demented, thanks. Do you mean to say that
(1) you ran the wire outside of the miniPCI hatch and then up into the LCD (presumably next to the video ribbon cable)?
or
(2) that you ran the wire inside the bottom of the case, up into the LCD next to the video ribbon cable?

Glad to hear this can be done. I have antenna wires on the way, not specifically for the T22, but look very similar to the pictures in the IBM hardware manual.

lilserenity: as I said, I don't mind keeping a PC Card in the slot for the rare occasions when I use modem or ethernet. Actually, a compo wifi/ethernet card would be ideal - any idea if that animal exists?

[JHEM]

Actually, a compo wifi/ethernet card would be ideal - any idea if that animal exists?

Nope, no such animal.

Regards,

James

[dementedlemur]

I'm using an antenna from my r31 and I just have it taped to the top of the lcd (exterior). I put a small hole in the mini pci door and ran the antenna wire up the bottom and exterior rear lcd bezel. I'm going to get an antenna kit, but for now have an ugly, but functional internal/external wireless solution.

[Nolonemo]

WooHoo, internal wireless.

My antennas came, and I did an interim install. I ran them from the minipci slot to to upper side of the mainboard via the area next to the CPU (had to remove & replace the heat sink to snake them through. I taped off the ends stuffed the end of one to the right of the status lights, and the other is underneath the V key area. The only problem I had was that on my first attempt I had overtaped the ends and put them too close to the keyboard connector (under the Y key) do the connector wasn't fully connected, resulting in a keyboard error.

I'm going to do the whole run up behind the LCD thing, though, because reception is great in the same room as the AP, but falls off dramatically when the signal has to make it through walls and floors. I was getting a stronger signall in a Dell with an integrated top lid antenna, so it looks like that's the next step.

I will post a guide with photos of both methods when all has been done.

In the meantime, here's a link to a guide that gave the the routing I used. He appears to be using the same antennas I have (but looks like he only installed one).

http://www.xmission.com/~bmidgley/t20/

Here's where I got the antennas from, $15 shipped (a lot less than the IBM OEM, which are now $35 plus shipping)

http://store.mrtechus.com/acnoan.html

Thanks to all who have responded, & stay tuned.

P.S. From the illstrations in the IBM hardware manual, from the routing shown for the antenna, it looks like one is a little shorter than the other. Did IBM do that for a neat installation (the antenna enters the LCD cover off-center) or does a good diversity reception setup require that the antennas be different lengths?

[Nolonemo]

Follow-up. I turns out that the antennas I had didn't work for a lid install, because (a) they are a little too short, and (b) they don't terminate in a flat strip (unlike what seems to be the case with the IBM antennas). There really is not a lot of extra space in the lid! In fact there's no extra space at all.

Although I've stripped my 560x down a couple of times, taking the T22 apart was quite unnerving. The hardware manual tells you what screws to undo, etc., but doesn't say anything about the edge latches that snap the case parts together, so it took a bit of fiddling to get everything apart. I do not recommend this as a project for the beginner!

So now the antennas are back where they were under the keyboard, and I'm wondering whether to spring for the $40-45 it will cost me to get the IBM antenna assembly, with no guaranty that I'll be able to fit that into the lid. Two issues are how thick the wire of the antennas is, and how flat the termination is.

Stay tuned.

[dementedlemur]

Just got home to see that my antennas arrived. I'll be installing them tonight or tomorrow. They seem to have a very thin wire and it looks more than long enough to reach the mini pci card. The best thing is I only paid $4 shipped for the pair! Depending on how the install goes, I think there are a couple more pairs left if anyone's interested.

[Nolonemo]

I had previously installed a pair of antennas under the palmrest area, they terminated not in flat blade like the IBM antennas, but the termination was to sheet metal that had been bend into an semi-open-sided square tube, about 2" long and about 3/16" on the side. I had installed this under the palmrest instead of in the LCD cover because there was no room (obviously) in the LCD cover. Here's the link to the antennas: http://store.mrtechus.com/acnoan.html

This weekend I tried installing the IBM antennas in the LCD cover. To my dismay, I found they were much less sensitive than the ones I had previously installed -- my signal strength, as measured by Netstumbler dropped from -55 to -58 dB down to -72 to -78 dB under identical laptop placement, and in one point in the house where I had had an adequate connection, with the IBM antennas in place I could no longer connect.

I tried placing the IBM antennas flat against the LCD cover (with the terminators insulated against contact with anything), and also tried wedging them under the LCD cover hinge arms at the area where the terminators install in the T23 wireless LCD cover (so the terminators were making contact with the hinge arms and (probably) the LCD frame. The installation contacting the hinge arms gave me slightly better reception (maybe 4 dB), but nothing approaching the other antennas.

I also tried an under-palmrest install of the IBM antennas, (I thought perhaps the non-wireless LCD cover was perhaps blocking the wireless signals) but didn't get better results. I also tried just connecting the IBM antennas to the wireless card (an Intel 2200 bg) and running them out in the air, but that didn't give much better reception than the IBM antennas under the palmrest.

My ultimate conclusion is that the design of the IBM antennas is such that they just are not as sensitive as the design I originally used, at least with my wireless setup.

