GSM UMTS HSPDA and antenna questions

this is 10 letters or more

 

18 letters and 3 numerals

mnem
No wait 22 letters no wait 56 letters 7 numerals

 

So what was the question?

 

I believe he's starting a "Sticky" here.

 

It was a drunken dumb chit question which i didn't feel like looking up the answer to.

But now i've looked it up, and don't feel soo bad: iether I suck at research, or the answere isn't really here or easy to find.

I want to add 3g hspda to my 29, and i want a built in/internal solution.

I could do internal usb, pci-e, or pcmcia.

One of the requirements is that it has to be able to do voice/fax, and i use tmobile already, so gsm is my poison of choice.

this eliminates usb, becuase all the usb modems I could rip apart and install internal, tmobile will only support data on, no voice/fax

pci-e is not a choice, since I have an MK1 (no pci-e)

I got a sierra 775 pcmcia, cingular, so It's not an imei listed in tmobile's system, and I can activate data and voice on it (don't ask, it requires stating the facts in a way that favors my position so tmo will do what i want) (yes, it's unlocked, and yes, it supports voice/fax)

i don't like the idea of pcmcia, as it can just be popped out. SO, I now have 2 or 3 questions:

Is the cn18 capable of supporting pci-e (let's just assume I build the appropriate board for a pci-e connector with sim card)? what if I have the diy gps on cn18 already?

What about antennas? I know the oem corner antenna is out of the question becuase of price and complexity (which i just don't understand). i can't seem to find any other's solultions to adding the wlan.
WHat about replaceing one of the wifi antenna's with (somehow) an appropriate antenna for 3g (I don't really need diversity, do i?).
Anyway to install another pcmcia inside (without a usb to pcmcia adapter)(or maybe a Cheap one, as they're $120 or so)

EH?



OH, and I had a higher reply to view ratio, after I had edited it to "10 letters"

 

See, i asked a few real questions, and the thread died.

Maybe I just suck, and need someone to hold my hand.

If I'm getting the silent treatment, could someone just post good search queries?

The problem is that there is soo much information, and threads get soo long, it's hard to find those 1-3 posts that tell someone what they need to know...

 

USB is most likely your best choice for modding as there are a few open spots (most likely) in your unit. You COULD mod in the OEM wireless if you are good with delicate electronics and have the proper precision tools... AND A LOT of patience, clean work area, etc... There are no plug and play OEM 3G parts for your model.... You need to go up to MK5 for that... Everything else is a mod. Plug in USB 3G may be an option that you could mod into the CF-29 and modify the antenna possibly. Has anyone done it? I don't think anyone has posted about doing it here...

The CF-18 will not support pci-e...

No wifi antenna is going to work with 3G... It's like mixing oil and water.... Not the same type.

NO... You don't suck... You just need to realize that the questions that get flooded with answers are the ones where others have already been there/done that, etc. Yours would be quite an involved mod and if you are not up to installing your own antenna... I really don't think you are up to modding the 3G into the CF-29.

SO.... WITH THAT IN MIND.... If this is a workhorse Toughbook that you need every day... I would go with a plug and play USB model and suck it up.

-OR-

Play around with it... That is how we all got sucked into the lobby here. We can email you any schematics you may need and try to help with what you need.

 

Well, we all start out somewhere, and currently, i'm a little worse than some, and a little better than a others....

I feel up to the challenge, and leave it up to me to come up with the oddball questions.

Although, i know very little about it, becuase RF is voodoo that doesn't follow regular high school type physics, I understand the basic principles. I was looking for a small replacement antenna tuned for 800, 1800, 1700, 1900, & 2100 (mostly 17/2100 and 1900, as these are the prevalent us gsm frequencies), or schematic to etch my own, to swap out one of the wifi antenna's on top. If anyone has a link to some sort of program or formula to get the pattern for a pcb, that would rock; I'll look into that tonight at home, on my wifi. You really only need one antenna, and if I had 2.5g on my toughbook, the only time I would need wifi, it would be close to an AP anyway. But that would also make the wwan polarization horizontal, and vertical would be better. Although, horizontal would be better than an antenna sticking up out of my open pcmcia door...

So what is cn-18 as far as industry standards? I haven't compared the pinouts to anything (I'm teathered to my gprs (dialup) phone, so, no heavy surfing right now))

I had gotten quite excited when I found this, and then realized it was for the 28. No chance in hell of something like this in the 29, huh? I have a host of dead laptops for parts, and would love to just add a ribbon/pcmcia connector inside there.

USB is just not an option for me, as i can't find an appropriate sized one that supports voice in my situation. Plus, I already bought the dam 775. Although, I exhausted my search, as usb would be the easiest off the cn18 gps board I got from ebay (discussed at length in other threads), and power consumption wouldn't be as big an issue (limited to 500ma) as it's my understanding that usb port lacks that restriction?

I had also looked into usb to PCI-e boards with sim slot, and know it can be done as I found 1 that was for "testing" purposes in desktops pci-e or mini usb interface, just not in a compact enough form factor. i had thought of using a 595u, but don't know about a sim slot, or if I could swap out the pci-e that's in there, for one that would work for tmobile. I also don't remember if I found one that was for gsm or not? (I'll look back into that too, although I don't think I had found the gsm equivalent)

For now, I need to figure out a good "internal" antenna solution for this edge pcmcia card. i'll improve the wlan later, and use that antenna for the improvement. I'm looking at finding a replacement nub cell phone antenna or one that extends, and installing it similar to the way many DIY sarantels are mounted on the top left corner, and then routing the cable down to the pcmcia slot, but I in these new age times, I can't find an antenna like that, since no one uses them anymore. Maybe I could rip the rubber nub off an old phone, and reproduce the pcb antenna it hides (most cell phones have the antenna etched right on the motherboard, and it just stickes up into the rubber nub cover, if it doesn't have a big copper bow tie style mounted elsewhere)

Off I go....

Thanks ya'll!!!

 

Are you looking for an at&t/Cingular or a T-Mobile on-board HSDPA WWAN modem for the CF-29?

 

I am looking for a 3g hspa modem that will support data and voice.

If it's from Tmobile, they will not let it do both.
If it's from another carrier/unbranded/not tmobile, then I can activate it as a "phone" with voice + data, and tmobile won't know, becuase it's not a device identified in their system as an aircard or modem (which they would only let do data).

I'm not trying to be a , just trying to be specific.

I think it's ridiculous that they want me to spend $480/year, just for mobile internet, and won't even let me pay by the minute or at least something for voice (I have to be able to get faxes)

 

There, there I.F! It's not that bad!

I give you my special search tool to aid you in your future search efforts! I have found it to be a lot more accurate then most sites search function. I have made it as a special search in my browser right side drop down search menu. (IE8)

I have also found "Forum Search" to be more accurate then the general site search, I guess obviously because we are talking a sub-set of the complete site. In the green band drop-down menu above under " Search Forums."

We time to go to work, and then when I get home, back to making labels!

 

How about one of those "fax to email" services? We had a guy at work a while back who subscribed to one of the services and I don't think it was very expensive. Of course if its about getting one over on T-Mobile I'd understand.
CAP
CAP

 

well, azriel, I appreciate the search dingle thingy. I usually use the "advanced search" anyway, as I agree, it seems to have a bit better usefulness. My issue is more with searching for the right terms, and then digging through all the superfluous crap to find what I need. I have written my own start page for firefox, and have included some of the code quoted below. just paste it into notepad, and save it as yournamehere.html to try it out. it will give you a google search box, ebay search box, and craigslist norfolk search box. feel free to use it however you want, I found the code here and there...

Just take a look at it to rip out the parts you might want. I'm working on one that accesses the nbr toughbook board, but don't know how that will workout, i still have to play a bit.

Now, onto the core of the subject. For security and tracking purposes, I want my 29 to have gsm, but that's enough about that.
Also, I *want* faster internet than tethered to a gsm phone.
Having it on my 29 may be $480/year, but it will save me $120 on one of my lines (total effective cost=360).
I can write this off on my taxes (I work for the LLC which I own),
This is the way to write it off, and get permission from my C/O, AKA, the wife (who hates being called my CO, btw)
And, finally, even if I do the email to fax service, I'd be using the slow tether, and paying somewhere around $200/yr. In my opinion, the convenience is worth the extra dough, not to mention the other benefits.

But I appreciate the suggestion!

