cf-28 wifi card question

Hi folks

I just got my first toughbook CF-28pbjaaqm. I managed to get windows up and running, now i am looking to put in a mini pci wifi card in it. i looked online and called some local shops. I found a guy in my town selling a new mini pci card. the card is marked dell (ok-3444) and it also has an intell number on it of WM3A2200. I was wondering if anybody her has experience using this particular card in a CF28, and if so how you rate it.
I also found a card on ebay based on an Atheros chip the link is as follows:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-G-XR-wireless-108Mbps-mini-PCI-card-laptop-pcmcia_W0QQitemZ290177382253QQihZ019QQcategoryZ45000QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
any imput as to if either one of these is suitable for this machine. I have a rim mount antenna on this unit and will be removing the "cell" modem to make room for the wifi.

PS I am having a hard time downloading drivers for the touchscreen video ect. I registerd with pabasonics site but the drivers i downloaded said "not supported" when i tryied to install them. Any help/link for these drivers would be GREATELY APPRECIATED. i am trying to get everything running before leaving ebay feedback for the seller.
THANKS AGAIN

 

Go with the Atheros I have the AR5005GS and man so far it's the best card I've ever used. You should be able to pick it up for half the price of the Gigabyte branded one as for the Dell card looks like an Intel 2200 OK card but not as good as the Atheros IME. You will also need to pick-up some type of an antenna system for your card internal or external and if you want to keep your LAN and or modem card buy the 3COM combo card should be able to pick one up for about 10 bucks shipped. On the driver issue I have a driver disk but never had any problems maybe someone else knows what's happening.

 

Get the Atheros based wifi card. The Dell one will work but Atheros based is much better.

If you want drivers emailed it might be helpful if you posted your email address. If you search around here a little you will find several links to modly's site where the drivers are.

 

Thanks for the tips, I am having no luck finding an atheros mini pci card @ 100mw can anybody post some info on what cards they have and where they may have purchased them. I have the cellular rim antenna and the radio modem still inside the machine. It looks to me like the modem has a MC or mini mc connector. Have any of you utilized this connector to connect directly to the wifi card saving the time to run a new internal coax? I realize the antenna is off freq but utilizing the internal wire would be a time savings.
I have gotten the drivers working now except for an error i get in device manager for a "108 keybord error; the pc and keybord work however.
My next task is to max out the memory to 512ram (256 now) can any of you folks reccomend a memory stick that you have good results with for the 800/1ghz cf-28's. I found a factory certified stick @ kingston but it's over $40.00.

my email is: [email protected]
thamks again to all !

 

For the wireless card answer; If you go on eBay and search "Atheros mini pci", you'll find dozens of cards. The seller "linkenergy" has them pretty cheap usually and will get them to you pretty quick (Make sure you don't buy one from Hong Kong, it may take a while to get to you, if ever.)

Of the ones I checked on eBay, all of the ones under that search are capable of 100mW power. If possible, stick with something that uses the 5005xx or 5006xx chipset (Where xx is any combination of letters).

If you still have trouble finding a card, I've got an old one that I might let go for pretty cheap.

Using the RIM antenna is possible, but not the most efficient way to go. Search the forum a bit, and you'll find numerous posts about it. It also has a different connector from most wireless cards (the cards are u.Fl, unless you get a Ubiquiti card that has MMCX and u.Fl).

I'm not sure about that driver error.
Make sure you grab all of the drivers for your model here; http://panasonic.ca/english/customercare/sandd/softwarequery.asp

They should have almost everything, but there are a few things you must register with Panasonic US to obtain.

Also, make sure you grab the latest BIOS, because without it some memory sticks won't work. I'd still prefer not to suggest a stick, just incase it doesn't work for you. I was lucky in the sense that I'd had a few parts laptops ripped apart when I upgraded both of my toughbooks, and had some 512MB chips laying around... and they worked. I do have my old 256MB chip, but I'm not sure if it works anymore.

$40 seems a bit pricey though. Check out newegg.com, and see if they have something cheaper.

 

the RIM modem is MMCX. As an early experiment, I tried my PCMCIA Cisco aironet card connected to the RIM antenna jack, and I got NOTHING. but, I don't even know if the cisco card is good so I need to rule that out before totalle condemning the RIM setup.

 

My 28 originally came with a Cisco 352 card installed and they soldered the coax cable to the small h.FL rear connection board on the rear next to the port replicator connector. I re-soldered one of my u.FL cables there and placed the other cable with and internal antenna as close to the LAN/modem plastic housing as possible and I get great reception. When I extend the antenna I only get 2-5 db gain though so I don't know if they did anything else when they originally installed the Cisco WiFi as I haven't taken the LCD housing apart.

 

I think the card that used the RIM antenna was for cellular internet (CDMA and the like), which used a different frequency.

The wireless LAN card used a little antenna next to the modem jack.

 

My Cisco 352 PCMCIA wifi plugged in next to the modem jack but the cable went back and was soldered to the "high gain pass thru connector" thanks to tough-2-go for the connectors name.