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    x31, no wireless, PC Card options?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by BlueDevilTide, Aug 22, 2006.

  1. BlueDevilTide

    BlueDevilTide Notebook Geek

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    A friend of mine just bought an X31 on ebay, new in box, 256mb of ram, but it doesn't have any wireless. The X31 review here on Notebookreview.com says IBM is restrictive when it comes to what MiniPCI you can use.

    I have no experience opening up a laptop and installing anything (I'm helping him with his machine), and the review mentioned buying a Intel Pro Wireless 2200 b/g and putting it in, and some kind of BIOS hack to make it work with the Thinkpad. How much is the MiniPCI card, and how hard is it to open the machine and install it? Anyone have a link to a tutorial or the BIOS hack itself?

    The easier option would be to buy a PC Card to wireless, which if I read correctly, any kind should work. Any suggestions on a good/cheap one? I don't think he has any need for abg, just bg should be fine (our school doesn't offer A just yet, and a cheap price is important).

    Thanks a lot for the help.
     
    BlueDevilTide, Aug 22, 2006
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  2. NetBrakr

    NetBrakr Notebook Deity

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    Hello,

    Your friend can have a wireless PC card, but does your friend wants something sticking out of his laptop? Installing a minipci card is fairly easy to do, its like installing RAM, but there are two small wires that have to be connected to the minipci. When I got my notebook, it doesnt have a wireless card, because when the time I bought it, I was trying to saved some money, close to 2 yrs ago. About 6 months later, I bought a Dell 1350 wireless minipic card and its works wonderful, and I can use my PCMCIA slot as a 6-1 card reader.

    JC
     
    NetBrakr, Aug 22, 2006
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  3. NetBrakr

    NetBrakr Notebook Deity

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    NetBrakr, Aug 22, 2006
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  4. Fred from NYC

    Fred from NYC Notebook Evangelist

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    BlueDevilTide, if you don't want to open the notebook you can also use a USB wireless adapter. One advantage of a USB adapter is that you have fewer heat-producing elements inside the notebook. Still, for the sake of convenience and ease of use I would probably get a MiniPCI card. The instructions for installing such a card are straightforward, as you can see in the document mentioned by NetBrakr.
     
    Fred from NYC, Aug 22, 2006
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  5. BlueDevilTide

    BlueDevilTide Notebook Geek

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    Thanks for the help. I think he should get a dock for it as well, knowing his habits with CDs and such, but I know nothing about them. The x30/31 uses the Ultrabase X3 right? Does it have USB 2.0 or just the old one? I can't figure it out from the documentation. Thanks.
     
    BlueDevilTide, Aug 22, 2006
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  6. NetBrakr

    NetBrakr Notebook Deity

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    Yes, since your laptop created after 2000. it definetly have USB 2.0
    And yes, that is the correct docking.

    JC
     
    NetBrakr, Aug 22, 2006
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