Thinkpads Forum

I am having an issue where, for example, my web browsing activity slows to a halt. It is as if I am timing out. The only workaround I can make is to disconnect and reconnect from my Wi-Fi connection, but the issue persists again every 5 minutes or so.
I want to assure myself that I had the drivers properly installed as before this the was problem that I couldn't make my machine connect to any access point. Needing to connect to the Internet via Ethernet while setting up my Linux Mint install.
I will be quickly attentive to any reply on this thread.

Welcome to the Forum.
Broadcom wifi cards are "famous" for not working...
To get a better wifi card, remove the wifi-whitelist as seen e.g. here or here.
Then stick in a better wifi card such as Intel 6200/6250.
Alternative: remove the wifi card and get a USB wifi adapter such as this.

Broadcom WiFi cards are usually troublesome on Linux; I'm surprised you even got it to work in the first place.

This thread: viewtopic.php?t=130159 has good info regarding Thinkpad X100e-140e models, including WiFi cards. It seems that the Intel 6205 was installed in some of these units, which I assume would be the same one found in the T420/430, X220/230 etc.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 12:55 am

Broadcom wifi cards are "famous" for not working...

axur-delmeria wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 3:18 am

Broadcom WiFi cards are usually troublesome on Linux; I'm surprised you even got it to work in the first place.

If I were to choose a Wi-Fi card for Linux, what brand should I always aim for? Is this is similar situation for GPUs where AMD works better than choosing to run with NVIDIA?

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 12:55 am

remove the wifi-whitelist

This is a very advanced task for me, especially since the guides are on Windows OS and I currently only have installed Linux Mint on the Thinkpad. I will have to "translate" this if I want to work extremely safely with my own BIOS files. But, I did find this request thread on bios-mods, so I'll look at that as well.

axur-delmeria wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 3:18 am

It seems that the Intel 6205 was installed in some of these units,

Right now, I'll just aim for this. They are cheap on eBay and the quick fix for me. The only other Wi-Fi cards I have laying around the house is a Broadcom BCM943228HMB.

But now I see another problem I have to test. I originally sent this thread because of an issue at my partners house. But right now, at my own home, I'm not experiencing any issue. I'll have to do a check on their router since they have started reporting to me it is acting up. Of to another forum and ask about the issues!

The general opinion nowadays is to go for Intel-based wifi-cards.
Older laptops (like T4x/R5x) also went very well with Atheros cards.
Recommended for laptops running W10/W11/Linux with mPCIe slots: AX3000/AXE3000, and with M.2 slots: AX210.
Your machine would go nicely with e.g. Intel 6200N/6205N/6300N/AC-7260.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 11:31 pm

Your machine would go nicely with e.g. Intel 6200N/6205N/6300N/AC-7260.

I'm going to buy an Intel AC-7260 but would I have to remove the whitelist on the BIOS for this new card to work?

Yup.

Welp, I'm stuck. Trying to follow this guide only leads me to the trouble of having a BIOS version (3.01) which is higher then what's in the guide. The data shown on the HxD part/step is different from what I have to showing on my laptop's BIOS extract. I decided to stop here and not continue as I'm worried modifying the values would brick my computer. What can I do?

You could get a USB WiFi AC1200 adapter. I even managed to install one internally