Laptops :: IBM Thinkpad 380...Dsl support for PCMCIA Wireless

simpletech,
I have a 380ed, and I recently did a frugal install of DSL on this machine. Like you, I wanted to revive this old laptop to use for web browsing and simple tasks.

Cardbus is not supported, but 16-bit pcmcia cards should work on the 380ed. I picked up a Netgear MA401 wireless card, and it is recognized and works great without any manual configuration. I also have a pcmcia ethernet adapter that was functional in Win95 that also works in DSL. I haven't used any dial-up modem cards.

Look for a 16-bit wireless card, and see if it is on the Verified Cards page on the wiki: http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Verified_Wireless_Cards

Cardbus devices have a connector that is slightly different from 16-bit cards, and they won't even fit in the 380ed's slots.

I hope this is the thumbs up that you were looking for. Good luck.

Here is the IBM website providing information on the 380ED.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc....ype=All

If you look down the bottom, the PC card slots do support Cardbus. The Texas Instruments PCI1131 controllers in the 380ED are exactly the same as in my HP5700 and Compaq 1530. Both computers failed to support Cardbus under DSL 2.4 but work absolutely fine under DSL 2.1b with the D-link DWL-G650 wireless card.

Regards,

Jonam

Quote

If you look down the bottom, the PC card slots do support Cardbus. The Texas Instruments PCI1131 controllers in the 380ED are exactly the same as in my HP5700 and Compaq 1530. Both computers failed to support Cardbus under DSL 2.4 but work absolutely fine under DSL 2.1b with the D-link DWL-G650 wireless card.

The 380ed will support cardbus only if you have it connected to the port replicator device. The port replicator adds extra peripheral support such as usb and cardbus to the 380ed which are not included on the standard system.

Search for the port replicator if you are interested.
The pcmcia slots on the left side of the laptop are not the Texas Instruments PCI1131 slots and will not support cardbus.

jxjx,

Sorry, my mistake, not having access to the machine, I could only go by the specs which have references to 32 bit buses and PCMCIA 2.1 (Cardbus) compliance (see below). The PCI1131 would then probably be part of the port replicator.

I did find out that the ED was the last of the 3XX series not to have Cardbus support on board.

Regards,

Jonam
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Architecture PCI 2.1 / 32 bit / 33 Mhz (EIDE, graphics, PCMCIA, Port Replicator)
ISA (audio, diskette, serial, parallel, infrared)
Intel Mobile Triton 82430 PCIset / Intel 82371MX PIIX / NS PC87338

PCMCIA slots 2 Type I or 2 Type II or 1 Type III / Zoomed Video support in lower slot /PCMCIA 2.1 compatible / PC Card Standard 95 / Cirrus Logic CL-PD6729 (PCI)
==========

Hi there
Just been runnig DSL for few weeks, but managed to get a toshiba 460CDT almost working.
Last step was to activate the PCMCIA, the solution was relatively easy : change the BIOS from 16bits carbus to compatible PCIC something
Worth a look... but then the internal modem is not working anymore

Still a bit of work : CDROM is not working and alsa is complaining about some modules.
Cheers
Edward

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