Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 14:10 Post subject:
It is hard to see the missing pin.. There is what seems to be a copper pad at the bottom where a pin should be. Checking continuity by sticking a pin in the hole to another point on the trace shows it is open.. Not connected to anything. The 1st pic is from another linksys / broadcom mini pci radio card that has a center pin. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 18:23 Post subject:
I'll snip off the ends (which I didn't want to do), and solder to the pcb right before the capacitor as is the stock card.
The center conductor if the antenna coax is a thread. Difficult at best to work with..
I have no idea what it would be like changing the ends (connectors on the coax).. As I said.. The center conductor is a thread. I've worked with it before.. It is a challenge.
Thanks for the tips, links, and support.. I know you guys are rooting for me. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Connect AFTER! the caps.
just "cut" the trace to the antennas.
i did what you are saying and it "works" but you need use the caps as thay are used as a part of the rf loading. >>"Tuned Rf circuit"<<
soldering the antennas AFTER the caps will give you alot better SWR and WILL have ALOT better Range.
Soldering the antenna coax is Simple and Easy I have done 6 of these for others 10 minutes tops.
I tyred the antennas Before the caps and the range Did SUCK BIG TIME!
and My wpc600n has the center pin on all the antenna connectors.
dsc01849_138.jpg
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What you need to do.
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Picture 019.jpg
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An Old JUNK wpc600n
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Last edited by Radioman193 on Sat Sep 26, 2009 19:38; edited 2 times in total
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 19:37 Post subject:
Radioman193 wrote:
Connect AFTER! the caps.
just "cut" the trace to the antennas.
i did what you are saying and it "works" but you need use the caps as thay are used as a part of the rf loading.
soldering the antennas AFTER the caps will give you alot better SWR and WILL have ALOT better Range.
Soldering the antenna coax is Simpl and Easy I have done 6 of these for others 10 minutes tops.
I tyred the antennas Before the caps and the range Did SUCK BIG TIME!
and My wpc600n has the center pin on all the antenna connectors.
Thanks RM.. I was going to connect before the caps cuz that is the way the stock card is..
I will follow your advise and report back.
Thanks again.
And yea.. I see your connectors have the center pin.. You lucky Dog..
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 18:11 Post subject:
Ok.. I think I am done.. It seems to work in regards to range and signal quality about like my 600.
I really didn't want to start snipping off wire ends though but I had no choice..
So.. I use the antenna array from a junk 600, soldered the antenna wires to a wpc600n card. The only thing that is not right is the radio activity light does not light up. I looked for the gpio.. went all the way to gpio 15 and never got it to light up. I also forgot to slide some shrink tubing over the wires to hold the chokes in place after I got everything set. Oh well.. Next time. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
Just solder a Extra Mini led for the radio!
and mount it just under the one that is there.
why play the gpio game thats just a was of time.
then you can use another wifi card WITHOUT the worrie of the new gpio call screwing things up.
This way i can use whatever radio i wish to without the need to change the firmware.
I soldered three antennas to the wpc600n it seems to be working now better than it was when i had soldered to the top part after the connectors, i just cut off the whole top part of the card including the antennas and the capacitors and connectors then I followed the antenna traces coming from the RF chip and soldered to the pins of the RF.
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 21:46 Post subject:
ak4d7 wrote:
I soldered three antennas to the wpc600n it seems to be working now better than it was when i had soldered to the top part after the connectors, i just cut off the whole top part of the card including the antennas and the capacitors and connectors then I followed the antenna traces coming from the RF chip and soldered to the pins of the RF.
I found the same thing.. I first connected before the capacitor (or whatever it is) because that is how the antenna's are connected with the stock setup. The I changed it based on a recommendation to after the cap.
It wasn't night & day, but before the cap does work better the farther away you get. So.. then I changed it back and tested it again.
Before the cap seems to work better. I also snipped off the top of the card. It wouldn't fit with the jtag & serial header installed.
I need to do it again cause I forgot to slide some shrink tubing to capture the chokes over the antenna leads before I connected them.. $hit! _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
As you can see i tryed before the caps but the range was alot less .
and i dont use the "Ferrite Chokes".
i dont need them cause i use RF Decouplers.
and i use larger coax.
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 23:43 Post subject:
I believe you... Thanks for all your help.. I just saw different results.
I am using the stock coax that is connected to the antennas. I am using two of the 5ghz antennas, and one 2.4. I didn't start moving them around on the card though.
Looking at the pic of your card, I have a 5ghz connected to the middle and to the bottom trace. 2.4ghz connected to the top trace. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
The coax i use is
Low-Loss 400 Coax
for all my pigtails.
were the factory uses something like 19? cheepo big loss cable .
and yup 5 is center
and 2.4 the 2 outer ones.
You do know the ebay 5ghz antennas arnt to hot
alot have got them and are not happy with them.
i shuld buy one and pull the cover off and i BET its a 2.4 just like a 7dbi with just a 1/4 to 1/8 sniped off.
i say this cause thay are jap stuff."shenzhen china"
dont matter who you get it from on ebay .
Sorry to revive this old thread, but I am just about to attempt the soldering/modding myself. and was wondering if anyone had any finished pics?
Also has anyone managed to get the original card inside the wrt350n to work on a laptop? Especially in Ubuntu with or with out using a windows driver? _________________ Linksys WRT610n v1 - DD-WRT K26 v24-sp2 (03/24/10) mini-usb
(SVN revision 14144)
Linksys WRT350n(with WPC600N) - DD-WRT v24-sp2 (01/02/10) mini-usb-ftp (SVN revision 13577M NEWD Eko)
