Rewirering the pass-through

Simple question. How easy is it to rewire the antenna pass-through? Say it came configured to pass the WWAN, but your more interested in passing the WLAN. Is this easy to do? Does it require parts? Does it require soldering?

thanks

 

Simple answers.
2-3 on a scale of 5.
OK.
Fairly so.
Yes.
Yes.

mnem
*Simplify*

 

Here's what I did with the pass thru.
Ignore the roughness of the plastic. I used my plastic welder to add some material. It's hidden inside and cleaning it up wasn't needed.
Now I can connect an ext antenna for my WLAN. I jumpered it so I maintain the use of both internal antenna's. In the future I may get a dual pass thru and get real creative. GPS or WWAN sharing the antennas with WLAN. I would need to check frequencies and such first.

 

Yep derre, well done, thats nearly the same way, I have done.... http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/391434-cf-29-pigtail-addition.html#post4976628

 

Man u guys are smart! WOW! My mom's CF-74 has a 3rd party pass through on it too... I don't know who did it or how, but ya, it's got it.

 

That would be my work on your mom's 74 Rob. I used it in locations that would barely pull in a signal using the stock antenna, so I would add an external when needed and get a strong signal.

 

I figured out that that antenna port is wired directly to the 3'rd lead on the Intel 4965 ABGN card (middle port)... kinda cool

 

will see, maybe I will do that but then it would void the warranty, so maybe I won't.

But who has time for that anyways. And I don't have an extra dish around... : (

 

Will a TB accept signals via the pass throughs if it doesn't know it's in a dock? Having seen docks with switchable antenna input (int/ext) I'm assuming not.

 

The pass throughs I have all worked on are direct wired. It doesn't matter if it is in a dock or not. The issue there is that the antenna won't stay connected unless it is in a dock. The original connector doesn't have any threads on it. That's why I swapped mine out to the RP SMA connector.
My current mod is installing a USB TV receiver internally and use the built-in the lid antenna. Also adding a connection to hook it up to an external antenna if needed.

 

Thanks. I have the hardware sorted. My question was about the behavior of the software/firmware. After seeing the Gamber Johnson dock had a switch, I got suspicious. If it is useful to tell the TB to ignore the external antenna input and rely on the internal hardware, it first had to have done the opposite, right? How? This is for the 31.

 

First question: which Gamber-Johnson vehicle dock are you using; to-wit: NP-Pandock -1, -2, -L1, -L2, -1H, -2H, -L1H, -L2H, or one of the new MAG units?

 

Passthroughs are EASY to mod... If you mod....

 

I saw the switch on the new 30/31 mag unit.

edit: I guess I'm not making myself clear. I have a Precision Mounting dock with dual pass throughs. I gutted the electronics. No need for port replication (and I didn't want my new TB barebacking a salvage ebay dock). If I put the dual pass thoughs and only the dual pass throughs back on, will they work? Does the CF-31 need to be in a port replicating dock in order for it to accept signals from an external antenna via a pass through? In other words, does the act of docking the 31, in addition to changing the graphics from discrete to intel and who knows what else, also open up a pipeline to the pass throughs, or are the pass throughs open all the time? If they are, then how does the GJ MAG dock have the ability to switch between internal and external, unless it is just physically shunting the the wiring between the pass throughs and the antenna lugs. Or maybe the pass throughs are open all the time and docking shuts down the internal antennas to avoid some kind of conflict, and the switch turns them back on. I have a buddy who designs antennas, I'll ask him about that. (The other day I asked him how business was. He said it was picking up.) Either way, the existence of the switch on the GJ dock makes me wonder if putting just the pass throughs back on is going to help.

If anyone cares, the Precision dock is based on a solid slab of 25mm aluminum and looks to be bomb proof. The locking mechanism is a little cumbersome, you have to lock it to get the key out and the lock is fun to get at with the TB mounted. Obviously I can't comment on the port replication, but if fit and finish are clues, it will make you smile. I got one for about $50 on ebay and as a mount only, it's perfect. Very easy to remove the ports, etc. without compromising the integrity of the dock. Adding additional chunks of aluminum to mate it to my Jotto pedestal was also a snap.

 

WIRELESS ANTENNA
SWITCH

If using an external antenna, connected by
cable to the LAN/WAN ports on the dock:
Position the switch toward the "EXT" side.

If using the wireless antenna built into the
computer case or a PC Card type antenna:
Position the switch toward the "INT" side.

 

Yes, they should work fine as they are not switched on cf-29 /30's
I am not positive on the cf-31's but any form of switching on these higher frequency outputs significantly reduces the signal
The switch on the dock will be used to either shunt or disconnect the outputs

 

I asked 4 people whose job it is to know. I got 3 different answers and a "probably." The most plausible explanation, and the one supported by the engineering staff at Panasonic, is that the CF-31 (and most likely the 30 as well) automatically shut down the internal antennas when docked. The dock switch re-activates the internals. Whether the pass throughs switch on at docking or are always on remains somewhat cloudy. "Always on" got the most votes.

Edit: Per Panasonic, the pass-throughs are shunted unless the unit is docked.

 

The passthru connector has a builtin spring that its purpose is to connect and disconnect( switch). When docked it push the front plate of the passthru connector that will open the circuit cable line on the internal antena and give way to external antena. When its undock, it will then go to its original position to connect again into internal antena.


Edit: I mean not the plate of the passthru connector but the center pin.

ohlip

 

The connectors on the TB are static. The dock side has the springs. I believe the switching is done elsewhere. Thus the int/ext slide switch on the dock. But I could be full of crap.