X1000 Forums

x1000/zt3000/nx7000 - General => Upgrades and Accessories => Topic started by: ednjude on August 16, 2005, 01:35:00 AM

Title: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: ednjude on August 16, 2005, 01:35:00 AM
Hey,
I have to old wireless b and want to upgrade to wireless G... where is the wireless card on my x1050 and where can I get a good wireless G card?  Any help would be awesome.  I'm not terribly familiar with wireless stuff.
Title: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: kf_man on August 16, 2005, 07:16:29 AM
This is a fairly fun topic.  You cannot use a non-hp wireless card with your laptop if you have firmware newer than F.34.  If you have F.34 or older, you will be able to install any Mini-PCI wireless card into the laptop.  I would recommend the B/G wireless card from Intel (Intel Pro Wireless 2200).  You can buy them from lots of places online for decent prices. 

One advantage to the Intel B/G card is that you could mod the firmware on the card so that it will work with the latest BIOS.  I don't recommend it if you are not sure about yourself, but it doesn't seem too hard.  Also note that I have not tried this before and only know what I read.  Therefore, I cannot be held responsible for damage done to the card.

If you are interested in this, check it out here (http://x1000forums.gotdns.com/index.php/topic,32.0.html).

Let me know if you have any more questions.

EDIT:  Fixed the link.
Title: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: quietas on August 16, 2005, 12:29:27 PM
I've tried several mini-pci cards over the last couple years, startnig with an Intel 2100b. Then I went to a Dell Truemobile 1300 (b/g), when the F.51 bios came out and would not work with non-HP/Intel cards I switched to a Intel 2200 (b/g) but the range wasn't great. I've since moved back to the F.34 bios (works fine) and I bought an Atheros 5004X based card pulled from a Toshiba, it's A/B/G also and will work with any network. The atheros also has longer range and higher speeds.

If you buy an Atheros make sure you get a 5004 or later. There are 5001 and 5002, but they are the older slower models, and there are X (a/b/g) and G (b/g, no a) versions. Ebay has them a lot pulled from other computers for about $35-50.
Title: senao card mini-pci
Post by: flir67 on August 20, 2005, 11:02:50 AM
I tried the senao mini-pci that was inside my 3054-plus router. it didn't work also just to let everyone know. that one had the 200mw bridge,access mode features.
Title: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: kf_man on August 21, 2005, 10:23:57 AM
It didn't work even with an older BIOS?  I'm a little surprised at that, but it could be that they put some sort of lock on it to keep it inside the router.  Either way, now we know that it doesn't work, thanks for the addition.  There seem to be quite a few that do work though, including some desktop cards that have the mini-PCI pulled from them.
Title: forgot about the old bios, it worked
Post by: flir67 on August 28, 2005, 07:33:52 PM
I reflashed under the f.34 bios and the senao mini-pci works fine.
the only problem I've encounter with it is that it gets really hot on that side of the laptop now.it doesn't work that good for wardriving though compared to the intel , not sure why.. its a 200mw mini-pci that was in the 3054-plus deluxe senao bridge/ap unit

flir67-----------
Title: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: kf_man on August 29, 2005, 08:12:27 AM
That's good to hear, I was pretty sure that any mini-PCI card would work.  As for the heat, I would just assume that it's not as efficient as the intel.  Give it a try and if it gets too hot then maybe the intel would be better.  If it works for you, then great.
Title: where can I find drivers for it
Post by: flir67 on August 29, 2005, 08:41:23 AM
does anybody know where I can find prism drivers for the senao mini-pci b/g card.  I just using the factory xp ones that detected it.senao websited doesn't have them for the mini-pci.  

xp lists the driver as ieee802.11g with the word prism01 and 02

thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card GOT SCREWED BY an HP Specialist
Post by: alden on May 16, 2006, 10:58:09 AM
so, a couple of days ago I've got on the hp.com chatline talking with an "specialist".  My question was if I can flash the new BIOS with my upgraded mini PCI card Intel 2200G (the old one Intel 2100B).  The "specialist" said it would be OK and never mentioned that BIOS version F.55 has an OEM Lock for Intel firmware.  So I screwed up.
The question is:  has anyone used a roll back BIOS, is it possible to do so on X1000?  I've heard that someone done it on Dell but not too sure.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: deluxe on May 16, 2006, 06:39:14 PM
You can reflash v.34 and be fine, many have done that.  It's still available in the Drivers section for your notebook on HP's site.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: alden on May 17, 2006, 12:59:30 PM
downgraded it from F55 to F34.  The latest Intel software works well.  Thank you everyone.
The HP/Compaq "specialists" confused me over the chatline.  Three of them (!) were telling me that it is not possible to downgrade BIOS and they never heard of such a thing before.  I can't believe these kind of "specialists" are working for such a big company.  Eh, well!
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: deluxe on May 19, 2006, 06:14:46 PM
It's common knowledge that you have to flunk an IQ test to work at HP. :D
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: romeon on May 22, 2006, 02:51:58 PM
To be honest, I haven't flashed my bios since 2 years and I don't have any problems with this old one (F.10, 2003-09-30, SP25683). So I'll stay with it :).

