Thread: Connecting a Laptop Internal Antenna Cable to an External Antenna

Originally Posted by BarryWoods

No no no no no no no no no no no!!!!! Get a pigtail with a u.fl connector already attached, that would be that tiny one in the above pictures. Soldering wifi coax will degrade the signal, if you do it wrong it could eventually lead to the radio frying itself.

Thanks for your repy and help. I could not see a picture. I am in London and each time I go to an electrical shop or computer store the floor staff have'nt got a clue what I am asking for. I understand I need to get a pig tail with the wires already attached. Having now had the panel off the back, finding the wifi box with the two leads coming from it. Is it right to say I just carfully unplug the "AUX" little connector and then the pig tail wire and little plug will just clip down on to the connectors? If possible could you please give me another name or ref no that would identify what a pig tail is?
much appreciated.

Originally Posted by BarryWoods

No no no no no no no no no no no!!!!! Get a pigtail with a u.fl connector already attached, that would be that tiny one in the above pictures. Soldering wifi coax will degrade the signal, if you do it wrong it could eventually lead to the radio frying itself.

Sorry there, I did find the picture and your stright forward explanation. I connect to main, not aux right?
And you provided sites in order to get pitail!
Do I just leave the other interal wifi wire connected and simply connect pigtail to main?
thanks.

Originally Posted by goatsliver

Sorry there, I did find the picture and your stright forward explanation. I connect to main, not aux right?
And you provided sites in order to get pitail!
Do I just leave the other interal wifi wire connected and simply connect pigtail to main?
thanks.

Yea, you can leave the aux connection connected to the internal antenna. You can also disconnect it, it's really up to you. If you disconnect it, make sure you cover the internal connectors so they don't short on anything.

Originally Posted by BarryWoods

Yea, you can leave the aux connection connected to the internal antenna. You can also disconnect it, it's really up to you. If you disconnect it, make sure you cover the internal connectors so they don't short on anything.

Thanks again,
I have found a bloke only a couple of miles from me that can provide the pigtail.

http://www.zcomax.co.uk/web/componen...tact/Itemid,3/

Originally Posted by goatsliver

Thanks again,
I have found a bloke only a couple of miles from me that can provide the pigtail.

http://www.zcomax.co.uk/web/componen...tact/Itemid,3/

Nice!! Closest place to me is still a 12 hour drive. Though it beats the two week drive that it would have been before I moved!

Another good source for RF pigtails can be found at:

http://www.rfmall.com

RF mall does fixed length U.FL/IPX to RP-SMA pigtails and also custom length pigtails.

It sounds like you are going to try to run the extention/pigtail from under your seat to your antenne on the roof. How long is that run? I ask because the signal drops very fast when using extentions. Basically you would want your card to be as close to the antenne as possible. I can't remember how to calculate the loss, but my guess is that for a 3 meter ext you'd need to increase your antenne's db by about 10 (maybe?) to get the same reception you had before. So just be sure you have a much stronger antenne than before.

The alternative would be to use a usb adapter that uses an external antenne, like this one. Then put the adapter as close as you can to your roof's mounting location, like in the headliner.