Wifi module cable connection guide?

Do note, this industry standard connector does not have unlimited connect / disconnect cycles (about 30) so once you get it on, don’t disconnect it unless absolutely necessary.

Connector: Hirose U.FL

Good video, especially pay attention to 3:45 on

https://youtu.be/naJvFB52Etc

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@ImaxinarDM this is really good to know, I wonder if this should be specifically called out by the framework team?

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@Jace_Hensley

Hopefully @nrp will catch this thread and decide.

From a communications engineer viewpoint, you should never have a transmitter without it’s antenna. You can possibly blow the unit. Like anything on the internet, take “I don’t think it needs it” advice you might see as coming from someone totally uninformed… And don’t follow it.

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Make sure that the shield rings around each terminal on the wifi card are still there. Be aware that it’s possible to break off the shielding ring that is on the card itself.
With that ring broken and inside the socket, you’ll never be able to use the socket with it in there.

Had this issue when upgrading a wireless card. It is pretty much impossible to see the really small broken off shielding ring from the card stuck in the attached wire-socket. Did not figure this out until inspecting carefully the old wifi card and noticing the missing shield ring. If you have this issue, you’ll need to take a very fine needle and gently hook the broken ring out. It’s incredibly small, barely visible even when removed. After that, you’ll need a new card because your old one has a broken shielding ring.

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Thanks for all this perspective. I think I may very well have broken off the shielding ring on the aux (white) cable at this point. FWIW, however, the main antenna alone (black cable) seems to be working fine at this point-- Wifi is fast and responsive. If that should change I now at least know what to do to troubleshoot. :slight_smile:

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Now I am setting up the Framework Laptop. And on the Framework Laptop DIY Edition Quick Start Guide - Framework Guides -Step 7 Prepare the WiFi module. I was wrongly trying to connect the wifi module (white) cable with covering the plastic cover. And it seems I broke the white cable. :sweat_smile: I could connect the black cable to the module. But I can’t connect the white cable to the module. In this case, what is the solution? Do I really need to connect the white cable, or connecting the black cable is still fine? Thanks.

@junaruga I had a similar problem-- I don’t know if my white cable was actually broken but it wouldn’t connect. I ended up only connecting the black cable and got excellent wifi connections when I was using the laptop open, but I found that it would often fail to connect to wifi when closed and connected to a dock. My workaround was just to attach a wifi dongle to the dock, and I don’t know if I would have had the same problem if I had connected both cables.

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@Nicholas_Weininger Thanks for the report. You meant you bought and used a USB WiFi adapter like this?

@junaruga Yes, exactly.

OK. Thanks.

By the way, anyone, when I cannot connect the white cable to the WiFi module, should I keep the white cable with the plastic cover to prevent unintended connection with the other metals? Or should I keep the white cable without the plastic cover? What’s the better way to keep the white cable in my case?

Here is another thread about this topic.: Wifi card screwup!

@Nicholas_Weininger, I was lucky, when I got my Framework laptop I had already connected dozens of cables to wifi modules when swapping motherboards etc for warranty, so I already had the practice. You have to get the angle (straight down) just right and a good amount of pressure. I remember a couple of the first ones I ever did I actually pushed really hard at a bad angle and ended up braking the the connection on the end of the wire so it would have trouble connecting again (gave up and ran new antenna cables on those)… I still always cringe a little when I have to connect those stupid little things but practice has made me good at it.

I should also mention that it is better to connect the wires prior to seeding the card on the board!

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I asked Framework support to buy the Wifi antenna cables and wifi card again. Then today I have replaced those antenna cables and wifi card, seeing the Antenna Replacement Guide. And now the wifi works! I appreciate the Framework support team.

This is great insight. When my Framework arrives, I will take great care with these connections. Thanks!

Again, great insight! It can be easy to fall into the “I know just enough to be dangerous” mindset and avoiding advice that isn’t solid helps to stay away from that.

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@ImaxinarDM, you seem quite knowledgeable on this topic, do you—or does anyone else—know of a tool to make the connection process easier? I’ve got shaky hands and I don’t want to break these delicate connectors accidentally.
Any other advice for the steady hand impaired is also welcome. And just to address the easy answer of having someone else do it, that not an option for me. Thanks!

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At my age, right there with you. I use dental picks and something like a mini mahlstick (I made) that artists use to keep their hands steady and off the canvas.

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Yeah, I can’t agree more: in my experience with various laptop-related tinkering, I’ve always ended up doing it like you just described, because it’s much easier.

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Thank you, I’ve ever heard of that before, but I’ll definitely give it a go. I appreciate the response.