ThinkPad-Compatible Wi-Fi Cards

Having ordered the default configuration to speed up delivery, I regret not noticing that my X201 will arrive with the "ThinkPad b/g/n Wireless" card which doesn't seem to get very good reviews here.

I have an Intel Wifi-Link 1000 (b/g/draft-n [draft 2.0]) card that I kept from a cannibalized Acer laptop. Would the BIOS in the X201 (or any model) accept or reject this card? Would it be worth my while to swap the "ThinkPad" wireless card for the Wi-Fi-Link 1000? Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

Technical question... do the antenna leads simply snap onto the card or to they need to be soldered in ThinkPads?
Also, would the 6200 card from my T410 be an easy install in the X201? It will have the 3x3 screen.

 

It will reject the card as it will any non-ThinkPad branded card. You can only use your card with a BIOS hack. The leads snap onto the card. Honestly, I doubt there's a significant difference between any of the cards. That's been my experience anyway.

 

Thanks for the response, ZaZ. I knew I could count on you to respond.

I did have a suspicion that the Intel Wi-Fi Link1000 card would be rejected since ThinkPad BIOSes are notoriously picky about what you can install. I was hoping that they might have done away with their BIOS "whitelists" for acceptable hardware (hard drives, wi-fi cards, etc.).

So, I'm assuming that it would accept the 6200 card from my T410. In that case, I just have figure out which leads go on the card (I'll have the 3x3 screen.)

 

You could probably find a thinkpad branded card on ebay.

 

The 6200 card in my T410 should work. It's "ThinkPad branded". I'm thinking of swapping the cards once the X201 arrives and selling the T410 with the "ThinkPad" card installed in it.
(I really don't need TWO ThinkPads.)

UPS now says my X201 is in Portland, OR (only 150 miles from me). I guess they DO work on holidays, after all, except for the "out for delivery" part.