Ready, set, go! Atheros a/b/g/N in my T60p...Please help!

Alright, I did some research and here's the jist. Apparently, only CTO
(Custom To Order) models get the add'l N wire. I opened mine up, and
could find no cable near the card. At any rate, I am ready to do this
now.

Is it really true that the Atheros cards are simply "better", and have,
perhaps, a wider range? I could use a slightly better range, N, or no N.
I just installed the Atheros card, and it was quickly found by Vista,
but silly me forgot to put the appropriate drivers there beforehand. So
back in went the Intel 3945ABG.

I'm going to download the x64 drivers for the Atheros a/b/g/n card now
and re-attempt. It takes 5 minutes. All I have to do is remove the palm
rest, fingerprint cable, as well as the keyboard, and detach its cable
that connects it to the motherboard.

Second question: As someone previously mentioned, I could possibly use
a cable that doesn't necessitate going behind the screen, which was
great news. There are TWO cables that connect the WWAN card to its
antenna on the right side of the screen. I don't use it, as I said
before, so would I be taking a risk other than that it would simply not
work, by using one of the WWAN antennas coming from the WWAN antenna and
put it where the "N antenna" goes?? Also, which of the two cable would I
use (one is blue, one red), or does it even matter? Finally, is there
any way that I can mess ANYTHING up by attempting this? Anything, such
as shorting anything out?

Thanks for any replies. I am so ready!!! lol...At least, so far I know
that the card works, and later tonight, I'll reattempt just connecting
the non-N cables to see if there is any improvement for G alone. I'd
love to hear about my idea about using the one of the WWAN antennas as
the N antenna, so to speak!???

As much as I want to do this, under no circumstances do I want to take
the risk of screwing up my Thinkpad in any way.

Thanks all!!!!!!!


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Crunch

T60p, *15" UXGA* BOE-Hydis *AFFS IPS Flexview* LCD, *T7600* Core 2 Duo
2.33GHz, ATI FireGL V5200 256MB, 400GB HDD (2x*200 Hitachi 7,200rpm
w/FDE*), 4GB RAM, Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP1!

 

People seem to prefer the Atheros card on the ThinkPad forums. They say
that the Intel card drops connections sometimes, but have not experienced
that. I have two X-series ThinkPads, one with an Intel card, and one with
an Atheros card that I fitted myself. I had to use the no-1802 BIOS hack to
use the non-IBM part.

So, you do not have two connections on the Atheros card for both the fitted
antennas? You should have to use both, and no need for you to use anything
but the standard fitted screen antennas.

You might want to check out the ThinkPad forums, where I also post.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/

ss.

 

Actually, the BIOS hack is NOT necessary. Both the Atheros a/b/g, as
well as the Atheros a/b/g/n are on the BIOS Whitelist! Well, now I'm
living proof.

I just installed the Atheros card after getting the Vista x64 driver
installed, and without attaching anything to the N part of it yet, and
it is...GULP!!!!....BLAZINGLY FAST!! This thing beats the HELL out of
the Intel 3945ABG card. And I'm only using it with 802.11g so far!!!!

This is sick. My network says EXCELLENT now, instead going between
Fair, Poor, etc. and..well, I'm just blown a-WAY!!

Now to the N part LOL...as it IS the a/b/g/N card. The gray cable went
to the right place, as did the black wire! The third (middle) cable is
what I need now, and, well, an N-capable router!

The WWAN card has one red, and one blue, so I don't know which to use
there, and I should use WWAN at all.

All I know is that thing is FLYING HIGH now. MUCH more range
apparently, as the Intel card was also transmitting at tremendous speeds
when I went closer to the router, but now, even in the room I'm in,
which is about as far as I can physically be away from the router! What
should I do to get wireless-N...


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Crunch

T60p, *15" UXGA* BOE-Hydis *AFFS IPS Flexview* LCD, *T7600* Core 2 Duo
2.33GHz, ATI FireGL V5200 256MB, 400GB HDD (2x*200 Hitachi 7,200rpm
w/FDE*), 4GB RAM, Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP1!

 

Update: There are THREE (as opposed to TWO on the Intel 3945ABG card)
little connectors on top of the card.

The left one says TR1, the middle one says R0, and the right one TR2.
TR1 has the grey cable, and TR2 the black one, which is how it's
supposed to be according to Lenovo online documentation. R0 wants a
white cable on Thinkpads where the card and wireless-N is installed by
default, per the same documentation. I don't have a white cable. The
WWAN card has one blue, and one red cable. Obviously I can use only one
or the other. Hmm...Any ideas??

Thanks guys!


--
Crunch

T60p, *15" UXGA* BOE-Hydis *AFFS IPS Flexview* LCD, *T7600* Core 2 Duo
2.33GHz, ATI FireGL V5200 256MB, 400GB HDD (2x*200 Hitachi 7,200rpm
w/FDE*), 4GB RAM, Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP1!