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You need to use Novatel EU850D for this mod as it has SIM slot on it
Solder 4 wires, 3.3V to pin 52 ( or pin 2 ), USB lines to pins 36 and 38 and ground to pin 4 ( or pin 50 ).
Then solder the other ends to the matching pins on the pcie traces. Use shorter cables than i did... This photo was taken when i was testing it..
Then tape the solders and the area under the 3G modem. Connect the second antenna cable from wifi module to the 3G modem.
Be mobile!
Novatel EU850D at MobilX
Mobilink software with on/off
If you are not happy using wifi antenna, contact me, as I got more film antennas I have used on other 3G mods
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
How-to: 3G to Dell Mini 9. Not so easy way..
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49 comments:
jkk king of modifikation ;-) great job man. i think i give them a try.
Nice one as usual JKK.
All the best,
BassoPT
Excellent job, JKK!
When we will see a "How-to: 3G HSDPA to Samsung NC 10"? I whant to know details about Samsung NC10: what do we need to solder? How to add a SIM-card slot? Is there a BIOS locks?
Hope you will help with this!
Thanks!
Great job and I find this really easy!
What's the benefit of doing it this way?
I guess this way you have to solder the entire mini pci card?! just 4 wires!
BassoPT.
P.S. Waiting for a Samsung NC10 mod too JKK ;)
Now that you have 3g...what carriers can you use for data? I have had little luck in the US getting a company to sell me a data plan.
im waiting for the nc10 mod too jkk please do it asap :-)
Hi,
How can I have all 3 in one:
This 3g mod, the GPS and the wifi still working ?
From what I gather:
Wifi still has 1 antenna cable -> it's ok
3g mod is now using the PCI-E slot and not anything from another slot like in the first mod.
But GPS in the Dell Mini 9 mod was using data USB from the PCI-e slot..where should I connect it in this case ?
I don't think I can make 2 devices on the same data pins..logically (I'm a newbie here)
yep, u can't use 2 on one usb line. You need to add a small hub inside it...
1. Hmm..so I should take the other mod I found on the net with adding a mini USB hub I understand.
2. Isn't there any way to do it without adding the hub ? I mean any additional USB data connectors free for the taking ?
3. Do you have any small hub to recommend for doing this mod to have all desired functionalities in the mini 9 ?
Hi JKK,
great tutorial! and fascinating mod! would it be posible to use any other 3g module with card slot? or is the novatel one a compatibility requisite? software compatibility? maybe pin-out compatibility? it other module is posible, should i solder the same pins? or should i check the module pin-out?
i am using 3 uk network ..can i used this mod on this sim? tnx
hi, just want to make sure i will be doing the correct thing. How would i know the correct pin, do i need to count from where?
u can see the black cable on pin 4... so you count the pins from it: 6, 8 10 12 etc
first pin befor black cable is pin 2 and last pin ot that side is 52
Yes, u can use any SIM on it
hi, sorry but the image is not clear enough foro me...where is the balck cable going / connected?
Patapon, the second image is confusing, but click on the first image and you'll get a big sized photo, not perfect but more clear.
Wow! i have it working! great! But i wasnt easy, not recommended if you are not experienced with the solder iron. I needed up to 5 hours of soldering and 6-7 tries to get it working!
Anyway great tutorial, but please a clearer explanation and better photos for the pins soldering would be great.
Aiken
This is a nice mod...but unfortunately since I ordered my Dell mini *without* the 3G card, they didn't even put the socket in there...yup. I have a blank space with solder traces where the socket should be...what rip!.
Ed
web/gadget guru
tech_ed, maybe you can solder to some of the external Usb conectors from the inside.
Aiken
Umm, what's the easy way?
This is the easy way:
http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-internal-3g-to-dell-mini-9-easy.html
Aiken
to those who have been successful using it, does it really comes with 7.2 mbps?
is it better tha usb modem?
not better than usb modem. it is soldered to the usb pins of the pci-e connector so i suppose it is exactly the same as an usb modem, but internal. if you are confortable with an usb modem you dont need this, even you can use you 3g phone as 3g modem using bluetooth i think, so ... buy this only if you dont feel confortable with external modem.
Aiken
Hi all,
Should I order my Dell mini 9 with 3g support or without from the dell website ?
From what a previous poster said it seems that without the 3g support I'll only get the traces and not the socket -> a bit much more difficult to make the necessary connections.
Is this so ?
If you order it WITH 3g support the they will send you one with the 3g card installed so you dont need this tutorial, but it is usually a lot more expensive. If you order it WITHOUT 3g support, you could receive the one with only the traces or if you are the lucky with the socket, so you cannot choose, is a matter of luck.
