WiMax

Can WiMax be added to existing laptops?

I am thinking about buying a Thinkpad X301. I have heard that Lenovo will offer WiMax as an option later in the fall. If I buy the X301 now is it going to be easy to add the WiMax function or would I be stuck without this connectivity?

Thanks for any info!

 

there will be external add on devices. not sure if you can add this on unless the antenna is already built in.

 

Even with the Intel Wifi 5300 you can't simply upgrade. The hardware is completely different.

 

ahhhh dammit. Oh well...not likely that WiMax is coming up to Canada anytime soon I think.

 

Bell and Rogers have been offering WiMAX (pre-final certification) service in Canada on the Inukshuk network. Not sure if it is compatible with the final WiMAX spec. I believe that you can swap the 5300 card out for the 5350 to get WiMAX capability.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060402-6507.html

 

thanks for the link....did not know that at all.

 

in my opinion actual widespread use of wimax doesnt seem to be realistic in the near future.

just like n-technology... how many wi-fi areas are applying 'n' and its been out for a while now.

 

@ali88:

I think you are wrong. as many hypes Wimax was celebrated very prematurely. It was the exact same situation with WIFI. you had no spots to find, and suddenly every coffee shop is offering wifi.

wimax is going to be a great success, and like any new technology it has some slow start.

 

Technically speaking - does anyone know a) when wimax is expected to be an inclusion option, b) if having it will cost battery life even when not in use (i wouldn't plan to use it right away, but living in Chicago i may want to if it does really take off)? Is there a separate "radio" that can be disabled to cancel out any losses, or is it more modem-ish not using (much) power until it's actually called upon? Does the radio constantly search for available networks?

 

It's not 100% sure yet. Both 5300 and 5350 cards have the identical 3 antennas connectors. The only thing that might make it not feasible for an upgrade is if the 5350 requires a different set of antennas on the notebook. I've been trying to find out if WiFi and WiMAX require different types of antenna, but I'm still not 100% sure cause there are antennas that work for both. On the FCC site, all the user guides, pictures, technical data, field test reports, etc. for the 5350 are there, maybe someone more knowledgeable can tell us more from reading those data and reports?

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas...=N&application_id=259755&fcc_id=\'PD9533ANXM\

 

Wait for the Lenovo with Wimax which will be out shortly. I am waiting for Wimax myself. While WiMax is likely not going to be available for 2008 locally, deployment will accelerate throughout 2009 and it will spread rapidly.

No need to guess when it will be out, but it should be very soon.

 

I was afraid of that.
If it would be easy to upgrade I would buy now but I don't want to drop $2k on a laptop and than regret it two months later.

 

exactly, just wait a while. plus, if you order one right now, it'll take anywhere from 4 to 7 weeks for you to get it. so maybe by the time you physically receive the book you already regret your investment

 

Wimax equipped notebooks will be out my guess is around September to October or so.

HOWEVER Wimax will NOT be available as a service till much later on in the nation. Some areas wont have Wimax till many years down the road. Only a small few cities are in the initial wimax lineup. Baltimore Maryland, Washington DC, Portland Oregon for instance. Adding Wimax allows one to add the service once it comes out through Clearwire for instance. Initially it could be marketted under Clearwire or Sprint Xohm, but the merger is set for year end.

With that being said, Intel Anti Theft technology will also be out in 4th quarter and I do not know if this will be a software upgrade or require new chips.

So I will wind up waiting for 4th quarter for Wimax and Intel Anti Theft. It is not that long of a wait.

According to X-bitlabs:

"The names of partners indicate that the feature should be supported by system itself, BIOS, core-logic and software, which may indicate that Intel Anti-Theft will be rather robust capability."

Lenovo has plans for it. With Wimax and Intel Anti Theft, theres no other features I need to wait for.

 

actually, it is not even close to the situation of WiFi. when Wifi was coming out there was nothing like it being commonly used by people all around the world.

and as we near the arrival of wimax, most people(by that i mean everyone with a laptop) will be capable of using the regular wifi technology. but there will be a rare percentage that decided to wait a couple months for a new laptop that will be able to use wimax. and even after it comes out, for atleast 12-18 months companies will be selling laptops with the older wifi technology.

so in this model i dont see wimax being commonly used for quite a long time.

 

Whether vendors still sell laptops without Wimax is not the issue.

One can get a laptop with a card for Broadband Wireless today. The thing is Clearwire is a best of breed product with top players behind it. Wimax is an intel standard like Wifi and will be common after the chips in the new laptops start to proliferate down the road.

I want to use Wimax and I do not want to have a seperate card which increases system weight therefore I will wait.

I either buy Montevina with Wimax or wait till Capella for 3rd quarter 2009 with Wimax. The choices are 4th quarter 2008 or 3rd quarter 2009.

Wimax to New York City is likely going to be on the horizon rather soon. Sprint already had plans for it and Clearwire will complete the acquisition by year end so I assume for 2009 at latest we will see some Wimax in the NYC market.

It will take some time for Wimax to proliferate throughout the USA starting in major cities at first.