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Rvision's avatar
Rvision
Aspirant
Aug 11, 2023
Solved

Netgear M5 (MR5200) Internal Antennas Not Working

Advance thanks for any input, 

 

My Nighthawk fell off a shelf from pretty high up and now the internal antennas do not pickup any cell signal (searching📵) but if I connect external antennas everything works fine.. As soon as I remove the external antennas it looses the connection. 

 

I haven't disassembled the device yet and couldn't find any images on google. But does anyone know what the internal antenna configuration is, Do they use an antenna module (see below) that may have come disconnected in the drop or some other cabled antenna array or are they on the PCB?

 

 

4 Replies

  • schumaku's avatar
    schumaku
    Guru - Experienced User
    Aug 11, 2023

    The internal antennas are just metal plates with contact to soldered contactors on the PCB very near to the two antenna connectors. The QTM525 modules you pictures are dedicated mmWave RF and antenna modules - not applicable for your device at all.

     

    You find internal images here: https://www.comptoir-hardware.com/articles/quelques-heures-sur-le-comptoir/44175-nous-avons-essaye-netgear-nighthawk-m5.html?start=1 Fearlessly borrowed two images from this publication - guess they don't mind:

     

    • Rvision's avatar
      Rvision
      Aspirant
      Aug 11, 2023

      Thanks thats really helpful. I'd not found that article.

       

      And yes it does have the QTM525 antenna module, mentioned in the diagram and if you look at the picture below at the bottom left, it's mounted vertically 😁😁 So it's probably just got knocked out of the socket in the drop or damaged, in which case I can replace it..