CF-28 WIFI Mod help

I am gearing up the parts to add internal wifi to a CF-28, 800 MHz, no OEM installed.
I went through many of the post already and just seem more confused.
I need some straight forward info and suggestions for parts.
I understand about removing the existing Modem/10/100 mini card and replacing it with a combo card, which is where the first need comes in, what card to replace it with in preparing for the Wifi install.
Next info needed is for the actual internal wifi card. Mini PCI highest wattage available but with single antenna. Or do the ones with 2x antenna connectors only need one antenna.
Not worried to much about doing it cheap, just want to do it once and have it work correctly with top performance.
So need suggestion and source for...
* Mini PCI Combo 10/100-Modem combo card to replace OEM card(s)
* 600mw (or higher) internal wifi with backward capabilities
* Antenna for wifi. (I will be using the stock RIM antenna location for the GPS mod)
Thanks so much!
Rick H...

 

We are all having great luck with the Engenius card (8602-S). High power, A/B/G capable, and has two antenna connectors (You can use just one if you want).

Search around for a good source, because you may find a cheaper price than we already have.

 

Rick... If you Paypal me $3 for shipping... I'll send you the combo card you need.

<Please don't everyone bombarde me with requests for these... I do this every now and then... You know>

Modly is spot on with the wifi card. And if you read a little more... (I think in Modly's FAQ) you will see several installs of antennas.

 

Toughbook,

Any chance you have another one of these cards? I could really use one.

 

I purchased a couple of cards from this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/3COM-56K-MODEM-...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

Not the best price but it's ok and he ships fast.

 

Use a 3com modem/ethernet mini-pci combo card. They sell on Ebay fairly cheaply as they're discontinued by 3com (and there is no alternative that I know of if you want a combined ethernet and modem card).

You'll need to add the extra RJ45 connector to the panel where the modem connector is if it's not already there. I've done that mod to my 800 mhz cf28 and have fitted an intel 2200BG wi-fi card into the second mini-pci slot (where the modem card originally was). The seller 'zig77' on Ebay has kits with the RJ45 socket harness and a new piece of stick-on fascia with the RJ45 cutout included, or you can buy a complete used panel with both the sockets for around US$30 from a couple of Ebay sellers.

I have obtained a pair of the flat panel style square shaped antennas to try out when I receive a 3g wireless broadband to 802.11 wi-fi router and I also have some RP-SMA pigtails to use with external antennae if I want to go that way. Haven't worked out (yet) how to fit those flat style antennas yet but I believe that people install them under the upper panel of the main unit (where the silver plastic stick on fascia that my hands rest on when typing is).

You can also get an Intel 2915BG which adds 802.11a if you want it, but I don't see any reason that the 2200BG which just supports 802.11b and g isn't going to be enough. There are other cards you can use too like some from Broadcom and a few others that Rick (TB) and others have tried.

Craig.

 

RICK RICK OMG OMG OMG I NEED 564698741 OF THEM!!!!!

haha, just kidding

 

I only have a few left... I'll see what I need as I finish up a few CF-28s that I have left around here and then I'll ask here or post them on fleabay! I bought them for $2.75 each back in the day when the guy had 1000's of them. I think I bought 50 or 100 of them... Man... I've gone through a lot of laptops! That and gave a few away...

 

Maybe others don't know that an ambit combo also works on panasonic cf-28. Sometimes I've seen that on fleabay for 0.99 cents starting price but ended up nobody bid. Way back the day the first time I introduced the 3com combo on fleabay fo CF-28 and for each in everyday the question are filling up among them is one of our regular here.



ohlip

 

I can get them locally for $2/ea in any quantity. i've got 5-10 on hand right now but if you guys need more, let me know

 

And you don't have any for sale on ebay????

I have enough to last me I think and then I'll give away or sell the rest. I only use them for the CF-28. I'm almost out of those... I think I have 3 complete units and a few I still need to build.

 

heh.. it slipped my mind.. i've been listing 'em, just forgot to put one up last week.

