CF-52: How to remove the Built-in Wireless Adapter?

Hello,

Is there a way to physically remove the built-in wireless adapter in a CF-52, please?

Normally, we would simply disable the adapter (via the BIOS), but we have a customer with some rather stringent security requirements and they would prefer to have the wireless adapters physically removed from the notebooks.

I need to do this on a half-dozen CF-52's but haven't been able to find specific instructions (or diagrams or photos).

Many thanks!

 

Yes, it should be a mini pci-e card
There might be access from the bottom or under the keyboard, I don’t have a cf-52 to check

Alex

 

CF-52 is very easy. Pull the speaker cover panel below the screen (five screws) and the card sits just below it. Two screws and the two antenna connections and it is out.

 

Thanks for the info Silver Trooper. Unfortunately, I should have asked for clarification BEFORE I went mucking with things.

I removed the speaker cover panel -- so far so good.

I then located what I THOUGHT to be the wireless adapter -- it was a small card (approximately 1/4" wide by 1" long, orientated north/south and located just to the right of the LEFTMOST speaker, it had a black and white lead attached to it).

I removed this little "bridge" (it had a screw on the north end and screw on the south end) but I'm still able to DETECT and then CONNECT to a wireless network.

I'm guessing that I removed the wrong component -- even though I *thought* I had confirmed that I had the correct component because, prior to removing it, disconnecting the black and white leads caused the list of available wireless networks to disappear.

What complicates matters is that the screws that held this little "bridge" in place had been installed gorilla-tight and I broke the bridge while attempting to remove it.

Moving forward, please:

1) Any chance I could bother you for the approximate location (and description) of the wireless adapter that I SHOULD have removed? <g>

2) Any chance that you might be able to tell me the name of the part (the little "bridge") that I busted? (It has "WWAN DMMY PCB" on the back of it.)

Many thanks!

Posted edited to include photo -- the red arrows point to the small component that I removed.

 

I think your card should look like this pic


Alex

 

If you removed what I think you did, you did not have a card in the first place. The "bridge" you speak of is just put there when you DO NOT have a wifi card. That is what was in place when I first got my 52. It was north/ south and I removed the two screws (along with the two antenna cables) to remove the "bridge". The wifi card then went in east/west with the (as you look down on the laptop) contact end on the east end and it went in the slot at an angle and you then used the two screws on the west end to secure it before you attach the two antenna cables. If you broke the "bridge", no big deal as you discard it after you take it out.

 

Yep, that is where the two screws would secure the card...if you had one.

 

Post the full model # please
As I can't figure out if you have a wwan option , as you say there is a wireless network shown



Alex

 

Thanks! Seriously... I'm relieved not to have to start looking for replacement parts. <g>

On the flip-side, now I'm really confused about the wireless. There are no accessories, external cards, nor any other obvious peripherals attached to the notebook -- and all of the PCMCIA slots are empty -- yet it's still detecting local wireless networks.

Any thoughts on what I might be missing, please?

 

Model No. CF-52 // CF-52CCABXBM

Also please, I just edited my post above to include a photo.

 

*Vista COA* Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 1.8GHz (Centrino), 15.4" WXGA, 1GB, 80GB, Intel 802.11a/b/g, Multi-drive, WinXP, No Bluetooth
You might have to remove the base or keyboard to get to your card
You must have two slots

Alex

 

What is actually showing that a wireless network is being detected? Are you using Vista or XP? As Tomcat asked, what is the full model number of the 52? Have you checked device manager for any other wireless devices?

 

That is the same model I have and it should have come "wireless ready" with no Bluetooth. I believe it was also without WWAN.

 

From the device manager: Intel (R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG

I can also bring up a dialog box as seen below:

Post edited: image deleted.

 

The card will be in the location used by the missing bluetooth
And will look like the pic I provided
One or two of those wires that you disconected will be attached to it
Edit; It could even be under that pcb, see if there is enough space under to hold the wi-fi card
Alex

 

The wireless on/off switch is on the front behind the handle. What happens when you turn it to the "off" position? Does it still show that a wifi network is detected?

 

WinXP PRO with SP3.

Items listed by the Device Manager are below, please:

 

Blockmental, what is your email address? I have the CF-52 manuals already downloaded and will send them to you. I do not have the service manual with the schematics.

 

Now I am going to have to check my 52 to make sure I don't have two cards.

 

Hey Guys,

I appreciate your time in helping me figure this out.

With the WIRELESS SWITCH to the ON position I see two available networks.

When I position the WIRELESS SWITCH to OFF I see "Wireless is turned off..." and there are no wireless networks listed.

When I then position the WIRELESS SWITCH back to ON... the list of available wireless networks repopulates and I can connect to them.

 

It’s like a treasure hunt lol

Alex

 

Hey Alex,

I do... and to think that I just went through the trouble to create a "throwaway" gmail address so that I wouldn't have to post a work address on a forum where all the spamers could find it. <g>

It's a nice "Newport Night" here... there's a stiff breeze, low ceilings and a fair amount of sea fog rolling in. Very cool indeed!!!

 

Wish I was there

You get spring weather in Newport before us on Vancouver Island

Alex

 

Nope, not a HAM enthusiast (but I am old enough to know about such things from when I was a kid -- several locals used to connect to folks from all over the world). <g>

I just tried to get a peek under the circuit board that was in my pic -- it doesn't *appear* that there's room underneath it for a wireless adapter, but it's going to take some non-trivial disassembly to see for certain.

