The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Can't connect antenna to internal wifi card

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by Alan-HK, Jul 8, 2011.

  1. Alan-HK

    Alan-HK Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I've got a Dell Latitude D600.
    This is "wireless ready", it has a compartment and two antenna leads for a mini-PCI wifi card.

    I got an Intel 2200BG and put it in the slot, no problem.
    But the two antenna wires won't plug onto the card.

    I'm doing as in this video.

    But I've tried a dozen times, they won't clip, they just fall off.
    I've looked at the U.FL connectors through a magnifier. They look okay (I can't take a clear photo, they're too small).

    I'm at a loss what to do now. I suppose the worse case is take it to a shop and get them to try, which may mean replacing the connectors, if that can be done, or the whole antenna wires.

    But that won't be cheap. (Parts are cheap, labour isn't.) Any suggestions?
     
    Alan-HK, Jul 8, 2011
    #1
  2. talin

    talin Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    4,694
    Messages:
    5,343
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    205
    It sounds like you'll have to solder them. Keep in mind also that you can undo solders.
     
    talin, Jul 8, 2011
    #2
  3. Alan-HK

    Alan-HK Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Much too small for my clumsy soldering skills.
     
    Alan-HK, Jul 8, 2011
    #3
  4. talin

    talin Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    4,694
    Messages:
    5,343
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Do you have a friend, or relative that can do it? Otherwise I'm sorry, I have nothing else I can suggest. :(
     
    talin, Jul 8, 2011
    #4
  5. Alan-HK

    Alan-HK Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    They're not single strands, they're coax, so I'd need to solder two wires about 1 mm apart. I'd either fail to make the join, short them, or just destroy the card.
     
    Alan-HK, Jul 8, 2011
    #5
  6. Feral1

    Feral1 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    17
    Messages:
    196
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    As I recall it is an inside pin and an outside metal ring like tube. I would try very carefully squeezing the outside tube part of one with a needle nose pliers. Not much just a little and see if that will create more friction.
     
    Feral1, Jul 9, 2011
    #6