Chronicles: Adding a Mini-PCIE Slot to the 3G Header

I'm going to use this topic to go over my attempt at adding a Mini PCI Express connector to the blank header in the One.

Current Step: Awaiting Arrival.

Here's a hint- If you don't want to BUY a connector, Molex offers samples of all their connectors. I'm currently waiting for my samples to arrive - I got one each of five different connector heights, as I don't know which one will clear the housing of the One: 4mm, 5.25mm, 5.75mm, 6.75mm and 9mm.
I will report back when I get them which fit and which don't (And I'll have an extra, as I ordered two of each, if anybody is interested in doing this mod if I'm successful!)
Molex Part Series: 67910XXXXX

EDIT: Adding a SIM Card slot might not be too much of a stretch I notice some SMD components are missing, but I'm sure they can be found, especially with good pictures of the motherboard of the first 3g-supported model!

 

I'm interested in miniPCI connector. I hope it's only connector missing and all "signals" are OK. I saw miniPCI 3G cards with SIM holder on them...

 

Are the traces active on the motherboard where you'll attach the connector? For people that don't want to add a mini PCIe slot wouldn't it be possible to solder a USB hub in there instead but having to find a separate 5V source from somewhere else?

 

Current Step: Failure pending more info.

I took the time to solder the connector on (the 6.75mm height connector fits perfectly, as it were), and then the One wouldn't boot (turns out I didn't seat the RAM properly. Phew.)
No card shows up when connected, I believe this is because the power-related components are missing. When a model with a 3G card comes out, if somebody would take it apart and I could get the values for the missing components, I think this could work!

 

Too bad you didn't take pictures while you were soldering to give other people an idea of how you were soldering and where. I'm more interested in just getting the USB Tx and Rx and possibly a GND and +5V signals off of these pads so I can add more USB devices internally.

Thanks for the update.

 

Camera died while I was taking pictures, actually.. so I just gave up.
Surface mount soldering 52 pins is definitely .......
fun.
In a bind, braided copper wire makes great de-soldering wick
As far as I know, there's no +5v in Mini-PCIE so you'll have to pull 5v from an off-in-standby trace somewhere else like tnkgrl did.
Not sure if USB on said header is live.

The "bluetooth mod soldering tips" thread (sorry, no link handy) in this forum shows where you can get the +5v/0v

 

can you trace the power bits off the mini pci-e connector that the wifi is connected to?

 

Any news?? How's going with 3G mod??

 

Unfortunately, while the connector is missing, so are some of the required power components, so the slot is unpowered.
I'm not sure about USB. Will check soon, but the need for this has declined as we now have a non-minipcie connector to get USB from

 

I'm wondering if you can simply short out some solder pads like the guys with eee machines are doing it to get power and usb enabled on the port.

 

If you take a look at the wireless switch located on the bottom of the palmrest... it's actually a 2-way switch (not sure about the correct name.) It slides to the right to enable/disable wireless and there's another LED indicator and a strange void space so I guessed that it could be controlling the 3g card as well. The case prevents you from sliding to the left but if you take the daughter board out of the case then you can slide the switch to the left. While looking at the daughterboard you'll also notice that there are actually 2 leds on either side of the switch further supporting my theory.

DHowett, would you might testing the switch for us to see if it works enabling the other mini-pcie slot for 3g? Also for the 5V source, the mini-pcie spec defined a 3.3V and a 1.5V and together they make 4.8V... just 0.2V shy from 5V.. it's worth a try.

 

Right! Launch Manager (under WinXP) says "3G on/3G off" when the switch is sliding to the left position.

Since theese voltage sources have common ground, you can't add one to another.

 

Have you seen this?

Missing Components:

6 next to the SIM Card Holder (<- maybe one like this, please see Drawing)
13 next to the Mini PCI Express Connector

Place CHIP

L24 EMI FILTERCHIP FBMJ3216HS800-T(80 4A)
C39 CAP CHIP 33P 50V(+-5%,COH,0402)
C43 CAP CHIP 27P 50V(+-5% NPO 0402)
C362 CAP CHIP 1UF 10V(+-10%,X5R,0603)
C320 CAP CHIP 10U 10V(+80-20%,Y5V,0805)
C326 CAP CHIP 0.47U,6.3V(+80%-20%,Y5V,0402)
C37 CAP CHIP 0.47U 10V(+-10%,X7R,0603)
C310 CAP CHIP 0.1U 10V(+-10%,X7R,0402) *
C311 CAP CHIP 0.1U 10V(+-10%,X7R,0402) *
C322 CAP CHIP 0.1U 10V(+-10%,X7R,0402) *
C46 CAP CHIP 0.1U 10V(+-10%,X7R,0402) *
R256 RESISTOR CHIP 0 1/16W +-5%(0402)
C344 ?
C350 ?
C351 ?
C352 ?
C353 ?
C374 ?
C49 ?

R44/R35 are differnet on "older" an "newer" boards


Without:



With:



Which Sim Card Reader?

 

I'm also interested... Especially SIM card holder and miniPCIe connector. All I found was 5.9mm which according to previous posts isn't optimal...

 

INCREDIBLE!
I love it!
Mouser.com would definitely have the required parts, and as for the right connectors, molex samples (from my first post).
BEAUTIFUL work everybody! lxxl included though he may not read this.

 

My working 3G mod may be helpful for people looking for additional information: http://aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopi ... =43&t=5974