CF-52 WWAN retrofit

Hi everyone,



I am trying to field upgrade my CF-52 with a WWAN card. as I have a model cf-52gcmbvag (which should be a Mk2) I went ahead and got myself a GOBI1000 card (not the original 52GOBIFU though).

Installation was not a problem, but the card will not show up in Bios. I tried all possible settings of the 2 dip-switches (and of course the wireless switch was on and I had a SIM inserted as well).

I also found that trick of covering pin20 (underside 2nd pin after gap) before installing the card - which did not help me as well.



any idea what could be wrong?

thanks in advance

Reply 1 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

I would also like to know an answer to this question, which I asked over a YEAR ago and STILL don't know...



I tried ALL of the EXACT same things that you tried!

Reply 2 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

When units are sold with no WWAN, Panasonic usually locks the BIOS so that even if a WWAN card is inserted, it doesn't show up in BIOS or in Windows. You'd probably need the software tools from Panasonic to enable it, unless they are already floating round the internet.

Reply 3 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

Panasonic may be whitelisting WWAN/wifi cards where it checks your WWAN's usb vidid against supported cards and only then enables the USB port. If so, then need a hacked bios as a workaround OR isolate the WWAN card's USB pin36+38 using cellphane tape then run a shielded patch lead a a normal USB port.

Reply 4 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

Let see if it help you, on your journey. A while ago, I mean a couple of months ago I installed a gobi 1,000 to cf-19MK1 on which they say doesn't support gobi for mk1 unit. The same what is happening to you guys no show up on the bios in any setting. I made some research that this modem will only be seen on the system if you have panasonic misc driver. Fortunately my MK1 OS Xp installed by a recovery disk. So, you probably said that I've got no problem but not, I've check the utility folder if there is a misc. driver but it is absent/missing. I've checked on device manager under system and it was not there either. Instead I look for a misc driver from other model and force it to install into MK1 unit(i've forgot which model) under panasonic hotkey plus. It installed with no problem. rebbot the unit and wha..lah! it recognized the goobi. then installed the CSA packaged and work like a champ. But there is a problem my hotkey button infront doesn't function. I then go back to device manager under system then to misc. driver then update it again to its original driver which is the hotkey plus. Still the front button doesn't work. I then go back again to device manager and reinstall the hotkey driver. Reboot the system and all are works, front button and goobi 1000.



ohlip

Reply 5 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

many thanks for the replies



Pinecone: I always thought that Panasonic introduced the Bios-Lock with the Mk3 version of the CF-52 (which uses the GOBI2000). But not sure there now. At least my model is "wwan ready" (i.e. has the SIM card reader installed - or do they all have that?)



nando4: if I would be running the patch to another usb port - would I "block" that usb port then with the wwan card? (I am really not sure if I am able/willing to do that anyway)



ohlip: was the card then showing up in your Bios as well or just in windows? I will check on my restore disks as well if I can find anything



Tarkin



[Edit]

P.S. any idea what the DIP switches should be set to if I want to use GSM/UMTS mode in europe ?

Reply 6 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

On my system there are four dip switches. I set it up to 1=on, 2=off, 3=on and 4=off while on the original guideline from pana is on,on,off, off for HSPDA.





ohlip

Reply 7 : CF-52 WWAN retrofit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarkin Pinecone: I always thought that Panasonic introduced the Bios-Lock with the Mk3 version of the CF-52 (which uses the GOBI2000). But not sure there now. At least my model is "wwan ready" (i.e. has the SIM card reader installed - or do they all have that?). P.S. any idea what the DIP switches should be set to if I want to use GSM/UMTS mode in europe ?

I can't remember exactly which models the BIOS lock is on - like you I know it's on the Gobi 2000 models, and I thought it was on the Gobi 1000 models as well...but I might be wrong. I don't do an awful lot of swapping hardware between devices The physical SIM card slot is on pretty much all models now, whether it is wwan or not - saves on manufacturing costs I'd imagine.