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    Non-standard wireless in Aussie CF18's

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by sunrk, Nov 16, 2009.

  1. sunrk

    sunrk Notebook Evangelist

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    I've got one (and I'm in Aussie-land!) and have never been able to find any reference to an unusual wireless setup in Device Manager.

    I know my CF18 has an Intel 2200 wi-fi card which I use all the time at home to link to my main router.

    The 'wireless' panel on the front of the CF18 regularly does things which don't seem to have any reference to what the wi-fi is doing, and I suspect there must be some non-standard hardware in the machine which Windows isn't detecting.

    Has anyone pulled apart one of these ex-Telstra CF18's to work out exactly what is inside that isn't standard?

    Craig.
     
  2. DEVILGOD666

    DEVILGOD666 Notebook Enthusiast

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  3. echidna3

    echidna3 Notebook Guru

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    im not sure what constitutes standard, but i have pulled mine apart.

    i pulled out of out it a sierra wireless card. not sure of the model numer (dont have the card handy) but it was connected to the second aerial in the screen of the laptop. as soon as i pulled it out, the front panel stopped working. i am 90% sure it was the standard CDMA wwan card that was installed in all the telstra units. the reason why it is useless is the cdma network is no more in aus.

    edit: DEVILGOD666 beat me to it
     
  4. sunrk

    sunrk Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks. I know that CDMA doesn't exist here in Oz anymore. Just wondering about the hardware since nothing shows up in Device Manager even though the wireless LED's at the front appear to do things unconnected to the Intel 2200 wi-fi card already in the machine that I use regularly.

    Craig.
     
  5. echidna3

    echidna3 Notebook Guru

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    yeh i dont know why it doesnt show up in the hardware manager.
    but what i am telling you is that the front panel is linked to the wwan card not the intel 2200. therefore it will do different things to the intel. when i pulled the modem out completely, the front panel lights stopped working
     
  6. Alex

    Alex Super Moderator

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    It may show up in device manager as an added com port or two
    That is how the wwan modem comunicates
    Without sierra wireless/watcher software and drivers you really would not see anything in windows

    Alex