CF-18 WWAN...possible in MK1?

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum as you can tell. I've been trying to do alot of research on this topic, but I'm not quite as advanced as some of you so I've come to you all for help.

I recently aquired a CF-18 Mk1, bare bones, no options installed. I went ahead and installed the OEM GPS module without issue. Now I'd like to install WWAN if possible. I know that the CF-18 did have WWAN embedded in later marks, but I havn'et seen anything about it in the MK1.

Now I think I've figured out that if this were to work, it would have to be with a Sierra MC5720 or MC5725. Where the PCB for the GPS is (abouve the sound PCB), there is a single blue antenna wire with the end covered with a rubber tube to protect it. I'm assuming this is the WWAN antennae? So would the card fit right into that board that the GPS is attached to? Doesn't it need a second aux antennae? Where would I find that?

Sorry if my terminology is all wrong, again, I'm a real noob with this stuff.

Thanks so much in advance for any help you can give me.

 

does your cf-18 have "wings". what I mean is the sides of the cf-18/19 models are antennas for regular wifi (a,b,g,n). due to what I believe were shielding issues if they had wwan (cellular) the side antennas extended beyond the frame like little wings. if it does not have the wings i doubt it is wwan ready, but I could be talking out of my butt. someone can correct me if I am wrong. this is just what i have been able to glean in my research to purchase a cf-18/19 model for myself.

 

You mean the plastic pieces on teh sides of the screen? No they do not extend out like the CF-19. They are flush.

Well I hope you're talking out of your butt and someone comes along and says otherwise...haha! No offense!

Thanks for your help.

 

All CF-18's are WWAN ready, you can go to the Panasonic configurator enter your model number and then use the pull down menu for wireless options to see what was offered for your unit. The blue wire you refer to is for the optional bluetooth. The WWAN antenna ends in a gray wire at the pass thru connector.

 

That's great news! So now the question remains, what WWAN card do I use?

Also, when you say the "pass through connector", what exactly do you mean? Where inside my laptop does the WWAN card actually go?

Thanks again for all the help everyone!!

 

WWAN cards for the cf-18 are hard to find by themselves
They are exclusive for the cf-18 model
You need to search ebay and then you have to find what service providers are in your area of use
I believe but not sure there is three types for the usa
Cingular
Sprint
Verizon



Alex

 

Would this work in there? It's CDMA and for the CF-18 so I'm assuming it would...

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390122092736

The board (sled?) looks similar to the one my GPS unit sits on, only it has an audio jack on there. I'm guesing that if I did get something like this, then I would move my GPS unit onto there. I noticed in another thread about the CF-28 that someone replaced the GPS unit from the original sled to this newer one and it worked fine in regards to the GPS.

The only place I can find these seems to be Australia. Is the fact that it didn't come out of a North American Toughbook going to screw things up?

 

Mglax13,

this is one for sale in the uk item number 360223231505 or use the link below

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Panasonic-Tou...tZUK_Computing_Laptops_EH?hash=item53defa4e11

I have bough 2 of them and wating for them to come

 

I actually saw that one, but it's GPRS and I wanted to use Verizon, so I need a CDMA one.

 

Did you ever figure this out? I am curious too!

 

I'm betting that the Aussie cards came out of the once ubiquitous Oz CF-18s which were ex telcon machines. I think they only work down under if there.
CAP

 

I have a CF-18 mk1, and inside it has both the blue and the gray antenna wires. Where you mention seeing the single blue antenna wire with the end covered with a rubber tube, I have that same blue wire plus a similarly constructed gray wire right beside it. The covered ends of these two wires are situated next to each other.