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LTE Express Card for laptops? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Mar 2000
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LTE Express Card for laptops?
I wonder if its remotely possible to get a LTE Express card for laptops that works in the UK?
At work we are connected via mobile data most of the time (due to the temp building) and currently using MiFi units, connected via USB to laptops. However they're quite large and need the cable (for power). I used to have a 3G USB adaptor but that was a long time ago, and wondered if anyone did an LTE Express card or PCMCIA card, instead of having to use the MiFi with cable?! |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 587
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Quote:
I wonder if its remotely possible to get a LTE Express card for laptops that works in the UK?
At work we are connected via mobile data most of the time (due to the temp building) and currently using MiFi units, connected via USB to laptops. However they're quite large and need the cable (for power). I used to have a 3G USB adaptor but that was a long time ago, and wondered if anyone did an LTE Express card or PCMCIA card, instead of having to use the MiFi with cable?! |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,641
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They certainly exist as mini PCI-express cards, but there are two things to consider:
1) antennas - do you have a laptop with built in antennas (and in some cases, a SIM card slot?) ideally they would need to be designed for the LTE bands you want to use. Often laptop manufacturers install all of this on their higher end models - and call the laptop "WWAN ready/upgradable" which means it just doesn't have the actual WWAN card installed 2) BIOS whitelists - like WiFi cards, some manufacturers "whitelist" the approved WWAN cards that can be used in a laptop - cards that don't conform either won't work, or they prevent the machine from booting. You might have to find a way around it (depends on the manufacturer). If the laptops are "WWAN ready" in that they have slots/antennas/SIM card slots, it might be worth seeing what cards they recommend first. If you just want to give it a go, look at eBay, search for "LTE mini express" or something like that The lowest hassle route would be a 4G USB dongle, which do exist too |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2000
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Thanks all.
My laptop is WWAN upgradable but only to a known 3G mini-PCIe module, the 4G/LTE modules are not whitelisted sadly. I can't go hacking into the bios on this one. USB is interesting - but I guess quite elderly now, (Cat 3?) as everyone assumes you'll tether your phone or use a MiFi. I was thinking of external Express card to go in that unused slot on the side. ![]() Its weird you can buy an Android or iOS tablet and even a Surface 3 (with atom CPU) and get built in 4G capability, but not in most laptops.
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#5 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London, UK
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#6 |
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Quote:
It seems ExpressCards (PCMCIA) are not made because of signal issues with antenna location. Back to the large MiFi unit instead. |
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#7 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London, UK
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I'm Lenovo too and use a Lenovo branded EM7345 (not Cat6) just 100/50
And the new models shipping this fall are going to use the EM7455 - so it will only be a matter of time before they add the Lenovo version of the new card to your BIOS whitelist if your unit is relatively new. |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,641
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Quote:
I'm Lenovo too and use a Lenovo branded EM7345 (not Cat6) just 100/50
And the new models shipping this fall are going to use the EM7455 - so it will only be a matter of time before they add the Lenovo version of the new card to your BIOS whitelist if your unit is relatively new. IIRC the whitelists are thanks to the FCC. They want approval of the entire "solution" of laptop/antenna/card. So Lenovo would have to get each model approved with the card. In some cases you have to be careful about which version of the card you buy. Some laptop mfrs get the card manufacturers to use a custom PCI ID, which they then whitelist. e.g. a Dell card won't work in a Lenovo even though they are the same thing. I had to reprogram an Intel WiFi card to make it "generic" and thus work in a different machine - but that wasn't a whitelist issue, but a driver one (it noticed I was using a Lenovo card in a non Lenovo machine) |
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#9 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London, UK
Posts: 178
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Quote:
Presumably it depends on how new it is.
IIRC the whitelists are thanks to the FCC. They want approval of the entire "solution" of laptop/antenna/card. So Lenovo would have to get each model approved with the card. In some cases you have to be careful about which version of the card you buy. Some laptop mfrs get the card manufacturers to use a custom PCI ID, which they then whitelist. e.g. a Dell card won't work in a Lenovo even though they are the same thing. I had to reprogram an Intel WiFi card to make it "generic" and thus work in a different machine - but that wasn't a whitelist issue, but a driver one (it noticed I was using a Lenovo card in a non Lenovo machine) It will be shipping in the new P Series mobile workstations so I'm guessing it'll be in other models shortly as well. But yeah make sure its the Lenovo part- it'll be pushed to newish models via BIOS upgrades soonish - what model Thinkpad do you haver ? If it already supports the EM7345 it'll have a bios upgrade to the newer card for sure. The original X1 Carbon got upgraded to the EM7345 and its 3 years old. |
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#10 |
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Quote:
If it already supports the EM7345 it'll have a bios upgrade to the newer card for sure. The original X1 Carbon got upgraded to the EM7345 and its 3 years old.
I may be out of luck as its a full T430 not the S (slim?) version, and the EM7345 software download page doesn't mention my model. http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds040771 |
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#11 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London, UK
Posts: 178
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http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/prod.../thinkpad-t430
Yeah none of those cards are up to scratch, the T431s has support for the EM7345 so only one model away from yours, guess yours just missed the cull. Put yours on Ebay and get a T440/T450 - I've got an X1 Carbon 3rd Gen (had a 1st gen) and they're good machines (slipped a lot since IBM days but still ok) |
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