HOW TO INSTALL SIERRA WIRELESS MC7710 UNLOCK WWAN AND CONFIGURE DRIVERS ON PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK CF-31

HOW TO INSTALL SIERRA WIRELESS MC7710 UNLOCK WWAN AND CONFIGURE DRIVERS ON PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK CF-31
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0. Requirements:

* antistatic wrist strap
* screw driver set (magnetic tips highly recommended !)
* Panasonic Toughbook CF-31 with SIM Card slot (under the HDMI connector on right side)
* "Unlabled" Sierra Wireless MC7710
* Operating Instrution Manual CF-31 from

ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/computer/toughbook31/toughbook-31_oi.pdf

* Reference Manual from

http://business.panasonic.com/support-computerstablets-manuals

for example

http://pc-dl.panasonic.co.jp/dl/dow...992ba5433b026b6/cf31mk5-rm-20140017zbs-en.zip

0. No Warranty for the described steps below !

1. If possible, wear an antistatic wrist strap to prevent CF-31 from damage - if you dont have one, try to "ground" yourself - i.e. avoid sitting on carpets or contact to carpets etc and get rid of static electrical charge by touching grounded piece of metal - for example heating pipe, radiator (search for a blank metal surface since paint is a good isolator we dont want !)

1. First step is to remove the Battery pack from CF-31 - see Operating Instrution Manual CF-31 so the CF-31 does not power up during our "surgery on open heart"

2. Remove the 4 screws on backside of CF-31 from the RAM Module Slot - - see Operating Instrution Manual CF-31 page 14 ("Q") or in Reference Manual (more precise !)

3. You will at the left side a sort of placeholder, where two antenna cables (green + gray) connected to. Disconnect the two antenna cables and remove the placeholder by loosen the two screws. You need the two screws to tighten the MC7710 - so keep them and put only the placeholder away (if you strip the MC7710 in future you should reinstall it and reconnect the cables - even if this placeholder has no function, it allows the secure connection of the two antenna cables so they dont damage the CF-31)

4. Now insert the MC7710 into miniPCIe slot of CF-31(label of MC7710 facing to you so its readable) and connect

* the GREEN antenna Cable to connector "MAIN" on MC7710
* the GRAY antenna Cable to connector "AUX" on MC7710

5. use the two screws from Step 3. and tighten the MC7710 to the CF-31 using the screw holes used by the placeholder from Step 3.

6. Close the RAM Module Slot and tighten the 4 screws on backside of CF-31 - i.e. reverse Step 2.

7. Insert Battery Pack into CF-31

8. Power up CF-31 - if it comes to live congratulation - otherwise: Dont blame me !

9. During Boot screen ("Panasonic") press the F2 button to enter BIOS - see Reference Manual "Setup Utility"

10. In the "MAIN" Menu there is a menu item called

----------------------------
> Optional Kit Configuration
----------------------------

which is password protected (Dont ask me why - this is totally user-unfriendly !)

Choose this Menue Item and enter into the upcoming password dialog:

toughkit

(This password is valid for CF-19, too...)

11. Ones this has been done, you can enter the

WWAN ID from default "ff" to "04" (zero-four)

This was the big show stopper for month on my side - thanks to Panasonic Support, wo told me that MC7710 cannot be installed into CF-31 MK2 and that they dont got the password - HOHOHO !

12. Exit Submenue

13. Enter "Exit" Menue and choose "Save Values and Reboot"

14. Login to Windows (I use W7 64bit) as "Administrator"

15. goto

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Device Manager

You sould see at least 4 unknown devices labled as MC7710 - thats what we want !

16. Download the MC7710 drivers for CF-53 MK3 from

http://business.panasonic.com/support-computerstablets-downloads-searchdownloads

http://pc-dl.panasonic.co.jp/dl/dow...ild3943(3.7.1309.3944)_53mk3_W864_ss14669.exe


http://pc-dl.panasonic.co.jp/dl/dow...ild3846(6.0.3846.7403)_53mk3_W864_ss14670.exe

Even if for W864bit, they can be used for W7 64 at all - and CF-31 MK2+ will accept them.

17. Install first

MC7710WWANDriver_build3943(3.7.1309.3944)_53mk3_W864_ss14669.exe

--> You may find other download locations typing in 3.7.1309.3944 - and tehy should work, too.

and you should notice that following devices get installed in device manager:

* at COM/LPT

Sierra Wireless DM Port
Sierra Wireless NMEA Port

* at MODEMS

Sierra Wireless WWAN Modem

* at Network adapter

Sierra Wireless Mobile Broadband Network Adapter

* at USB Controllers

Sierra Wireless WWAN Device

18. Now install the AirCard Watcher

AirCardWatcherApp(MC7710)_build3846(6.0.3846.7403)_53mk3_W864_ss14670.exe

this will install the utility that allows to connect to your carrier

19. Shutdown

20. Insert SIM Card into CF-31 (right side, under HDMI Connector)

21. Startup

22. After login and starting AirCardWatcherApp you should be able to connect
you will be asked to unlock SIM Card etc.) and 3G/UMTS should work.

