WiFi Antenna Install A20m

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Waukeen · #1 Post by **Waukeen** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:13 pm

Hi all.

I just completed this project on my A20m. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment. I wanted to put them into my blog, but photo uploads are VERY tempermental today on Blogger.

A20m Internal WiFi Installation

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:23 am

This page is coming up as private.

#3 Post by **schen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:33 pm

I'll have to look at it when I get home, since my school has your pic site blocked. But it sounds interesting. I have a couple of "parts" A2Xs and ones of my projects is to install an internal antenna, so your A20 work will be VERY helpful.

Congrats on getting everything working!

Waukeen · #4 Post by **Waukeen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:43 pm

Ugh... sorry about that guys. I am new to using Flickr. It is mostly a stopgap measure.

Waukeen · #5 Post by **Waukeen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:50 pm

Ok... it should be available now for you to peruse.

schen wrote: Congrats on getting everything working!

The laptop itself is working, but the WiFi we are still out on. I will have to get back to you when I get a good MiniPCI card for this thing.

I was able to salvage a mini-pci card from my broken Actiontec router. If i can get drivers for this card, I should have cheap wifi for just the cost of the antenna. At least the card is being found by WinXP, but no drivers.

I looked up the chipset and downloaded drivers from the chipset manufaturer. I will try them out tonight and give you some results.

Website · #6 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:09 pm

Very nice pics. I never really put much thought into it, but I guess the leads could run to the back of the LCD, instead of the sides. Some of the T2x series have enough of a grade in the back that keeps the LCD pushed forward, which means that there might be enough room for me to add them to my T21...hmmm.

Waukeen · #7 Post by **Waukeen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:32 pm

the wafer thin antennas will fit perfectly... though the rod type would easilly fit on the sides probably.

Waukeen · #8 Post by **Waukeen** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:10 am

My salvage job of a Mini-pci card out of an old wireless G router netted me a winner.

I was able to look up the chipsets driver and install the reference drivers.

The signal is great, when I am right on top of the router. No errors or anything. As soon as I get across the room, signal drops pretty fast. Here are the two issues I think I have:

1. My router is inside a cabinet so the antenna are pretty well hidden.
2. That shielding behind the laptops screen (the antennas are sandwitched between that and the TFT), may have to either cut down or disposed of entirely.

Since I am not the most handy person around, do we have any suggestions on removing that shielding as gently as possible for cutting? And what would be the best way to cut it? How much should I trim off? OR Should I just scrap that shielding?

#9 Post by **underclocker** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:08 pm

Nice work and documentation!

We should assume there isn't any kind of BIOS lock for accepting wifi cards on the A20's?

Also, it's clear that you are sacrificing both the wired Ethernet and modem to accomodate the wifi mini-pci card.

Does anyone make a combo wifi-modem-Ethernet min-pci card?!

That would do it. Thanks for sharing.

#10 Post by **schen** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:38 pm

Just got to see your pics of the antenna install. Very nicely done indeed. I'll have to consider that as well as under the KB when I get that far with my project A22m.

Waukeen · #11 Post by **Waukeen** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:02 pm

underclocker wrote:Also, it's clear that you are sacrificing both the wired Ethernet and modem to accomodate the wifi mini-pci card.

Does anyone make a combo wifi-modem-Ethernet min-pci card?!

This particular A20m came with only a winmodem installed in the slot. I pondered getting ethernet or a combo ethernet/modem card for this thing, but i figured that it would be hard to find a wifi card that will easilly fit below a USB2.0 card in the PCMCIA slots.

The ethernet card I have right now already has a dongle. There is no issue with trying to find a USB2.0 card that will fit in the top PCMCIA slot, any of them will.

With that in mind I decided the cheapest wireless solution is getting antenna and a mini-pci wireless card installed into the laptop. However, if signal dosn't pan out, I can still go the USB 2.0 route and I can position a USB dongle wherever I want for reception.

I am thinking of figuring out a way to hack in an internal usb1.1 hub in the thing and replacing the RJ11/45 jacks in the back with a USB block.

palmate · #12 Post by **palmate** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 8:45 am

I have tried near the same to connect the antenna for my A20m.
I use 2 normal wires (12" long each), and soldered it to the PCB of the min-PCI wi-fi card.
I plug the wi-fi card (without putting the wires to the notebook yet) to test the wireless connection, and it works great.
But when I lay the 2 wires the same as you do, putting them along the left and right sides of the LCD screen. The wireless signal becomes very poor.
I think its the metal frame of the LCD screen affect the antenna signal, or it may be the normal wire is not suitable for recieiving hi-frequency signal (but I tried OK during testing).

So my last solution is to connect the antenna wiring to the modem output. And connect a 20" telephone wire hanging outside the normal RJ45(?) socket.

It works anyway, with this external antenna.

Waukeen · #13 Post by **Waukeen** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:09 am

RJ11 (the 4/6 pin Registered Jack), actually. Nice dea for a cheap external antenna, though.

The sheilding is the biggest culprit. My Signal is pretty poor unless I am within 30 feet of the base-station. However, the metal backing of the LCD is probably a fairly big signal inhibitor too, but nothing can be done about that one.

#14 Post by **schen** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:50 am

I'm not sure the frame of the LCD has anything to do with interference. If you look at the machine that have Wireless built-in (like my T23) you'll see the the ends of the antennas are right on the edge of the screen frame. The only external indicator is that there is the different plastic where the antenna wires terminate.

Waukeen · #15 Post by **Waukeen** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:04 pm

Knew I shoulda got the ones that can attatch to the screws on the sides of the screen... ah wells... I can make due with what i have. ^_^

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