Wireless Question

Does anyone have any idea of what type of wireless antennas these are?

I ordered a wifi card for my Cf-28 and they came with it. Got any ideas on how to get these to an external SMA connector?

 

Those look like the LCD antennas that used to be in my HP laptop. One mounted on the top-left, the other the top-right. It had U.fl connectors on the other end I believe.

 

Hmm so how would I used them in my toughbook or are they useless?

 

One would mount behind the plastic cover on the side where the battery is, under the palm rest

Alex

 

Are there any pictorial examples of installing wi-fi antennas under the palm rests on a CF28 or similar? I have some of the flat style wi-fi antennas now and would like to install them to make my intel 2200-BG card useful. I know the card works since if I put a router very close to the machine it sets up a connection.

Also the 2200-BG card doesn't seem to support WPA of any sort - the config menus that come up only show WEP as an option (which does work , but not as secure as WPA, etc.).

Craig.

 

Craig
Its mounted more in the side black plastic cover, not directly under the palm rest
If you remove the battery you can see space available in that side cover

Alex

 

Craig,
To expand on Tomcat's reply. Take the side cover off and then put a 90 degree bend in the flag so as much as possible is on top of the palm rest. Done this way you still have enough room for the RP-SMA connector for the external antenna if you want one. Just be careful that the lead is not grounded to the case. I have tried trimming the flag to fit better and the signal went to crap fast. I use a little piece of double sided tape to hold it in place.
CAP

 

Uhhh.... Under the palm rest you mean inside the computer still right? Also make sure the antennas are touching nothing metal... This is just confusing to me that's all unknown waters... Toughbook and I have been trying to figure it all out. I just want to get an external antenna that's all!

 

Um.... I HAVE it all figured out.... I have been doing this a long time! I have asked several times what exactly you want to do and I still haven't heard from you. I'll be more than happy to help... But I need to know what it is that you want to accomplish other than, "I want to put wifi in"... There are a lot of ways to do it.

Cap gave an excellent description of what to do with the flag type antennas. They are the least expensive and the best performers of all the internal antennas that I have tried.

The two wifi antennas (pictured) may or may not fit depending on size. The flags work the best since they can be easily bent to form around the outside of the case, but under the port cover. Underneath the palmrests will give you a very weak signal if you get any signal at all. The ones in the picture, if they are the longer type like the ones I tried, just won't fit right... And definitely won't fit with the SMA bulkhead installed.... If that is what you want to do.

 

I just PMed you with my response. Sorry about the frustration on your part I am very new to modding laptops and just don't want to screw anything up. The terms I am just getting familiar with...

 

SR,
Today's your lucky day, I just happen to have one on the bench. The photos are of the left side plastic cover at the palm rest(that's left when the computer is right side up).





The flag antenna is not behind any of the case, just the plastic cover. I only worry about the uncoated connections touching the case, not the plastic covered flag. The little piece of tape you can see takes care of that.
CAP

 

Now I get it! So I need one side to have an SMA termination and the other side to be a flag type.. Got it

What length cable do you recommend I get for the connections from the antenna to the card?

 

The other side is probably taken up with NIC and modem sockets. Both antennas go in the left cover. You need to bend the flag so you can get both in the one cover. The single flag antenna gives an acceptable signal all over my house and yard. The RP-SMA antenna is only needed for long range. you need 9-10" on the external antenna lead, I don't cut the flag cable, I ruin too many trying to resolder them.
CAP

 

Ok so I guess this is one part.... http://cgi.ebay.com/laptop-mini-pci-wireless-antenna-antena-u-fl-short_W0QQitemZ320343917750QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Cables_Adapters?hash=item320343917750&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A7|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Now I need the other part... Anyone got any good places to buy the SMA connector near the east coast?

 

SR,
That's perfect. Do a little work and look for the thread which has been going on for the last couple of days about a new source for the RP-SMA. Its underlined for a reason!
CAP

 

Thanks man, and if Toughbook reads this thanks too for helping me on the initial and the install part so far. I can't wait to get up and running and post some pics of the final product! ^.^

 

The 2200-BG should work fine with WPA. You may need newer drivers, check www.intel.com. Both my CF-28 and CF-18 have the 2200 cards (it's the factory card in the CF-18), and they both work fine on my WPA network.

nine

 

I had a heck of a time getting that to work with WPA too. It took me forever to find the right driver and then I lost it. The last time I had that issue... I just swapped in a new Engenous card... Higher power anyway!

BTW... I route my antennas exactly the same as Cap did... Except I have the flag reversed so the wire is on the bottom instead of the top... And I cut the U.fl leads to length and resolder to the antenna. It's a major pain to do that but then you don't have the coiled lead under the battery. This is really something you must do it you run this setup with the RIM board using the EM-408 as there is nowhere to coiled the antenna lead. (What started me doing that.)

 

With these cool pics and whatnot, this one should maybe be linked to the first page of the CF-28 FAQ.

Thanks.

 

Thats a definite.

 

I know I should, but I've wrecked too many and as a non-internal GPS type I don't need to. The ones Steel Raptor found are much shorter than the ones I've had around forever.
CAP

 

I agree... Done!

 

I know I have been dragging this on, but I just got my wifi card in the mail today! ^.^ The cables and connectors are being shipped to my house but I still want to figure out how to run the cables to the other side to terminate to the SMA connector. Problem is I have no idea where to start. Toughbook do you have any ideas? I am shy about taking my unit apart but with proper instructions Id feel better. Anyone else out there care to help this kid out? =)

 

Taking it apart really isn't that hard. But just to install the wireless set-up your doing doesn't really involve any disassembly. Pull out the battery and the hard drive and you can access all the points you'll need to get to. But in the event you want to take the whole thing apart then print out the the CF28 Technical Service manual. It gives you a step by step on how to take it apart. In order to keep the little screws seperate I took a large sheet of paper and lettered it from A to Z. When the book said remove screws in step A, B, C, D, E, etc. they were put on top of the corresponding letter. Made it a lot easier when putting it back together. It really isn't that hard.

http://amd751.ru/files/cf-28techmanual.pdf

 

I hear what your saying... But where do I run the cables from the wireless card to the other side? I don't see any ways without disassembly.

 

Theres a lot of spces and clearances to snake out the antenna cable inside the unit. Just look with an open eyes I mean thour..ghly.



ohlip

 

If you take out the Battery and the Hard Drive you can see where the wires need to go. The problem on the 600MHz model is that there is a wire underneath the center that will only allow the smaller flag antenna u.fl lead to be slid under. For the larger SMA cable you may have to separate the halves to allow access.... Or you may try (since to have a 24" cable coming) to route the cable through the hole located beside the RAM, under the center and then out near the hard drive connector somewhere.

 

I hope these are self explanatory. Notice the use of excess duct tape. That's all that was handy at the moment. Like yourself I'm fairly new to this and still figuring it out too. The second lead coming off of my card goes to the top of lid mounted sma. That's why it isn't pictured too well. Just mess around with the thing. As long as your not whacking on stuff with a hatchet or cutting wires with wire cutters you should be alright.

 

Thanks stiffnecked these helped quite a bit. I will attempt a dry run with a fishing line so I can pull the cables thru with ease ^.^