Need to update internal wireless card on x31 to WPA2 capable

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madmaven · #1 Post by **madmaven** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:06 pm

I have 2 x31s. I'm running XP prosp3 in both. one has an Intel Pro wireless lan 2100 3B minipciadapter. the other has a cisco systems PCI wireless lan adapter. the problem is I just got a new verizon 4GLTE 4510L mifi hotspot. Neither card will connect. the encryption is WPA2/personal. After discovering that these wireless cards are not WPA2 capable

I tried to change the settings in the router/accesspoint, After I changed the settings to WPA/WPA2 mixed personal I was unable to access the internet on any computer even the other 2 that worked before. every time I reset the router I was back online with the other 2 but not the X31s. I tried every available setting on the router all said that they were connected with limited connectivity, and the router did not connect to the internet either.
Sorry long story. I also have a G40 IBm with the dualband wifi miniPCI adapter from atheros which works find on the WPA2 encryption. Does anyone know if this card will work in the X31, or is there any internal card I can use that is WPA2 capable and compatable with the X31 and XP? Thanks for any advice you can offer

#2 Post by **Harryc** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:15 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Thinkpad-Intel- ... 2eb49eb2a5

jronald · #3 Post by **jronald** » Sun May 01, 2011 7:29 am

Swap the X31s over to the Intel 2200bg internal card. You pick up the Centrino power saving options also. Small warning that you may need to use the 1802 hack, unless you purchase the right IBM Intel card.

Ron

madmaven · #4 Post by **madmaven** » Sun May 01, 2011 7:01 pm

Hi, thanks to both posts.

i did pick up 2 of the 2200 cards on ebay from the link abouve, and read about maybe having to update the bios and about the problem and the hack. Do you think I should just download the drivers, put the 200 card in and hope all will go well with the install and after it's installed that it will work or do is there a better way to approach it?
Madmaven
PS love your signature

hunterman223 · #5 Post by **hunterman223** » Mon May 02, 2011 7:32 am

What I would do is try it first. If it isn't in the whitelist for your model it won't boot, throwing an error on POST.

If that turns out to be the case, you will find the "Zender BIOS" hosted on the board room website at the top of this page. Grab the one for your model and read the instructions. If you need more help flashing the bios report back.

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#6 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon May 02, 2011 7:59 am

The Board Room/Zender-Bios does NOT host any BIOS for the X31.
All that X31 would need is the NO-1802 hack http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... twork_card

hunterman223 · #7 Post by **hunterman223** » Mon May 02, 2011 8:09 am

Thanks for clearing that up RBS. Learn something new every day.

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#8 Post by **Harryc** » Mon May 02, 2011 8:17 am

To the OP, I'm fairly certain that those EBay cards will not require a hack on an X31. Give it a shot and report back.

madmaven · #9 Post by **madmaven** » Mon May 02, 2011 8:53 am

I will. I expect them to be shipped only today coming across country from Calif. If they ship priority which I think they will, I should have them installed by Thursday or Friday. I will post back and let you know how it goes. Thanks for the info. PS
that's why I LOVE this forum. I learn something every time i come here, and after going to the link on the bios fix or theno-1802 hack I have a feeling I am going to have to learn a lot more real fast in order to successfully use it. I hope the cards I bought will work on install. thanks again. I just know enough to know that i know nothing.

jronald · #10 Post by **jronald** » Mon May 02, 2011 4:08 pm

For what its worth, of the 6 or so IBM cards I have purchased for various X31's, I have only had 1 that required the hack. Chances are in your favor. Give it a try, its not going to hurt anything.

Ron

madmaven · #11 Post by **madmaven** » Mon May 02, 2011 4:20 pm

Thanks for the encouragement I cant wait to try it!

hunterman223 · #12 Post by **hunterman223** » Mon May 02, 2011 5:17 pm

Good luck, be sure to let us know.

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madmaven · #13 Post by **madmaven** » Mon May 09, 2011 11:09 pm

Success.

I got 2 of the intel 2200b/g cards from the ebay link above . Both machines were x31s with XP Pro service pack 3 on them; one has a intel 2100 b card; removed it and installed the 2200; I had downlaoded the zipped file for drivers,and had it on a usb drive, when the install new hardware came up, i cancelled it, and unzipped the downloaded files to a folder C:\ drivers wan2 then ran the install and it worked beautifully

I was able to input my verizon key and the encryption was WPA2 and it works great.

the second machine had a cisco card, and when I removed it and replaced with a 2200bg intel card it automaticallty installed the older drivers. It did not have the WPA2 encryption capability and did not work. I uninstalled from device manager,reboot and it reinstalled automatically again. . I then unzppped the package and was able to install the new drivers which allowed me to utilize the WPA2 encryption , input the key and volia` I am on the internet.

These older machines are still sweet and work well, although a little hot. Ihope to get more life from them. I had to exchange Verizon's original mifi 4510L for a duplicate since the first one rebooted several times and froze up 2x, and was running a little hot . the new one I have been using 3 days without incident. I live out a ways and it has amuch better signal than the SPrint card had. I also experienced a LOT of problems with SPrint starting aroung thanksgiving and had to revert back to an old Pantech500 card in a cradle point router. then I only got about 1/2MB where before taht period I was experiencing 1 -1.5 MB Verizon is very consistent and doesnt drop much during peak times I consistently run about 1.4 MB not really fast but considering there wasn't even any internet here except dial up 10 years ago I will take what I can get. My son is up in central Mass and gets 35MB consistently for less money. But oh well that is what I pay for living in paradise.

Thanks for everyones' help, and the great pool of knowledge here. it saved me a lot of time, energy and money too.
Leslie O. aka Madmaven