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    Wifi + 3G PCIe half mini card?

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by thetoast, Jul 10, 2011.

  1. thetoast

    thetoast Notebook Evangelist

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    I have a Lenovo Thinkpad Edge e220s, and am looking at the possibility of adding 3G capability (it was a factory option, but would use the 50mm slot, which I wanted to save for my Intel mSATA card...). I don't want to bother with WiMAX, as my usage of this card will mainly be in Canada and Philippines, both of which have not dragged their knuckles in to the 21st century regarding wireless data.

    I came across an apparently suitable card called "GTM671W", which seems to be produced by a company called Option Wireless. Has anyone heard of this one, or better yet, used it? A quick web search shows it as available in Europe, but I don't see it listed in North America. Anyone have any leads on this card, or something very similar? (b/g/n 2.4GHZ wifi + 2G/3G WCDMA, and PCIe half mini size) Also, this card has 4 antenna connections, but my laptop only has 2 leads. Will my 3G performance suffer terribly due to this? Or perhaps I can add other antenna cables to the body of my machine...

    edit: hmmm interesting... found info both on a North American distributor, and an answer about the antenna. Looks like I'll need to add some antenna leads as well:

    http://www.embeddedworks.net/ewdatasheets/option/EW-Gobi3000.pdf
     
    thetoast, Jul 10, 2011
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  2. downloads

    downloads No, Dee Dee, no! Super Moderator

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    Lenovo whitelists cards so you can't use one that doesn't come from Lenovo themselves (unless you mod the BIOS that is)
     
    downloads, Jul 11, 2011
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  3. thetoast

    thetoast Notebook Evangelist

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    oh boy... thanks
     
    thetoast, Jul 11, 2011
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  4. chx1975

    chx1975 Notebook Consultant

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    I have a T420 and the same question. Modding the BIOS, oh well. Having an mSATA and a wifi-3G card would be great.
     
    chx1975, Feb 16, 2012
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  5. oled

    oled Notebook Evangelist

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    Has anyone actually played around with this card?

    The few dealers around seem to sell it only B2B and not to the end user. Information around the web is spare. I can't find the link anymore, but I stumbled on a discussion that WiFi uses the PCIe interface while WWAN operates on PCIe's USB line.

    Here is a picture:
    gtm_671.png
     
    oled, Apr 4, 2013
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  6. oled

    oled Notebook Evangelist

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    oled, Apr 4, 2013
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  7. oled

    oled Notebook Evangelist

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    # Antennas

    According to support the 4 antenna connectors are used with the following signals:
    - GSM
    - GSM diversity / GPS (combo?)
    - WiFi
    - WiFi diversity

    It appears to use hirose pigtail ipex connectors. I assume you can re-use your existing WiFi antennas!? (although the WiFi seems to support 2.4GHz band only)

    The card supports penta band gsm, but I assume you could use quad or hexa band gsm antennas as well since all frequencies are within range. No idea though for EV-DO in the GTM779 model.

    There are many different kinds available and I'm wondering how much worse a shorter / smaller surface one will operate in contrast to a bigger one built in the display bezel ones.

    Here a few examples of possibly suitable antennas:

    PCB Antenna ANT-GXP6640
    672_0_6640.jpg

    A range of Taoglas Internal Flexible PCB antennas
    MFG_FXP14_07_0100A.jpg

    US Tyco 3G antenna
    410963337_769.jpg


    - Which type would you choose?
    - Can I use the same antenna type for both normal & diversity signal?
    - Will gsm normal & diversity antennas interfere with each other if placed close together or even overlapping?
    - Will WiFi & 3G antennas interfere with each other if placed close together or even overlapping? (even if just one or the other is operating)
     
    oled, Apr 4, 2013
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