Feasability of swaping Vzw with Sprint EVDO miniPCI card

BryanHarig · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: NYC

I know that this a topic that has come up in the forum before, however I have not seen a definative answer or sucess story. Hopefull this thread can serve as a resourse for anyone interested in replacing Vzw EVDO with Sprint.

I would like to replace the integratede Vzw EVDO miniPCI card of a lenovo Thinkpad with a Sprint compatible one.

Since the WWAN ready thinkpad features the correct antenna already I see two obsticals: Obtaining hardware and drivers.

Hardware:

A Sprint compatible EVDO Rev 0 minicard is available from dell for $179: part# 430-2209

A Sprint compatible Sierra Wireless MC5725 EVDO Rev A miniPCI card is part of the Digi ConnectPort™ WAN VPN. One could buy it and gut it to remove the miniPCI card. However at $800 it is a pricey way to go.

Questions:

Does anyone know the part numbers of the Rev A miniPCI cards used in the Sony Rev A laptops? Perhapse we could order them in a similar fashon to the dell card.

Will the new Sprint compatible miniPCI card be recognized by windows automatically or does it need additional drivers?

Obviously the Vzw connection manager software will no longer work, can it simply be replaced by the Sprint connection manager software from their webpage? (whereever that is available, their page stinks)

I would like to be able to manage the WWAN connection in the IBM access connections utility with the other network connections. Will this be possible with a nonstandard Sprint compatible miniPCI card?

I realize that it would be easier to use a USB or cardbus Sprint compatible card but as I will be using this with a tablet PC I would be much happier with an internal solution. Since I am an existing customer I will be buying the equipment outright so I am willing to spend money to get this done.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

(Sorry for not providing links to the products I mention, the board software at my post when I tried to post them.)

socksbb · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject:

This will not be a problem. However, I would not get the Dell branded card, or the Rev A card you mention.

Go to a sprint store, or 3gstore.com and buy a U720. The U720 is nothing more than a Mini-PCI card inside a USB enclosure.

Install the U720 software, and Connection Manager, then

You can open the U720, and remove the PCI-Card, and insert it in the Mini-PCI adapter on the laptop.

You will need to use the Sprint Connection Manager to manage the connection.

The U720 is Rev A, and works great.

I replaced the Rev O card in my Dell D420 with a U720's card, and now I have Rev A, and GPS built in-to my laptop, what could be better?

( If you need help, just let me know. The only thing you will need is a special screw driver to open the U720, I just took the U720 to Home Depot, and they found me a $0.98 screw driver that worked perfectly.

liquidspry · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject: Stinky Site?

There (stinky Sprint) downloads are available at www.sprint.com/downloads here you will find all related downloads........

BryanHarig · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: NYC

That is great info, thanks! I assumed the USB cards used some type of custom PCB, if its a normal miniPCI card in there that is perfect!

socksbb · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:55 am Post subject:

You can see the internal of the USB card in the attached image.

gshukov · EVDO Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

Were you able to make this work in your Thinkpad? Everything appears fine with my U720 in my Thinkpad T60p but it's unable to find the service signal (plenty of signal at this location, too). An IBM tech came out today and replaced my antenna, so I know that's not the problem. Any thoughts?

dsampley · EVDO Newbie Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 2

This is a great forum, thanks for all of the good information.

socksbb,

I have a Dell D820 and have purchased a USB720 from Verizon. I already have the embedded REV-0 card in my D820. I plan to remove the mini PCI card and inserting into my laptop. Just to confirm, do I need to use the Verizon provided software or do I use the Dell software?

Thanks!

BryanHarig · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 3 Location: NYC

socksbb · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 5:39 pm Post subject:

dsampley · EVDO Newbie Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Posts: 2

I installed the REV-A card in my D820 and installed the Verizon software. However, my laptop refuses to load any drivers for the card. I keep getting an error message that no drivers are available for the device. I tried manually pointing to the directory where the Verizon drivers were located and had the same error. I then put the card back in the USB enclosure and then connected to my laptop and the laptop again refused to load any drivers.

I am just curious if anyone has seen this error and anything they might have done to get the drivers to load.

randy20g · EVDO Newbie Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Posts: 8

I bought the USB720 yesterday. I opened it up, swapped the modules in the d820. As soon as I turned it on, it recognized it and loaded all the drivers. I tried to use it with the dell software, but it does not work. As said b4, the Dell software is Dell locked. I installed the VZM software. I ran the wizard, and used pc card as type. It found the module and installed it. All works well. Rev A.

Randy

randy20g · EVDO Newbie Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Posts: 8

One more thing. I dont know if this is just a quirk, but everytime I load the VZM software, I lose my Dell WIFI icon. Even if I reload the Dell WiFI manager, it wont come back until a reboot. WIFI works, but no icon. I could simply use VZM to mange WIFI, but the Dell program has more to it.

stephenaron · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject: Card swap

I too have an internal rev 0 card in my Ibm t60p. I want to put the new rev. A card inside, but couldnt find out how to buy it. I read your post and wanted to know how things are still working? How did you connect the leads inside the laptop? Clips? Sodder? I replaced the cpu in my t60p before myself, so i know how to take all the pieces out adn put them in again. I would love to be able to keep using an internal card, and not have to use a pc card or express card. Any help would be great.

socksbb · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: Re: Card swap

spotman · EVDO Newbie Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

would anyone know if its possible to do this same procedure to the sony vaio txn series laptops? (remove the sprint card, and install a verizon card)

I am seriously considering purchasing a txn27n, but I still have a year left on my vzw contract and am very happy w/ vzw. Unfortunately running a pcmcia/expresscard is not an option, I really like embedded cards.

Thanks for any light anyone can shed Smile

cheers!