WWAN Upgrade including Antenna Installation

Well I think this is a first for anyone, Installed a WWAN card in my HP Mini Note 1000, as well as obtaining then Custom Installing the WWAN Antenna

Had to spent several days learning about GSM/UMTS Frequencies, as well as finding where to get the Antenna's from, I didn't just call up IBM/HP and order a WWAN Antenna, researched for a GSM/UMTS Antenna with the right connector, eg... that are used for industrial applications, ordered various types, eg.. Internal and External and after testing, chose the one I was going to use.

Figured out best place to mount it, i.e, behind the LCD there is an Unshielded part where the antenna fits perfect, routed the cable and connected it up.

Since HP lock out the expansion cards had to flash a bios with the right Hardware ID, downloading then spent hours getting the software to work with the card, not as simple as it looks as there are no direct links, have to get WWAN Drivers from a different HP laptop that comes with WWAN as standard, then the WWAN Application...

Now it's all working..

Tested on XP, Vista and Windows 7, WWAN on Windows 7!!! and best of all no external USB dongle...

 

Hi meansizzler what you have done is interesting. If your laptop had a spare mini pci slot and a sim slot also like you pointed out it is mainly just a case of hunting down the right parts and figuring out the software side of things.

Btw, it also looks like they already put WWAN into the laptop that you modded on the 4th of Dec 2008.
http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/search/label/3g hack

Btw, what parts did you buy maybe you could link to them?

There is a seller on ebay called 3g fever that also do these type of upgrades.
See one that they have done
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ADVENT-NETBOO...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

That 3G Seller guy sells the card I wanted for £50 Second Hand, I bought it from another UK seller got the same price but New with the IMEI stickers so I can place them on the bottom of my laptop...

As for the JK guy, on he ran into the bios problem, HP andalso Lenovo locks the bios to specific cards, so he had to bypass it by soldering a switch to disable the card on startup, for me I flashed the bios that allows the card to be used.. there is a guy on a forum who can mod the bios to allow whatever card you want to be put in that PCI-E slot, also thinking of upgrading the Wifi to Wireless N, so need to contact him for a modified BIOS for that...

Also have ot rate that JK guy, he does proper reviews, he opens the laptops to show you what exactly is inside them, that's what I call a review, NBR should take note, I think people would rather know how many mini PCI-E slots in the lappy than if it is aesthetically please..

As for the WWAN Antenna PM me and I can tell you where to get it from.., usually I don't like to spoon feeding people, if they want to know they can research or ask me...

There is something I have been planning on doing for a while, I'm sure you have heard of voice enabled cards, which basically allow you to make voice calls, as a HSDPA card is basically a stripped down phone without the buttons/screen, anyway I have that HSDPA card in my TZ voice enabled but you need software that allows you to do voice, only company I know who do that is Sierra wireless, so will try and get hold of one of their voice cards and try it out...

Also plan on adding internal GPS and a touch screen, the mini note is great for messing about....

I have a Pentaband WWAN Antenna for sale with UFL connector if anyone is interested, with 30 cm long lead, works in all countries, GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA, also have an external car mount one..

 

Sorry for bumping this thread but I have a whole bunch of questions for the OP(MeanSizzler). One of them is regarding the WWAN antenna and where you got it. Also if I am going to be on Verizon's EVDO network, would the antenna you are using not work for that?

Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately since I am a new member, I don't think I have the ability to PM.