Thinkpad 570 and Mini PCI Wireless cards?

[GnatGoSplat]

One day I opened my old Thinkpad 570 (P2-366) and discovered its built-in modem is a Mini PCI card. I never use the built-in modem, but I would sure love a Mini PCI Wireless card. For one thing, if I can route an antenna into the LCD, I would get much better signal strength than a PC Card. Also, the antenna wouldn't stick out which would be great!

Anyway, I replaced the modem with an Intel 2200BG 802.11b/g Mini PCI card. I started to get excited when, XP SP2 discovered a "Network Controller". I point XP to the directory with the driver, and sure enough, it recognizes the driver and installs it. Then it gives me a notice that there is a problem with my network card. In the Device Manager, it has a yellow exclamation and says "Device cannot start (Code 10)". I've tweaked the BIOS by changing the IRQ's, having it reset config data, turning off all other internal devices, even booting into Safe Mode with Networking. Nothing worked.

I'm very persistent, so I thought I would try a wireless card with a different chipset. I picked up an Atheros 802.11a/b/g Mini PCI card and put it in. XP finds an "Ethernet Controller" and was able to load drivers for an Atheros ARX5001x or something like that. While installing the drivers, I got a blue screen that said something about Hardware Malfunction and "NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error". When I rebooted, there was a Code 39 saying the drivers didn't completely install. I tried this several times and got the same error. I know it's not the drivers, because they work fine on an Atheros 802.11G PC Card.

So it looks like there's something in the BIOS making Mini PCI cards (other than the internal modem) not work. It not the same problem as the 1802 error that newer Thinkpads get, although I did try the no-1802.com program for those, and it didn't do anything.

Anyone know any tricky way I can get the BIOS to not attempt to configure or do anything to the Mini PCI card? I heard there was a Quick Boot option on 600-series that lets Mini PCI wireless cards work, but TP570 doesn't have a Quick Boot option. Surely someone knows a hack or a workaround?

[mako]

I had the same idea when I opened up my 570. The MiniPCI spec was finalized in 1999 (http://www.pcisig.com/news_room/faqs/#mini_pci), so it'd be reasonable to expect that it would work. The page mentions types with numbers such as 1A, 1B. There might be different classes of cards with different specs (power requirements?).

The BIOS doesn't have quick boot, but it does have IRQ settings that you can try messing around with. Maybe update your BIOS?

Good luck; it'd be great to have internal wifi.

[GnatGoSplat]

I got a different MiniPCI wireless card, this time one with an Atheros chipset. Unfortunately, it wouldn't work either. I got a blue screen error with it after the drivers were installed. I have the latest BIOS.

[mako]

I don't suppose someone is willing to hack the 570's BIOS?

[GnatGoSplat]

Well, I got a bright idea to upgrade my 570 to a 570E, thinking since the 570E is newer, maybe the MiniPCI wireless card will work.

NOPE!!! Does the exact same thing the 570 did.
BAH! My 570 (now 570E) is plenty fast enough for web browsing and is the perfect size with the 13.3" LCD and 4lbs. My only complaint is I hate that wireless card sticking out the side. If I want a newer Thinkpad, I'll have to go with X-series which has a smaller LCD and is 3lbs or a T-series which has a bigger LCD and is 5lbs. I had a T40 for a short time and found it a bit big-ish. I wish IBM still made an intermediate sized laptop.

[whizkid]

The 600X has a PIII, and I did install a MiniPCI WiFi card and antennas in mine (Intel 2200BG), and it mostly kind of worked. It would have worked better if I hadn't ripped off one of the antenna connectors, though.

[barnane]

Hi,

I just put a XG-601m minipci wireless card into my 570E and it works fine. Installation script says its a Intersil PRISM 802.11g Adapter.
I paid about 15€ which is about 22$ shipping included for that card.

Hope that this might help anyone around here.

Regards
barnane

[losmeme]

I have tinkered with making my 570E a wireless machine. Have a Broadcom card for it that works fine, just can't seem to get the antennas in a place in the LCD cover that will pick up a signal.

I was surprised as I thought the LCD cover on the 570E was plastic, and wouldn't interfere with the signal too much, WRONG! Two paddle type antennas placed in three different locations couldn't pick up a signal when 5 feet from the router. If I hang the antenna cable outside the case, it works beautifully.

Have ordered an RMP pigtail and antenna. Thinking of mounting it out the RJ jack for the modem.

[carbon_unit]

I just put in a Billionton MIWLGRL Mini PCI 54Mbs 802.11g Wireless Card with a Ralink RT2560F chipset. It works fine with a 570 or a 570e. There are win98 and newer drivers as well as Linux drivers.
I have ordered some padddle antennas but for now I have a RP-TNC connector hanging out of the former modem connector hole.
I'll report back on how it works if anyone is interested.

[The Spirit of X21]

I have a modem/wifi combo card that I pulled from my X30. Has anyone tried this in a 570 before? I might have some surgery to do.....

[thuur]

Hi,

I just put a XG-601m minipci wireless card into my 570E and it works fine. Installation script says its a Intersil PRISM 802.11g Adapter.
I paid about 15€ which is about 22$ shipping included for that card.

Hope that this might help anyone around here.

Regards
barnane

Thanks! I scored a "Medion XG-601MB" card on eBay for 12 Euros (incl. shipping). Had some trouble finding the right driver, both links on this great page didn't work. After some arguing with the search engine from the Medion site I found it! Search for 2010 in the lowest textbox en the last one in the list works like a charm

It shows as PRISM 802.11g Wireless Adapter. Some 800x600 pics for the fanatics:

Temporary Antenna setup (these two were included in the sale)

Card seated


R,