SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

ab90 · 2020-02-18 19:09:31

Hey there,

iam considering a Thinkpad X240.

Can i linux the sim card reader?

Found only contradicting Information, like yes or yes, but you have to initiate with Windows or something like that.

Will 4G be possible ?

Many thanks in advance!

twoion · 2020-02-18 21:35:32

I have a x240 too but without the WAN module.

Apparently there are two modules Lenovo sold the x240 with: Sierra Gobi5000 EM7355 to support LTE/EVDO/HSPA+ (that is, 4G) and Ericsson N5321 for 3G-only. So assuming you're getting the one with the Sierra Gobi5000, Linux contains drivers for this device https://github.com/torvalds/linux/searc … d_q=EM7355 but if it works in that configuration is something you have to find out. Nowadays WAN modules like this should work rather flawlessly through modemmanager though so it's safe to assume that this one does, too.

rbh · 2020-02-18 22:09:34

Archwiki, lists 4 models of X240: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Le … nkPad_X240
No reference to wireles wan card.

Lenovo List: Sierra Wireless EM7355, Qualcomm® Gobi 4G LTE/HSPA+/EVDO/GSM/GPRS/EDGE, GPS, M.2 Card, https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/PD100260

ThinkWiki https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X240 lists two wireless wan-cards:

Ericsson N5321 WWAN "Integrated Mobile Broadband"
Gobi 5000 (Sierra Wireless EM7355) WWAN "Integrated Mobile Broadband

Can you try the pc before you buy? Then booting on lithium live iso, would give good info.
If you can't lay your hands on it before buy, but you are thinking of a specific pc, you should get more precise info.
With serial nr, it is posible to look it up on lenovos homepage.

You can also ask in Lenovos Linux support forum: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-X … -p/tp02_en

Last edited by rbh (2020-02-18 22:50:21)

ab90 · 2020-02-18 22:46:49

Ill link his eBay thingy: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz … -278-23496

I asked him to look for the serial number...

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 11:08:41)

ab90 · 2020-02-19 11:10:01

Honestly speaking, searching Laptops in ebay-Kleinanzeigen is like going through Dantes Levels of Hell...

ohnonot · 2020-02-19 11:54:32

It is true that some thinkpads come with the WWAN module, some don't.
If you cannot test the device beforehand it's tricky, but it's usually a fair bet to say that if the seller does not know if it has one, it probably doesn't have it.
If you can get your hands on it, the slot is on the side.
Or try getting the exact model number from the seller, then you can look that up on lenovo's support pages. See here.

I purchased an x250 not long ago.
The WWAN module was one reason I wanted it, but up until yesterday (when I first saw this thread) I had not tried it.

lsusb says Sierra Wireless EM7345 4G LTE.

Assuming you're using NetworkManager, you need to install ModemManager, too.
For some reason it did not work straight away; I suggest shutting the device off completely after installation, putting the SIM card in, then booting it up.
Possibly several reboots are required, who knows? NetworkManager is weird.
Now it has a perfectly fine 4G connection (although the modemmanager connection dialog calls it 3G).

ab90 · 2020-02-19 12:41:41

Hi,
The sticker with the serial number of his thinkpad x240 says:
TYPE 20AL-007YFR S/N PF-01CORR 14/04

..
I typed in Pf-01corr with and without 14/04 but it wasnt found in lenovos product and serial number search..

Edit: what is a good price for such a laptop btw?? Used, noDisk, little flaws..

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 12:43:02)

rbh · 2020-02-19 13:10:33

ab90 wrote:

I asked him to look for the serial number...

The serial number and model type, is on all Thinkpads on the underside. A small label (or two). Both clear text and barcode.

If the label is gone or unreadable, the same information is in the copmouters dmitable.

In Linux, you run "dmidecode" (with rootrights) to read it

# dmidecode --type system

On windows, there is some utils as DmiDecode for Windows http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/dmidecode.htm

ab90 · 2020-02-19 13:14:08

rbh wrote:

ab90 wrote:
I asked him to look for the serial number...
The serial number and model type, is on all Thinkpads on the underside. A small label (or two). Both clear text and barcode.
If the label is gone or unreadable, the same information is in the copmouters dmitable.
In Linux, you run "dmidecode" (with rootrights) to read it
# dmidecode --type system
On windows, there is some utils as DmiDecode for Windows http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/dmidecode.htm

Please check above. I already updated the serial number.

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 13:14:24)

rbh · 2020-02-19 13:29:09

ab90 wrote:

I already updated the serial number.

I dont think that is the correct serial number. I dont recal seeing a hyphen (-) in the serialnumber on Thinkpads, and you can not look it up..

With the serial number, it is possible to se exactly wich hardware the computer had when shipped from their factory.

Lenovo has an utility "Lenovo Service Bridge" to automaticley find the serial number.

More info on https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/in/en/solutions/HT505229

Last edited by rbh (2020-02-19 13:29:48)

rbh · 2020-02-19 13:46:16

ab90 wrote:

Ill link his eBay thingy: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz … -278-23496

I looked closer on the images. Saw that it shows "Ubuntu" on screen. So it probabley nbow has Ubuntu installed.
Have you asked the seller if he is using Mobile brioandband?
If he does not, he should be able to dump the dmitable.

