USB+Parabolic dish

matthijskeuper · 08-09-2004

Hi,

I need some advice as to what exactly the antenna on this Netgear MA111 USB 802.11b adapter is.

Attached some pictures. My guess is that the thingy I enlarged is the antenna, but I'm not sure. Any idea what the radiation profile for this thing is? I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount it with a parabolic dish.

Any help is welcome.

I plan to use it with a DirecTV dish and try to connect to a T-mobile hotspot not too far from my place. (Would you believe, in the middle of Silicon Valley and no broadband available...)
I have almost -but not exactly- no line of sight with the place, I can just see the roof of the building. I figure my chances of getting connected are low, but I'd like to try anyway without spending too much $$$.

Thanks,
Matthijs

wrzwaldo · 08-09-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthijskeuper

Hi,

I need some advice as to what exactly the antenna on this Netgear MA111 USB 802.11b adapter is.

Attached some pictures. My guess is that the thingy I enlarged is the antenna, but I'm not sure. Any idea what the radiation profile for this thing is? I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount it with a parabolic dish.

Any help is welcome.

I plan to use it with a DirecTV dish and try to connect to a T-mobile hotspot not too far from my place. (Would you believe, in the middle of Silicon Valley and no broadband available...)
I have almost -but not exactly- no line of sight with the place, I can just see the roof of the building. I figure my chances of getting connected are low, but I'd like to try anyway without spending too much $$$.

Thanks,
Matthijs

That "thingy" you enlarged is a test connector. A Hirose U-FL as I recall. There have been a few USB devices with reflectors added posted here in the forums. Give a search or two and see what others have tried.

matthijskeuper · 08-09-2004

Mmm, not sure about that. Looked up the specs and images of the Hirose connector. That has a (male) pin in the center. This thing is more female like.

Perhaps it's another brand. I'll keep looking.

Laver · 08-27-2004

wrzwaldo is right, the connector you enlarged is a female Hirose. There are pigtails for this connector, but it is widely alleged that they should not be snapped on/off more than a few times at risk of breakage.

The antenna you are looking for is on the lower left of the image. It's made out of ceramic. Judging by the white lines, there ought to be another on the opposite side of the Hirose.

Here is some info on how to focus parabolic dishes at USB dongles:

http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

I wonder what those two copper pads are for? Perhaps you could solder a decent directional antenna to them and avoid the hassle of the dish?

rxtrom · 10-01-2004

I have this same USB adapter...anyluck with the antenna thing??
AND did you get it working wiht netstumbler yet???

blindmonkey · 10-02-2004

Hmmm. I have a D-link DWL-650+ that is broken because the antenna part snapped off when my laptop dropped on it. It's in pieces now and it has the same exact hirose female connector you have pictured. I was also wondering what I could do with it since the antenna is now missing off my card but that connector is still there. Maybe I can chop up a hirose pigatil and put a smaller connector in place of the n-connector and attach it to the card so i can have a different ext antenna connector...

10-10-2004

i am try to buy a good usb adapter. the thing i want is the widest range adapter. so any idea about it? usb 1.1 use more power than usb 2.0, and its that mean it can gain more dB??

11-01-2004

i was wondering if anyone figured out what pigtail fits in that "female hirose" i know its not a hirose pigtail since they are female. maybe a male hirose? if there is one, which i havnt bumped into one. so any help on the type pigtail would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

beakmyn · 11-01-2004

Ok here's the skinny.

The red area is ground for the Hirose. The blue area is the center conductor. If you're good with a soldering iron you should be able to land the center conductor of your own pigtail on the pink section and then solder the ground braid to the exposed copper on the ground plane. Then seal it all up and attach and SMA connector to the other end of your pigtail. The hirose if VERY fragile and is not ment to be used other then just once or twice for testing. It's definately not meant for the rigors of wardriving.

You'll probably need to leave that smd capacitor there (little brown thing with silver ends), I'm guessing it's there for impedence matching but my antenna theory is rusty.

