upgrading the internal wifi/wlan set for internet use.

From what i have understood, the CF-29 toughbook has a internal mini-pci/pci express wlan card, and a connector for a external antenna.
It should be possible to replace it with a more powerful variant.

http://www.demarctech.com/products/...rwj-600mw-atheros-802.11ag-mini-pci-card.html

I have read that the AR5414 chipset is capable of delivering 1000mW.


i can legally run 100W maximum output power, since i have a radio-amateur license.

more info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_multimedia_radio

I should be able to get some long distance connections with a suitable 20db+ directive antenna.

Here is a calculator that calculates effective radiated power:
http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaecalc.html

Do anyone have any comments ?

 

The CF-29 has a mini pci interface.... Not pci express... I think you should look at the Engenous 600mW wifi card that is very popular with this forum.

Your card may fit but has an MMCX connector instead of the two U.fl type connections needed for the Toughbook.

You could probably add an SMA bulkhead connector in place of the pass-through connector located on the back behind the port cover. Or, if you plan on docking the laptop in your vehicle, you could use the connection on the dock for a cantenna or modified long-range wifi dish.

Welcome to the forum.... Please feel free to browse through the "Stickies" at the top of the Panasonic Forum... There is a lot of great info about what you need.

 

Replacing the U.FL connector with a more sturdy SMA connector and use some silicone to waterproof it is a nice idea.
i can also replace the internal cable with one that has a MMCX Ant. Connector.



I know that The Guinness world record for Wi-Fi connection stands at 310 kilometers (about 192 miles), achieved in 2002 by Wi-Fi equipment maker Alvarion and the Swedish Space Corporation. But the companies achieved the distance by launching the equipment in a Swedish weather balloon, thats not the same as a ground measurement, since there are fewer obstacles to block a WiFi signal in the stratosphere.

Using a weather phenomenon called tropospheric ducting, Amateur Radio
Station N6CA in California contacted ( on 2.4 GHz ) KH6HME in Hawaii over a 3,982 km path on July 14th, 1994. Now THAT's impressive!

 

I still really think that card is overkill... But to each, his own. My point was using a take-off from a U.fl to SMA bulkhead connector out the back... But you would have to remove the passthrough connector in the rear... That's about the only place to fit one in aesthetically anyway...

Yes... I've seen realistic claims of over 10 miles with wifi dishes pointing at each others... There is one on the Internet that shows it being done from building top to building top... I think it was near the LA area.

 

I used to have a link of 2.3 miles that was fairly reliable, depending on the weather. It was line of sight across a lake to share Wi-Fi.

I was using a USB Wi-Fi dongle on a old PrimeStar Dish mounted on a 10" foot pole on one end with the dongle re-centered at the apogee of the Parabolic. I used USB cable and a waterproofed powered hub mounted one pole to make sure to maximize power to the dongle. The USB cable was a lot more forgiving of line loss.

On the far end I used a home rolled Cantenna that was made with an old Christmas Cookie Tin and a piece of heat pipe expander. The system was about, as a rough guesstimate, 85% reliable.

But no, while it worked well for being so low-buck, you could not get it into a Toughbook case...

 

That's my man! Azrial McGyver!

I've always wanted to try to play around with stuff like that but I am surrounded by wifi signals.... Plus I have tether so I am never at a loss... Yet. But I have an old mini dish up in the attic for future endevours...

 

hahahahaha!!

a coffee, keyboard moment there!!

sorry.... Did i hear this correctly!!! someone that lives in Texas, has a penchant for indestructable laptops, has a large selection of guns, probably drives an M1 Abrahams to the shops is calling a hipower wifi card 'overkill'!!

sorry, while i rollabout loving the irony of the comment!

 

thats not overkill..

This is:
http://oh3tr.ele.tut.fi/~ftp/pa/13cm_400W_LDMOS_PA/ 400W !
He is using 5 MRF21120 transistors, rated at 150W each.

This one makes about 100- 120W
http://www.sk0ct.se/2g3pa/2g3pa.htm

100W in to a 24db directive antenna is 15316.3 Watts ERP! That is 15.3 Kilowatts of effective radiated power.

400W in to a 24 db antenna is... hold on your hats.. 61265.5 Watts ERP!
Yes folks, thats 61.2KW ERP!

 

The EnGenius EMP-8602 Plus S is cheap, 600mw , sensitive and well tested by forum members here

It uses the standard u.fl connectors (2)

Purchase a U.FL to RP-SMA Jack Bulkhead Pigtail and connect to either u.fl output to enable connection to an external high gain antenna



Alex

 

Thanks, We were in a pretty remote area, and necessity is the Mother of Invention.

We have a saying in my business, if you didn't overkill it, it's probably not dead enough...

 

Does EnGenius have an 802.11n model card? If so, is it a `drop-in' for the CF-29?

 

Yes they make one, but
The N m-pci card I looked at was not a high power type
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...0&_trksid=m38&_nkw=230393634203&_fvi=1&_rdc=1
+ The range is better with the G type cards over N in high power installations
( I use 1/2 watt AP wireless bridge routers)



Alex

 

Thanks! I'll be looking for the "g" card for my CF-29.

