Buy/install a wireless card or return this Thinkpad?

I bought a T530i. I did not pay attention to its specs and thought wireless is available on each Thinkpad.

Well, I am wrong.

Its specs says: Network Card Integrated Wi-Fi wireless upgradable

I am on the fence of returning it or buying and installing a network card. Three questions:

1. Installing a wireless network card in T530 is difficult? Something that does not need special tools?

2. Is this the right stuff to buy? I found this at eBay.

HP Compaq 572511 001 Wireless Card IBM Lenovo FRU 60Y3233 Intel Ultimate N 6300 | eBay

3. Your suggestion?

Thanks for any input!

Regards.

 

You should make sure you buy a Lenovo branded WIFI card, and one that shipped with your machine. I 'm not sure this is such. Otherwise, it should be very easy to install.

 

All you need is a small Philips screwdriver and a HMM...

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/t530_t530i_w530_hmm_en_0b48474_02.pdf

You'll also find the FRU numbers for the applicable wireless cards in the HMM.

Good luck.

 

The phrase "wireless upgradable" means the antenna leads are installed so installing the card will be easy, however lenovo factory bios has a whitelist of approved cards and the card must have a lenovo part number to be recognised. Installing one is usually very easy, assuming you get a compatible card, just be careful of many cards sold online that are engineering samples or are not what they claim to be. It looks like the description says it has a lenovo fru number, but why does it list HP in the description as I believe they have the same restriction.

I would check the hardware manual and see what wifi cards are optional on your system and get one of them, then you'll know it's compatible.

 

Commander Wolf, ajkula66, and TuuS,

Thanks so much for your input. Looks like I am going to add a wireless card myself and keep this Thinkpad.

Thanks, again!

Best.

 

I cannot seem to find the FRU for the wireless card. Hope I did not miss anything.

 

You didn't miss anything.

For some reason this HMM - unlike the old ones - doesn't list any FRU numbers. Duh.

My apologies for misleading you.

 

You could try finding archived PSREF or TAbook. T530 should be like 6205, 6235, 6300, etc.

 

You did NOT mislead me. I got that impression too.

I cannot even say enough thank-you for helping me in the first place!

Best.

 

We're all glad to help.

btw, perhaps you can contact Lenovo and ask them what cards they offer, ask detailed questions about each optional card including manufacture, model number and FRU number, then you'll have a list of cards that you know are compatible, not all inclusive of every card that will work but you should have several that you can be certain will... then it's only a matter of finding the best source.

Good Luck

 

TuuS, thanks! That is the plan! -David

 

I'm in the same boat: I just bought a T530i without a wireless card. I'm looking for the list of whilelisted cards.
Can you tell me what you found out?

My t530i has 3 antenna leads (white, grey, black). I hope that means that it can use an 802.11 AC card. Is that the case?

This page is helpful for installation PCI Express Mini Card for wireless LAN removal and installation - ThinkPad T530, T530i, W530

This page was supposed to list WLAN and WWAN cards but only lists WWAN cards Wireless Devices - Reference Guide

I don't think that the notebook has a bluetooth daughter card. An WiFi card with bluetooth support would be useful. But I'd guess that none would be whitelisted. Would the antenna leads also work for a dual WiFi/bluetooth card?

Thanks!

 

There is no "list" of whitelisted cards per se. The closest you'll come to that is the list of FRUs that are present in the HMM for the *particular* - in your case T530 - model.

I have yet to see an AC card with 3 antennae. With that said, I'd expect that you'll be greeted with a "1802 error" on boot if you install an AC card.

You may want to look into a modded BIOS for your machine.

Good luck.

 

You pointed at the HMM earlier in this thread (thanks!). You also noticed a bit later that this HMM does not list FRUs. That's why I asked my followup question.

If AC cards don't use 3 leads, what does? I just naively assumed more leads = more antennae = more frequency bands.

PS: I still smile fondly when I see your Citroën picture.

 

Mad Cow disease finally kicking in...my apologies.

A bunch of conventional "N" cards have three antenna hookups, Intel 6300 being one of them.

Thank you...:thumbsup:

 

After a bit more research, I think that the WiFi card supported by the t530 family that has the most features is the "Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 Wi-Fi adapter". Here's an Intel blurb on that model Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300,

According to the Intel Product Brief ( http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-briefs/centrino-ultimate-n-6300-brief.pdf), there are only two models: 6300ANHMW and 6300ANHMWEBC. The second is "extended availability", so probably not relevant. Intel seem to add more suffixes based on the quantity that they sell in a package. I can find a 633ANHMWWB in a local store; the extra "WB" at the end seems to mean "sold in quantity 10".

I'm hoping that I can just buy one of these and install it. I am hoping that Lenovo doesn't get custom PCI IDs for their version. In other words, I'm hoping that the one I'm looking at would be whitelisted Does anyone know?

 

Oh but they most certainly DO.

You need an appropriate FRU number on the card, otherwise here comes the "1802 error"...

 

With the help of a Lenovo support person, I found http://download.lenovo.com/parts/ThinkPad/t530_fru_bom_20131007.pdf

Code:

FRU PN  CRU ID  Description
60Y3233 2       6300 WLAN
60Y3247 2       FXC 11WLAN
60Y3249 2       LTN 11WLAN
60Y3253 2       TP 22 WLAN
60Y3295 2       Marble Peak [seems to be an Intel Wireless N 2200]

 

Absolutely right. I tried a generic 6300 WiFi card and got that error. All this happened in the store so it cost nothing but time.

 

I ordered a Bluetooth card and WiFi card. They don't seem to come with the required screws "M2 x 3mm, wafer-head, nylon-coated".

Where would one find these? Would normal computer repair shops have them?

 

In the days of *20 series, there would be a small "mock-up" set with the screws already included...none of that on your machine? It's like a placeholder, for a lack of better word...

I'd try a conventional hardware store before a computer store...but I really don't have a solid answer for you in this respect.

 

Yes, with my upgrades I've done even though there wasn't a card in the slot already the retaining screws where there.