Lenovo Wireless card seems to get better reception than Intel

My friend just bought a T400 with a 5300 Intel wireless card, and myself with the standard Lenovo card, which I believe is a rebranded Conexant. Using our school's wireless, I'll frequently be able to connect to low-signal networks, while he is unable to. I'm on XP, and he's on Vista, but I don't think that should make a difference.

Anyone have any other comments as far as wireless performance goes? I'm amazed by the T400's reception - my last computer was an Apple PowerBook G4, and I'm having much better luck getting wireless signals.

 

well i can't compare with other t400 wifi cards
but my t400 atheros is able to pick up some extra networks that my sister could not (she has an atheros card too)

 

Vista is the problem. It has A LOT of wireless connection issues.

 

Heh, this is the first time I have actually heard of Conexant making any cards.
Anyways, have you checked the settings within Device Manager? Try turning off Power Savings mode and see if that will help. And also, are your computers at the same place and trying to connect to the same AP at the time of testing?

 

No it doesn't, connection is one of the things that have vastly improved in Vista over XP.
Back it up with some knowledge, don't just plainly say it.

To the OP, intel wireless chipset generally not the best, Atheros and some other would probably function better. But, in a trade off, the intel one runs much cooler.

 

Perhaps someone can discuss amount of antennas and MIMO.

 

Sorry, that would be an Atheros card. Just finished installing audio drivers, and had Conexant on the mind. Using computers in the same place, same AP, similar settings as far as I know - the Intel card fails to pick up the signal, while the Lenovo one gets a weak, but usable, signal.

Obviously extremely anecdotal evidence, and other factors may be contributing, but something to keep in mind for those that aren't connecting to Wireless N networks.

 

+1 - I'm so tired of baseless Vista bashes.

I know that the previous Thinkpad wireless (Atheros) was known to have better reception at the expense of heat when compared to the Intel cards (3945, 4965). Is this still the case? I'd like to see a Atheros vs. Intel 5100 vs. Intel 5300 shootout.

 

So the Intel running cooler probably implies that it gets longer battery life too - am I right?

I remember years back when Centrino first came out, the original Intel wireless used to be way better than the rest in terms of battery life.

 

I would assume you are right.

 

Hey, Atheros cards have always kicked ***, and I'm happy to have one in my T400, the intels not so much but support N-draft.