[ltp] MiniPCI WLAN - 2656-J2u, Part II

[Sean O Sullivan]

Hello

I contacted you previously regarding a related issue - Another enquiry
regarding miniPCI Wireless on R31 2656-J2U.
After getting money together to get miniPCI card & Antenna Kit, have found
just how hard it is to find a place to purchase from [Ireland has few IBM
resellers who will sell to end-users, and have had arguements with others
telling me I wanted PCMCIA, or low-profile PCI, as miniPCI doesn't exist
as they have never heard of the concept...].

I found documentation from IBM refering to which Thinkpad this WLAN card
supports, and it seems quite specific - I was told that due to model of my
laptop - I don't suffer from the BIOS-enabled 'security feature' of
invalid cards - however is there something specific about this card that
would not enable it to work with the R31, or ... ?
Would I be better off going for a ?generic? miniPCI card.

By the way - the reason I'm going for this card is that I cannot find any
place in Ireland that does miniPCI - Only two places I know do them
[according to their websites] - one being the former, and the other I
haven't had the pleasure of speaking to yet - but don't wish to waste time
if there is 'issue' with this.


Big extracts below of issues I'm talking of :


Have found the Wifi Mini PCI 802.11a b g for ThinkPad, manufacturered by
IBM [Part Num : 31P9701]
The IBM Site tells me :

]Hardware Compatibility
]
]The IBM 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI adapter is supported on the
following IBM systems:
]System Name
]
]Machine Type
]
]Model
]ThinkPad R40 P M
]2722, 2723, 2724, 2892, 2893, 2897
]Select Wireless-upgradable
]
]ThinkPad R40 Celeron and P4
]2681, 2682, 2683, 2896, 2898, 2899
]Select Wireless-upgradable

]ThinkPad R50
]1829, 1830, 1831, 1836, 1840, 1841
]Select Wireless-upgradable
]ThinkPad R50p
]1832, 1833
]Select Wireless-upgradable
]ThinkPad T40, T41
]2373, 2374, 2375, 2376, 2378, 2379
]Select Wireless-upgradable
]ThinkPad X31
]2672, 2673, 2884, 2885, 2890, 2891
]Select Wireless-upgradable
]ThinkPad X40
]2371, 2372
]Select Wireless-upgradable

And Driver docs specify :

RELEASED VERSIONS
-----------------
Version        2.1.10.0        Supports ThinkPad R40
Version        2.1.10.0        Added support for ThinkPad T40/T40p,
                         ThinkPad X31
Version 2.3.0.4         Problem fix
Version 2.4.1.4         Added support for WPA and CCX
Version 2.4.1.6         Problem fix
Version        2.4.1.7         Added support for ThinkPad R50,
                         Thinkpad T41
Version        2.4.1.9         Added support for ThinkPad R50p,
                         Thinkpad T41p
Version        2.4.1.10        Added support for ThinkPad X40
Version        2.4.1.12        Problem fix
Version        2.4.1.13        Added support for ThinkPad R51
Version        3.1.1.52        Added new features support
                         Added support for ThinkPad T42/T42p
Version        3.1.1.5401      Problem fix


Regards,

Sean O Sullivan

P.s.
User opinion on the Intel board [personally I'd prefer to pay extra for 
IBM ... as not too fond of Intel stuff - however now that Intel have 
their sourceforge site going for the adapter, may it be better than 
IBM's - for Linux driver support at least? ... p.p.s. it's the 802.11 
b/g Intel adapter 2000BG I believe is model - saw in work, and didn't 
manage to take exact name down].
-- 
Sean O Sullivan
BitBucket, IT Carlow's Networking Society
http://netsoc.itcarlow.ie