Now, onto figuring out this antenna deal. I've found several extendable/retractable antenna's, and some nubs. I just have to check which frequencies those phones handle, and get the right one.... and/or make sure it's aesthetically similar the a sarantel, which I'd like to mount on the other corner of the lid.

 

superfluous crap indeed! Some of us think that's what sets this group off from your average forum! Just kidding, I feel your pain with some of the rambling off topic you encounter when trying to follow a thread, but imagine how boring this place would be if the mods tried to keep us on topic. Its what gives us our charm.
CAP

 

double post

 

Hey!
I'm getin a quote on some cable and connectors and have a few questions:

1) Rg194 is good and suitable?
2) Rg316 is lower loss, but is it applicable for wwan, and is it flexible enough to rout through the hing?

3)I know that close counts for a stick antenna, but what about pcb antenna's? If I used a 1/4λ antenna for 1900mhz it would be 1/2λ for 900mhz. Does that concept apply for pcb/nub antennas, or should there be voodoo added into the equation?
I have calculated wavelength and what not, and it looks like 1700 & 1900 fall within %5 tolerance of 1900 1/4 λ, and 2100 is only like %7 off. 1/4 λ 1900 is %14 off from 1/2 λ of 900. So, it looks feasable

 

I'd use a magic jack there just 19.95 for a year.

 

A great idea I had considered: but I still have to have access to the internet machine, and if I were to use a usb majic jack and a usb modem, I don't know if i'd have enough room for it inside my 29 (because I would be compelled to make it "internal") and/or if mj's need an rj13 jumper or similar. this started out with the idea of an MJ at my house, and progressed into this cluster...

 

How about swapping out one of the wifi antennas with one of these. who needs wifi diversity? and then i can throw a sarantel in the corner of the lid too.

 

Give it a shot and let us know...
but measure that antenna first...

 

Givin' it a shot:
I just ordered all that crap. We'll see how it goes...

and, btw, TB, you have ruined R Lee for me. Now whenever I see or hear him, i think of rick from NBR!

 

To interestingfellow:

In regards to the PCMCIA AirCard being able to be popped out; my CF-29HTM50BM has a shield or guard that is held in place by two screws. Once the PCMCIA AirCard guard is in place, no one can casually get it out. Does your PCMCIA bay area have two small screw holes?

 

Well, cool. I hadn't gotten so far as to think about that. I'm on the OBX right now, and my mike died on my ppc phone, so I'm actually using the 775 now. Not bad.

I'm assuming it's just a small flat plate?

And do you ever get bsod's when inserting the pcmcia aircard? I do about every 4th insertion. When it does it again, I'll look up the error hex code to see why.

thanks again!

 

It's actually contoured to go over the original pigtail, but isn't tall enough to clear Mike's custom-made Sierra AirCard pigtails.

Small loss, as the PC Card stays in place quite well, "Thank Ya, Thank Ya Very Much!"¹


¹ Elvis Aaron "The King" Presley

 

I should be able to mix some wizardry with some voodoo, and some scrap metal, and make it happen...

 

I've searched around and can't seem to find anyone with similar issues.

Every once in a while, when I insert the 775, i get a BSOD (bottom slot). I have yet to write down the code to find out the error, but was curious if anyone else has had this problem, or knows why it's happening. My install of xp is a little hosed up, I'm due for a reinstall, but I figured I'd ask anyway.
Maybe a pnp conflict (it only happens when I boot without the card in, and then insert it after booted)?

Also, when i have the 775 in, watcher running or not, and my CF-29 hibernates, it won't wake up. It goes through the b/w bar saying something about xp loading, and then it goes blank black screen. As soon as I hit the power button, it shuts off immediately. Hit the power again, panasonic splash screen, and it boots up to "delete restoration data and continue" and all goes well. Anyone know why?

I've got my pigtails on the way, and an internal gsm antenna that looks like it will fit under one of the wifi bumpouts (from earlier in thread), and also, JIC, under the advisement of Toughbook, the jedi master, I got an lg retractable/extendable antenna. It's black, and the tip just has the small cap, so I figure I can bury it in the lid corner piece.

Also, on that extendable antenna: where do I put the ground from the antenna lead? Obviously I have to put the signal lead to the threaded metal at the bottom of the anteanna. All those type antennas I've seen in a cell phone just have a plastic sleeve, and the mobo usually has a little flat spring that makes contact to the nut that receives the threaded base...