AirLink101 AWLL3026 Hack / Modification for External Antenna
 

 

For a long time I've exclusively run Lucent Technologies Orinoco Gold (PC24E-H-FC) WiFi cards for my Wardriving mobile. My newest carputer is based on a Viaboard, and has no PCMCIA slot, so I've had to come up with an alternate Wi-Fi device for doing wardriving. At Fry's Electronics the AirLink101 AWLL3026 UWB dongle Wi-Fi G device was on sale with rebate for about $14, so it was worth a try to hack it for an external antenna.

Remember that this modification voids any chance of warranty repair for the card and I claim no responsibility, nor can accept any, for your actions...

TOOLS AND OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED FOR THIS HACK/MODIFICATION

Sharp Xacto blade
Very fine gauge, low temp soldering iron
Small piece of wire for ground connection
Fine gauge solder
Fine needle nose pliers
Chassis-mount SMA female
cyanoacrylate adhesive

INSTRUCTIONS

All the photos (blurry, unfortunately)

1) Remove the two-piece case (just insert the Xacto blade along the side and "snap", off comes the covers without damage).

2) Gently bend the LED back 90 degrees.

3) Scrape clear the green paint/conformal coat from a small area of the ground plane on the side opposite the antenna side.

4) With the Xacto knife, separate the "antenna" land from the "feed" land.

5) Superglue the SMA chassis onnector to the edge of the board.

6) Solder the center pin to the feed land.

7) Using a small piece of solid wire, connect the SMA's housing (ground) to the little patch of ground made clear by the scraping done in 3).

8) Inspect for shorts/opens.

9) Either wrap the thing in electrical tape or make a nice little housing for it to protect it.

You're done.

Remember that this modification voids any chance of warranty repair for the card and I claim no responsibility, nor can accept any, for your actions...

So far, it seems to work ok with Stumbler.

 

 

Home - Exploring - Amateur Radio
Railroading - Cool Links - Work - Words
Mountain Biking - jonCams - Thesis - WiFi

Copyright © 2003 Jon Trent Adams
jon (at) jonadams.com