IBM 802.11 a/b/g Mini-PCI card $45 direct

[Snipersheep]

ThinkPad owners have traditionally gotten the shaft when it comes to getting Mini-PCI wireless cards, since IBM in its greed decided to limit their laptops to only IBM-branded cards (enforced in BIOS - computer will not boot with a "non-approved" card). Well, it is time to rejoice, since you can now replace your 802.11b card or your PCMCIA card with an internal Mini-PCI card that supports all of the current wireless standards.

According to the website it will work with following ThinkPads:

X31/X32 (2672/2673/2884/2885), X40 (2371/2372/2382/2386), X41 (2525/2526/2527/2528) X41 Tablet (1866/1867/1868/1869), T40 (2373/2374/2378/2379), T41/p T42/p (2373/2374/2378/2379) , T43 (1871/1872/1875/1876) T43/p (2668/2669/2686/2687) R50/R51 (1829/1830/1831/1836), R50p (1832/1833), R51 (2883/2887/2888/2889), R52 (1846/1847/1848/1849, 1858/1859/1860/1861) ,G41 (2881/2882/2886)

The 4-digit number after the model number is the "machine type" which you can check on the label on the underside of your laptop.

This card is based on Atheros chipset, and can apparently be made to work at 108mbps with routers/access points based on Atheros chipset (like D-Link's SuperG products).

This card will also work just fine in any laptop that doesn't require you to purchase a particular brand of Mini-PCI cards.

The link: Click me!

 

[amdskip]

Cool card but the price is a little too high for me to replace my B card with a G card.

 

[LiLRiceBoi]

good price. anyone want to trade ibm mini-pci a/b/g I for this ibm mini-pci a/b/g II?

 

[znaps]

Originally posted by: LiLRiceBoi
good price. anyone want to trade ibm mini-pci a/b/g I for this ibm mini-pci a/b/g II?

Isn't the I worth more than the II (due to more channels)?

 

[Snipersheep]

Originally posted by: znaps
Isn't the I worth more than the II (due to more channels)?

Err, what?

 

[gunblade]

The 1 version is using intel chipset, and this one is using atheros.

 

[paranoidandroid]

yes. you want to keep the one with the atheros chipset.

 

[brxndxn]

Isn't miniPCI a standard? like.. couldn't I just throw this in my miniPCI slot on my Toshiba laptop?

 

[brewty]

Both versions of IBM's mini-pci wireless card use the atheros chipset. And yes it's a standard card, so you should be able to use it in any notebook, unless of course your bios has limitations on which cards it will boot with (like the thinkpads do). You should also check that the spacing around your mini-pci slot will fit such a card.

 

[EKKC]

i have a T40 for my work, i bought a intel 2200 b/g card for $25 from dell and had the no boot problem, but i fixed it with a simple bios hack that i found using google

 

[ccurcillo]

if you don't need the "A" (and few people do)...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de...5578-5605434?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

 

[vh01]

Originally posted by: ccurcillo
if you don't need the "A" (and few people do)...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de...5578-5605434?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

It's not the "A" part that's important, it's the "IBM" part of it. Like the OP said some IBM laptop would only works with IBM mini-pci wireless card unless you do the BIOS hacklike the other poster said.

Off topic question: Does the IBM page displayed normally in IE version 6 and earlier? Firefox displayed it OK but IE7 (actually Maxthon frontend using IE7 renderer) shows tiny font.

 

[palis]

Thanks OP. I have been looking for this.

 

[Snipersheep]

By the way, there is a hack for those suffering from IBM's greed in allowing only "authorized" cards. Download this simple program http://www.congenio.de/infos/no1802.com and run it while booted in MS-DOS (or Win98 DOS). It will remove the BIOS lock that prevents you from booting with "unauthorized" card. All the usual disclaimers apply, of course.

 

[Snipersheep]

Deal is back! Click the link in the OP.

 

[eits]

no one cares about these cards.... i've been trying to sell my brand new 2915agb card for $30 for over 4 months...

 

[Merlyn3D]

Originally posted by: eits
no one cares about these cards.... i've been trying to sell my brand new 2915agb card for $30 for over 4 months...

Correction, no one cares about the intel cards. They seem to have trouble with certain routers, namely the most popular router ever, the linksys wrt54g. I gotta say though, my T43 came with a 2915abg and I haven't had the disconnect issues my 2200bg exhibited on another laptop. You can bet if I ever start getting them, it's out with the intel, in with the atheros.

 

[palis]

People who have the old a/b would be interested in this card. I jumped on this deal earlier and I must say that I'm impressed with this card over the old IBM a/b that I had. This card connects easier and the transfer rate is faster even when using on the same b router. Not sure about any Intel cards but this Atheros card rocks.

 

[WEW]

I have a Thinkpad R40 (2722-6YU) and have the old B card, I found more info on the hack in the Bios for making other cards work, but what other cards will work, what's the best deal/price on them for G technology?


Also, I am in need of a CD-RW/DVD combo or CD-RW/DVD-+RW combo - I heard the NEC 6550A drive can fit the R40, but needs its case/bezel. Anyone know any instructions on how I can make it fit the R40 Ultrabay device?

Thanks - Any help would be appreciated.

 

[EKKC]

yeah arent there bios hacks to make any card work? I tried one on my last job's IBM T40. it worked well (got an intel 2200 b/g card from dell)

i still dont understand why they would want to lock it though. people who will buy these cards, if stupid, will get it from ibm anyway, and others who want to get it elsewhere, will be smart enough to use the hack.

i actually think the intel cards are great. i have a dell truemobile card 1400 mini-pci, and i had to sell that and get the intel 2200, now in my apt i see a lot more APs around my building/neighbors. but i've only had experience with intel and dell as far as internal mini-pci goes