Thinkpad 11a/b/g/n shipped so quick, really?

I ordered a T61 with Thinkpad 11ABGN wireless card on Monday. When customizing there's a note saying "Selecting this option may delay your shipment more than 4 weeks." The estimated delivery date is Oct. 11 (yeah!), but now I see the order status shows it's SHIPPED. Huh? Could that be indeed the wireless card that I selected?

Also is it worth to pay some $40 more to get Thinkpad ABGN instead of Intel AGN?

 

I am sure you were shipped with the correct NIC. Often their time estimates are not always accurate and projected when they will ship at the latest.

 

The ThinkPad ABGN is using the Atheros chipset - which supposedly provides much better performance than the Intel ABGN. However, it comes at the cost of a higher price, slightly more heat output, and consequently it uses more power and therefore a lower battery life. I have hte Atheros ABG in my T60 and it has never been a problem for me.

 

thinkpad's ABGN is actually an atheros chip. it gets much better reception than the intel, but for 40 bucks, it probably wouldnt be feasible for most.

 

Thanks for so quick replies. So looks like their estimated shipping date is far too conservative--in my case more than 2 months' difference!

How do you guys compare Thinkpad ABG (w/o N) with Intel AGN? Which is more reliable? I read somewhere that the problem with a wireless card with N is that N has not been standardized yet...?

 

the one with N utilizes MIMO, known as Multiple In, Multiple Out. In order to use this technology, Lenovo puts 3 instead of the normal 2 antennas in your LCD's bezel frame. The ABGN card, regardless if Intel / Atheros I believe, if you choose that option it comes with the 3 antennas. Therefore theoretically you should be able to get better reception and speeds with the ABGN on, say, a G network compared to an identical laptop with only the ABG card.

 

Thanks for the explanation. So the advantage of N over ABG should override the relative reliability of Atheros over Intel?

 

well, i dont think you should really be worrying about N at the moment. However, I would get the ABGN Atheros as it probably would be the best choice to "futureproof" your laptop - you can use hte MIMO while in G mode and still have the N capability for the future.

 

How come I don't see that option on the website....
Where did you see it ???

 

thinkpad 11a/b/g/n is cheaper than t he intel one . intel is 45 more expensive

 

I don't think I've seen any comparisons of the new Intel AGN card (4965AGN) to the new Atheros AGN card, just lots of people saying since the previous generation Intel card (3965AG) was worse then the previous generation Atheros AG card then the new generations don't change that.

Sure the new 4965 chipset may suck, but then it could be the new version is finally worth getting

 

The only N option that I see avaliable is with the Intel chip. What models can use the Atheros N chip?

 

If we choose say Intel AGN now, can we later upgrade to Atheros N? Is it costy? Is it easy/difficult to do by oneself?

 

it isn't hard. Yes you can swap out the Intel for the ThinkPad (atheros) one, its pretty easy to do.

 

Easy like upgrading the RAM? How much does a Thinkpad/atheros card cost? (IOW is the upgrading cost comparable to if we customize the laptop with it in the beginning?) Thanks in advance

 

is it not an option. thinkpad abgn doesn't exist.

 

It did exist, they just took it off the site from lack of stock

 

I ordered the AGN one because I figured, at worst, I wouldn't want to deal with the 3rd antenna later on on my own. If I hate the intel card or for some reason the draft N doesn't work in the future, at least I'll have the antenna.

 

Sorry to break it to everyone, but at least in the t61 and t61p, Lenovo says the N in the Intel AGN card is disabled. No idea if it could ever be enabled, but possibly not since N requires 3 antennas on the system.

 

But I remember seeing a configuration page where there are two Intel AGN options, one of them with the added parenthetical phrase "(N disabled)" or something like that. Presumably the other w/o this phrase didn't have it disabled?

 

Wow, I didn't see that when I ordered. And why the hell would they do something so stupid? Then again, it wouldn't surprise me.

Well, I have an N router, so when my t61p arrives this week, I'll try it out and if it doesn't work, call Lenovo and figure out what's up.

 

I must have seen that configuration page from that obscure link that some provided here. Just now I checked that link and it's GONE! "can't find the server"!

edit: site back

 

They were using my t61p as the server and finally decided to ship it out.