Wifi

[T3gunner]

hi guys,
I've recently set up my wireless lan network at home. I've got my computer up and running already. Nw I'm ready to do the same for my T3. What SDIO lan card do you guys recommend? Is palmone the only brand of SDIO card that works with my t3? Are there certain buggy issues that I have to look out for? Can i solve them? THanks for the time.

[mspadaro]

Hello.
Palmone is the only one selling the wifi card for the t3... for now.
The set up is very simple just follow the instructions.
Download drivers, you might have to reset the t3, and insert the card.
That is all. The card will search for any wireless network available (including your neighbors if they have wireless). Pick the network and you are on. Best view is landscape. The only con about the wireless card is the battery drain. I have the battery to go if I feel I will be on it for a while. If you have pocket tunes you can go into a website and listen to their radio too (check pocket tunes website for details). That is cool, but like I said it drains the battery.
Besides that there are no problems that I have come across.

Good luck.

mas

[T3gunner]

Hi,
Why thanks dude for the swift reply. I really appreciate your help. Hope to get a good deal at my local retail on the SDIO palmone.1 last question: can sandisk's wireless lan card work for my T3? THank you once again.

[Jim Cooke]

The Sandisk WiFi card works with Zire 71 only. You'll have to buy direct from PalmOne if you want a WiFi card for a T3.

[sp-tor]

According to PDA Essentials magazine there is a third-party wi-fi solution for T3, a company sells an integrated leather case with wi-fi. It actually connects through the universal connector (so you can still use an expansion card, good if you want to download). It even has its own power supply, which sounds useful for the T3.. I would have tried to get hold of one of those things if I hadn't already bought the Palm wi-fi card (which works great, the only problem is the battery drain and that it occupies the expansion slot).
Unfortunately I don't have the mag here, so I can't provide further details as to vendor name etc.

[T3gunner]

Hi,
THanks guy. I think i'll stick to the tried and tested method of the palmone SDIO. Anyways I already have the palmone's aluminium casing and it cost me quite alot from my allowance. So i'll just use it for the time being. Thanks alot for the addition info. Have a great holiday one and all!

[sp-tor]

Followup: I found the ref. to the 3party wi-fi for T3, in case anyone's interested: Just google for 'enfora wireless t3'
More expensive than the SDIO card but then you get a case too.

[cyclinghermes]

I have the palm wifi card and it's working great. It's perfect for instant messaging (if you're fast enough with graffiti) and surfing if you're too lazy to lug the laptop to where you want to sit. Not a complete internet solution. I don't think it will ever take the place of a good ol' laptop.

Here's a question for all of you: What is a good add on battery pack to extend the battery life of the t3 so that I don't have to plug in all the time? I know Palm sells a power to go sled but that's pricy and how long does the battery last on the sled? Any other options. Thanks!

-CH:D

[OldBlue]

mspadaro is correct about the fast battery drain. Very shortly after receiving and using my Palm WiFi SDIO card, I bought a Palm Power To Go. Fully charged, it's good for about 3 to 4+ full re-charges of my T3. I can also run WiFi with my T3 attached to the Power To Go sled. I bought mine from buy.com in September for $37. I recently saw it at compuplus.com for $32. Not sure about the shipping and handling.

Another cool device to get is a pocket WiFi detector/finder. I went through a Kensington (too big and could be more sensitive) to a Smart ID (wayyyy too big, but a great detector) and finally decided on a PCTel WiFi Seeker. It fits on my keychain and will quickly scan for a WiFi signal. Walking to a post office a couple of weeks ago, I found a signal and was able to get my email and update my AvantGo. Only problem with the WiFi detectors is that you cannot tell if the signal is secure or open. Got mine for $25, but saw them advertised at CompUSA for $15 in a promo ad.

[OldBlue]

Here's a review of the PCTel WiFi Seeker, if anyone is interested:

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/pctel-wifi-seeker-review.html

[T3gunner]

Hi,
Yeah I read about the keychain wifi detector sometime ago. It seems a pretty nifty object.But other then going to places that I know I'd have access to a wifi network (school, home, friends') I dont really need it.So I guess I wont have it. You guys mentioned about the significant battery drain right? SO how long can I leave the wifi on? It is possible to leave it on for like on standby for more than 5 hrs? Or do I have to get 'Power to go'? Thanks.

[mspadaro]

Originally posted by T3gunner
Hi,
THanks guy. I think i'll stick to the tried and tested method of the palmone SDIO. Anyways I already have the palmone's aluminium casing and it cost me quite alot from my allowance. So i'll just use it for the time being. Thanks alot for the addition info. Have a great holiday one and all!

T3gunner, if you got the aluminum case you might need to do a bit of home dissecting to have the Wifi card fit correctly on the slot.
I have the rhino-skin, which has 2 slots for additional cards.
I cut and moved the top plastic of one on the slots up (less than one inch) and now I can fit the Wifi card on the slot of the aluminum case. Not the nicest cut I made (actually I did it in a hurry, which is a no-no), but it works fine.


mas

[T3gunner]

Hi,
Yeah. Guess I'd have to do it carefully and slowly huh? :D THanks alot.

[DeanDC10]

If you have the palmOne aluminum case the WiFi card fits in one of the SD slots in the case with no modification whats so ever.

[mspadaro]

Originally posted by DeanDC10
If you have the palmOne aluminum case the WiFi card fits in one of the SD slots in the case with no modification whats so ever.


I wasnt aware that palm made an aluminum case for the T3. I know they have a hard case, which is cheaply made.

mas

[DeanDC10]

This cheap case you mention is aluminum, it is just not as snug a fit as the others.

[T3gunner]

Hi,
I've got no idea whether the aluminium case is which. But its a palmone aluminium case that I bought. :D And it isn't that cheap to me either. Haha. But it does seem to fit the wifi SDIO pretty well.

[mspadaro]

Originally posted by T3gunner
Hi,
I've got no idea whether the aluminium case is which. But its a palmone aluminium case that I bought. :D And it isn't that cheap to me either. Haha. But it does seem to fit the wifi SDIO pretty well.

If the Wifi card fits correctly then it must be a new one. the old one the Wifi would not fit, it would be to tall.
Also the one I am referring to was plastic that looked like an aluminum case.
The cut was necessary, in my case, to ensure that the card does not touch the screen. The card had no problem fitting before but it would turn on the screen while playing music.

mas

[DeanDC10]

This case is plastic on the inside and aluminum on the outside. It is the original case that came out Oct of 2003.

If you look close when the case is closed it does not touch the screen because the case sits pretty far away from the screen when the T|3 is in the case. I would say a quarter of an inch +/-.

I thought the WiFi card might touch the screen as well, but it doesn't.

[mspadaro]

Originally posted by DeanDC10
This case is plastic on the inside and aluminum on the outside. It is the original case that came out Oct of 2003.

If you look close when the case is closed it does not touch the screen because the case sits pretty far away from the screen when the T|3 is in the case. I would say a quarter of an inch +/-.

I thought the WiFi card might touch the screen as well, but it doesn't.

Ok, then its the one I saw. The one I have is heavier, Rhino-Skin. I think it’s also thinner.
When you slide the Wifi card, doesn’t it bend? That was the second reason why I decided to dissect mine.

[DeanDC10]

The WiFi card does not bend, but it does angle away slightly due to the stopper bead that keeps a normal SD card in the slot. So, it does not lay perfectly flat.

This bead is what helps hold the WiFi card tightly in the slot. If you removed the bead so the WiFi card laid flat it would easily fall out of the case. Therefore this is why no modification is necessary to the case.