Help identify wifi aerial socket

Thread Starter

Bassquake

Joined Feb 16, 2018
85
I took a picture of a routers internals and need to identify the wifi aerial sockets on the pcb. Have attached a photo of it. On the left is the standard aerial wire and the one I need to get an adapter for is on the right on the pcb.

Thanks.
 

Attachments

sagor

Joined Mar 10, 2019
903
The one on the board looks like a "reverse polarity" (RP) IPX. Vendors do that to discourage people from changing the antennas, which would violate the certification of the device (technically making it illegal). Vendors do that to show "due dilligence" in preventing modifications.
That all said, I don't find RP-IPX anywhere. Maybe the center pin in that board IPX socket has a broke pin? Or, the connector is called something else besides IPEX or U.FL
Maybe the cable end has a reverse polarity version?
 
Last edited:

Thread Starter

Bassquake

Joined Feb 16, 2018
85
@sagor Theres 2 others on the pcb thats the same so its not broken. Could it be a test point or something for manufacturer checks? Would be useful to know what that connector is called!
 

sagor

Joined Mar 10, 2019
903
A very rare or custom connector then. It is similar to IPEX or U.FL, but the polarity is reversed. Normally the board end has a center pin, cable has the socket. Were those sockets in use by the router already or just sitting there as "spares" or test points? If the router normally did not use those sockets, then they are more likely test points or made to use with different router models where the vendor has the special cables for different antennas.
 

Thread Starter

Bassquake

Joined Feb 16, 2018
85
@sagor They were open, nothing is plugged into them in the router.The tracing on the pcb is the actual aerial used by the router. Will have a look at MMS/MMT you suggested.
 

sagor

Joined Mar 10, 2019
903
Worst case may be to solder the external antenna cable to the traces by that motherboard connector. Notice the solder pads just after or just before the connector. If soldering small coax to those, remove the chip soldered between the socket and the internal antenna trace that runs above it.
I did something similar to a GPS module, to go from an IPEX connector to a SMA connector. I could then use any antenna with a SMA plug on it.
 
Top