New CF-28 Owner - Hi Guys!

Hello, just got my CF-28S three days ago and have spent hours here looking around. Cool stuff, and like many other Tough Book noobs have said, thanks! Got XP loaded up (had 2000) and all, ok most, of the hardware working, Thanks again! Like most want to install wireless B/G and have gone over the FAQ’s until I think I have got a good idea on how to do it. BUT…. Still have a few questions…… This 28 came with 10/100 Lan – 56K modem and Mobitex. I assume the two mini pci cards I see under the H/D are the modem and Lan. Is the card under the mini cards (in the “hidden” slot) the Mobitex card? If it is guess it would do no harm to leave it but was thinking might as well yank it out while I have the mini cards out. Also I see several different 3com mini pci lan/modem combo cards for sale and was just wondering if there was a particular card to use. Thanks for your time guys, hope this was not too long……..

 

Hello and welcome!!! You will find a slew of info here!! If you need anything document related you can always check my site in my sig or modly's site is good too: http://www.modly.org/Toughbook/

Is the card under the mini cards (in the “hidden” slot) the Mobitex card? - Yes, most likely that is what it is and the other card is probably a modem and LAN built into one card (very popular in the IBM T20 series laptops as well).

Good luck and have fun with your toughbook and remember to play rough!!!

~Rob~

 

When asking these types of questions, it would help if you post the full model number so we know exactly what your unit should have. The card in the hidden slot is usually a Cisco AIR-LMC350 WIFI 802.11b (great card by the way). Or it could be a Sierra SB555 CDMA card .Mobitex and other CDPD cards are usually located under the battery.

 

Welcome to the 'club'...

The hidden slot was usually used for a wireless pcmcia card (cisco I believe), with the lan card in the outboard mini-pci slot and the modem in the inboard mini-pci slot. Most users have put a combo lan/modem card in the outboard slot, and a wireless mini-pci in the inboard slot. The combo card is mentioned in several different threads, an intel version I believe. I'll have to look it up to be sure.

As you have probably read, the hidden pcmcia slot needs to be activated in bios, the option appears once the boot process recognizes that there is a card in the slot.

 

No info for you one the 28, but compliments on your icon. Vic Morrow of Combat. One of the all time greatest TV shows IMHO.

 

It's a: CF-28S3QGBDM. That would be sweet if it was the Cisco WIFI but I bet it's the CDMA card you mentioned...... Thanks for the info!

 

Vic was the best......

Thanks again to all for the help and information.

 

Your unit is a non touch screen version with mobitex and no wireless lan. Are you sure there is an actual PCMCIA card installed in the hidden slot? What do you see under the battery?

 

I like klboo's pic lol... its an ant holding a CF-30!! woot woot

 

Your right, after closer inspection and a little more time in the forums I don't see anything in the hidden slot. The RIM/mobitex module is indeed under the battery and I bet if I keep looking there will be a post on how to remove it and what to do with it……… Thanks for your time!

 

You are exactly right... we love to "re-functionalize" that little daughterboard... you can install GPS, tap into power, USB & Serial Data lines from there, plus I'm sure a whole lot of other things we haven't imagined yet!!!

mnem
Pssst - Welcome to the forum!