CF-53 WLAN Upgrade?

We have 18 CF-53 (mostly JJCZY1M) that currently have Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] (rev 34) WLAN cards in then, half-mini-pcie type. We're having an issue with them. We have several Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01) cards that we are using in embedded devices. Installing one will not allow the BIOS to detect it, much less the OS. I tried taping pin 20 on one of them to see if that would at least make 'wireless configuration' appear in the BIOS, but that had no effect. I've tried disconnecting the CMOS battery when installing the card, also with no effect. I've changed WLAN cards in a lot of laptops, but I've never seen anything like this. Putting the 6205 back in allows wifi without a problem.

We've also tried putting the AR928X in the half slot, even though it's not a half card.



Has anyone here changed the WLAN card in their CF-53? If so, which one did you use? Any tricks to get it to work?

Closest thread I've seen to this is here.

 

I don't have a CF-53 but experience changing/upgrading many wifi cards in many different brands has shown that if you do not install the card properly you will not have it recognized. I can not see the Atheros card being able to fit in the opening properly. On some units there is room to install a full card in place of a half card, but in your case it doesn't even look close. Sometimes using what is on hand is not practical. Try a half card of the model wifi card you want to use.

 

Sorry that should have read "We've even tried putting the AR928X in the half slot, even though it's not a half card." We of course tried the full-size slot first.

 

Never owned a cf53, but I have upgraded my wlan in my cf 52...First of all, I'll give you a dollar for that sr71 card
The bios is whitelisted to only allow certain Intel cards. If you put the 6205 back in, you'll probably see it in the bios.
What problems are you having with the 6205's? I believe the "05" indicates that the card is wimax capable. I would try an Intel 6300 series card. You don't need the third antenna, but it makes a big difference. The "3" means 3 antennas and the "2" in 6205 indicates 2 antennas. I use a simple stick on flag antenna. As long as it's under plastic and not metal, they work good.

Ok Now I saw the link in your first post. Copied here for other readers.

I was just reading another post on the forum something about Linux doesn't do power management very well. I have very little Linux knowledge. I still say, pick up some Intel 6300 cards and run them.

 

I'm not sure I understand the hidden context in that statement...

Any way around this?

Putting the 6205 back in allows wifi without a problem.

They keep telling the access point they're going to sleep. The 6300 does this too, but it always immediately follows up with "I'm alive!"

 

I was just joking about a dollar. Currently they cost $50..00 or more each
The sr71 is an extremely good wlan card. I have one in my cf30.


Ubiquiti SR71-E 400mw Hi-Power 802.11n PCI-E Module, (2) u.fl for 2x2 MIMO, PCI Express, over 50km
Ubiquiti SR71-E extended Range and 300Mbps Wireless Speeds to super-charge any laptop or embedded system with long-range 11n MIMO wireless performance.
Extended Range and 300Mbps Wireless Speeds
The SR71-E is the perfect upgrade to super-charge any laptop or embedded system with long-range 11n MIMO wireless performance.

 

Modifying the whitelist on a Toughbook is difficult. One of our very talented members did it, but he bricked his Toughbook the first time around. He was able to save the laptop eventually. I tried for a little while to modify my bios whitelist, but gave up. It was easier to accept the performance of the 6300. I was trying to get my sr71 to work in my cf52. My cf52 came with an Intel 5100 originally.
I tried for about a week to get a non Intel card to work in my cf52. It ended in failure as I had to use an Intel brand card (intel 6300). I tried probably 6 or 7 different wlan cards. Interestingly, an older Intel card would not work either.

In windows it's easy to disable the power saving features of a wlan card. What is the problem caused by the card "going to sleep"

Here's some links to my previous posts on wlan upgrading.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/703862-cf-52-wifi-bios-whitelist.html#post9035489

 

Generally speaking, Linux plays much nicer with *any* type of Atheros chipset than an Intel one. Using an Intel card in a *nix environment rarely yields optimal results in my memory.

A lot will depend on one's router as well, but what I've stated above reflects my experiences gained during 6-7 years of casual Linux use on a variety of laptops...

Obviously, YMMV.

 

It's "relatively" disabled, in that it sends a lot fewer power QoS packets with the power management bit set, but it still sends some. The symptom is that the access point buffers packets heading to the laptop, until the laptop sends another packet (usually in reply to a broadcasted ARP request). We've seen frequent bufferings of eight seconds.

 

Absolutely agreed.

The "router" is an embedded linux device with an Atheros chip running hostapd.

 

Linux may like Atheros better, but I'm betting you'll find the cf53 is locked to certain Intel cards...That means the Atheros cards are not an option..I've been down this road before.

 

I believe that you're 100% correct, unfortunately...I have yet to see an Atheros-chipped card on any Panasonic of the aforementioned era...

 

Bizarre as it is.....That very same sr71 Atheros chipped card is in my cf30 working perfectly....No pin mod....Pure plug and play......

 

If you ever find a way of getting an Atheros card to work in a CF-52 I'd be very interested in details...

I don't own a CF-30, and my CF-31 is employer-issued so I'm not playing with that one...my personal ToughBooks are a fair game, though...:hi2:

 

I WAS JUST LOOKIN ON THE 'BAY. Please ignore the caps..............They make an USB wlan dongle. Micro mini size.....wonder if we can find an Atheros based one..I see Ralink..

 

here you go.

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usb


Thinkpenguin 802 11n "Stub" USB WiFi Antennna | eBay

 

Is that where the $1 idea for your offer on the previous page came from...

 

I would like another sr71 for my Motion c5 tablet.......$1.00....SOLD

 

USB dongles kinda defeat the purpose of having a toughbook...

 

I understand it's not an ideal solution, but it's probably the easliest and safest way to get an Atheros chipset wlan in those cf53's.
If I was doing it, and had to have an Atheros, I would put the dongle INSIDE the Toughbook connected to an internal usb port. That's a lot more serious of a hardware mod though.

 

Sorry to reply on such an old post..

Shawn,

Which Intel wireless cards does the cf-53 support?

Thank you.

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forum

I have a Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6205 in my 53 if that helps.

Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6205

 

I don't own a Cf53, but I would guess any Intel 6000 series will work.

 

This one was in it when I bought it new...works very good for me.