HINT: The only thing which does not work is detection of insert/remove of SIM
So if you need to connect using WWAN, shutdown machine, insert SIM and boot.
But this is not so nasty as the pure support of Panasonic saying that a
"unlabled" or "non-panasonic" WWAN Module wont work.

have a lots of fun,
Frank

 

Welcome to the Panasonic Toughbook forum

Wow....talk about a great first post. This will be very helpful. Thank you very much

 

Just so others will know you live overseas ?? and not sure if the setup will be different here in the USA .

 

Yep - located in good old germany - so this is a primer for non-US users and for those who purchase a unbranded WAN Adapter teasing Panasonic a little bit

I have additionally a "non-Panasonic" Ericson F5521GW and will try to test it, too

Note that WAN adapters from US / Europe differ in the used frequency Band - unfortuntatly I dont know if there is a global-everywhery-working WAN adapter - possible LTE (hehe) - if there is such a gizmo existing maybe I puchase it

Anyway - the "jail break" is the password for the Optional Kit configuration

Frank

 

Now if only we could figure out these cards on a CF-19 and CF-30 we would be all set.

 

I thought somebody found the way to install, say, Lenovo MC77xx (Gobi 4000) into Panasonic

P.S. Привет из Одессы старым добрым немцам )

 

I remember someone months back talking about rewriting the firmware and doing something else but it was all over our heads. The guy talked about it and said it could be done but then the next day he was gone not to be heard from again. So it makes you wonder if it was true or not ??

 

Yes, I remember him too
I've tried to repeat those steps without success. I think I need a Lenovo laptop to initially install that card and change it's firmware, because Panasonic doesn't want to communicate with unknown device.
But I really need only a super stable method, because I don't want to find my hardware non-working far away from my home
No more risky hardware experiments

 

Works for the MC7700 as well!

Just trying to figure out if I want try the MC7710 drivers with it use with my T-Mobile Plan. From what I have read on all of the MC7700s were unlocked and had no MEP code, they were only OEM in Panasonic and Lenovo.

 

I am trying to setup the MC7700 air on a mk6 CF-19. I don't have an option for 04 as the device WAN ID. I assumed that 4 is the same and selected that in the OKC.

After savings changes and rebooting, I do not see any unknown devices in the win 7 device manager? Does anyone know what does that means as I did not see the four entries in any of the section breakouts.

 

Maybe this device is disabled by hardware wireless switch (under pcmcia cover) or wireless switch utility. Enable.

 

Thanks BaRRmaley. The all powerful "wireless off" switch was the culprit. I feel stupid. Once enabled, the device manager updated, drivers loaded, and AirCard watcher all played nice. A profile was made for AT&T and it started showing status bars. I connected the WWAN and then disconnected from wifi and ethernet and tested initially and all was good so far. I used the SIM from my AT&T hotspot. Now to test up and down speeds.

BTW, is it best to remove the SIM when all is powered down, wireless switch is off and laptop is on, or it doesn't matter?

 

Laptop usually can't see a sim card if it was inserted while powered on, till next shutdown. But I'm sure it's safe to install and remove sim whenever you need it.

 

While I am not sure exactly what this software does, so far, I have found it unnecessary in Windows and Linux. I did not install it.

Thanks, for the great writeup, I was able to use your password to install my MC7700 and then enable the LTE Band for T-Mobile via AT commands, even though my device is natively set up for AT&T here in the US. It works fine on T-Mobile.

Your MC7710 is the same device, but pre-configuered for T-Mobile here in the US, and I would guess Telus??

Here is a LINK to the Data Sheet for the MC7710, if anyone needs it.

 

Just popped the bottom plate off my CF-31JBGEA1M to upgrade the factory original GOBI2000 to a MC7700. The antenna cables are installed the opposite of what was described in this post. Original poster says Green lead to MAIN connector on the board and Grey to AUX while my GOBI2000 has the opposite. Different between 7710 and 7710? "Curious minds want to know" (For what it's worth, all the Bob Johnson videos show the Grey to Main OEM configuration)

 

Here's an idea.

Pull the one screw on right antenna cover, read whether it is AUX or Main and see what color it is.
I think AUX is on the right.......checking...............heh! it's AUX and green.

Directional Orientation:
Handle towards you....Aux WWAN antenna cover is on your right.

 

This is from the dual pass through manual.

 

Thanks Jeff, same on mine. Maybe the reversal in the OP may be due to the fact the connections are reversed on the GOBI2000 and MC7700 boards (on the GOBI the connector labeled AUX is on the left side of the board while on the 7700 it is on the right side of the board when reading the label).

 

Your most welcome.

Have you seen the TBT post about GPS antenna connector? PM me in TBT if you can't find it.

 

Kardan! He prolly referring to CF-31MK1 with an i3 processor. On this unit the WWAN antenna for Aux. is gray and the main is Green while on CF-31 with i5 processor are opposite but to make sure, follow to what Jeff(Sadlmkr) said. Its the way to go to make it right.

ohlip