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DeskMini 110: M.2 WiFi + antennas - what to buy?

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Aramis View Drop Down
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    Posted: 24 Sep 2016 at 11:41pm
Hello,

as the DeskMini 110W isn't available here I bought a DeskMini 110B. The exact model name is DeskMini 110/B/BB/EU.
I'd like to expand it with an M.2 WiFi/Bluetooth card. 

I'd like to have WLan 802.11ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0. Getting an M.2 card that fits to these requirements is no problem but I don't know which antennas to use.

Does anybody know which antennas will fit into the housing of the DeskMini?
It would be interesting to know which combination of M.2 card and antennas is working fine.

Thanks for info.
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bogon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote bogon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2016 at 9:39am
The antennas themselves are pretty much standard. It's the pigtail cables that you have to worry about.

I'm not sure what the cable length is that comes with the 110W, but I saw somebody mention that he had a hard time getting the included cables to reach the connectors when the cpu cooler was in place.
So I'm guessing a foot in length should provide enough leeway.

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parsec View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2016 at 6:31pm
Originally posted by bogon bogon wrote:

The antennas themselves are pretty much standard. It's the pigtail cables that you have to worry about.

I'm not sure what the cable length is that comes with the 110W, but I saw somebody mention that he had a hard time getting the included cables to reach the connectors when the cpu cooler was in place.
So I'm guessing a foot in length should provide enough leeway.



Thanks for posting this, I have a DeskMini 110W, and I can tell you the parts you linked to are correct. I meant to reply to that post, but it got lost in the forest. Embarrassed

Another antenna kit, that I stole from a page in your first link above, looks perfect and seems to include both parts:

https://www.amazon.com/Wi-fi-Antenna-RP-SMA-Antennas-Cables/dp/B00A4I3AGE/ref=pd_sim_147_2%3F_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RFB8406YAA759V2JTJT6

Regarding the length of the cables from the antenna mounts provided with the DeskMini 110W, they are about eight inches in length. Same as the kit in the link above.

Routing the cables is not that difficult, just route the cable between the CPU cooler and the board's IO ports. I don't use an Intel stock cooler with my DeskMini, and I was able to connect the cables fine. Not much slack but it was a perfect length IMO. I even have an M.2 SSD in the M.2 slot, right above the WiFi module.

12 inch cables would make it easier for anyone to connect the cables, but then some users would complain about the cables being too long. Cable length is subjective, everyone has a different "perfect" length.
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bogon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bogon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Nov 2016 at 7:01pm
Originally posted by parsec parsec wrote:

Another antenna kit, that I stole from a page in your first link above, looks perfect and seems to include both parts:
https://www.amazon.com/Wi-fi-Antenna-RP-SMA-Antennas-Cables/dp/B00A4I3AGE/ref=pd_sim_147_2%3F_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RFB8406YAA759V2JTJT6
The specs don't actually mention which frequencies those antennas are designed for. It only says "works with Wi-fi and Bluetooth signals", which could mean it's only designed for 2.4GHz and not 5GHz. In fact, it doesn't even say dual-band anywhere in the description.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2016 at 9:29am
Originally posted by bogon bogon wrote:

Originally posted by parsec parsec wrote:

Another antenna kit, that I stole from a page in your first link above, looks perfect and seems to include both parts:
https://www.amazon.com/Wi-fi-Antenna-RP-SMA-Antennas-Cables/dp/B00A4I3AGE/ref=pd_sim_147_2%3F_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RFB8406YAA759V2JTJT6
The specs don't actually mention which frequencies those antennas are designed for. It only says "works with Wi-fi and Bluetooth signals", which could mean it's only designed for 2.4GHz and not 5GHz. In fact, it doesn't even say dual-band anywhere in the description.


Good catch, the description farther down on the page mentions use with, "... Intel Centrino Wireless N series cards". Those are only single band, 2.4GHz WiFi cards. So not for use with dual band WiFi adapters, unless they failed to include that in the specs. Normally that means the support is NOT there.

Care also must be taken with the connectors on the cables, there are different types depending upon the WiFi adapter being used.

Sorry, not really a WiFi person. My home is wired with Cat 6 cable, so I'm spoiled, no WiFi for me. I tried it on the DeskMini 110W, and it works, but WiFi can't be matched with wired connections. Even in the USA, where are Internet connections are not the best in the world.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tasar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 10:17pm
For me, the search for the right  cabel was an odyssey, i buy 3 times the "right" cable and non of them has the right connector.
I have an Intel Ac8265 in my Deskmini H110.  The only cable with the correct connector was an http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_702_Antennenkabel_88815/merkmale.html
This set has the MHF4 connector that is needed for m.2 Wifi cards. The MHF4 connector was smaller then the normal IPX on PCIe Wifi cards.
And the other problem i have with wrong cables, was the lenght. When use the orig. holes in the Deskmini, the cable lenght must be not shorter then 20cm. Most of the MHF4 cables only 15cm and thats to short.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote raphael Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2016 at 7:24am
Hi guys,

I am building a deskmini with a i7 6700 (hope it won't run too hot) and I need advices.

For the wifi card, is the "INTEL Dual Band Wireless AC 7265 2x2 AC + BT M.2", compatible ?

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00U8IUTNM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF

or is it simpler to go with a USB wifi card ?

Thanks for your help

Edited by raphael - 14 Dec 2016 at 7:24am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote alinescoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Feb 2017 at 12:34am
I am also interested in getting a wifi card, can anyone point us to which model?
Does it really need to have external antennas or will it work without them?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pinthea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2017 at 8:52pm
I'm still trying to figure this out myself.  Apparently some Intel M.2 WiFi/BT adapters use a smaller connector than other PCIe WiFi/BT adapters.  So while the antennas that stick out of your case are interchangeable (as long as they support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHZ, that is) the leads that connect them need to have the smaller connector to properly snap onto some Intel cards.  Other adapters (like Broadcom chipsets) use the standard snap connectors, larger than the Intel ones.

That seems to be the problem folks are having -- getting the wrong size snap connectors for their M.2 WiFi card, and not ensuring that the antennas that stick out the back will work or support both 2.4 GHz AND 5 GHz.  Apparently some of the ones advertised as 5 GHz are just for 2.4 GHz so your performance will suffer.

And yes, you absolutely need to have the antennas sticking out the back.  Just leaving the antenna leads sitting in the case will drastically reduce your throughput and WiFi range.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pinthea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2017 at 8:59pm
That Intel card looks like it should work.  Just make sure you get the leads with the smaller clips on them, not the standard ones that work with most other M.2 WiFI cards.

I believe the larger snap connectors (that don't generally work with Intel WiFi cards) are IPEX or MHF, and the smaller snap connectors that work with many Intel M.2 cards are MHF4.
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