Lenovo T410 wifi problem

[Les.]

About a week ago, whilst trying to sort a Skype problem on Tamnara’s laptop, suddenly there was no WiFi connection. I came to the conclusion the Mini WiFi card must have died, dug out a spare, opened up the rear cover to find no WiFi card present! Oh well, I will fit one, which I did. At start up a message appeared saying there was an illegal WiFi card fitted, which should be removed, so I obliged. I have a big old  USB WiFi dongle, so I fitted that, which WORKED!. However, not a very good signal (Laptop upstairs, router downstairs on opposite side of cottage), so I ordered a new WiFi dongle, a modern one, small but not as small as some I have here. That would not work, nor would another small one I have. It seems the only thing that does work is the old one, which I have since plugged into an extension lead, improving the results somewhat.

I did a bit of a search, and found the following link where there are a few similar instances.

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-T400-T500-and-newer-T/lenova-t410-wifi-problem/td-p/430605

Right at the end, there is one solution offered, but that is a changed driver for windoze. This laptop is running under Mint 18.

I suspect a hardware fault, any comments, and other than the old dongle, is there any solution.

Les

Edit, sp.

[Ed P]

Many many years since I used it, but this used to work!

[Dave Rice]

Lenovo have a white list of wifi cards, if it’s not on the list it won’t work whatever the o/s. USB dongles will always be OK. There are guides out there to put a custom BIOS on it that gets rid of the white list, not had the need (or the cojones) to try it.

Lee started a thread recently about Mint and 5Ghz dongles, conclusion there aren’t any. My recommendation is a TPL WA801ND 300 Mbps Wireless N Access Point £23 at Amazon in client mode. As Mint would see it as an Ethernet connection there will be no compatibility issues and as it is configured through a browser no problems there either. It comes with a passive PoE connector allowing you put place it up to 100′ away from a power socket and it has holes for wall mounting. Twin 5dbi antenna will make the most of any signal.

I absolutely love them.

[Les.]

Ed, I do now have access using the big old dongle (I may retry the small new one again). From that link which I posted I now realise that WiFi can be toggled on and off using Fn + F5.

Dave, I am intending to install the next Mint (in a few days maybe), so I will see if that can find the “hidden somewhere” on board WiFi hardware. I MAY have somehow screwed it up in the OS somewhere, though it may have just died of its own accord just when I was playing with Skype.

If it is really dead, I will consult the white list and get one that is suited, then hope it works with the “existing on board” one not interfering. However, it may not make any financial difference if I tried that extender. I have read the user guide, and could probably set it up. I notice the info sheet says 110v supply, but I assume that is a typical 110 -270v SMPSU requirement.

Of course it is “something else” that SWMBO will complain about.

That is not a problem when she insists I get the “electric Santa” from the loft, so it can shine its bulbs in the window, together with two battery powered LED strings she has acquired.

Cheers, Les.

Edit, Sp.

[Ed P]

Sometimes Ubuntu/Mint ‘upgrades’ can be regressive wrt wifi drivers. I do not know why but Ubuntu have this terrible habit of using an ancient (carpy) driver in the place of the newest one.Just a warning that Ubuntu upgrades are not risk free!

If you can get the technical details of the on-board chip it may pay you to see if the chip manufacturer has released a Debian or Ubuntu driver.

[Dave Rice]

Yes Les it’s fine with UK voltage. I thing they just cut and paste specs from US sites without reading them.

Have a good root around in the BIOS, there’s some advice here in the Thinkpad Tab https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/solutions/ht071417

 

[Bob Williams]

Les, despite the nationality, your SWMBO sounds like mine.

” Of course it is “something else” that SWMBO will complain about. ”

Yesterday we were faced with the tasks of either wrapping the apparently hundreds of Pressies, or putting up the Xmas Deco. I thought she was still taking note of my recent illness when she gave volunteered me for the wrapping task. Deco is done, wrapping is maybe half done. Manana, baby.

No such sympathy! I had forgotten the huge picture frames we had taken to have 3x Games posters installed for N.1 Gson*. And the huge toolbox that we ordered for No.2 gson. 2 posters covered our kitchen table and overflowed at both ends. I have done one and now need more packing and more sellotape! The toolbox may be easier, although covered in thick plastic film. Daughter’s shoes (of which she has about a zillion) came in the dumbest of boxes: all sharp angles. More packing needed…

After 30 years I still forget how devious they are!

*These are apparently last-gen games, don’t ask me which ones. Beautiful artwork, and the Framers tell me they have researched the games and say they are worth a good few quid now, but in future will be even more so. No.1 (25 next month) has a spare room full of this stuff from the age of around 10. He always paid extra for any fancy boxes: the shelves I built for him when he moved in to his apartment, are stacked. Now he has a really good salary, he thinks nothing of shelling out big sums.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

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