Please, if you’re having an issue using your integrated Intel wireless adapter on a ThinkPad x61, I urge you to support this thread and make a post:
http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/message?board.id=X_Series_Tablet_ThinkPads&thread.id=754

Symptoms

1. I noticed an inconsistency with the device before it started waiving the white flag.  I used my x61 on a docking station at work, and when I brought it home to connect to my wireless network, I noticed that sometimes I would not be able to see any available wireless networks to connect to.  Sometimes I would have to use Vista to repair the network connection.  It would tell me that I had to “click this button to turn on my wireless device,” even though the light was on, even though my switch was on, and even though the device was working properly.  It seems like switching back and forth from a wired to wireless network connection may have played a part.
2. One day, it decides to just completely stop working.  The light for the device won’t come on, even though the light for the Bluetooth device still comes on (the switch to turn on/off wireless controls both the wireless adapter and Bluetooth adapter.)
3. Vista sees the device, says it’s working properly, but I can’t access it in the Network Connections dialog.

What I’ve tried so far

1. Updating software via Vista updater.
2. Updating software via ThinkVantage updater.
3. Uninstalling/Reinstalling drivers for the Intel wireless adapter.
4. Disabling/Enabling the Wireless LAN setting in BIOS.
5. Reset all default settings in BIOS (don’t do this unless you know what you’re doing.)
6. Installing another operating system (Debian, stable.)

Dealing with the problem in Linux

I’m no Linux guru, but I needed to confirm that this wasn’t another one of those “Vista is screwing with my hardware,” problems.  I’ve installed Linux on the x61 before, wireless worked out of the box, this time it didn’t.  I brought my machine over to the LUG/IP HW-SIG meeting to see if I could get any expert help with this issue. Vinko helped me me out as much as he could with the time left in the meeting.  I noticed that the operating system at least saw the device, and knew information about the device, but it wasn’t working.  I asked Vinko if that meant if this would rule out a hardware failure, it doesn’t.  Vinko manually installed the module/drivers for the device, and that’s where we left it off at.  This will be continued when more information is gathered.

My hypothesis

I read many of times about how people are complaining about the heat generated from this card.  That spot where your right palm/wrist sits, is basically where the wireless network adapter is located.  It either generates an abnormal amount of heat, or we are just feeling a all the heat that we shouldn’t be feeling because of a poor case design… Who knows.  I couldn’t tell you how much heat this device is supposed to generate, nor could I tell you how much heat my device is actually generating.  I barely noticed it, because I use external peripherals (wireless mouse/keyboard.)  Could this device malfunctioned due to overheating?  I don’t really know for sure, I’m not a hardware expert anymore, but I don’t think it’s something to completely rule out.  Could my operating system still see a working device, even though the device might have a hardware failure?  I believe so, it depends on what happened really.

I have a feeling the update disabled the card in BIOS, for some reason or another.  I have to confirm this when I get home from work.