CF-18 . . . This girl needs help!

Hi everyone,

Please forgive me if these questions have been answer somewhere already - I'm a complete 'newbie'

I've just purchased my first toughbook - CF-18 (mk2 I think?) - love it !!

I was able to upgrade the HDD (160Gb) & RAM but I'm really stuck as to how to fit a new WiFi board - how do i get at it!? - should i even bother? (currently fitted with intel 2200?) - can I fit an atheros card ?

Also, where would I find the 3G parts? as this one does not have it factory fitted - are they expensive and good dealers known in UK (London)?

Any tips or further idea's to upgrade / have fun with really welcomed

Regards
Charlotte

 

Oh . . the model number is CF - 18DHB22KA

Do I remove the base to access the WiFi slot ? - Is there a good web page / guide somewhere - I just dont want to randomly remove loads of screws etc !

 

Welcome to the forum Charlotte

We have a few members from the uk and Europe here, and they would be the ones to speak on data cards

Each area and service provider is different

I know about Canada ,but I am not familiar with the other countries

The newer cf-19 model uses a standard mini pci express card and adding a card is really inexpensive and easy to do

Your model however has a proprietary module made for Panasonic
and in Canada they used a sierra wireless SB555 CDMA/1X Module

There is three separate hardware parts necessary with this system
1) The antenna’s
2) The daughterboard that holds the modum and it connects with a flat data cable to the cf-18’s motherboard
3) The data modum



All the cf-18’s have the antenna’s and the antenna wire built-in
Your model I believe has the Australian wwan setup so you probably have a daughterboard .modem installed now and you will only need the modem for your location

You will be able to confirm when you open the cf-18 up
I emailed you the link to the manual




Alex

 

for a wifi card install you can look at http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=415482 it's where everyone just helped me get mine working also a cf-18 mk2 you may or may not have to block off some pins on the card.

to get the bottom off first take off the speaker according to the manual, open all the port covers and unscrew all the screws on the bottom that aren't for the port covers, there are 13 (unless i counted wrong) <- if anyone says anything different then listen to them i'm a newbie, just learning about these cool machines.

 

I would get the Engenius Senao 600mW EMP-8602+S card. It is Atheros based, no hacks need to be done and it gets a better signal than anything else you will find. The software that goes with it allows you to throttle the cards power. Good stuff... Works great. It is what most of use use when we replace the stock card.

 

Fab . . . had a quick look on ebay for Engenius Senao 600mW EMP-8602+S sadly nothing . . .

Does anyone here have a good working spare that they would be able to ship to London UK?

 

Thanks also to Kungfucowboy . . now all I need is some spare desk space to work on !!

 

Hey Tomcat . . do you have any of those Engenius Senao 600mW EMP-8602+S
cards spare ? . . . having trouble finding stock anywhere

 

Here is a link to where I just bought two
They will sell to you in the uk
Not the best price
Some online sellers have them for up to $10 less ,but as I live in Canada I don't have a lot of choices


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....11286&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1



Alex

 

Top stuff ! . . . cheaper than any I had found

 

That's the same config CF18 as the one I have. Did you buy it from notebook_pro off Ebay (a Melbourne-based seller here in Oz)?

Craig.

 

Hi Craig,

Got mine from a friend who purchased 5 or 6 from Australia (someone on ebay- probably nootebook pro) and shipped them to London UK

Great machines . . good batteries too!

 

There's only 9,993 more of them out there!

 

There's going to be a few more sold soon . . lots of my friends have been won over by my Toughbook . . maybe a few new users on here too soon