CF-28P - new owner questions

I'd been reading the forums here for several weeks prior to taking the leap and finally purchasing a CF-28 (without operating system) on eBay for my brother to use on deployment. It arrived Friday, and I installed XP Pro and the updates. It's running well and I'm pleased. (Note to Toughbook: I do think it's running slower after installing Service Pack 3 though.) I love the thing, and may have to buy another down the road for myself, but probably a 29.

Anyway, while this CF-28 has a modem and Lan, it doesn't have Wi-Fi. I've think I've read all the threads I could find on adding Wi-Fi, including the CF-28 Sticky thread; and, I've read some of them multiple times. Problem is, I'm not a hardware hacker, and buying the parts piecemeal would no doubt end in disaster for me. I was looking at the below Wi-Fi Kit/Combo but I'm not sure if it contains everything I'd need. It does not appear to me the antenna would mount in the usual place on the top left-hand side of the monitor where I do have a removable rubber plug with what appears to be an opening for the antenna and holes on both sides to fasten some kind of mounting bracket into place.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...rkparms=algo=CRX&its=S%2BI&itu=UCI%2BSI&otn=4

The other question I have is whether the CF-28 came with covers or rubber plugs where the modem and ethernet ports are on the right side. This one doesn't have any and I'm concerned about dust/sand getting into the computer via those openings. I did download and print Modly's service manuals. From those pics it doesn't appear they should have covers/plugs, but I wanted to double check with those of you here who would know for sure.

 

Spider... first of all... Welcome to the forum... And family!

Adding wifi is about the easiest mod to do to a CF-28. There are several ways to do it. The link you provided is one way but there are far cheaper ways to go about it. You can pick up an Atheros based wifi card for around $25... It wouldn't be the best card but would give you what you need. Then you need a 12" U.fl to bulkhead SMA pigtail... Around $10 plus shipping. You can also add an internal antenna if place it properly. Personally I use the "paddle" type laptop antennas. ($6 on ebay!) These come two to a pck and are held together with heat-shrink tubing. I cut the tubing and make 2 antennas out of one. Then I fold it and place it in the corner port cover, opposite the LAN/Modem and on the outside of the magnesium frame so it has access to signal. Mine work almost as well as using the SMA jack. I tell my customersw that the internal antenna will function as well as a regular laptop antenna. BUT... If you need more signal to use the SMA jack on the side coupled with a 3dB antenna (As shown in the link and are around $6-$10) You just need to drill a 1/4" hole in the side of the port cover and don't forget to slip on a small O-Ring to make it water-tight... Though I doubt it would leak as it is a sealed unit anyway. I always add a drop of red locktite aqfter I tighten my SMA connection down. This makes sure that it will stay in place and will alaways be waterproof!

The LAN and modem ports don't need a plug as they are pretty much sealed with only the contacts for the connectors coming to the outside.

Again... This is a very easy mod to do. And we are always here if you have any questions!

 

Thanks Toughbook for the welcome and the precise info. That brought everything together in a way that allowed me to finally see the options more clearly, and the exact parts needed. I think for my brother's purposes I better go with the SMA jack and external antenna so he'll have the best possible signal. Thanks for mentioning the O-ring and red loctite. Since it's my first attempt at anything like this, I wouldn't have known.

 

I'd think about installing an internal antenna as well. But play around with it... Have fun! Like I said... We're always here...