~Toughbooktalk~

Hello,

I have several CF-53 Toughbook's equipped with Gobi 3000 chips. The air cards are activated with AT&T and work great while outside or when docked in the vehicles. The vehicles have Havis docks equipped with dual high gain antennas and there are no connection issues. I am finding that the internal antennas in the Toughbook's do not work that well when inside buildings, which is a requirement. I have been trying to find an external antenna that will use the antenna port on the back of the Toughbook's without needing a docking station. Basically they want to be able to carry around an antenna that might have a 10 - 20 ft cord where they can put the antenna outside the building (hanging out the window or door) and then connect it to their Toughbook so they will have an internet connection.

I have searched high and low for a connector that will fit the back of the Toughbook but have had no luck. Outside of the docks I cannot find any antennas that will connect directly to the Toughbook's.

I welcome any insight or assistance.

Thanks!

It's a spring loaded connector. You won't find anything that will work unless it's mounted to a solid surface.

I swapped it out on my CF30 to a RP-SMA. Mine is for wifi but it's the same setup.

My mod

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panason ... rough.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panason ... ost8946063

That is a nice mod, however, since we are using the connector when the Toughbook's are docked we would be unable to mod the same connector.

Maybe replace your desktop port replicators with a vehicle dock that has the antenna connector.

I'd like to see one of the dual high gain antennas. The actual antenna not the mount on the dock.

Couple ideas tickling my brain dependent on size.