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    Supported wifi adapters for T420?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by adavis72, Apr 10, 2011.

  1. adavis72

    adavis72 Newbie

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    I configured my T420 with the stock Realtek-based adapter. While Realtek has decent driver support for Linux, the adapter itself is a bit shoddy. When trying to switch the Realtek adapter for the Intel Ultimate-N 5300 in my old Dell, the BIOS seems to have a whitelist on wifi cards and refused to boot, saying the adapter was an "unsupported device" or something to that effect.

    I'm thinking of putting in an Intel Ultimate-N 6300 (~$30 shipped instead of ~$40). Does anyone know if the BIOS whitelist is based on the device ID, or is it something a bit more personal like the serial number?

    Also, the Realtek card has two leads for the antennae while the Intel cards (both the 5300 and the 6300) have three. Is this a potential issue as well, or is it sufficient to simply connect the white and black leads to their corresponding connectors?
     
    adavis72, Apr 10, 2011
    #1
  2. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    Lenovo and IBM have long whitelisted cards in the BIOS. I would suggest getting a Lenovo branded card as it will work without the BIOS hack, which is required to get a non-Lenovo branded cards to work. A Lenovo branded card should have a FRU on it.

    The third antenna offers faster throughput and perhaps better range would be my guess. I've been using wifi card for years and I can't tell a difference between any of them. Unless you plan to put a heavy load on the card, I'd suggest sticking with what you got now. You can always upgrade later if needed.
     
    ZaZ, Apr 10, 2011
    #2
  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    A Lenovo branded WLAN card doesn't cost really much more than a generic one..
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Apr 10, 2011
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  4. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    Regarding the whitelist, all that means is that you'll need to purchase (I suggest eBay) a Lenovo-branded version of the WiFi card you want. There are plenty of Lenovo-whitelisted 6300 adapters on eBay.

    Regarding the third antenna, I believe all Thinkpads configurable with the 3-antenna cards have a third antenna already installed--it's just not connected. All you'll have to do is refer to the Hardware Maintenance Manual and connect the additional lead.
     
    MidnightSun, Apr 11, 2011
    #4
  5. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Does Lenovo still whitelist the WWAN cards? I have a Verizon EVDO card from a T60 I'd like to use if possible.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Apr 11, 2011
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  6. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    As I don't have a WWAN card, I'm not 100% sure. But, I believe so, yes.
     
    MidnightSun, Apr 11, 2011
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