 

I have a spare black rubber keyboard, that I don't need. Anyone interested in it? I wouldn't mind a swap for a wifi card, but I'm too new to the CF-28 stuff to know if that is a fair deal. If I am off base here, someone please let me know.

cheers, Paul

 

Are you gone mad, man! the wi-fi card is only 10-15 buck except the 600mw eng.. and the rubberized is about 50buck plus.
If you still insist I will take it and in return, I will mod. your unit. Is that a deal?

Anyway, If it is not crirtical to you of any wi-fi card I think I still have a few of intel and atheros card on cabinet.

ohlip

 

Hey, usually it takes people longer to figure that out about me!-)
I really appreciate the honesty. Let's contact off line and I think we can work out a deal. I assume this includes the antennas etc. Any other mods that would be worth doing while we are in there???

cheers, Paul

 

I have an intel card 2100 I think and an atheros base chipset from toshiba laptop. No problem on paddle antena. I've got a couple from toughbook cf-29. Thats the only thing we can do. If you prefer to have your unit with gps. thats another story but I can tell you. Just provide all those hardware that are necessary and I will do it. No need for daugtherboard I can interface that directly to the mbo.


teo

 

Sounds good to me. GPS is a non issue for me. Did you get my email?

cheers, Paul

 

Hi there, I need to get a combo card, do you have any left?

cheers, Paul

 

I just recently came across an Engenius EMP-8062 Plus-S card which I obtained and it will probably replace the Intel 2200-BG card currently in my CF-28 soon.

I have some new pigtails sourced from LTI (a couple of 12" and a couple of 24" ones) , and I'm wondering about the fitting that secures the factory RIM antenna in the LCD housing - there seems to be some sort of a small metal plate to secure the top of a factory RIM antenna that screws to the magnesium LCD housing lid. I don't think securing an RP-SMA connector direct to the LCD housing is a good idea though open to suggestions about that.

I would presume using a higher-powered card like the Engenius 8062 can give problems if the pigtail and antenna don't have a good match SWR-wise (to limit the reflection of RF energy back at the card), so the LTI pigtails seem to be good in regards to keeping SWR nice and low esp with the better quality coax they're made with.

Craig.

 

If you follow the existing cabling from the CDPD antenna down to the bottom half of the laptop, you will see that it terminates in a uFL connector on the pass-through bulkhead connector at the back of the laptop. From there you can either use a uFL to uFL extension cable or you can fab up an adapter as I did to use the existing semi-rigid cabling. See the full workup here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=215522&page=2

I had very good results with this setup, even with my 400mw Engenious card. However, if you go here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=363988

you can see my conversation with our resident Primitive Radio God - marconi - where we address most of your concerns in depth. Bottom line - it's a good place to start, and if you've got access to the highly specialized equipment needed to actually trim one of these antennas to the proper resonant length, we'd ALL love to see your results and details on how you got it tuned just right.

mnem
Yeah, we've been THERE , too... LOL

 

Hey I just thought of something
My cf-72 mk-5 came with a 802.11b wi-fi setup from factory using a cisco card and a pull-out antenna!
I will check the length of the antenna used

Alex

 

Mmmmhmmm...

Remember - these pull-out antennas all have a filter network at the base which will affect the resonant length; I imagine your CF-72 does as well. It might be interesting to see what that looks like though... maybe some MACRO shots of it disassembled like I did for my antenna mod... if you could post such to the forum, Alex?

mnem
Oh gawd... I almost forgot, these are a vertically polarized antenna...

 

Would something like this work in the hidden slot? UBIQUITI PCMCIA Cardbus WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n http://www.wlanparts.com/product/SR71C/

 

Ummm... I suppose it would; but that's a lot of money for a 100mw card, and it's EASY to install a MUCH less expensive 400mw or 600mw card in one of the mini-pci slots under the HD, even with the additional $5-$7 to buy a MODEM/NIC combo card to free up the one of the slots for it. On top of that, it's much easier to fit a short USB2.0 card in there than anywhere else except of course one of the exposed PCMCIA slots - but we like to keep them open for media card readers and FIREWIRE cards.

Read this entire thread for the details; there's lots of photos.

mnem
Oyz!

 

Sorry, I am still learning. I actually have the Engenius card and a flag antenna that members have recommended. I need to get ahold of a strong externally mounted antenna but some of the tech jargon from the locals takes me time to decifer. I will try again. Thanks.