X200 X200s can use F3507g(43Y6479) WWAN with patched BIOS

OS = Windows Vista
Driver Loading....Done
System BIOS Version -> 6DET29WW (1.06)
Applying BIOS Version -> 6DET30WW (1.07)
System EC Version -> 7XHT21WW
Applying EC Version -> 7XHT21WW
AC adapter/Battery check....OK.

BIOS Flashing....BIOS Flash completed.

Thanks to Zender

no 1802, 1804, 1805 error

link h ttp://w ww.live-share.com/files/366325/6duj04us.zip.html
del the 2 spaces

 

Wait, what? How can you use WWAN on a X200s? Are the antennas there??

 

Would be nice wouldn't it! Hack the BIOS and the antennas suddenly appear!

The OP is mistaken about the X200s.

 

The x200s does indeed have the WWAN antennas, i have tried to install a Sierra M8775 with no success thou. I got the 1802 error.

 

Really? There are extra antenna cables? Interesting... So, why isn't Lenovo offering WWAN on it??

 

Good question, i stopped applying logic on anything lenovo does these days. Although on the video review of the x200s/x200t it stated both had webcam and WWAN.

 

OP is a chinese seller that specializes in wireless devices for electronics. I got my bluetooth module for my x200 from them. So while the english might be iffy they should have mostly solid information.

 

Has anyone tried to install a WWAN card in an X200s? Can someone try that and let us know if it works? It sounds like you would need a BIOS upgrade, but that should be easy. All you would really need to do is confirm that the correct antennas are there...

 

ahfioahosdi, did you miss my post above? I installed the M8775 WWAN card with the latest bios on my x200s but got the 1802 error. You need the Erickson F3507g card.

 

link provided. but do at your own risk.

 

Wow you are right, the Hardware Maintenance Manual DOES list WAN antennas for the X200s.

But how do you get an X200s with WWAN antenna?

None of the tabook configurations have WAN, or are "WAN upgradeable". WAN is not an option if you CTO online.

I do note that if you order the wireless USB (UWB) antenna, according to the tabook you get the WAN antenna also.

So maybe what you have to do is make sure your screen includes UWB antenna, and then you get the WAN antenna?

Are we having fun yet?

 

It looks like you can install hacked firmware on your machine that will bypass the whitelist entirely. Then you can use any mini-pci card you want.

Are you sure the antennas you found were for WWAN and not extra WLAN? Do you have the Intel 5300 wireless or the 5100 wireless? I gather that the 5300 uses 3 WLAN antennas and the 5100 uses 2 WLAN antennas. I have no idea what the 5350 uses for WiMax.... But, I do know that you can configure the 5350 with WWAN in the X301, so they must not use the same antennas...

 

I wasn't sure about this, but now as there seem to be some other theories I guess this really is the WWAN antenna:

I first thought this would be for a coming UWB-module.

Here's the nb51.com article (translated by google): http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://www.51nb.com/viewnews-42802-page-1&usg=ALkJrhj4M2OLyit8Cgk5h-kM4mgrOD8YJQ

 

Ok, well, I think that is enough evidence to convince me that Lenovo will offer the X200s with WWAN sometime soon... I think I will just put off my purchase until they start shipping with WWAN. I don't really want to deal with installing it myself and hacking the Bios and whatnot.... They must be planning to ship with WWAN, if they have the antenna in there. either that, or they screwed up and left 'em in...

 

There is no doubt in my mind that there will be WWAN on the Thinkpad x200s as well as an Integrated Camera. For example, model 7469-5QP will contain a WWAN card module and model 7466-3SG will have an integrated camera. The trouble is, you can only find those models in Europe right now and not here in N. America.

However, my concern is having a WWAN card module on a Thinkpad x200s with the LED WXGA+ option. Here is a link to 51nb that reviews the wires that surround the LED display of the x200s. I'm not too sure since i was reading this in a translated format, they seem to suggest that there is room for a WWAN or that it does in fact have the wires for WWAN.

http://www.51nb.com/viewnews-42966

 

This is my thought as well. The camera/WWAN are available on the European x200s because they use the same screen (and possibly entire top cover) from the x200. I think the LED lid is thinner than the CCFL lid and doesn't have adequate room for the camera/antennas. A thinner top cover is one of the ways many manufactures push LED technology. If you want WWAN or a camera internal, I think you have to move to either an x200 or x200 Tablet. However, both of these are thicker and heavier than the x200s.

 

hmm... that would be lame to not be able to get the WWAN with the LED screen, but I guess it would do.

What is the point of offering the X200s with the CCFL screen? Is it the same weight as the X200 then? I guess you get the battery savings of the lower voltage processor...

 

I think there is a weight factor in the heatsink materials (or less I mean) in the x200s.

 

The base of the x200s is also slightly thinner (2-4mm) than the x200 as a result of the smaller heatsink. However, if you use a 6 or 9 cell battery with the x200s, you forfeit the small improvement in thickness as they lift the x200s up to the same level as the x200.

