Loose Surf SOHO antenna connector: does it mean electrically broken too?

Product Discussion Pepwave AP & Surf
1

My Surf SOHO MK3 fell from a table and landed on the floor. Now, the antenna connector for Antenna C is loose. That is, the RP-SMA connector is not firmly connected to the device, but is still sticking out.

It’s softly connected to something inside the device: if I give it a little twist, it wants to rotate back to a neutral position. So I wonder if this means it’s still functional (i.e. electrically connected). That might be true if it’s connected to coaxial cable inside of the device. Or, if the connector was soldered to the board and broke off, it might just be a flexible piece of RF shielding that is holding it now. In that case it would no longer be working.

I’d love to open the case and see what’s going on inside, but I haven’t figured out a way to do that. Does anybody know what it looks like in there?

Also, if Antenna C is no longer working, what’s the implication for the functioning of the Wifi?

Thanks!

2

you should be able to use some pliers to hold the SMA connector and then another set to turn the nut ,this should tighten it back up.

3

There’s no nut to tighten. The threaded part of the connector sticks out from inside the case. Whatever went wrong is inside the case. The other two connectors (for antennas A and B) are firmly attached to something inside, either the back wall of the case, or the board.

4

The br1 have one, I thought the soho was the same.
In that case perhaps add one, or perhaps a dab of hotglue?

You could probably test if it’s still connected internally by unscrewing the other antennas and see if just the one gives your device signal.

5

That’s not a bad idea about removing the other two antennas.

6

So I did that experiment, and established that it’s still electrically connected. One antenna attached to any of the three connectors gave Wifi performance that was not bad, but with no antenna, I couldn’t even connect to network (though I was a couple rooms away from the Surf SOHO, so I have no idea if it would have worked from right next to it).

Thanks for suggesting that Jonathan.

2 Likes
7

I have the Max BR1 as well and did the exact same thing. Dropped it about 2 feet, broke one wifi antenna connection. Unscrewed the plate and the metal posts on the board have fractured. I don’t think the posts make any connection to anything and are just to hold the connector in place. I’m thinking of using some epoxy and gluing it back on. Thoughts?