Any idea where / if I can solder an external cable to this?

**Arathranar** · 03-20-2005, 02:47 PM

It's a wireless USB fob that I've just taken apart. I want to hook up an external wireless antenna (possibly amplified), if I can.
'small' is 512x384 & 50k
'bigger' is 1024x768 & 150k

**ACHIEVER** · 03-20-2005, 03:21 PM

What's the golden looking device towards the upper right hand corner in that picture? (next to what appears to be a surface mount fuse)

**Harrie Coolen** · 03-20-2005, 03:26 PM

it looks like a smd antenna connector to me......

**Arathranar** · 03-20-2005, 03:29 PM

I could certainly believe it's a small connector, looking at it in person. Where can I find out more about 'smd antenna connectors'?

**ACHIEVER** · 03-20-2005, 03:31 PM

Thats what it looked like to me too. You might have really lucked out on this one. What brand/model number is that?

**Arathranar** · 03-20-2005, 04:06 PM

This was a TrendNet TEW-424UB that was going for $27 minus a $10 rebate (which I typically never got around to sending in

).

**Arathranar** · 03-20-2005, 04:20 PM

So from the comments so far, it looks like the surface mount component by itself to the far right is the built in antenna as I suspected. And it is something like this:
http://www.linxtechnologies.com/inde...=chip_antennas

**eleventh** · 03-20-2005, 04:32 PM

Can you post more pics of the thing we think is the connector? closer up maybe?

**Arathranar** · 03-20-2005, 04:43 PM

This seems to be the best I can managed - any closer and my camera won't focus.

**eleventh** · 03-20-2005, 04:46 PM

Definately looks like an antenna connector to me.

BTW, did you take a gold-colored piece of metal off the top of the right side of the board? The part outlined with a white line? If you did, you'll definately want to replace it, as it is there to keep EMI noise generated by the other components on board out of the WiFi antenna.