Controlling power on Intel 2915abg in ThinkPad T42

A colleague just got a factory refurbished T42 in which the reseller
replaced the Intel 2100b mini PCI card with an Intel 2915abg card. It
works properly except Fn+F5 doesn't recognize the card and thus won't
power it on and off.

Tried downloading and installing the Intel 2915abg drivers from Lenovo,
but no change, and no sign of the Intel PRO/Wireless Manager.

Next step would seem to be the generic Intel drivers from the Intel
site, but first checking to see if anyone knows how to get Fn+F5 working
without doing that.

Thanks.

--
Best regards,
John Navas

John Navas wrote:
> A colleague just got a factory refurbished T42 in which the reseller
> replaced the Intel 2100b mini PCI card with an Intel 2915abg card. It
> works properly except Fn+F5 doesn't recognize the card and thus won't
> power it on and off.
>
> Tried downloading and installing the Intel 2915abg drivers from Lenovo,
> but no change, and no sign of the Intel PRO/Wireless Manager.
>
> Next step would seem to be the generic Intel drivers from the Intel
> site, but first checking to see if anyone knows how to get Fn+F5 working
> without doing that.
>
> Thanks.
>
Hi,
Is the access connection installed?

Tony Hwang wrote:
> John Navas wrote:
> > A colleague just got a factory refurbished T42 in which the reseller
> > replaced the Intel 2100b mini PCI card with an Intel 2915abg card. It
> > works properly except Fn+F5 doesn't recognize the card and thus won't
> > power it on and off.
> >
> > Tried downloading and installing the Intel 2915abg drivers from Lenovo,
> > but no change, and no sign of the Intel PRO/Wireless Manager.
> >
> > Next step would seem to be the generic Intel drivers from the Intel
> > site, but first checking to see if anyone knows how to get Fn+F5 working
> > without doing that.
> >
> > Thanks.

> Is the access connection installed?

It is.

John Navas <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> hath wroth:

>A colleague just got a factory refurbished T42 in which the reseller
>replaced the Intel 2100b mini PCI card with an Intel 2915abg card. It
>works properly except Fn+F5 doesn't recognize the card and thus won't
>power it on and off.
>
>Tried downloading and installing the Intel 2915abg drivers from Lenovo,
>but no change, and no sign of the Intel PRO/Wireless Manager.
>
>Next step would seem to be the generic Intel drivers from the Intel
>site, but first checking to see if anyone knows how to get Fn+F5 working
>without doing that.

Can I guess(tm)?

1. Check if APCI is enabled in the BIOS.
2. Check of APM is enabled in the BIOS.
3. Check the BIOS for any feature that looks like "power control" or
"battery save".
4. Check the properties for the 2915abg and see if Power Management
is enabled. There are a large number of possible settings in Proset
under "Appliation Settings" that might be the culprit. You have to
check the box "Include Applications Settings in this package" to make
them appear.
5. If using Proset 10.x, check the "power save polling" feature. This
has some weirdness associated with it. See:
<http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-006205.htm>
This is not the same problem, but the settings locations are detailed.
6. Is there a Bluegoof adapter installed in the same machine? I've
seen some interaction between the BT and WiFi drivers fighting for
power control. I don't think they both use Fn-F5 for on/off, but it's
worth checking.
7. Have you downloaded all the megabloats of updates from IBM using
the Thinkvantage software update tools? I think it will detect the
2915abg and download whatever Lenovo considers the latest.
8. Are you sure it's a real 2915abg and not a counterfeit? I haven't
seen this with Intel wireless yet, but certainly have with other cards
I've purchased cheap on eBay. Try the ID tool at:
<http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID=1847&DwnldID=8061 >
and see if it properly identifies the card. It probably will, but
it's worth a try.
9. Are you sure it's Fn-F5 and not Fn-F2? See:
<http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-020275.htm>


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Tue, 12 Dec 2006 09:34:15 -0800, Jeff Liebermann
<jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> wrote in
<jvotn2l8fdq4v7tub05v5bq7f5vivafl5k@4ax.com>:

>John Navas <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> hath wroth:
>
>>A colleague just got a factory refurbished T42 in which the reseller
>>replaced the Intel 2100b mini PCI card with an Intel 2915abg card. It
>>works properly except Fn+F5 doesn't recognize the card and thus won't
>>power it on and off.
>>
>>Tried downloading and installing the Intel 2915abg drivers from Lenovo,
>>but no change, and no sign of the Intel PRO/Wireless Manager.
>>
>>Next step would seem to be the generic Intel drivers from the Intel
>>site, but first checking to see if anyone knows how to get Fn+F5 working
>>without doing that.
>
>Can I guess(tm)?

Sure, but to be clear, the basic problem is just that the Wi-Fi card
can't be powered on/off with Fn+F5 because the ThinkPad software can't
find a supported card/driver. Otherwise the card works fine. Another
problem is that I don't have ready access to the machine.

>1. Check if APCI is enabled in the BIOS.
>2. Check of APM is enabled in the BIOS.
>3. Check the BIOS for any feature that looks like "power control" or
>"battery save".

I'm pretty sure that (a) all BIOS settings are at defaults and (b) none
of them have any effect on this particular issue, but I'll nonetheless
check when I get a chance.

>4. Check the properties for the 2915abg and see if Power Management
>is enabled. There are a large number of possible settings in Proset
>under "Appliation Settings" that might be the culprit. You have to
>check the box "Include Applications Settings in this package" to make
>them appear.

I don't think any of these settings have any bearing on this particular
issue, but I'll nonetheless check when I get a chance.

>5. If using Proset 10.x, check the "power save polling" feature. This
>has some weirdness associated with it. See:
><http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-006205.htm>
>This is not the same problem, but the settings locations are detailed.

Again, I don't think any of these settings have any bearing on this
particular issue, but I'll nonetheless check when I get a chance.

>6. Is there a Bluegoof adapter installed in the same machine? I've
>seen some interaction between the BT and WiFi drivers fighting for
>power control. I don't think they both use Fn-F5 for on/off, but it's
>worth checking.

No Bluegoof.

>7. Have you downloaded all the megabloats of updates from IBM using
>the Thinkvantage software update tools?

Yep.

>I think it will detect the
>2915abg and download whatever Lenovo considers the latest.

It should, but I've already downloaded and installed the appropriate
driver manually.

>8. Are you sure it's a real 2915abg and not a counterfeit? I haven't
>seen this with Intel wireless yet, but certainly have with other cards
>I've purchased cheap on eBay. Try the ID tool at:
><http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID=1847&DwnldID=8061 >
>and see if it properly identifies the card. It probably will, but
>it's worth a try.

I'll check when I get a chance.

>9. Are you sure it's Fn-F5 and not Fn-F2? See:
><http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-020275.htm>

ThinkPads definitely use Fn+F5.

--
Best regards,
John Navas