for those of you with wifi in laptop...

**fventura03** · 08-30-2005, 03:01 PM

I have my laptop in my seat (unzipped the seat, put it in the space behind there, working flawlessly so far.)

I can't seem to connect to anything, I am using a Dell D610 laptop, w/built in wifi card. I'm in my driveway and I don't get any signal, well anyways, here's my question. do most of you with laptops as your carputer have any problem with the range on your built in wifi card on the laptop? or do you guys have a usb wifi adapter?

I am considering getting one of those linksys USB ones and put it on my rear panel or something (next or near my lt-20 gps unit)

searched, couldn't find much on what people were using, or if this was a problem with my wifi card in my laptop or whatever.

thanks for your help.

**ukchris** · 08-30-2005, 03:08 PM

54g works much better than b, the tange is better. I was able to connect with both but in each case with a USB adaptor. I used a Luncent Silver 80211b which was in a pocket ont he back of the passenger seat, I'm now using a Linksys USB 54G which is on the floor at the moment.

You might also consider a NIC that will take an external antenna.

**fventura03** · 08-30-2005, 03:18 PM

oh I see, I'm going to have to search around for a USB or PCMCIA wifi card with external antenna then.

btw, my built in one on laptop is 802.11g too...

**turbocad6** · 08-30-2005, 03:27 PM

No, you don't have to get an external card... what you have to do is get a "pigtail" that will connect to the on board wifi module, it will then allow you to use an external antenna..... I forgot the name of ther connector, but it is tiny.... youy will have to open a cover on the rear or sometimes it is under the keyboard.....

this is best because the built in wifi is on the mini pci buss..... works great & low power, especially if you lappy is centrino???

I can get you more info later if you need it, but search (wi fi pigtail antenna )

**fventura03** · 08-30-2005, 04:13 PM

wow, great thanks. going to search on that.

mine isn't a centrino, its a "pentium m"

**wi77iam** · 08-30-2005, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by turbocad6

..... I forgot the name of ther connector, but it is tiny.... youy will have to open a cover on the rear or sometimes it is under the keyboard.....

The connector on mini-PCI cards in laptops is called U.FL. Get a pigtail with this connector on one end and an antenna connector on the other.

**turbocad6** · 08-30-2005, 07:14 PM

that's the name, u.fl, it goes by a few other names to... from there convert to bnc or whatever you want to antenna....

these cards have two antenna connections by the way, primary & secondary...it's kinda like a diversity setup...which ever antenna has a stronger signal it will use..... you don't need to do both, primary is fine, I am doing dual... 1 front roof & 1 rear on a minivan...