16
1
My Lenovo X1 Carbon (6th gen) supposedly has a MicroSD card reader. But I have never had to use a MicroSD card reader before and I couldn't identify this port. I tried to put the microSD card in, but it didn't fit. So, what is this? The flash is a bit strong, but the icon for this port is three squares being connected with lines.
McFloofenbork
Posted 2019-05-07T23:35:15.030
Reputation: 271
27
It's used for an ethernet adapter. This range of laptop is too thin to put a full sized RJ-45 port in, so they use this port to extend out.
If you didn't receive one in the box, you should be able to buy one from Lenovo directly.
Part Name: ThinkPad Ethernet Extension Adapter Gen 2
Part Number: 4X90Q84427
Product Description: Converts the special micro Ethernet connector on supported ThinkPad computers to the standard RJ45 connector. Supports PXE boot, Mac Pass Through, and Wake-On-LAN (depends on system capability).
Here is a link to the product page:
As for the MicroSD card reader, it should be located under a cover at the back of the laptop, near one of the hinges:
Michael Frank
Posted 2019-05-07T23:35:15.030
Reputation: 7 412
13This is so silly. We already have USB 3 (10 Gbps), Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps), both of which are easily capable of driving gigabit and even 10 gigabit ethernet. You'll never find a use for a dongle like this outside of Lenevo land, and you can't source it from anywhere else either. There's no need for this proprietary crap. – Alexander - Reinstate Monica – 2019-05-08T01:46:04.800
10@Alexander I'm going to guess this isn't doing any protocol translation from USB to Ethernet, etc. It's just a breakout header for the LAN port directly to whatever the networking circuitry runs on. – Michael Frank – 2019-05-08T01:50:52.390
5Yeah, that's probably the case, but it's not like it made the device any cheaper. It's $38 USD from Lenovo's site, whereas Amazon offers multiple USB 3 to gigabit ethernet adapters for $14-20 (with really good reviews, too). – Alexander - Reinstate Monica – 2019-05-08T02:27:01.173
1@MichaelFrank USB adds CPU overhead - this is very likely direct to ethernet as you suggested. – Criggie – 2019-05-08T06:45:08.930
1@Criggie Arguably, if that extra CPU overhead is important for your ultralight laptop, you're using the wrong computer. – pipe – 2019-05-08T08:53:26.780
5USB Ethernet Adapters are normally not PXE boot capable. And the deployment of new Systems is usually done via a PXE deployment System in bigger companies. – Sunzi – 2019-05-08T09:44:00.203
2@Sunzi This adapter is actually PXE boot capable, which further leads to my suspicion that it is simply a breakout for the actual ethernet circuit. – Michael Frank – 2019-05-08T10:22:44.433
Thanks, the freaking SD card slot was behind the hinges... I would have never found it if it wasn't for your description!!! – McFloofenbork – 2019-05-08T20:43:37.663
It's great that you got an answer to your question. However, identifying ports and similar things from an image is generally off-topic. Among other reasons, it isn't searchable, which means that it can't be of much help to others with a similar question, which is kind of the purpose of the site. See for example: https://meta.superuser.com/questions/7647/are-hardware-port-cable-etc-visual-identification-questions-allowed-or-not and https://meta.superuser.com/questions/6073/are-guessing-game-type-questions-allowed-on-su.
– fixer1234 – 2019-05-08T04:01:58.847