ADDENDUM

Has anyone looked into utilizing this card?

5004 MP Atheros 4G / CM9: 802.11a/b/g miniPCI Card

http://www.netgate.com/product_info...d=126&osCsid=800e92ee439b60ae13e4bf787ef6ded9

 

Ummmmm... yup. Your Mini-PCI cards in that power range are NOT intended for use in ANY laptop; they are intended for use in APs and Wireless Bridges. Those equipment are designed for that usage, and as such, have redundant power connections and a power supply capable of supplying the 2A +/- required for this kind of power.

The design spec for Mini-PCI as used in laptops provides up to 1A capacity; when we use the 600MW versions in our Toughbooks for Wardriving, we REALLY are pushing the limits of what the laptop is made to handle. At the power level you are suggesting, I can see you letting the magic smoke out of your Toughbook or some other toasty doom in its future...

Ummm... Rick hasn't escaped Maryland YET, to my knowledge at least. However, I AM from TEJAS, and I too believe that is a bit of overkill... or at least, enough to handily kill a Toughbook.

Yeah, that's great... as long as you happen to be inside his footprint. What the frakk does he use to preamp that thing? An old Motorola CancerBag (Bagphone)?

 

He's probaly running a transverter from 70cm to 13 cm band, since most ham transmissions are SSB.
That kind of power levels are suitable for moonbounce, here is a nice little antenna for that:
http://www.g4cch.com/

this is a transverter:
http://www.w6pql.com/13_cm_transverter.htm
w6pql has also pictures of other interesting stuff.

i will run 600mW maximum, so it's not gonna be a problem.

Here in Norway, there's no CW test to become a ham,
so it is just to take the test, and if you pass.. you will receive your LA ( LA is the Norwegian callsign prefix ) license in the mail.

If you want to try out how hamradio works for free, take a look at this page:
http://www.hamsphere.com
NO licence required!

You can find more info about the license test here:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/classes.html

And, you can contact you local ham club, they will help and tutor you so you can pass the test.

 

We have several hams here. I am one as well.

 

Don't you mean bacon LOL.

 

I think Azrials Avatar is a dual play on retired top-cop and Ham Radio Operator.

This is why his pig is able to wear and afford a nice set of dentures.... :laugh:

Umm.... No... I haven't escaped the surly bonds of the totally tacky state of Maryland, land of morons, high taxes and... Well... Don't get me started.

I have invested in a good set of chain and bolt cutters and have been hoarding ammo and stuff for the long journey back to a state where freedom REALLY means something and they don't tax your every movement.

In addition to close to $6k in yearly real estate taxes... I also have a $500 per year "Front Foot Fee" for the next 20 years (Paid for the water treatment plant to process our 480 houses) Homeowners dues have gone up 35% per month because someone's kids leave little Baby Ruths in the pool and every time it happens the local Hazmat team has to come out and cordon off the area, drain the pool.. Then pay Bill Muray to take care of it! Then there is the $6M bond that has been recently been made know to us that is included in all the taxes.....

I am an Independant.... I have voted Republican and Democrat probably equally down the line. But the crap in MD has to end. If I decided to stay... I would have to run for office to straighten all the crap out!

Alas... I am not a millionaire so I am disqualified!

 

the engenius cards are hard to get in Norway, it must be ordered abroad.
optional cards are:

ALFA AWPCI085H High Power 1W 802.11A/B/G mini PCI Card. ( i have read that the alfa cards can be crap, any comments ? )
Antenna connector U.FL connector x2
Power Consumption TX: under 1000 mA
RX: under 450 mA
Output power
IEEE802.11a:
193mW (Average Pow) , 385mw(Peak Pow) at 6Mbps.
IEEE802.11g/b:
522mW(Average Pow), 1574mw(Peak Pow).

the Atheros 5418 AR5BXB72 AR5008 Wifi Mini-PCI 802.11ABGN has 3 connectors, so it needs 3 internal antennas. it is a MIMO card, so think the number of antennas will be a issue.

SparkLAN WMIA-166AGH 802.11a/b/g high power Mini PCI Module (Atheros AR5006XS AR5414) 400mW
Antenna connector: MMCX *1

MikroTik R52 802.11a/b/g High Power MiniPCI
dual antenna connectors

Ubiquiti XTREMERange2 2.4Ghz 600mW 802.11b/g
single MMCX antenna connector

EnGenius EMP-8603 28dB Atheros 11a/b/g mini-PCI
EMP-8603 Premium is mini-PCI types A module, supports dual-band (2.4GHz & 5GHz) high transmit output power up to 400mW in 5GHz and 800mW in 2.4GHz. It has 2x mmcx connectors and 2x jumper wires for external DC 5 volt or 9 ~ 24 V
power supply.

 

I got one from here for $20 shipped.

 

He ships to the USA only... Not Norway. But they are the real McCoy... I bought 10 from him to test them... They are indeed the real deal.