Up Squared Wifi antenna won't attach to Wifi module

Bart van Oort

Dear Up Community,

I'm currently working on a project at my university, for which we have purchased an Up Squared, together with the metal fanless chassis and the Intel Wireless AC3165 M.2 WiFi and BT module. My problem is with the latter. When it arrived, I noticed there was one antenna, but two spots on the AC3165 where the antenna could be mounted. A quick Google search led me to another post on this forum, which confirmed that it should be attached to the spot labelled 'main'. But when I then tried to attach the antenna to the AC3165, it just would not fit. The contacts are able to line up, but it's impossible to make them 'click' and stay together...

I've attached a close up picture of the contact on the antenna. I currently still have the AC3165 attached to the Up Squared board itself inside the metal chassis, which is now barely even able to receive the WiFi from my router only a metre away. I want to be able to attach the antenna, but I don't see any way how. As a side note about the metal fanless chassis, I don't see a good looking place to stick the board of the antenna to. What should I do?

Nicola Lunghi

Hi
sorry but the image is corrupted please resend it
Regards

Bart van Oort

Hi Nicola, I've fixed the image and inserted it into the post. Somehow when I retried, uploading the picture as a JPG resulted in a corrupted image, but uploading it in PNG was fine.

eduncan911

Hello bvobart!

Indeed those little U.FL connectors can be a pain. In my experience, they have to aligned perfectly flat on the male base, and pressure applied eventually to get them to snap on. If it falls at an angle and you continue to apply hard pressure it, it will crimp the connector. Another thing is that they don't like to be connected, popped off, and reconnected too often - as each 'stretch' for the click will loosen it up.

Looking at your picture, it looks like you may have damaged it already - which is quite easy to do unfortunately. Once it gets crimped like that, it becomes very hard to snap on. I usually cut it off and solder on another when I do it to my other projects. (they are like $0.10 at digikey)


Also, you mention only 1 antenna, and no good place to "stick" the antenna board. That leads me to believe you may have ordered the single-antenna version of the WiFi kit.

There is a special version of the WiFi kit specifically for the all-metal fanless chassis:

https://up-shop.org/up-peripherals/153-m2-2230-wifi-kit-for-up-squared-metal-chassis.html

It's the same card I do believe. But that version comes with two antennas that mount directly into the holes of the metal chassis.


Yes, you'll get poor reception without an antenna of any kind since the Intel wifi card doesn't come with any type of onboard antenna, and you have the all-metal chassis - a double whammy. You must connect something using the proper wavelengths.

Bart van Oort

Hi Eric!

Yeah, the metal chassis acts like a kind of Faraday's cage to the WiFi module. I did indeed get the single antenna version which is apparently only suited for the plastic ABS case. I didn't really notice that, nor that there was a version for the metal fanless chassis when I ordered.

I had already read somewhere on this forum that those connectors are easy to damage, so I was already cautious on my first try. It's weird that they're that fragile though. I'll see if I can return it and change it for the WiFi kit for the metal fanless chassis.

Thanks for your help!

WereCatf

I just simply connect those u.Fl - antennas by holding the cable with one hand, so that the connector is lined up and flat against the connector on the WiFi - adapter, and I use a pen/pencil/screwdriver/whatever with a hard, flat head on my other hand to push down on it -- works like a charm. Fingers are just too soft for that, the connector gets tilted this or that way way too easily against soft skin.