Going internal wireless: step one

Pet,
One caveat, the external antennas we use are RPSMA, not SMA. I made this mistake and have a large supply of neat little SMA antennae which are useless! I don't have time to look right now, but the internal prong on a RP(reverse polarity)SMA is opposite from SMA. There is a post here somewhere with pictures. I'm betting your IBM? desktop antenna is SMA.
CAP

 

Thanks for the post Capt it's RPSMA, Specs below.
Enhance the signal strength and performance of your wireless router or WLAN PCI card with this high gain 10 dBi antenna
Compact design to save apace
Compliant with IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g wireless LANs
2.4 GHz wireless coverage range: 300 - 500 M
Antenna type: omni-directional
Frequency: 2400-2483 MHz
Gain: 10 dBi
Impedance: 50 Ohm
VSWR: < 1.5
Connector: RPSMA (female)
Polarization: vertical
I'm going to keep digging into the forums for more info. Had one of these when they were new at my old unit. Thought I'd soup one up a
bit for life after field

 

I'm having some trouble. After installing my Mini-PCI card, and driver I get this, "This device cannot start. (Code 10)" My card is an Atheros Mini PCI Type III B card(Mini PCI 1.0 compliant). Is their a switch to turn on the card?

 

1. Make sure the LAN is turned on in the BIOS.
2. Make sure you have the pci card in the right (close to center) slot... It may not work correctly in the left slot.

 

Hmmm I'm keen to see if I can get a pair of flat pad wi-fi antennas mounted in my system using them fitted under the wrist pads of the main casing, but so far I haven't figured out how to achieve that though when I get some time I'll analyse the way the machine goes together and see what I can figure out.

Craig.

 

after reading the CF-28 FAQ and this thread, I have been looking for a Senao Engenius EMP-8602S 600mw card for my CF28

I found some on ebay, but the seller clearly states he discourages laptop use with this card as "it draws well over 1amp"

So, is this card OK to use with my Toughbook or could it be potentially hazardous to my laptop?

I simply want to get wireless internet in my home and in my car (this is being installed with a PDRC system -CFWEB273 dock, CFVDL01 monitor and CFVKBL03 keyboard, a couple lind power adapters and a plethora of N.O.S. cables)

any advice will be most appreciated!

 

Greetings All, I am new to this forum and I am having a ball reading all the information on the CF-28. Hope this is the correct thread, if not don't send nano bombs, just point me in the right direction.

I have just purchased my first CF-28 and am adding a Engenius EMP-8602S 600mw card. I have the actual stock wi-fi antenna, however I had a slight accident and damaged the U.FL connector that connects to the bulkhead board. Ok, I closed the lid on it, quit laughing. I need to repair and probably going to utilize a MMCX x U.FL pigtail. So I will install a MMCX connector on the coax coming from the antenna. I need to order a MMCX connector for the stock antenna coax. So I need to know the type of coax that runs from the bulkheard board to the actual antenna.

I also need to get an adapter pigtail for the blue coax that runs from the bulkhead connector to the stock Cisco card MMCX connector to convert it to U.FL.

All this said is based on the fact that I don't seem to be able to locate replacement U.FL connectors, if someone out there by chance knows of a place that they can be purchased from.

[email protected]

 

I use the stock twin antenna system in my CF-28 here is the link to a chinese seller who has exactly what you need. I am using them in my set up and am very happy with the performance.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pigtail-IPX-UFL...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad0a7739f

 

And here is a link to a Florida seller who has a 10" pigtail. I just got two of them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/U-FL-RP-SMA-Fem...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5883c6d761

 

Would this work in my CF-28S?
http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?products_id=531&osCsid=2a5cf6db14f9695b33da7ad753e6d8e4

 

Yes, it should. I was looking at the same card for my 28's. The only thing you have to watch is the card thickness. In some applications a thick pci card will not work. I do not think there will be a problem here though. However, I just noticed the red EOL on the ad which means the card has reached its end of life, so it may be replaced in the near future. If you want a fast, long range card (but without the N/MIMO support) try the Engenius 600MW that everyone on this forum uses.

 

Yea I was looking at the EMP-8602s 600w but this was a little cheaper

 

I got the EMP-8602s 600w from these guys for $40.00 plus shipping. One thing to remember is that with the N cards I think that you will need 3 antennas to be able to get the speed that you want.

http://www.wlanparts.com/c=xv49it4ERKKTVrVSaIUOyjUlh/category/engenius/

 

I've been having a look at doing the internal wireless mod. I don't like the idea of having a protruding SMA connector, and have got a pair of film antennae such as those GlenB posted above (figuring I'll see about placement and routing on the cheapest component before ordering a card!) while the case is cracked open for fixing the card slot.

