[Fwd: Re: Need Opinions on 3945ABG Wireless Card]

[Kevin Oberman]

> Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:23:25 -0400
> From: DW <dwinner-lists at att.net>
> Sender: owner-freebsd-mobile at freebsd.org
> 
> Thanks, in the meantime, it seems prudent to pick up ath card/Thinkpad 
> 802.11a/b/g mini-pci (for those interested, part # 40Y7026).
> 
> The T60 does had 2 slots; one for either the 3945 or 11abg wireless card 
> and a second slot that will either be empty or have the Verizon Wireless 
> WAN card (which I understand has no FreeBSD support, but I don't care).
> 
> Did some more research today, and it seems like an ath card is the way 
> to go, 3945 support or no; these are also discussed on 
> formus.thinkpads.com (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=25430), 
> and another compelling argument is some benchmarking between the two. 
> While not scientific or definitive, some anecdotal evidence that the 
> atheros works better in a weak signal environment than the Intel cards, 
> and also runs cooler than the Intel cards.
> 
> Just thought I would share that; something to think about.

But...but...it won't be Centrino(TM) any more!!!  :-)

> The only additional bit that I have to offer is that it is no longer as 
> easy to install mini-pci cards (or RAM for that matter) then it was on 
> the earlier thinkpads. Before you could just flip the laptop over, 
> remove a screw, and access the slot. Now you have to remove 5 screws 
> from the belly, remove the battery, flip it over, carefully remove the 
> palm rest w/ the touchpad just to install extra RAM, then additionally 
> lift up the keyboard (which isn't that big a deal if you get the first 
> step of removing the palm rest). It's not terribly difficult, but it 
> isn't so easy to re-attach the palm rest when you're finished. I think I 
> might have botched the cheap plastic tabs that hold the bezel in place, 
> and now there some noticeable give at the seams. I have unlimited 
> accidental repair warranty, so I might send it back to set things 
> straight once things settle down.

Note that the screws that hold the thing together are plastic coated and
the maintenance manual states that they should be replaced (along with
the plastic tabs) an not re-used. They also claim that the keyboard and
wrist pad are "customer removable" to comply with FCC regulations, so
you can't be violating the warranty by doing this. (I feel like I should
put a smiley here, too, but it ain't funny!)
-- 
R. Kevin Oberman, Network Engineer
Energy Sciences Network (ESnet)
Ernest O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
E-mail: oberman at es.net			Phone: +1 510 486-8634