Jack by port replicator?

I took apart my cf-28 last night in preparation for the mods that I was planning to get started on today. I found a jack next to the port replicator connector. this runs from the back connector to the RIM module which I took out which has an mmcx connector and from the back connector to the rim antenna. the RIM antenna has a u.fl connector which connects to the rear connector and a soldered connection from the rear connector to the RIM module. My question is that with this setup, could I theoretically install a wifi card with the mmcx connection for the antenna and run a shorter rp-sma to u.fl pigtail up to the original RIM antenna location and use the "router" type antenna without issue. I am not as up to speed on these as some of you are. I appreciate any assistance or insight anyone can offer on this.

 

I think it is still a mystery as to what type of connector that is. If you replaced it with something standard, there's no reason why you couldn't use it.

 

The jack on the back is called a high gain pass thru and it mates up with an opposite jack on the Panasonic port replicator and allows you to connect an external antenna on your vehicle. The jack makes the connection when it is docked and is used with either the RIM modem or the Cisco 350 setups.

 

I guess my question wasn't as clear as I thought. 1. The connector that connects to the RIM card is an mmcx right? 2. The jack in the back, on the inside of the laptop is where the RIM antenna lead connects with a u.fl right? If the answer to those two things is yes then could I not theoretically install a mini pci wifi card like the ubiquiti with an mmcx connector and connect the original connector for the RIM card to it and run a new u.fl to rp-sma pigtail up to the original RIM antenna location and install a "router" style antenna there?

 

The cable going to the RIM card *IS* mmcx. The one on the back of the toughbook, I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what type of connector this and where to order the mating plug. I haven't been able to get a u.fl to mate with it

 

That connector that the RIM antenna plugs into is called a H.fl is a little bigger than the u.fl you can get those at digikey.

 

thanks for the tip.. might save a bunch of rework!

 

So basically what it would entail to utilize the setup that I have described would way outweigh the benefit of not having to order the longer pigtail. Thanks for the info Tough-2-Go. You saved me a bunch of headaches.

 

That is the area my Cisco 352 PCMCIA was connected to by a blue coax cable soldered to the small circuit board with what is now known as a h.FL connector on top that connects to a wire to the back of the screen. That is the location I soldered one of my antenna cables with a u.FL connected to my miniPCI card. I just unsolder-ed the blue coax antenna wire that was connected to the Cisco card and re-soldered my u.FL cable in its place.

 

That sounds like a good way to go, then if you ever get the panasonic dock with the high gain pass thru connector you cn add an external antenna to get even better wi-fi reception.

 

Bigdog.... Yup... That is the way to do it is you want to splice it in... And as Tough-to-go said... You should be able to use a Kodiak dock with its antenna connection. The dock has a spring loaded arm that reaches out to make contact with the jack on the back of the laptop. As you have probably noticed... There is nothing that "plugs into" the back... Once you get a Kodiak dock (or similar) you will see what I mean. Since it works for cellular I would imagine it would work with wifi too.

 

Cool since I have everything on my 28 done and I get great reception now I will be out shopping for a Kodiak unit for my truck later and a bluetooth GPS receiver since the built-in GPS is flaky at best.
Thanks to everyone on this site learned a lot here :smile: