Anybody know of a Prism2 card with external ant. ?

cfsapper · 06-02-2002

Hi all,

Do any of you know of a Prism2 card which supports an external antenna?

I know of a Prism2.5 card from Microtik .. but it costs $165 [yikes!]

acidrayne · 06-02-2002

If you link to this thread there was a discussion about the USRobotics 2410 pc card that apparently has an external antenna jack.

http://forums.netstumbler.com/showth...botics+antenna

Also keep in mind that currently only hermes based cards are supported so a Prism 2 will not work with NetStumbler

lincomatic · 06-02-2002

actually, the USR2410 doesn't have a jack...i've got one in my system right now. fungus says the zoom telephonics card w/ PCI adapter has one, though. only the one that comes w/ PCI adapter has the jack. probably because the built in one sucks when it's behind your computer sitting on the floor.

acidrayne · 06-02-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by lincomatic
actually, the USR2410 doesn't have a jack...i've got one in my system right now. fungus says the zoom telephonics card w/ PCI adapter has one, though. only the one that comes w/ PCI adapter has the jack. probably because the built in one sucks when it's behind your computer sitting on the floor.

My fault on that ... Just going off the info on that post.

Thorn · 06-02-2002

Teletronics www.teletronics.com Both the 2Mb model (http://www.teletronics.com/tii/produ...lan/LANc2.html) and the 11Mb models have external connectors.

I use a 2Mb model for site surveys. It has the best connector I have seen on a PCMCIA radio card, bar none.

Cheers,

blackwave · 06-02-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by acidrayne

My fault on that ... Just going off the info on that post.

Interesting I don't recall ever reading tulse_luper's last post on that. Sometimees I click clear all forums too quickly.

Anyhow I have a 2410 as well, couldn't pass up on the cheap deal... but I just followed up with posting tulse_luper
and asking them if they could gather more info on the card they pulled out of the AP that they claim is the same as the 2410. It is possible the card doesn't have the black covers as the retail model does and may have a hidden antenna port... I would take mine apart and use this if it could be proven that this is what is there. But as far as I know this is not to be true for the retail 2410 cards... I don't think that I would buy an AP at full price just to rip out the card with a antenna port, especially if I could just solder on something to do the same. These cards at the time i bought them and the reason I bought them were because they were only 30 or so dollars with the fry's rebate.

I would be interested to hear from anyone if they have taken apart their 2410 and notice an external jack somewhere inside, or have read any docs on how to find it or how to add one on.

cfsapper · 06-02-2002

Thanks for all the tips!

The reason I ask is because I use Kismet as well as NS. And as I have an Orinoco Gold card, I can not use it for Kismet (haven't down-graded the firmware [mostly because I haven't found the older version that I'd need])

.. I'm going to look into the USRobotics card (as well as other PCI-based solutions)

blackwave · 06-03-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by cfsapper
Thanks for all the tips!

The reason I ask is because I use Kismet as well as NS. And as I have an Orinoco Gold card, I can not use it for Kismet (haven't down-graded the firmware [mostly because I haven't found the older version that I'd need])

.. I'm going to look into the USRobotics card (as well as other PCI-based solutions)

FYI Updated USR2410 info here:
US Robotics USR2410 PC card ??
http://forums.netstumbler.com/showth...&threadid=1628

If we are lucky lincomatic will post a nice spread...

agentgrn · 06-03-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by cfsapper
I'm going to look into the USRobotics card (as well as other PCI-based solutions)

If you have a broken pigtail for a Lucent card, you should be able to lop off the broken end, and make a direct connection onto the card.

Granted, you need a steady hand and some soldering skill.

blackwave · 06-03-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by agentgrn
you should be able to lop off the broken end

I am glad you aren't my medical physician... your bedside manner would certainly be something else...

Mother · 06-04-2002

Just picked up today a Zcom (AKA Zcomax) XI-300B, which has (what I believe is) a reverse-thread SMA connector, upon removing a rubber stick-on plug - more to follow when I investigate.

The guy in the shop was soooo impressive - I was mooching around, when I saw this card inside a cabinet, which looked promising, and asked about it. The conversation went more or less like:

- Mother: "Hi, could I take a look at that wireless card that's in there?"

- SalesAmoeba: "Er...that card works over radio waves, so you need an access point for it work" (with "hey man, you must be dumb" look on his face)

- M: "Well, I got one of those, can I see the card? I think it has an external antenna connector, doesn't it?"

- S: "No it doesn't! These cards already have a built in ceramic patch antenna"

- M: "Well, then what's that little plastic cover for?"

- S: "That must be where they tune the frequency of the card, so it works with all the other cards on the same channel, once it's adjusted they seal it at the factory"

- M: "Just gimme the card - how much is it?"

Man, I wonder how the computer industry manages to keep going....

Cheers,

Mother

blackwave · 06-04-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Mother
- S: "That must be where they tune the frequency of the card, so it works with all the other cards on the same channel, once it's adjusted they seal it at the factory"

Did you ask the SA how they were able to fit all the vacuum tubes into such a tiny almost-wallet-sized card?

sparafina · 06-04-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Mother
Just picked up today a Zcom (AKA Zcomax) XI-300B, which has (what I believe is) a reverse-thread SMA connector, upon removing a rubber stick-on plug - more to follow when I investigate.

- S: "That must be where they tune the frequency of the card, so it works with all the other cards on the same channel, once it's adjusted they seal it at the factory"
Mother

I think the sales droid is correct. I have a Proxim RangeLan-DS, which is a rebranded Zcomax XI-300B. I originally thought it was an antenna connector, but I found a post on a board saying the same thing. This actuall makes sense because the version with the detachable antenna has a connector for each antenna. Also no mention of it in the user manual.

Anyway its a decent card, I have a couple of them for around the house and at client sites. The client software sucks, but it has linux support.

Tried it with APSniff, but it didn't like it.

Its going for $35 bucks at justdeals.com

Mother · 06-04-2002

Well, the connector is made by IMS, and it's a very special type, probably quite expensive - why would they go through the expense of fitting it and covering it up with a lid if it was of no use? For testing the card?

That wouldn't make sense, you can just put test points on the PCB and go from there....

I think it is an antenna connector, will try to open the card and find out.

All the best,

Mother

blackwave · 06-04-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Mother

I think it is an antenna connector, will try to open the card and find out.

Perhaps you can locate the schematics using

http://www.fcc.gov/searchtools.html

http://www.fcc.gov/oet/fccid/

06-02-2002	#1 (permalink)
cfsapper Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 5	Anybody know of a Prism2 card with external ant. ? Hi all, Do any of you know of a Prism2 card which supports an external antenna? I know of a Prism2.5 card from Microtik .. but it costs $165 [yikes!] __________________ -James-

06-02-2002	#2 (permalink)
acidrayne Slacker Stumbler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas Posts: 476	If you link to this thread there was a discussion about the USRobotics 2410 pc card that apparently has an external antenna jack. http://forums.netstumbler.com/showth...botics+antenna Also keep in mind that currently only hermes based cards are supported so a Prism 2 will not work with NetStumbler __________________ Rayne

06-02-2002	#3 (permalink)
lincomatic Squaaawk! WiFi! WiFi! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tinsel Town Posts: 1,682	actually, the USR2410 doesn't have a jack...i've got one in my system right now. fungus says the zoom telephonics card w/ PCI adapter has one, though. only the one that comes w/ PCI adapter has the jack. probably because the built in one sucks when it's behind your computer sitting on the floor. __________________ ~lincomatic

06-02-2002	#5 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,361	Teletronics www.teletronics.com Both the 2Mb model (http://www.teletronics.com/tii/produ...lan/LANc2.html) and the 11Mb models have external connectors. I use a 2Mb model for site surveys. It has the best connector I have seen on a PCMCIA radio card, bar none. Cheers, __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

06-02-2002	#7 (permalink)
cfsapper Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 5	Thanks for all the tips! The reason I ask is because I use Kismet as well as NS. And as I have an Orinoco Gold card, I can not use it for Kismet (haven't down-graded the firmware [mostly because I haven't found the older version that I'd need]) .. I'm going to look into the USRobotics card (as well as other PCI-based solutions) __________________ -James-

06-04-2002	#11 (permalink)
Mother Too many secrets... Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Barcelona, Spain Posts: 204	Another card with external connector Just picked up today a Zcom (AKA Zcomax) XI-300B, which has (what I believe is) a reverse-thread SMA connector, upon removing a rubber stick-on plug - more to follow when I investigate. The guy in the shop was soooo impressive - I was mooching around, when I saw this card inside a cabinet, which looked promising, and asked about it. The conversation went more or less like: - Mother: "Hi, could I take a look at that wireless card that's in there?" - SalesAmoeba: "Er...that card works over radio waves, so you need an access point for it work" (with "hey man, you must be dumb" look on his face) - M: "Well, I got one of those, can I see the card? I think it has an external antenna connector, doesn't it?" - S: "No it doesn't! These cards already have a built in ceramic patch antenna" - M: "Well, then what's that little plastic cover for?" - S: "That must be where they tune the frequency of the card, so it works with all the other cards on the same channel, once it's adjusted they seal it at the factory" - M: "Just gimme the card - how much is it?" Man, I wonder how the computer industry manages to keep going.... Cheers, Mother

06-04-2002	#14 (permalink)
Mother Too many secrets... Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Barcelona, Spain Posts: 204	Hmmm...weird Well, the connector is made by IMS, and it's a very special type, probably quite expensive - why would they go through the expense of fitting it and covering it up with a lid if it was of no use? For testing the card? That wouldn't make sense, you can just put test points on the PCB and go from there.... I think it is an antenna connector, will try to open the card and find out. All the best, Mother

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