X200: Successful Upgrade from WiFi 5100 to 5300

Just wanted to report that my upgrade from the WiFi 5100 card to the 5300 card went well. I purchased the 5300 card from ebay for like $20 (make sure to find one that works with the ThinkPads).

The upgrade itself was very simple, following the instructional videos found on the www.lenovoservicetraining.com website.

A couple of people wanted to know if the third antenna would be tucked away unused somewhere, but it was not. There was no third antenna in mine, just the two used by the 5100 card.

However, there were two additional antennas meant to be used by the WWAN card, which my X200 did not come with. I just pulled one of these antennas and fitted it on the 5300's third antenna slot. I figured if it fit, it was probably the same type of antenna and probably would be ok to use.

So far, its been working great. I found at least three new networks in my neighborhood that weren't showing before. So, the extended range is there. Also, the 5300 seems to connect to and stay connected to my router at 130Mbps, where as the 5100 would only sometimes connect at 130Mbps and mostly stayed connected at 65Mbps.

So, there you have it. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.

RA

 

You didn't take pictures ?

 

No, I didn't have a camera with me. But, like I said, the videos on that website are pretty good and should guide you along just fine. You just need to remove the palm rest to get to the wifi card.

 

Anybody have any thoughts on whether using one of the two free WWAN antennas for the third 5300 WiFi Link antenna was a good or bad idea?

The way I figure, using an additional antenna of any type could only be an improvement over using two and leaving the third slot empty, right?

 

You shouldn't do that. Wireless communication is extremely sensitive to the physical properties of the antennas. I've read a report that the third antenna cable of some X200 is sometimes missing. Call Lenovo for a service.

 

Oh, I could always watch the videos. But I like seeing user photos.

 

Just want to report that Izmi might be correct. I removed the third antenna I had borrowed from the two meant for the WWAN card and I think my reception improved a little bit.

Also, I think that the X200 will have three antennas if you have one without a webcam. If you get the webcam, you get the 2x2 antennas, and without the webcam you get 2x3. Currently on Lenovo's site you can only choose the option with the webcam and the 2x2 antennas, so I'm betting that even if you get the 5300 installed from the factory, it will only come wired with two antennas. I could be wrong, but I think that is the case.

Has anyone with a 5300 and webcam ever opened up their laptop and seen three antennas wired to it? Actually the Intel Proset utility also lists how many antennas are wired to the card, so thats an easy way to check, too.

RA

 

here is the thread (german!) about an x200 which should have a third antenna cable but which was missing: http://www.thinkpad-forum.de/thinkp...tz-intel-5300-agn-nur-2-wlan-antenen-statt-3/

the poster of that thread got his notebook serviced by Lenovo and now has the missing cable connected to his wlan card.

check whether your notebook should have 3x3 or 2x2. if you have 3x3 but only two wlan cables, then it seems that you have to service your notebook. basically, all x200s which were sold with a 5300 card should have three cables.

 

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X200

The think wiki has a note about what I mentioned. Basically the X200 laptops with webcam have the 2x2 antenna configuration so they will not have 3 antennas for the wifi card, even if you got the 5300. Currently there is no option to pick the no webcam, 3x3 config on Lenovo's site.

This only applies to the X200, not the T or S models.