I'm bummed that I spend money on the IBM antennas (I had a real hard time finding a pair and paid around $45 for the pair shipped with tax) and didn't improve my reception over what I had. On the bright side, I am now REAL comfortable rooting around inside the T22.

[skid]

WooHoo, internal wireless.

My antennas came, and I did an interim install. I ran them from the minipci slot to to upper side of the mainboard via the area next to the CPU (had to remove & replace the heat sink to snake them through. I taped off the ends stuffed the end of one to the right of the status lights, and the other is underneath the V key area. The only problem I had was that on my first attempt I had overtaped the ends and put them too close to the keyboard connector (under the Y key) do the connector wasn't fully connected, resulting in a keyboard error.

I'm going to do the whole run up behind the LCD thing, though, because reception is great in the same room as the AP, but falls off dramatically when the signal has to make it through walls and floors. I was getting a stronger signall in a Dell with an integrated top lid antenna, so it looks like that's the next step.

I will post a guide with photos of both methods when all has been done.

In the meantime, here's a link to a guide that gave the the routing I used. He appears to be using the same antennas I have (but looks like he only installed one).

http://www.xmission.com/~bmidgley/t20/

Here's where I got the antennas from, $15 shipped (a lot less than the IBM OEM, which are now $35 plus shipping)

http://store.mrtechus.com/acnoan.html

Thanks to all who have responded, & stay tuned.

P.S. From the illstrations in the IBM hardware manual, from the routing shown for the antenna, it looks like one is a little shorter than the other. Did IBM do that for a neat installation (the antenna enters the LCD cover off-center) or does a good diversity reception setup require that the antennas be different lengths?

This article explains why the antennas have 2 lengths
http://researchweb.watson.ibm.com/journ ... 2/liu.html

[bkdement]

I'd like to use a wireless card in the mini PCI slot of my T22. (Please don't tell me the T22 doesn't support miniPCI wifi -- I already know that) I use wireless all the time, but ethernet rarely & modem never, so a PC card would be fine for the wired stuff. I also already have a miniPCI wireless card that does work in the T22.

The issue is signal strength. My card (Orinoco silver) gets great signal strength with a 10" wire hanging out of the case, but I'd prefer something a little more elegant and secure.

I know people have put wireless cards in non-wifi ready laptops by opening the case and running the antennas around inside the case.

Has anyone done this with a T22? What was your signal strength like?

Seems to me you'd get better signal strength with the antenna in the cover than in the case, though. I've seen IBM's antenna installation instructions for wifi-ready T23s. What's the possibility of cramming in the same routing in a T22? Has anyone tried it in a non-wifi-ready T23? How would the T22 and T23 compare in that respect?

I have seen where people have uprgraded non-wifi-ready T23s to wifi by swapping out the LCD bezel, hinge assembly, etc. and adding the antenna. Would these parts fit on a T22? (I'd rather not spend the money, but...)

I should point out that disassembly/reassembly of the T22 isn't an issue for me, I have the manual, and I'm quite comfortable with the process (having practiced extensively on my 560x ) One way or another, I'm going to end up with internal wi-fi. Whatever the solution, I'll photograph the process and post a link to a how-to web page.

Thanks for any information and ideas.

nolonemo, I actually have a t23 - where do I find these instructions for installing the antenna in a t23? I searched the lenovo website and couldn't find anything. If you have them I would love to know where they can be downloaded before i buy all the pieces...

thanks

[Nolonemo]

I think I was referring to the hardware maintenance manual.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-4UYM3F

[larrylwill]

I have a D-Link AirPlus G pcmcia card. My router is on the next floor below where Im using the laptop almost directly, wood floor. I always get an excellent 54mbs signal with the pcmcia card in my T23. I recently bought a Intel 2200BG internal card, I also bought an antenna off ebay. I installed the card and antenna under the keyboard. I got good to very good signal from 22mbs to 54mbs not stable. I next left the ends hang out each side of the keyboard and get excellent at 54mbs. Next I installed it under the LCD screen. I get good to very good 18mbs to very good 54mbs. Im very unhappy with this setup. I debating on waisting another hour to remove it from behind the screen and put it back under the keyboard. Im afraid Ill have to carry the pcmcia card with me to use outside the house.

[linux_inside v2]

Do not install antennae in the lids, i did that with one only to find that they lose 50% or more sensitivity while the panel is near them and switched on, i don't know why but i do know that if you install them in the lid you will loose sensitivity, i suggest putting them under the palmrest

[Nolonemo]

Guys, been there, done that (antenna in lid, under keypad), for me the best solution was the 3Com X-Jack PC card, the antenna retracts flush with the Thinkpad when it's not being used, plus it turns the radio in the card off to save battery time. Plus I can connect to my dLink 624 at 108mpbs in turbo mode. 3Com periodically has $25 rebates which brings the price down.

[larrylwill]

I wish I had found this info befor I bought the card and antenna.
I put the antenna back under the kbd and have a decent signal excellent at 54mbs. However the D-link card is better. It has an internal antenna and has done me well when we traveled. Getting connection at bank parking lots and outside some motels and stores. So Ill use the internal at home and the card on the road.

[sunkssss]

so the best method yet, is not to install a wifi w/antennas,
but to get a card like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/3Com-Megahertz-10-1 ... dZViewItem



thanks.