As for my lack of technical expertise -- ABSOLUTELY!!! We kind of fell into the line of work that we're in -- we provide organizations with anonymous and voluntary, standalone, PC-based reporting programs. Our area of expertise is in how to field the programs AND then how to sustain high participation rates over time -- plus we provide reporting services. The software development stuff we contract out, but sometimes I get stuck with the hardware issues which I find to be a major PITA! <g>

For the past three years we've been using IBM ThinkPads and we've been HUGELY happy with them -- it's just that one particular customer has dictated that we use Panasonic gear and the learning curve... well, she has been steep. <g>

Where are you out of please?

 

We used to live in Seattle so I know what you mean! I'm not originally from the PACNW, so the Seattle rain took some getting used to... but compared to Newport, where it FREQUENTLY rains SIDEWAYS between December and March, you folks have it rather mild. <g>

 

We haven't had too many windstorms this winter
I'm just north of you in Canada

Do thinkpads still have the goofy eraser mouse thing lol

Alex

 

RE: your being in Vancouver... I'm a bit (no, make that a lot) slow on the uptake this PM. (Had I been *thinking* I would have read the info below your avatar.. duh!!!)

As for that silly little "goofy eraser mouse thing"... yup, they still have them... and now you can even get them in slight different shapes with slightly different textures. <g>

As for being in BC... that is by far one of our favorite cities. We've often commented that, "BC does right what Seattle tries to do." We think it to be a nice place indeed.

Just out of curiosity, please... how did you figure out I was in Newport... my IP address???

 

I just though of another way of disabling the wi-fi
If you go into the bios (F2) when booting you can disable the wi-fi adapter there
Then set a bios password and the user cannot get into the bios to enable the locked-out wi-fi

Alex

 

According to the 52 manual, there are four different ways to disable the wireless. Manuals have been sent.

 

I would have to be psychic


Alex

 

For Alex, please: we actually offered to disable the wireless via the BIOS but this particular customer nixed that and has asked that the wireless adapter actually be removed. (So much for the easier of two paths!)

For Silver Trooper, please: I truly appreciate your taking the time to send the manuals -- I know what a pain these sorts of endeavors can be. They haven't shown up yet, but once they do, this will be the first thing I work on in the AM.

Again, MANY THANKS to both!

 

Okay, so that whole "blockmental" thing... just because "mental block" is often times already being used... is coming into play and you're making my head hurt! <g>

So just how much info AM I sharing with the world when I post on a public forum???

 

No problem
You can delete you post that has the email on it if you get the info you need
You will shortly have PM privileges as you need 15 posts and a day for it to activate
Let us know how you make out with them
These are very good models

Alex

 

Close... very close.

We use something on our website to map visitors ( www.statcounter.com)... it provides IP addresses AND it will map a visitor's location... but not nearly as close as whatever you're using on your end.

 

The wi-fi network link had one of the two access points named as if it was your Amateur Radio licence
Now maybe that’s you neighbour that is listed ,and with that info and google I can get a location lol

Alex

 

Ooooppps!!! For a variety of reasons we don't use WiFi internal to our company... but several of the neighbors obviously do.

NEVER in a million years would I have made the connection... NEVER. Now I understand your affinity for the phrase, "treasure hunt". <g>

I've always known that some people are just A LOT more clever than I'll ever be... and every once in awhile someone demonstrates it! <g>

And with that, I think I should delete a certain post containing a certain wireless network name that's not mine.

Alex, for a Panasonic guy you're alright -- and I've enjoyed our chat this PM.

Have a nice night!

 

Take care, it was fun
The regulars here on the Panasonic forum are alright
We mean you no harm, But I will delete any references that I made to your location and modify my posts a bit as others can see them as our PM is the only place for personal info

Alex

 

The spot under the speaker grille is for the WWAN card. The bridge is still just a fill in and does not matter if it broke.

 

Thanks for confirming that. Fortunately, in trying to figure out a hardware solution for disabling the wireless, I'm banging on a "development CF-52" that we own (vs. any customer equipment); but still, it's nice to know that I haven't ruined anything.

In looking through the (2) manuals I'm seeing a number of software solutions for disabling the wireless, and I found the small SIM card bay (just above the phone line and Ethernet ports), but so far I'm not seeing any reference to a possible location for the wireless adapter. Later today I'm going to split the case and see if I can find something similar to the photo that Alex posted.

Once I finally figure this out, I'll update this thread in case others are ever trying to do the same thing.

Many thanks!

 

"WWAN DMMY PCB"-- do you think this means WWAN Dummy PCB?

 

Thanks to Alex and Silver Trooper we've finally figured this out.

There was a second wireless adapter slot on the underside of the notebook.

To get to it:

Remove the L-shaped access plate adjacent to the "Battery Release" switch and immediately below the handle. (The single screw requires a special screwdriver, size T-5 or T-6.)

Remove the two securing screws, remove the two leads (one gray, one blue) and slide the adapter AWAY from the handle.

Once we did this and rebooted the PC we saw a dialog box that indicated that the Wireless Adapter was not available -- which is exactly what we were hoping to accomplish.

Again, many thanks to Alex and Silver Trooper for their assistance!

 

Thats great

Were you told the reason for your customer requesting Toughbooks

Alex

 

That is a secure torx screw, it requires the torx bit with the hole in the middle.