If it were me I'd complete remove the hirose and solder a pigtail in its place. To be extra safe I'd split the braid and solder half to each ground plane then put a healthy dollop of hot glue to secure the wire, attach a SMA to the other end of the pigtail and Voila, instant external antenna.

The Others · 11-01-2004

In case you hadn't seen it, i did this a while a go:

http://forums.netstumbler.com/showthread.php?t=10208

i hope it's still useful to y'all.

The important thing is this: Don't bother using that connector. It's made so a man with a probe can jab at it and check whether the antenna is still working. If you need a USB with an external antenna, get a old skool orinoco USB. They've been discussed endlessly here too.

11-14-2004

Thank you both for your ideas, i can tell you both know what your talking about (i hope) and will highly consider both suggestions. Thanks again

10-02-2004	#6 (permalink)
blindmonkey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6	Hmmm. I have a D-link DWL-650+ that is broken because the antenna part snapped off when my laptop dropped on it. It's in pieces now and it has the same exact hirose female connector you have pictured. I was also wondering what I could do with it since the antenna is now missing off my card but that connector is still there. Maybe I can chop up a hirose pigatil and put a smaller connector in place of the n-connector and attach it to the card so i can have a different ext antenna connector... Last edited by blindmonkey : 10-02-2004 at 11:18 PM.

10-10-2004	#7 (permalink)
hi82kk Posts: n/a	tips on buying usb adapter.. i am try to buy a good usb adapter. the thing i want is the widest range adapter. so any idea about it? usb 1.1 use more power than usb 2.0, and its that mean it can gain more dB??

11-01-2004	#8 (permalink)
olly Posts: n/a	i have the same usb adapter (ma111) i was wondering if anyone figured out what pigtail fits in that "female hirose" i know its not a hirose pigtail since they are female. maybe a male hirose? if there is one, which i havnt bumped into one. so any help on the type pigtail would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

11-01-2004	#9 (permalink)
beakmyn Free Public Wifi Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 4,992	Ok here's the skinny. The red area is ground for the Hirose. The blue area is the center conductor. If you're good with a soldering iron you should be able to land the center conductor of your own pigtail on the pink section and then solder the ground braid to the exposed copper on the ground plane. Then seal it all up and attach and SMA connector to the other end of your pigtail. The hirose if VERY fragile and is not ment to be used other then just once or twice for testing. It's definately not meant for the rigors of wardriving. You'll probably need to leave that smd capacitor there (little brown thing with silver ends), I'm guessing it's there for impedence matching but my antenna theory is rusty. If it were me I'd complete remove the hirose and solder a pigtail in its place. To be extra safe I'd split the braid and solder half to each ground plane then put a healthy dollop of hot glue to secure the wire, attach a SMA to the other end of the pigtail and Voila, instant external antenna. __________________ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ ╞ NS Icons Explained\|et hoc genus omne ╡ └──────────────────────────────┘ Creating yesterday's future, Today!

11-01-2004	#10 (permalink)
The Others PeaceDriver Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Dos Palabras, Mandoras Posts: 2,920	In case you hadn't seen it, i did this a while a go: http://forums.netstumbler.com/showthread.php?t=10208 i hope it's still useful to y'all. The important thing is this: Don't bother using that connector. It's made so a man with a probe can jab at it and check whether the antenna is still working. If you need a USB with an external antenna, get a old skool orinoco USB. They've been discussed endlessly here too. __________________ all good ends all ?u=273

08-09-2004	#3 (permalink)
matthijskeuper Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 2	Mmm, not sure about that. Looked up the specs and images of the Hirose connector. That has a (male) pin in the center. This thing is more female like. Perhaps it's another brand. I'll keep looking.

10-01-2004	#5 (permalink)
rxtrom Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5	I have this same USB adapter...anyluck with the antenna thing?? AND did you get it working wiht netstumbler yet???

11-14-2004	#11 (permalink)
olly Posts: n/a	Thank You Thank you both for your ideas, i can tell you both know what your talking about (i hope) and will highly consider both suggestions. Thanks again

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