Which type of antenna is this?

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x8612

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Jan 22, 2013
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13
Hello there :)

My wireless card has issues (it drops connections every so often) on my Asus UX32VD. So I decided to replace my Intel Centrino 6235 with an Atheros or Broadcom based wireless card.

However, I hit another roadblock, since my laptop is an Ultrabook, it uses smaller than standard (Hirose U. FL being the standard) antenna connectors. I currently don't have the necessary Torx screwdriver to disassemble my laptop, but I have found images of my laptop on the internet with the same antenna connector. I would appreciate it if some one could provide some insight into this wireless card.


Images:

Wireless card (Ifixit breakdown):
http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/diQ4deAFrSqvHFkU

Antenna Cable:
http://i.imgur.com/Del7qYb.jpg

I would really like to use a wireless card with a big antenna connector on my laptop. Is it possible to somehow use a pigtail? I am really new to this kind of stuff, and I would appreciate any help.

Thanks!

P.S I have done researching and other people have said that it's either an MMCX, FME, or IPEX MHF4 (I don't know which one is correct).
 
x8612 said:
Hello there :)

My wireless card has issues (it drops connections every so often) on my Asus UX32VD. So I decided to replace my Intel Centrino 6235 with an Atheros or Broadcom based wireless card.

However, I hit another roadblock, since my laptop is an Ultrabook, it uses smaller than standard (Hirose U. FL being the standard) antenna connectors. I currently don't have the necessary Torx screwdriver to disassemble my laptop, but I have found images of my laptop on the internet with the same antenna connector. I would appreciate it if some one could provide some insight into this wireless card.


Images:

Wireless card (Ifixit breakdown):
http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/diQ4deAFrSqvHFkU

Antenna Cable:
http://i.imgur.com/Del7qYb.jpg

I would really like to use a wireless card with a big antenna connector on my laptop. Is it possible to somehow use a pigtail? I am really new to this kind of stuff, and I would appreciate any help.

Thanks!

P.S I have done researching and other people have said that it's either an MMCX, FME, or IPEX MHF4 (I don't know which one is correct).
Click to expand...

Woah, woah, woah. Replace an Intel with an Atheros?? Lol. Just get another Intel off eBay. I just picked up 2 6205s off eBay for $10 a piece shipped. The 6205s use the same antennae connector type as the 6235s.
 
Last edited:
Yeah I can't imagine a single situation where an intel wifi card is having connection issues that could be fixed by replacing it with any other kind of wifi card. There's the one situation where the intel card is somehow defective in which case your best bet would be replacing the defective intel wifi card with a functional intel wifi card. If you replace that intel with a different intel and still have problems I'd be more suspicious of the AP than the wifi card.

But seriously there's probably thousands of forum threads on the internet that go "I had a crappy atheros/broadcom wifi card in my laptop and replaced it with an intel and all my problems went away", but I've never seen one that went "I had an intel and replaced it with some crappier wifi card and now I couldn't be happier".
 
I appreciate both of your answers. However, my current Linux distro works best with either an Atheros or Broadcom card.

Is there any way to connect the MHF4 to the standard U.FL?
 
x8612 said:
I appreciate both of your answers. However, my current Linux distro works best with either an Atheros or Broadcom card.

Is there any way to connect the MHF4 to the standard U.FL?
Click to expand...

What Linux Kernel is it? You shouldn't have many issues if you are using 2.6.30+
 
Atheros AR9382 performs better than 6205 no question about it in my experience and those cards have the same connector as the teardown (ie stock wlan card connector).
//Danne
 
/usr/home said:
What Linux Kernel is it? You shouldn't have many issues if you are using 2.6.30+
Click to expand...

I am not sure, but I am certain that it is my wireless card. I just tried using Windows, and the similar problems exist. I also don't want to use super glue.

diizzy said:
Atheros AR9382 performs better than 6205 no question about it in my experience and those cards have the same connector as the teardown (ie stock wlan card connector).
//Danne
Click to expand...

Sadly, it uses the bigger antenna connector :(
 
If your solder-fu is up to the task, you can replace the existing connector to one of your liking.
 
I would like away from using soldering (I would run the risk of voiding my warranty). Is there a pigtail or some kind of converter that I can use?
 
If the built-in antenna sucks, then changing the wireless NIC will probably make it worse.
 
I am also planning to do this [exact] conversion, not putting in an Atheros card in is not an option, if you don't understand then that's fine... However, I do not fear loosing my warranty, i have had good success with asus even with a modified chassis.

I am considering a few options. As mentioned above:
  • Soldering on two MHF4 to the atheros card.
  • IPEX MHF4 to IPX MHF pigtail conversion (but it seems the male is only made for board solder so this option seems non-existent)
  • Replacing the antenna/pigtails behind the screen. (pigtails are run through the hinge which may be why the lighter thinner MHF4 was used, two larger MHF's may not fit)

Optionally I am also considering:
  • Running one (main) MHF pigtail to the antenna while running the second (aux) to an external SMA connection.

Does anyone else see any other options to this?
Potentially one could eagle a simple pcb 'bridge' with two IPEX MHF4 u.fl's and points for a MHF pigtail making the soldering an easier/cleaner operation...

x8612 - please post any changes
 
I resorted to buying third party laptop antennas. I am thinking of mounting them underneath the keyboard or the touchpad.
 
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