CF-52 MK1 - what is the free mini pci-e slot for?

I opened the speakers cover and I found one free (unused) minipci-e slot. What it can be used for? GOBI WWAN? Something else?

 

It is for a WWAN card but I suppose you could mod it for other usage.

 

Good luck getting it to work for anything but WWAN. You will need to do some rewiring to make other card work. Been there, gave up doing that.

 

I actually thought going with a WWAN option.

Are there WWAN cards that have sim card slot integrated directly on them? And will they work (or GOBI is the only option)?
Also - where do you put the anthenna?

 

The sim card reader is already in the CF-52. Open the cover for the the phone and LAN ports on the back. There is a little stainless steel bracket, held in place with a screw, that when removed exposes the sim card slot. Insert the card, screw the cover back on and you are good to go.

EDIT:The antennas are already there.

 

Yes, I found the slot, thank you.

Now I will go to buy a WWAN mini pci-e card.

As for the antenna - I guess it should be connected to the WiFi antenna? I see it connected to the card below the free slot.

 

The WWAN antennas are connected to a small PCB that has to be removed before you can install your WWAN card.. You remover the antennas from the PCB, remove the PCB, insert your WWAN card, fasten it down with the screws from the small PCB and connect the antennas to the WWAN. Hope that helps.

 

Thank you!

Now finally I see on the panasonic website that Gobi 1000 works with "AT&T, Sprint and Verizon". Will it work with a telecom provider in Bulgaria? The card itself supports the frequencies according to it's description. From the panasonic website I read something about "Carrier selection application". What if my carrier is not there (how can I know)?

Or can I use a non-gobi card for the same purpose?

I've found the answers in another thread. It should work in Europe by "dip switches" (I guess these are jumpers on the board).

I have a "Sierra AirCard 881" modem. I am pretty sure there is a Gobi 2000 card inside. There is a "Qualcomm 3G" sign is on the back of the card.

Will Gobi 2000 work? I don't need the GPS option, just the WWAN.

 

Yes, a Gobi 2000 should work. I put a Sierra Wireless MC8781 in my Mk2 with no problems. If you need a sim card to get on your service provider network, then it does not matter what card, as long as it is recognized in the BIOS. That is my experience playing around with some different cards I have.

Even if you have no sim card, the GPS will work, unless it has been disabled in the card. All you need is software to use it.

 

The fail!

I inserted the GOBI 2000 card and the sim card. Then booted the laptop and... nothing - windows does not detect the GOBI card. Below are attached pictures.

I tried to pull out the battery of the laptop for one minute but it did not help. BIOS locked?


Here is how I connected the card:



Here is BIOS screen:



"GOBI not found" in the Panasonic CSA app.

 

The antenna leads look hooked up correct. Did you push the power button repeatedly after removing the battery?

When I put the Sierra Wireless MC8781 into my CF-52, I think all I did was boot into the BIOS and enable the card. I cannot remember exactly what I did, but a few day (week?) later, I did something that caused the card to disappear in the BIOS. I had to pull the main battery and push the power button, maybe 20 times, to get in recognised.

I might have another MC8781. I will check tonight. If I do, I can send it to you to try in your unit. It is an option if you do not get your card working. Could be your card is defective.

 

"The CF-52A MK1 does not support GOBI 2000, or the GOBI 1000. These wwan modules are not certified for this
series. You will need a carrier specific modem like AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon which will work with your laptop."

Panasonic Toughbook support

I guess it's BIOS locked

 

Gobi 2000 is not supported on the CF-19 Mk1 either but it works, we have several mods here that isn't possible or supported by Panasonic.

 

Any thoughts on how to get it work?

I was reading for app called "SPGOBI2.zip" (running from pure DOS), which I can no longer find to download.

 

I would try pulling the battery and without it being plugged in cycling the power a few times as was suggested earlier. Is this a Panasonic branded card?

 

Tried that, did not work.

The card is Gobi 2000 by Qualcomm - that's what Panasonic is using. There is a picture in previous post.

 

It may be the "same" card, but the original ones have Panasonic branding. The branding is also in the card ID. a non Panasonic card is not plug n play. The BIOS looks for the Panasonic branding.
It seems to be possible to make a non Panasonic card work. Another member is doing some testing, If it continues to go well he will release what and how he did it. Don't ask me, I will not give out any more information.

This is all from what I have learned here. I have not used a GOBI myself. If I am wrong, let me know and I will delete it...

 

I'll be waiting then

 

With my own dealings so far with my CF-19 mk1 I had to mess with the dip switch setting to get it to reconize the card in the bios and in device manager. I don't know if the 52 has any dip switches. I haven't had my sons tore down yet. The gobi 2000 card I am using is a non Panasonic card. I haven't gotten the correct driver for it yet. The factory Panasonic software won't work with this card. This is as far as I have got as I have been messing with other projects. I know others have been messing with it also.