Last edited by rbh (2020-02-19 13:46:46)

ab90 · 2020-02-19 16:48:16

We already talked about linux: He doesn't know if sim card reader is driven by Linux.
The harddisk is already removed, so its not possible to check it.

....
I actually thought we do it by the serial number, i think i need to direct this thread a bit.
So we stopped at: the Lenovo Page should tell specifications about this particular edition of model by searching by serial number. Then we can see if the wan card is a supported LTE-able card.

I typed in the serial number (i believe) into that search page but just didnt get a search result from it.

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 16:48:39)

ab90 · 2020-02-19 16:52:09

rbh wrote:

ab90 wrote:
I already updated the serial number.
I dont think that is the correct serial number. I dont recal seeing a hyphen (-) in the serialnumber on Thinkpads, and you can not look it up..

I have a screenshot of his photo of it...
How can i upload it here?

Edit:
https://support.lenovo.com/de/en/soluti … PrintLabel

Its printed with "-" but its typed in without..
Ill try it now

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 16:58:12)

ab90 · 2020-02-19 17:05:00

Its weird.
I found a machine x240 by typing this machine type number:

20AL007YFR

Then, i typed in the serial number which is actually PF01C0RR (not PF-01CORR)

.. Then it found something by the serial number but change the model and says its about Model 20AQ005SUS which is a Thinkpad T440....

So, only the machine type model number gives the correct laptop: x240

Is that maybe differentiated enough to obtain the information?

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 17:09:17)

rbh · 2020-02-19 18:11:23

Try to cut the price, tell the seller that you dont know if you have to by a new wwan-card.

or

Tell the seller to send a photo of present wwan-card.

ab90 · 2020-02-19 18:17:59

rbh wrote:

Try to cut the price, tell the seller that you dont know if you have to by a new wwan-card.
or
Tell the seller to send a photo of present wwan-card.

Nope.

Right now, we are at 102.5€ including shipping.

I think its justified since its overall 'high-end' for my needs...
__________________

Iam also thinking about getting a PC instead. For half the price there are some PCs that have similar processor properties...

Edit:
Well, i told him i ask to pay 10 less, since the Homepage doesn't give data about the wwan card.... ^^

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-19 18:22:15)

rbh · 2020-02-19 18:21:24

# lsusb will also ofcource show what wwan-card is in the machine...

edit: should be "# lspci will also ofcource show what wwan-card is in the machine..."

Last edited by rbh (2020-02-19 18:42:58)

rbh · 2020-02-19 20:47:01

An alternative to mobile broandband is using the phone as mobile hotspot.
Many companies applay flat rate for telephone surf.

Last edited by rbh (2020-02-19 20:47:16)

ohnonot · 2020-02-21 05:30:31

@ab90: Please read the LQ thread I referenced in my last post.
tl; dr:
get the serial number with 'dmidecode | grep -A8 "System Information"', then go here:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product … ookup.page

damo · 2020-02-21 08:51:28

ohnonot wrote:

@ab90: Please read the LQ thread I referenced in my last post.
tl; dr:
get the serial number with 'dmidecode | grep -A8 "System Information"', then go here:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product … ookup.page

the harddisk is already removed, so its not possible to check it.

rbh · 2020-02-21 10:15:47

Dmidecode is in many live dists.
It is in lithium dev iso.

damo · 2020-02-21 11:59:15

rbh wrote:

Dmidecode is in many live dists.
It is in lithium dev iso.

I didn't realise you can check hardware like that. Sorry @ohnonot!

ab90 · 2020-02-21 14:05:27

Please close this thread as i dont have access to that x240, which i wont buy.
Information on the internet are not sufficient or to be doubted as some seller is selling x240 i5 and he lists 3G. But that one doesn't seem carefully described, after i heard about number of possible combinations(i7, i5, i3)x(Sierra, Erricson) coupled with ohnonots observation

Ohnonot wrote:

(although the modemmanager connection dialog calls it 3G).

No one mentioned Wwan with respect towards the three budget steps(i7,i5,i3).
...
I pass on that fancy option and stick with a compact desktop PC and continue using my heroic podracer netbook HA1005 eee pc ;-)
...

You are STILL by far THE BEST LINUX FORUM!

Last edited by ab90 (2020-02-21 14:07:54)

#1 2020-02-18 19:09:31

SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#2 2020-02-18 21:35:32

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#3 2020-02-18 22:09:34

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#4 2020-02-18 22:46:49

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#5 2020-02-19 11:10:01

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#6 2020-02-19 11:54:32

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#7 2020-02-19 12:41:41

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#8 2020-02-19 13:10:33

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#9 2020-02-19 13:14:08

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#10 2020-02-19 13:29:09

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#11 2020-02-19 13:46:16

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#12 2020-02-19 16:48:16

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#13 2020-02-19 16:52:09

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#14 2020-02-19 17:05:00

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#15 2020-02-19 18:11:23

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#16 2020-02-19 18:17:59

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#17 2020-02-19 18:21:24

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#18 2020-02-19 20:47:01

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#19 2020-02-21 05:30:31

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#20 2020-02-21 08:51:28

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#21 2020-02-21 10:15:47

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#22 2020-02-21 11:59:15

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

#23 2020-02-21 14:05:27

Re: SIM CARD Reader with Thinkpad X240

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