Adding an External Antenna port (modification)

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jodathmorr · #1 Post by **jodathmorr** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:32 pm

Hi everyone. I've had my Thinkpad t42p since January and I am head over heels about how great it is. I am a seasoned computer modder and I have been thinking of ways to improve my laptop for a while now. While some things might take some time and a lot of research and cauton on my end (while modifying the computer) I have one possible mod I want to try.

The mod would be to figure out how to attatch an external antenna port to my wifi card so I could attatch a range extender or very powerful antenna which I can pick up wireless signals with. I'd be able to place the port inbetween the bottom USB port and the s-video port (it looks to be just the right size), so there is minimal work on the body of the computer required. I just need to figure out which wires I need to solder to the wireless card in order to get this external antenna to interphase properly with the card. Does anyone have any experience with this or know where I can find a diagram of the a/b/g intel wifi card in the t42p? Thanks.

JHaislet · #2 Post by **JHaislet** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:58 pm

Well, there are two antenna leads on the card, and thru software you can configure which one you want active. I'd recommend using a pigtail with the same tiny connector the wireless card takes and then whatever you want coming out the side. Should be a relatively easy mod.

jodathmorr · #3 Post by **jodathmorr** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:03 pm

Yeah I plan to use a small pigtail. I had a really good 802.11b PCMCIA card on my old laptop which had an antenna out. The jack was about 4mm in diameter, just about the size of where i plan to place it. If it works this opens up a whole new slew of places i can compute at

.

jodathmorr · #4 Post by **jodathmorr** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:51 pm

I believe this is the kind of connector i need to get:

Now if i can just figure out what its called. Its an MC-Card type plug, no doubt and its female, but when I search for "mc-card and female" I don't seem to get any of these kinds of jacks. Anyone have any idea what the above would be called so I can google it?

JHaislet · #5 Post by **JHaislet** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:16 pm

Your probably looking for:
U.FL (Hirose™/iPax/Mini-PCI Compatible) to SMA-Female Bulkhead (or what ever type of external connector you need).

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/cable_ ... pgType=ufl

wiesl · #6 Post by **wiesl** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:44 am

JHaislet wrote:Well, there are two antenna leads on the card, and thru software you can configure which one you want active. I'd recommend using a pigtail with the same tiny connector the wireless card takes and then whatever you want coming out the side. Should be a relatively easy mod.

Have both versions of T43 and T43p 2 connectors inside for an external antenna?

Does someone have a picture of it?

Thank you for the answer.

Ciao,
Wiesl

#7 Post by **carbon_unit** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:34 am

Flip your TP over, remove the miniPCI cover and have a look.
If you need help getting it apart to put the pigtail in, get the Hardware Maintenance Manual.PDF.
http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.ws ... 39298.html

jodathmorr · #8 Post by **jodathmorr** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:59 pm

Well I recieved my Hirose/iPax/MiniPCI connector and cable today from Altelicon. I must say I was initially upset since I imagined the connector to be much bigger inorder to accomidate a male MC Card plug. I figured I'd need to solder one end of the wire to a pin on the PCI card and then have a female MC Card plug on the other end. After doing a quick Google search I found where the plug which I bought goes (theres a specific port labled "aux" on the card.

Anyway, now I need to find a single MC Card female jack. I've looked on a couple website but they only seem to offer them in bulk quantities. I just need one. Where should I look? Help!

MadeInJapan · #9 Post by **MadeInJapan** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:15 pm

Go through the hyperlinktech.com website above and go all the way to the ordering screen. It will tell you that you have to buy $100 worth at minimum and give you an alternate site to buy from (their sister site). From here, you should be able to buy one one piece at a time.

Good luck.

jodathmorr · #10 Post by **jodathmorr** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:38 pm

Just to clarify. I haven't taken apart the computer yet. Will the AUX port have a cable connected to it? Will I still get normal reception from the antenna inside the computer if i unplug AUX?

MadeInJapan · #11 Post by **MadeInJapan** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:24 am

I think these are called "diversity" antenna ports....this means that the WiFi card will use whichever port that has the best signal. So, the answer is YES...the other antenna will still work when it's signal is better than the antenna that you connected (highly unlikely).

To answer your other question...the Aux port WILL NOT have an antenna connected to it...that's what everyone is trying to figure out here...what kind of connector the Aux port takes so they can buy the pigtail to go to it. Once you get a pigtail...WHATEVER CONNECTOR-->SMC (for instance), then you can connect up an antenna typically sold at CompUSA or BestBuy, etc.

Adding an External Antenna port (modification)

Adding an External Antenna port (modification)

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