 

I have a couple of CF-52 Mk1's that I am about to put up for sale, so I have not tried upgrading them. If I have time this weekend, I will go through the wwan cards I have and see if I have a Gobi. I will see if I can get a Gobi, or any other card working in at least one of them. I will let you know what the results are.

 

I have no idea of DIP switches - where they could be?

 

That is what it looks like on the 19.

Found this in a older thread.

One of the tricks on a CF-52 is that you have to disconnect power and pull the main battery before installing the GOBI. If you do not pull the battery the GOBI will not show in the bios. The bios resets with the battery pull. If you installed the GOBI without pulling the battery, pull the battery - pull the GOBI - reseat the GOBI - set the dip switches - install the battery - power up into the bios. The GOBI should show now.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/562689-cf-52-wwan-retrofit-2.html

There are several things to try in this thread, read the whole thing. It's 6 pages worth.

 

DIP switches are right beside the card on a cf 52 if I recall correctly.

 

Ok, I have a big step forward here. I found the dip switches. Initially the two were directed in the right.

Attempt 1. I made them both to the left. Did not work.

Attempt 2. First on the left, second on the right (as shown on the picture below)



SUCCESS

Now I do have "Wireless WAN" option in BIOS. It is of course set to "Enabled".

Now the next problem - how to make it work in Windows 7? The only thing that showed is the GPS module (check the picture below):



That's the GPS chip. Drivers were installed successfully. I still can't get it to work (can't connect to COM22 which it's using) but that's a problem for the future.

There is no trace of "3G modem" or similar new device. Seems that Windows 7 is not finding it. Now what?

oooooor maybe it's not gps but what I needed... the un2420 is the gobi 2000 device for HP. Now HP people use some "HP Connection Manager" app, which unfortunately I cannot install on my toughbook... I thought that I will be able to connect using the windows connection manager. But not...

Still strange that there's nothing new in device manager.

Stuck again.

 

I got a Lenovo connection manager to work on my cf 30 and cf 52. I just use it for wifi.

 

If the exe you are trying to use won't run try extracting it with 7zip. Then see if there is another exe inside the file you can use, or something you can load that way though device manager.

The T and W series (5 and up) toughbooks only have two dip switches also. If I remember right on my T5 as long as one was up the other one was down it showed up in the bios even if it didn't have a card in the slot.

 

Did that - it is doing some check and finds that I am not on a HP.

I will try the Lenovo manager too. But I am not very optimistic about it...

Lenovo connection manager: There is not a supported WAN card installed on this computer...

 

When you extracted it did it give you another exe to work with? And that EXE gave you the "not a hp pc" bs?

 

Have you tried the Sierra Wireless Watcher software? I did not use any Panasonic software, just downloaded generic Watcher software and ran that.

Checked the Mk2 and I used Watcher_Generic_2062.msi for software and ATT_MC8355_Driver_v3717_Win_XP_7_8.zip (Panasonic?) driver and AC881U_F1_2_3_15ap.exe for firmware update. The WWAN card is a Sierra Wireless MC8781.

I am about to put a different drive in one of the Mk1's, install Win7 and try to install different WWAN cards.

The Panasonic software is for the US carriers. Search for the generic Watcher software, download and install it. Hopefully it will work.

Here is the Watcher software:

http://www.sierrawireless.com/resources/software/watcher/Build2062/Watcher_Generic_2062.msi

 

Thanks, but "No device detected". It's for Sierra cards...

Curse you cheap HP un2420 Gobi!

I guess I will need to throw it in the trash and buy a Sierra card.

Now I am in process of thinking that there is some error with the device. It's says working properly on COM23 in device manager but... using putty I can't connect to COM23 at all.

 

I ran into a small snag. I needed to MT an hdd to use. Another hour, or two, I should be starting to test cards. If I get one working, I can send you the card, drivers and software I used to get the card working and instructions on the method I used. If you get it working, you can send me a couple of dollars for the mailing costs, or not. Doesn't really matter to me as I only paid a couple of dollars for the cards I have. Your choice.

 

It appears that 'an hour or two' was overly optimistic. Win7 Pro, all Panasonic drivers are installed and all MS updates are done. Ready to start WWAN card install....later.

Going to give the unit a chance to cool down, and I need food, smoke and drink. If I don't get back to it tonight (have a SpeedwayGP to watch), I will start in the morning.

 

I will be happy to buy a Sierra card from you (if it works on your laptop of course)

My Gobi is going for sale.

 

Sierra Wireless MC8781 works. Have sent you a PM wattie.

 

Looking all over for the SPGOBI2.zip to unlocked the bios for sierra wireless card I bought, can anyone help me? It would be very appreciated! PM or email @ [email protected].

Thanks!
Aaron

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook Forum
You can't PM since you need at least 5 post . Not sure who has this, Panasonic took it off there web page.