WiFi for IBM Thinkpad T30

A friend just bought a used IBM Thinkpad T30 (2GHz processor). She's leaving
for Europe in three weeks and needs to get it set up for WiFi, so she can
connect to the internet in 'hotspots' (like cafes and libraries) which
provide that service. She asked me to help her in this but I'm pretty
clueless about wireless internet hookups. Can anyone give advice about what
type of WiFi card or wireless LAN mini-PCI adaptor would be a good match for
the T30 for wireless access to the web, and about what would be the cost? Is
this all she would need - just a 'wifi card'?

Thanks in advance...

-g

William P.N. Smith <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

>"glenn" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>type of WiFi card or wireless LAN mini-PCI adaptor would be a good match for
>>the T30 for wireless access to the web, and about what would be the cost

>Buy.com has the Intel 2200BG Mini-PCI card for $30, if she's got
>Mini-PCI and WiFi antennas that's going to be her best bet.

I agree. 2200BG is a good card.

For the official IBM/Lenovo offerings see:
| http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...goryId=2581910
at roughly twice the price. Do not purchase the "MiniPCI Express"
cards as they will not fit in the T30.

Make sure that the MiniPCI card slot is available and that there are
two tiny coax cables and connectors that go to antennas. Without the
antennas, it won't work. Replacement antennas are available on eBay
but are rather complex to install.



--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Mon, 22 May 2006 08:33:14
-0700, Jeff Liebermann <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>William P.N. Smith <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:
>
>>"glenn" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>type of WiFi card or wireless LAN mini-PCI adaptor would be a good match for
>>>the T30 for wireless access to the web, and about what would be the cost
>
>>Buy.com has the Intel 2200BG Mini-PCI card for $30, if she's got
>>Mini-PCI and WiFi antennas that's going to be her best bet.
>
>I agree. 2200BG is a good card.
>
>For the official IBM/Lenovo offerings see:
>| http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...goryId=2581910
>at roughly twice the price. Do not purchase the "MiniPCI Express"
>cards as they will not fit in the T30.
>
>Make sure that the MiniPCI card slot is available and that there are
>two tiny coax cables and connectors that go to antennas. Without the
>antennas, it won't work. Replacement antennas are available on eBay
>but are rather complex to install.

Never hurts to check, but according to "T30 series model matrix"
in the T30 Hardware Maintenance Manual
<ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/92p1840.pdf>,
all T30 models have the wireless LAN antenna. That's confirmed by
<ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitute/psref/tawbook.pdf>,
which lists all non-wireless T30 models as "wireless upgradable".

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <BXrcg.88139$(E-Mail Removed)> on Mon, 22 May
2006 23:38:09 GMT, John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>In <(E-Mail Removed)> on Mon, 22 May 2006 08:33:14
>-0700, Jeff Liebermann <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>William P.N. Smith <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:
>>
>>>"glenn" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>type of WiFi card or wireless LAN mini-PCI adaptor would be a good match for
>>>>the T30 for wireless access to the web, and about what would be the cost
>>
>>>Buy.com has the Intel 2200BG Mini-PCI card for $30, if she's got
>>>Mini-PCI and WiFi antennas that's going to be her best bet.
>>
>>I agree. 2200BG is a good card.

True, but many seem to feel that Atheros-based cards are the best bet.

>>For the official IBM/Lenovo offerings see:
>>| http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/st...goryId=2581910
>>at roughly twice the price. Do not purchase the "MiniPCI Express"
>>cards as they will not fit in the T30.
>>
>>Make sure that the MiniPCI card slot is available and that there are
>>two tiny coax cables and connectors that go to antennas. Without the
>>antennas, it won't work. Replacement antennas are available on eBay
>>but are rather complex to install.
>
>Never hurts to check, but according to "T30 series model matrix"
>in the T30 Hardware Maintenance Manual
><ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/92p1840.pdf>,
>all T30 models have the wireless LAN antenna. That's confirmed by
><ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitute/psref/tawbook.pdf>,
>which lists all non-wireless T30 models as "wireless upgradable".

p.s. CAVEAT: The BIOS in the ThinkPad T30 checks for approved network cards,
and will refuse to boot if a non-approved card is found. For more information
and work-arounds, see "Problem with unauthorized MiniPCI network card"
<http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_unauthorized_MiniPCI_network_card>.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>

Thanks to all who responded. Your answers have been very helpful.

-glenn

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <4Q1dg.96523$(E-Mail Removed) m> on Wed, 24 May 2006
18:44:16 GMT, "glenn" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks to all who responded. Your answers have been very helpful.

FYI, I just installed an Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Mini PCI Wi-Fi card (Model
WM382200BG, Dell P/N 0K3444) in a Thinkpad T30 Model 2366-88U. As expected,
the T30 was "wireless ready" (i.e., it had an antenna installed). I ran into
the 1802 won't boot problem (as expected), and solved it with the NO-1802.COM
DOS utility as described in "Problem with unauthorized MiniPCI network card"
<http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_unauthorized_MiniPCI_network_card>.
The Intel Mini PCI card is now working perfectly, and seems to be noticeably
better than the NETGEAR WG511v1 802.11g PC Card it replaced.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR ALT.INTERNET.WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FAQ_for_alt.internet.wireless>