How to replace the internal Ethernet adapter of a IBM ThinkPad T60p

[Seeky]

I've several IBM ThinkPads T60p. Unfortunately one ThinkPad shows in the BIOS 'MAC Address (Internal LAN): 00 00 00 00 00 00' and sometimes also '02 00 00 00 00 00'. Also the green LED close to the Ethernet connector is dark if this laptop is powered off (power adapter attached) and a network cable is attached. Therefore no Wake on LAN is possible. To my surprise the network adapter is working in Windows and there also has a proper MAC address. Also Wake on LAN is possible in Windows.

Because all BIOS settings and also the BIOS version are exactly the same as on all other IBM ThinkPads T60p I think there's a problem with my internal Ethernet adapter.

Does someone know if it's possible to replace this internal Ethernet adapter? I ask because I've also an IBM ThinkPad T60p which is broken and therefore I intend to exchange the internal Ethernet adapters if possible.

[GMAC-R60 Retired Guru · Accepted solution]

I think they are integrated on the MB so its not possible

[ajkula66 Guru]

Well, if the LAN works (you're able to transmit and receive data packets) in Windows, then it works, period. You might want to flash the BIOS to a different - be it older or newer if available - version to see whether that changes anything.

Re-check the BIOS settings for Wake on LAN and report back.

GMAC-60 is correct when he states that the LAN module is integrated into the planar and hence not replaceable by itself. A dead Ethernet card usually shows up as MAC address being "Not Applicable" in BIOS, not with a slew of zeroes..

[orion9727]

stores sell a ethernet cable tester.
really cheap.
make sure the eithernet adaptor is working in windows.
go to device manger and check it is installed and proper driver is installed and it is ENABLE.
i would think that is more to be the issue.
you can also add wireless many ways or a eithernet from either usb or a cardbus,or a pci slot inside the notebook.
but again eithernet port just dont fail and fail in many not commen.
not unless they all were spiked at same time.

simple fix here either fix why it not working or cardbus,usb or pci card it or go to wifi.
so many cheap otions really without removing the port.

wake on lan requires bios surport not sure if the t60 had it windows normally surports wake if the bios dose.
it more of a bios thing really and power state as wake mode needs power to turn on.
so if you have wake then it will allways use some juice from the battery.
i find wake a very bad idea.
grand slam of exploitables.
best way i know to crack a pc is threw wake and windows file and print.
you might want to really think about that.

[Seeky]

I liked the advice to downgrade the BIOS. Therefore I downgraded to BIOS 2.26 - Controller 1.07 and afterwards upgraded again to the most current version BIOS 2.27 - Controller 1.07. But unfortunately I had the same behavior with both BIOS versions.

Here some additional information:
I’ve 6 identical IBM ThinkPads T60p. The BIOS settings are exactly the same and for my tests I’m also using the same hard drive so that the software settings are for sure the same.

Here what I figured out so far:
If the laptop is powered off and the power adapter is not connected the green LED close to the Ethernet connector is off even if the LAN cable is plugged in (that’s the same behavior on all 6 laptops). If I plug in the power adapter the green LED should go on (what it does on 5 of my 6 laptops) and Wake on LAN is possible. The question is now, what’s wrong with laptop number 6 (LED turns not on).
Only 1 second after I power on laptop number 6 the green LED also goes on and remains on even if I power of the laptop. But the MAC address in the BIOS is wrong: ## 00 00 00 00 00 (## stands for a random number) and Wake on LAN is still not possible.
Like already written before if I boot laptop 6 with Windows XP everything is fine: ‘ipconfig /all’ shows a valid MAC address and networking is possible without any problems.
After I've shut down laptop 6 (power off) the green LED remains on and Wake on LAN is possible. The BIOS also shows a valid MAC address (the same as seen in Windows). Therefore everything is fine until I power off the laptop AND remove the power adapter. Then the green LED turns off (same behavior on all 6 laptops). But now everything starts from the beginning: on laptop 6 the green LED turns not on when I connect the power adapter and the LAN cable.

Therefore I still think that there’s a problem with my LAN adapter causing my question if it’s possible to replace the internal Ethernet adapter – what’s unfortunately not .

[Seeky]

Hello

This weekend I downloaded the 'ThinkPad PC Doctor' CD from the Lenovo webpage. Afterwards I started my ThinkPad T60p with that CD and run the network test (Diagnostics - Communication - Intel Ethernet (Intel(R) Pro/1000 PL Network Connection).

Here the result:

  405-199-000-20111127-48-Ethernet: Failed (Bus=0 Dev=0 Func=0: EEPROM Tests Failed)

Does anyone know if it's possible to upgrade/reload the EEPROM?

Regards

Seeky

PS: Test 'Intel Ethernet Link/Ex Loop': Passed

[TuuS]

It is possible to reburn these chips if they are accessable, but this is usually done in a remanufacturing facility that repairs boards, it's not a normal "do it yourself" repair. Also understand that you don't even know if this specific memory chip is the cause of the problem, or it cannot be read because of a faulty circuit elsewhere. Most techs would simply replace the system board, as that is the componant that has failed, but you could consider a PC-Card ethernet adapter, this could make the machine useful to you at a very low cost. 

If you do want to replace the system board, I may have a source for one. 

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

maybe a usb ethernet adapter would work?