The x200s is a solid option because of the WXGA+ LED, light weight, and battery life. However, if you need WWAN or a camera, you are going to have to make do with a WXGA screen.

If a CCFL is acceptable, I would say this makes the x200 a better choice due to the increased performance and lower price point. However, if you want an LED, I suggest you step up to an x200 Tablet, because it is tremendously flexible and has a screen that is beyond compare. However, the tablet is thicker, heavier, and pricier than the x200s, although I believe that it is certainly worth it.

 

And indeed does the WXGA+ X200s have a thinner lid. the upper part has the same-size, but the front-cover (frame) lost 1-2 mm in depth.

 

Which area is that antenna cable and card slot? Also, is it 2 antennas or just one? There would have to be 2 cables and connectors for WWAN. I believe they all have diversity.

If you look at the hardware maintenance manual, you should be able to tell if the slot you are looking at is for the UWB module or WWAN:<can't link yet!>

See page 90 and page 92. The WWAN appears to be in the lower right hand corner, next to the WLAN. The UWB appears to go in the upper middle of the notebook.



Here is the card I am interested in trying:
<can't link yet>

Has anyone successfully installed a WWAN card in an X200s?

 

trying to increase post count so that I can post the stupid links...

 

again.... again....

 

again.... asgainasfsd

 

stupid post count restriction.....

 

2 more posts to go!

 

1 more! shfapdfhaspdfhahsdipfasdfh

 

Ok, judging by the ThinkPad® X200 and X200s Hardware Maintenance Manual here:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-70149

It appears that in the picture you are showing the slot for the future UWB module. Look at page 92 of the manual.

Now, if you look at page 90 of the manual, it shows where the WWAN card should go. What does your X200s have at that spot? Are there two extra antenna cables hanging around in that spot? It should be next to the WLAN card.

Also! Can anyone confirm if the X200s has the SIM card slot under the battery like the X200? If the X200s doesn't have the SIM card slot, that would make it pretty unlikely that it would work.

I hope someone can respond. I would like to solve this mystery soon. I am thinking of ordering an X200s and would like to know if I would be able to upgrade it to WWAN in the future or not... Thanks for your help.

 

Talking to myself here, but the X200s:
http://www.51nb.com/forum/attachments/month_0811/20081105_b5e216a56277d351cbd6uQruaS4ulliv.jpg

X200:
http://www.51nb.com/forum/attachments/month_0811/20081105_def648fa4dcf1176cc0dims2MtbCqDVn.jpg

I can't tell enough detail to see if there is an extra cable for the WWAN in the X200s picture.... I can clearly see that the Mini PCIe slot is there..

 

More... The X200 with 3 antenna cables:
http://www.51nb.com/forum/attachments/month_0811/20081105_4fbc65ca8b4d42fbf626MAY3A4FpFdXR.jpg

The X200s also appears to have 3 antenna cables:
http://www.51nb.com/forum/attachments/month_0811/20081105_ae23573566eec0d922fcHc8pK5cIaXpH.jpg

 

On second thought, a closer reading of the service manual indicates that those 3 cables are all WLAN. Page 87:

So, what we are probably seeing in the pictures above are that the X200 and X200s computers they have taken apart only have the Intel 5100 wireless which only has two antenna jacks:
http://download.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/319981.pdf

The 5300 would have three antenna jacks:
http://download.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/319982.pdf

The final nail in the coffin is on page 169 where the service manual outlines the LCD FRU part numbers and clearly shows only 4 antenna cables for the X200s screen, while there can be 6 antenna cables for the X200. I.e. The X200 can have the Wireless LAN/WAN/USB antenna kit #44C5394, while the X200s only gets the Wireless LAN/USB antenna kit #43Y9841.

Lame. **** you Lenovo.

So, I guess our only hope for mobile broadband on the X200s will be WiMax. It appears that WiMax uses the same 3 antennas as the WLAN card:
http://download.intel.com/support/wireless/wmax/5350_5150/sb/21141_wimaxwifi_link_5350_final.pdf

Or alternately, you may be able to use WWAN in the X200s if you don't mind sacrificing one of your WLAN antennas. It *might* work, although that antenna will be tuned for operation in the 2.4 GHz band, I dont know how well it will work at 850 MHz or 1.9 GHz. Of course, it does also work at 5 GHz, so maybe the tuning isn't critical.

The other downside is that you wouldn't get diversity on the WWAN and you'd lose the 3rd antenna on your WLAN.

Ok, I'm done talking to myself. Maybe I'm just rehashing old news that Lenovo screwed the pooch on this one and couldn't fit all 6-antennas in their fancy LED screen. oh well. lame.

 

It looks like there is good news! It looks like the Intel 5350 WiMax / WiFi card is now available on the X200 and X200s! I was hoping they would do that soon. Now I will at least get one kind of WWAN on the X200S. I was lamenting the lack of WWAN on the X200s. I will still have to tether to my phone for UMTS / EvDO WWAN, but when WiMax rolls out I will be able to use that without an external card... Sweet!