AK1PRO WiFi card replacement / Motherboard schematics

[bigfloppa]

Is the WiFi card within the AK1Pro soldered in, or replaceable? I can't seem to find it, and I don't want to take the board fully out of the case to look underneath it.

Also, are there any motherboard schematics online? I see that there are a few other open connectors on the MOBO, and I was wondering if I could use them to set up any additional projects with this device.

[Gabe]

bigfloppa,

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on. It shouldn't be hard to find on the board, as the WiFi antennas will be connected to it. It may have some black fabric tape over top, protecting the wire connections. You also shouldn't have to remove the board to see it, just the four screws under the foot pads, then the top cover, as the component side of the board in the AK1 type case faces up.

Are you having a problem with the WiFi on the unit?

[bigfloppa]

bigfloppa,

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on. It shouldn't be hard to find on the board, as the WiFi antennas will be connected to it. It may have some black fabric tape over top, protecting the wire connections. You also shouldn't have to remove the board to see it, just the four screws under the foot pads, then the top cover, as the component side of the board in the AK1 type case faces up.

Are you having a problem with the WiFi on the unit?

Thanks for the heads up. I see the WiFi chip, now. Neat little tiny dude!

I've noticed some connection problems with WiFi, which is why I was asking.

Specifically:

• Sometimes the WiFi doesn't seem to be at the same speed as other devices on the same network. I've noticed it stutter a decent amount, especially during video chat. Tried having an hour long Zoom meeting with it, for instance, but the connection ended up dropping and getting blurry.

• WiFi has dropped on the device randomly in the past, and had trouble reconnecting after the drop. It seems to work when I restart either the machine or my router. Trying to get to the bottom of that.

I'm not super concerned because this is a machine I'm using for projects and fun. Would definitely be a pain if this were my main machine, though, since I don't have ethernet access near it.

[Gabe]

bigfloppa,

Like you, I don't have ethernet nearby either, as my gateway/modem is in another room. I actually bought a 50ft ethernet cable last year so I could connect to the GK1 I have, as I accidentally broke the WiFi antenna wires while swapping system boards with my AK3. The AK3 had the better board, but the GK1 the better case (I like the add on storage carriage that's on the bottom, like on the AK1 Pro). The ethernet cable's flat, like the kind that's meant to be attached permanently to a stud inside a wall or something. Trying to gather that thing back up to the way it was before I unrolled it is a nightmare. Looks like a birds nest now, sitting on a closet shelf. After that I bought one of those cheap USB WiFi antennas for it instead.

Something definitely does sound amiss with your WiFi. It shouldn't be dropping like that, but I can't think of what could be causing it. Some of the older units sometimes had WiFi problems when a 2.5" drive was added, but that was with the AK2/AK3 type cases, with the add on storage spot under the lid. It had something to do with the 2.5" adapter cable being right by the antennas, but I know they later rectified the problem with different WiFi antenna placement. Units with the case design like yours weren't affected.

Hopefully someone will have some ideas. Maybe the admin as well.