Modified Speedtouch (OEM Orinoco Gold) as Internal WiFi 4 MP900C-No Protrusion! No External Antenna!

Finally, I modified a Speedtouch 11M WiFi card (OEM Orinoco Gold) to be used on NEC MobilePro 900C as internal/built-in WiFi with neither protrusion nor external antenna!!!

I trimmed the antenna part to make the card exactly the same length as the PCMCIA card slot on MP900C. This means the plastic part is now 5mm. Of course, I had to install a simple dipole antenna just inside the plastic case. You can see the antenna in the first photo showing 2 installation methods ( I favor the second though I did the first by cutting a slot on the case of the MP. The 2nd photo shows the detection of a few wireless networks in my neighborhood and indicates the decent range of the modified card. Unfortunately, my router's wireless function began to fail after 6 years of service.

I modified 2 cards with progressive experience. If you want to follow suit, you may want my detailed instructions I'd be glad to provide.

Comments are welcome.

Edited by CAuser 2008-07-12 3:13 PM








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SpeedtouchAsInternalWiFi.jpg (33KB - 1 downloads)
SpeedtouchAsInternalWiFi3.jpg (19KB - 1 downloads)

Here are 2 more photos. One shows accessing this site using the modified Speedtouch on MP900C and the other compares the lengths before and after the modification.







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SpeedtouchAsInternalWiFi4.jpg (20KB - 0 downloads)
SpeedtouchAsInternalWiFi5.jpg (19KB - 0 downloads)

By all means, detailed instructions please!

I have been thinking of doing this myself, so your experience could make it a lot easier.

I am running a Jornada 680, one of the great advantages is that it is small, smaller than your NEC. But with that card sticking out, it defeats the purpose.

I was actually considering cutting a card down and keeping an antenna jack to use in the car on a mount. That way, when it is in the car dock I can plug it into a more substantial antenna. Instant carputer.

Not sure what way I'm going yet, but your experience will sure help.

There's another bonus for using one of these cards in a Jornada - it can fit in the Otterbox 3000 with the card inserted, so you don't have to put the card somewhere else.

You know, the method I used depends on the very card. Also, MP900C's card slot is longer than Jornada's as the former's upper part extends more. Nevertheless, I provide the following guidelines.

1. Open Speedtouch card's case from the end with plastic part to the extent you can remove the plastic one using a thin screw driver while keeping the other end untouched. Do it gently to prevent the locking mechanism from damage. Once you open a little, you can see the metal locking mechanism. Larger distances between metal parts correspond to locks. Smaller distances are where you want to insert the driver.

2. Use a thin screw driver to separate the plastic casing into 2 halves so that you can remove them from the metal case.

3. Once the plastic casing is removed, you can see 2 spare soldering points for attaching a coaxial connector. However, we can't use it as it's at the end of the card. I cut the circuit board to 4mm protrusion from the metal case and plastic casing to a corresponding 5mm protrusion from the same metal case, when installed. The PCB is 1mm shorter intentionally so that a soldered antenna is guaranteed to be within the plastic casing.

4. The center trace on the back side of the circuit board is the feeding transmisson line to the antenna. The soldering point should be at the end so that the antenna is positioned as faraway from the metal case as possible. Before soldering a 35mm long solid wire with insulation (26Gauge solid wire, PVC jacket/tinned copper, Fry's item number 1615177) as the antenna perpendicularly to the feedline, I had to use a utility knife to remove the protection coating. Removing the coating must be done gradually. We just need to make the feedline ready to accept solder (no more, no less).

5. Carefully insert the 2 plastic halves into the metal case and close the metal case gently. I cut a little to the plastic casing so that the antenna can go straight all the way to the side edge and bend right there outside the casing to go up to the point you allow. I did shorten the wire/antenna by 5mm so that the antenna stays right within the slot. Fortunately, the shortened antenna still performed well.

DIY at your own risk. Jornada may require the card even shorter and success is not guaranteed.

Edited by CAuser 2008-07-13 6:50 PM