Can I create a wireless antenna for a broken laptop by soldering wire to the snap heads?

[theRatty]

I figured the best place for this would be here as soldering and hobby electronics go hand and hand. I have a wireless card in a laptop of which the snap heads have been bent. This means that the wireless antenna can no longer snap into place correctly. I have misplaced the antenna and I was wondering if I can just solder some thick wire to the snap heads and route them throughout the laptop shell making sure not to accidentally ground anything. If I did this would the wireless signal be the same as with the stock antenna?

[adm0n]

Not entirely sure about this, but the connectors are either MHF4 or IPEX UFL. Which should both be micro coax connectors.

 

To solder a cable to those, you'd ideally use a coax cable. And then you'd need to solder the middle conductor to the middle of the connector and the outer one to ground. Then you attach it to the antenna. If you just put a blob of solder on there, you'd short the connection.

 

You can always make an antenna yourself, but you'd need to get the size of the conductor, that acts as the antenna right.

 

 

[GuiltySpark_]

Theoretically, yes, just get the polarity right. 

 

The Wifi card could also just be replaced or the connectors on it replaced. 

[Wardus]

I may be misunderstanding this, but I think they want to solder on a wire as the new antenna? In my head it works but maybe there's a quirck with the resistance or size of the wire. And you would have to loop it back around.

[theRatty]

On 6/6/2023 at 11:37 AM, Wardus said:

I may be misunderstanding this, but I think they want to solder on a wire as the new antenna? In my head it works but maybe there's a quirck with the resistance or size of the wire. And you would have to loop it back around.

Pretty much this, just trying to learn more about tech and learn new skills Is there any reason a random wire wouldn't work?

[Wardus]

On 6/7/2023 at 4:02 PM, phatrattyy said:

Pretty much this, just trying to learn more about tech and learn new skills Is there any reason a random wire wouldn't work?

After a couple google searches, I think it would work? I suggest trying it to see. Can't hurt. I've seen people use their houses internal wiring as TV antennas before, so I don't know why this wouldn't work. I think length may have a effect on signal and frequency. As usual, length matters, so I would match the original antenna? I really don't know.

[samygiy]

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it as an actual fix, should be fine just for learning though. What you're going to make is a monopole antenna, this will connect to the centre pin of the snap connector (don't short it to the edge!). To size it, look at the wavelength of a wifi signal: 2.4GHz -> 125mm. For good performance make it 1/4 of the full wavelength: 31.4mm. Take a piece of wire, cut it to this length and solder the end to that centre pin. This should "work", however the performance will probably be terrible, as it won't be impedance matched.

 

Make sure the wire stays straight for "better" performance.