It's been mentioned that you can put these inside the LCD lid, at reduced performance - how bad is it? I'd imagined from previous description to find that at least the top plastic corners were continuous through to the inside, so there were areas where the alloy case wouldn't be giving so much screening, but it doesn't seem to be the case (sic).

Is it expected that these would primarily radiate through the front of the LCD? I've not spotted a picture showing this anywhere, but here's how I've placed them initially (not stuck down yet, so they've shifted slightly) - is this suitable?


The pair I have don't seem to be suitable for mounting under the plastic panel on the left of the wrist-rest, they'd need bending or cutting to shape, and while the part to cut would be the large featureless area (a non-critical ground plane perhaps?) I'm doubtful that the better location would make up for messing with the antenna characteristics. Then again, other pictures have shown similar ants which are just metal pressings which look like the "interesting" part of these film ones. My antenna theory kinda stops around 70cms

Can anyone clarify or offer their experiences about either the in-lid mounting or the cutting down of a film antenna?

(what is it with me and nearly-a-year-old threads?)

 

Follow the link and look at Post #17. One flag, placed as shown in the pictures will get you pretty good reception.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/451373-tomcat-what-best-wifi-2.html

CAP

 

Aha, I think I've actually seen that post before and lost it, thanks. Is it linked from somewhere I've overlooked?

 

You need to find a post, any post, by Azrial. In his signature you will find a link to his forum search applet/string which will do a stunning job of searching this forum. You should throw him some rep as he is a pretty good guy once you get by his politics
CAP
Edit: Don't cut the flag down, bend it. any trimming seems to have a significant effect on the performance.

 

Well, this is helpful. I've received my wireless mini-pci at last, struggling through the Christmas post rush and the Irish postal system, with poor Gimli sitting here on the desk in pieces for the last month plus, so now I should have the more-or-less simple matter of plugging it together.

Tiny snag. I'm expecting to connect only one antenna, but this card has no indication of which connector is main and which is aux. Are they all the same way round (aux nearer the side of the card)?

Card details per the eBay listing are:

• Brand: Atheros / ALPS / ASKEY
• Model: AR2413 / AR5005G / AR5BMB5
• Device Class: 802.11BG
• Type: Mini PCI

Will attach pic if needed.

 

I doesn't matter which you use, the card will function fine.
CAP

 

So it does. Now, about these screws that seem to be left over ...

 

They go in the back under the port cover. Oh, and don't forget the one in the corner of the battery compartment. :wink:

mnem
Oh, and if you were wondering; the ottoman goes RIGHT THERE.

 

Got those ones! Actually, I think (I hope) that what I have are what I had in the lid of my screwdriver set from before I started Referencing the tech manual,

• 14 <O> went back in the lid;
• The 4 <N> for the PCMCIA CN went back
• I didn't take out the touchpad <M>
• 5 <L> went back in the PCB mounts;
• The MP connection unit <K> screws - the cat got one of them, replaced easily with a stock M3.0
• I didn't take off the IO board <H> or modem board <J>
  [*]<F> at rear centre and 9x <G> for the main casing went back, including that corner-of-battery one (yes, I did leave it out first time around!);
  [*](I took off the port cover just to stop it flapping - those two un-annotated screws went back)
  [*]I didn't remove the lid hinge screws <D>;
  [*]The wiring cover under the keyboard was already missing one <C>, and one hole doesn't even line up properly (wrong part?)
  [*]4 and 2<A> went back in the hinge cover.
  

I have four extra <N> I can account for (the replacement PCMCIA CN included its own); The ones I have left over look closest to the PCB <L> screws, but are an odd kind of pan-head and a different thread profile.

Oh, and someone's clearly been inside here before and been a bit cack-handed about it. e.g. that missing screw in the wiring cover, and one of the keyboard connectors was slightly damaged; the lever fell away and I've had to hope that a bit of tape will stop everything moving.

 

MMhmmm... we'd need a high-rez pic of them; there's a dozen people here who can tell you where they go just by looking at them.

Either take a super-close-up of them with a digital camera that has macro, or take a 600 dpi scan of them on a scanner.

mnem
Now, about that ottoman...

 

This do?