Thanks Aiken..but then again...if I'll be stuck without the socket (my laptop has to arrive via a friend I have in the US..as I'm in Romania and they don't ship here) can I still make the connection directly on the traces ? (I mean I think it will be quite difficult regarding the size and space of the traces; P.S. I just acquired a Weller station to help me)
Mihai, i think there are three situations. 1) you get the socket installed (probably only if you request the 3g card installed). 2) You request no 3g card, and you get the tracks in the board (you can solder them). 3) You request no 3g card, and you get not socket, no tracks, only white lines drawn (you can not solder). So your best choice is to request no 3g card installed and be lucky to receive option 2), or if you can open the box and check the netbook before buying it.
Aiken
Thanks for the explanation :)
I misunderstood and though that by traces you meant I could see and solder directly to the circuit on the PCB.
I'll wait for the laptop to arrive then and wish to be lucky.
Also I desire to have in it GPS + 3G + WLAN so I think I'll have to do the internal usb hub mod also in order to have enough USB ports without affecting the external ones.
Hi JKK! I tried doing this but failed. I was really having a hard time looking at the pictures. Perhaps because it was taken sideways. For now I did the easiest way but with the wifi antenna it only runs 237 kbps. Is there any way you can post clear photos?
I added a picture with lines to right pins.. clear now?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZKlSQm2j7TI/Sbqy31nlnJI/AAAAAAAAGJI/DwuDeSmlSzg/s1600-h/3gpciepins.png
Thank you so much JKK! I will definitely do it right away. Thumbs up! I'm sure this will benefit everybody as well. Mwah!
Hello Guys, May i ask where/how would you go about acquiring information regarding what pin does what
Rimala:
http://www.interfacebus.com/Mini_PCI_Express_Bus.html
Hi JKK,
I just finished soldering. Problem is it won't power up. Am I doing something wrong here? When I use the easy way with the wifi antenna, it only runs on 237 kbps. Is there a way I can use a high gain antenna for which?
I tried the same thing and my mini won't boot up. Any suggestions?
Did you measure with multimeter that it is getting power?
Is it possible to take a USB 3G dongle and solder it to the USB port INSIDE the computer? Is it possible to connect a USB hub inside the laptop and run a USB wire to 3G dongle from it (so that you don't have to disable one of the 3 external USB ports)?
hi, does anybody knows how to solder a sim card connectoronto the motherboard and where to get the components from? tnx.
am planning to buy a mimi pciE connector and solder it to the vacant wwan space. if i done that can i use Novatel EU850D on it?
at Mihai: If you order it from Europe with 3G option enabled, you propably get it with an Ericsson WWAN module which apart from the 3G has the added bonus of embedded GPS. At least the Vodafone branded ones in Greece they do. You just get rid the Voda drivers, install the Ericsson/Dell ones and you have both 3G + GPS unlocked.
at JKK: Maybe a dumb question but would it work if you connect all the PCIe traces? Like if you had a PCIe connector? I have a similar ...problem with a 4year-old Acer Aspire 5652, which it was released with an embedded PCIe 3G through Voda (in certain markets - I could not obtained in Greece), though I have the 3G-less version with the PCIe connector and SIM holder removed. Though it has a switch in the front panel marked for 3G. If you switch it on it says 3G module not found. I am wondering whether it is possible to hardwire the 3Gcard directly to the PCIe traces and utilize also the switch for on/off.
You gave me ideas for my next project ;-) thanks.
Yorgos
Thanks for the advice.
What I hate though about getting it from Europe is that I can't configured it (with the US variant you can make it fully customized).
Do you know of a Dell Europe site that allows you to do the same ?
If so, then I'd like more to get it with the card already in place.
P.S. The GPS is mobile network dependent no ? not true GPS ?
Added Sim Connector along with MiniPciE.
http://mydellmini.com/forum/successfully-upgraded-mini-9-to-3g-t6565.html
@mihai: sorry I do not know a relevant Dell site for customizing. the greek one has customization only in a few models (not including the mini series). Here, only those purchased through the Vodafone shops or website, have the Dell/Ericsson 5530 HSDA card installed. The GPS is a "true" GPS, not an aGPS. It can work autonomously from the 3G network. See more at the mydellmini.com forum. Yorgos.
Do you have a video for the How-to: 3G to Dell Mini 9. Not so easy way.. ????
ram00924@yahoo.com
For those getting only 237kbs, i had the same problem, but after resoldering it all and reinstalling the drivers from scratch it started getting 7.2Mbs again. I had to resolder and reinstall drivers 5-6 times until i got it working properly.
I have a dell mini 10. I want to install the WWAN card. I am going to do it the hard way because it has no slot. can anyone help!! Regards Chris.
any idea on what U.S. Carriers I could use? I was thinking is it possible to just buy the connector....solder it on and then plug the card into the slot?
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