USB dongle mod

I hate trackpads.

I got a wireless mouse for my laptop, but was too lazy to take out the dongle every time I put the laptop in it's case, so it would bounce around and bang into the walls of the case, and eventually it broke a usb port. And then another usb port.

When I got my E1505 I decided not to break any more usb ports, so I got a bluetooth mouse. But I did not have much luck with it - it would lose it's connection often. So I went back to a dongle mouse, and would religiously remove the dongle every time I packed up the laptop.

Someone told me, "Why not build a contraption that allows the dongle to positioned parallel to the laptop". So I did the following. This worked on my E1505, and it should work on the E1705 as well. With some modifications it can be done to most laptops.

It is a very simple mod. Just connected a male usb connector to a female one. (Basically, an extension cord). It is important to use a male connector that is short.

I put some balsa wood (colored black) in the cavity that surrounds the video connector port. I made it quite snug, so it will not easily come out.

The female connector I used came from a USB hub so it had a piece of metal on each side to anchor the actual connector. I stuck those two metal pieced into the balsa. This held the connector in place. I put on some crazy glue gel to where the metal went into the balsa, to make sure it stays there.

I added some balsa to support the dongle, and the whole thing it very sturdy.

Here are a few views. Take note of the balsa - it is colored black but still visible. And pardon me on my poor soldering work!

 

That'll last.... about 10 minutes!

 

That is quite ghetto. Don't expect those exposed wires to last very long. I think I would've put the dongle in the Bluetooth bay, because that's got USB also. And it would've been inside the computer.

 

It does seem to be an extraordinarily over engineered solution to a simple (many would say non-existent) problem.

If the dongle was breaking USB ports I fail to see how a bunch of exposed wires and balsa wood is going to improve things.

 

The pictures were taken before I covered the wires - in order to show the details.

In my E1505 there is no room insided the bluetooth bay to fit a dongle, ever if I were to remove the plastic casing of the dongle. Unless I get rid of the bluetooth module, which I don't want to do as I use bluetooth for many other things (file transfer, hotsync, remote control).

 

If is a problem for me, it is something I will try to fix. That is non-existent for others does not mean that it is non-existent for me. I don't think two broken usb ports is a simple or non-existent problem.

It will definitely improve things. I won't have any more broken usb ports! It may not last, and may cause problems of it's own - and that remains to be seen, but an improvement it is!

 

EDIT: Lol just read your other post and tyou adressed everything I posted.

Covered I think it would look fine. Do you have pics or can you get pics of that?

 

Here you go:

 

Okay, just came across this post, and being a fan of people that find solutions to their own problems in innovative ways -- 10+ ! Lol, very funny, and I hope this holds up and suits as a good solution for you.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

It is surprisingly sturdy and I believe it will hold up for the life of the laptop.

 

Looks FAB!

 

Frys sells a pair of these swivel connectors for $10 or so. Probably won't sit flush against the computer, but it's a simple alternative.

 

Still in business.....

 

EDIT: wow, didnt see the second page of postings, someone beat me to the punch... great minds think alike??

it looks alright, although i probably wouldnt've blocked off the vga port...
vga port > mouse dongle...
this might be a better idea.

similar, and cheap. plus you get to keep a vga port.

 

The problem with that Radio Shack thing is, that being that it is not attached to the laptop, it can still get banged around pretty good.

 

If you were going to these lengths and are basically disabling a USB port you should have opened up the laptop (not that hard) and connected it on the inside, leaving no protrusions to the casing.

 

Where is there room to put the receiver inside?


ANYWAY, it looks like a proper solution has arrived....

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/23/logitechs-vx-nano-the-vx-revolutions-little-brother/