Maybe next month I buy this Gigabyte miniPCI: http://www.gigabyte.us/Communication/Products/Products_Wireless_GN-WIAG02.htm
For me G is enough, my acesspoint doesn't support Super-G or A. Are there better miniPCI crads than the above one?

Thanks!
Title: F34 Bios update file for ZT3000 needed
Post by: draneon on May 22, 2006, 08:15:55 PM
I need the file sp27857.exe to flash my bios back to F34, though I can get it from HP but somehow my download speed from HP is just less than 1kb/sec. so I would really appreciate it if anyone who already downloaded the file could upload it to Sendspace or Yousendit or whatever. thanks in advance.

Thank you for the file Romeon !
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: romeon on May 22, 2006, 11:46:07 PM
Download (http://home.arcor.de/switek/test/test2/F.34(SP27857).rar)

Bios F.34 (SP27857).exe
(I renamend all after downloading to remember the exact version)
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: bmac on May 24, 2006, 11:30:40 AM
So I'm seeing the Intel b/g, the Dell truemobile 1370 and some other cards out on ebay right now.  Several of them are really cheap.  I currently have the Intel b card in my x1010.  Will one of the b/g or a/b/g card give me a more powerful connection and better range to my b class router?  I know when I run my work notebook, and IBM, I get a much stronger connection then with my X1010.  Is all I need the card and the drivers from dell or whomever?  Any down side to the upgrade?

Thanks,
-bmac
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: Rostov on May 31, 2006, 10:46:50 PM
Hello kf man the link to modify the firmware of the Intel Pro Wireless card 2200 it does not work, I hope so may fix it because really I need it.

Greetings.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: kf_man on June 01, 2006, 03:04:27 PM
Sorry about that, the link is all fixed.  That's a relic of the board migration.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: alden on June 05, 2006, 11:44:37 PM
Hey people,

I've tested two WiFi mini PCI cards: Intel 2200G and Broadcom G.  Intel sucks.  It just slows down.  Do not buy it if you want to upgrade it from B to G.  Broadcom is much better.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: romeon on June 08, 2006, 09:29:08 PM
Quote from: alden on June 05, 2006, 11:44:37 PM
Intel sucks.  It just slows down. 
Did you update your Intel Pro Set before? The older versions cause slow downs and interrupts.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: backdoc7 on September 11, 2006, 03:58:07 PM
kf_man,
i have a zt3000 with firmare F.10. guess i have one of the older zt3000's. anway, are you saying that with an older bios, i can pretty much upgrade to any mini-pci card and not just intel or broadcom. i have a broadcom card 802.11g now and it's been giving me trouble (frequent drops, slow, inconsistent) for some time and i would love to replace it. i hear good things about the atheros cards and want to try one, however, want to make sure it will work first.. once again, my bios version is F.10  thanks. Bill.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: kf_man on September 12, 2006, 12:20:19 PM
Yes, with the older version you can update to any card you want.  In fact, you can update your BIOS to any version prior to F.42 (I believe, please check around the forum before going on that; I want to say that it's F.35 or a later F.3x).  It's not too hard to do and you should have no problems.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: er_nordico on September 21, 2006, 05:00:16 PM
Another way for the atheros based... ( drivers problems under win though...)

http://www.dagarlas.org/stuff/computing/article0001.php
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: bwbuy on March 23, 2007, 05:08:22 PM
Another successful wireless upgrade thanks to this site.  I  got an Intel 2200BG on eBay. It was supposed to be an HP 'pull', but with F.51 BIOS, it wouldn't POST and gave me an unacceptable (or unrecognized?) wireless card error message.  Rats!

So, I swapped the 2100 back in.  I found the F.34 BIOS on the HP Support site. I had to search for the file name "SP27857.exe" and it led me to the download.  Ran it.  Shut down the machine.  Swapped the cards. Then when it started I went right into Win XP.  I had to install the new driver for the newly found hardware. and now I'm up and running at 802.11G using Windows Wireless.  Took about 1 1/2 hours with all the downloads and referring back to this thread for instructions.
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: mikebetz42 on June 21, 2007, 10:06:39 PM


    Anyone running a Dothan 2ghz CPU with the old F.34 BIOS???
Title: Re: Upgrading My Wireless Card
Post by: rattle on June 30, 2007, 01:30:50 AM
I'm using nx7010 with bios f.5X and I'm trying to install WIFI card-Atheros AR5005GS, will downgrading my bios to F.34(sp27857.exe) allowed me to intall this card.
Thanks in advance.