(linked to larger image)

 

Methinks you got some generic desktop HDD/Expansion card screws mixed in with your ToughBook parts... I don't recall ever seeing any like that in my CF-28. Those look to be SAE coarse, and I believe there's nothing in a ToughBook that isn't metric standard or fine pitch.

Rick? Teo? Robert?

mnem
Bueller..? Bueller..? Bueller..?

 

I would say the same, they are desktop hard disk screws that some how got mixed up with the toughbook screws when you took it apart. I have taken a good few CF-M34s apart and I have aslo taken a CF-18, CF-19 and a CF29 apart they all seem to have the same type of screw and posable they are the same length.

 

Where by "somehow" you mean "careless, dude"

That's what I was hoping - only I don't recall having seen this type in anything I've taken apart recently. Also there were 5 of them, which is a funny number for a HDD but matched the number used for the PCB. Eh well. Neutrinos.

 

It was the Grelber. The only time he ever puts anything back is when it can cause someone consternation. :wink:

mnem
Now if we can just make him give up all my left socks...

 

Howdee antenna modders, I have read the faq and dared to remove the hard drive and battery from my cf-28pbj12fe and am getting confused I think because the mod has evolved over the 4 years that it has been running and a lot of links are dead and pictures no longer exist.

am I right that the pci mini modem or lan card has to be removed in order to fit the new wireless card in also I have read about ariels in lids etc but seem to have arrived at the conclusion that just one ariel tab is needed and a sma connector...am I correct.

I have read and googled and youtubed but am just getting even more confused because of the cf-28's many configurations, mine has a wireless button on the left hand corner and a pull up GPS ariel in the lid already but after installing win xp it seems to do nothing at all(the cf-28 came with no operating system)

 

Go here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/210510-cf-28-f-q-read-me-before-posting.html
All of your questions will be answered.
CAP

 

cheers, read it already but have found another thread by toughbook that helps greatly.

 

I'm guessing KLonsdale has done what I'm trying to do now, but that link's dead and I can't find anything similar.

My new CF-28 has the Cisco 350 in the hidden card slot, with the factory wiring to two antenna connections (on the plastic side panel, and via the rear ports to the telescopic antenna).

Is the usual thing to do, to find a pigtail to connect the MMCX connectors to the U.FL on the mini-PCI card? You'd want them to be only about a couple of cm long, but everything I've found so far is more like 50cm, which is a lot extra to coil up. I don't fancy cutting and splicing - what's the best way forward?

I guess perhaps I could get a couple of U.FL pigtails, desolder the far ends of the two connections with MMCX plugs, but I'm also not convinced about soldering onto the existing film antenna.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/583755-hello-2.html#post7570843
This is a for what it's worth deal. Works fine in the house. I put the antenna where it is using super glue. Held it against the light and couldn't see any reason to not trim the end opposite the antenna lead connection for a fit. (cut the end off the antenna pcb)
For longer distance you would need to add an exterior antenna.

Jeff

 

That looks like what I did with the wife's CF-28, but I shouldn't need to add extra ants on this one - I'd expect to use what's there.

 

Is there a way to connect the factory lid antenna it to my Engenius Senao 600mW mini pci card for an even greater reach?

 

just curious. what is that 408 module anyway?

Anyway. I have 2 cf-28 mk1s
I did not know about that hidden pcmcia slot unitl i looked at the other posts and I was truly surprised. I thought that I had found everything on/in my toughbook. so one of them has the RJ-11 port only with the small blue wire connected to the cisco card but no CDPD module and the other has both RJ-11 and RJ-45 and the CDPD but no cisco card in the hidden slot. Is this panasonics way of compensating for wireless depending on the unit?

Anyway, MY REAL QUESTION IS can i put that cisco card in the unit with the CDPD and both RJ ports? what im curious to see is if i take the blue RIMM wire that goes to the CDPD and instead route it to the hidden cisco slot. Would it give me temporary wireless for the time being until I get my 3com and engenius cards?

 

408 is a GPS engine often used for custom GPS mods.

There is only 1 built-in antenna, and CDPD is obsolete so I'd stick with the wifi. It's not hard to swap the side panels and move the dual modem/LAN panel & cards over to unit with the Cisco wifi.

 

hey springfield! cant wait for those hinges. thanks for the input.
the other question I posted above 2 months ago was
Is there a way to connect the factory lid antenna it to my Engenius Senao 600mW mini pci card for an even greater reach?