Win 100 pts: Pinout of WM168b internal USB WLAN

wm168b

The first person to get me this pinout gets 100 points!!!

Hi,

I have a WM168b internal USB WLAN module from a laptop. I am trying to work out the connections on its flying lead, but it is odd as there are *six* of them. I don't have the laptop unfortunately, or even know what model it was.

I've searched all over for this, but can't come up with anything useful other than it is USB in some way.

I can identify only two onboard ic's, the other part numbers come up blank in Google etc. One is a 39VF010 Flash from SST, the other a SOT23 "7Z14j" - I believe this to be an inverter (**broken link removed**)

I've found ground, thanks to the above ic pinouts.

I think I have found power but I'm confused as it goes into a MOSFET (that's a guess, I can't find the part number but the SOT23 standard MOSFET pinout makes sense) which is gated from another of the flying leads. Maybe just a way of turning it on/off, but I thought that violated USB specs if the data lines are not disconnected first???

The MOSFET-output ?power? then goes into another unknown SOT23, but it matches an adjustable regulator pinout's power input; the surrounding components agree. It also goes to the Vcc of an SOT23 inverter, so I think I'm on the right track.

And that's as far as I've got. Does it do any harm if I connect the data lines the wrong way around, or will I kill something?

It's difficult tracing the connections, since the (unidentified) main controlling ic is a bga package and the board is at least 3 layer.

Any help greatly appreciated.

FoxyRick.

wm-168b

I think it might be helpfull to publish the vendor and modell of the notebook, and aphoto of the device to identify something.

possibly the pinout will also be used on different notebooks or for different components

wm168b driver

Some more searching has revealed:

Module manufacturer: Airvast
Used in: Averatec (previously Sotec) 3150 series notebook

It seems the chipset is Intersil's Prism 3. Sold to Conexant. Part number of the chip that connects to the USB is ISL3871. Seems hard to get the datasheet on this (nda?) but probably no use anyway, it's a BGA package so I couldn't trace the pins to the wires that way.

I'll dig out my camera and take a picture, but I'm not sure it will help much. There are a few links to requests for the pinout on Google, but nothing that helps. The best hope is a hardware reference for the notebook PC, but I've had no luck there either yet.

Cheers,
FoxyRick.

usb data pins wrong way

If it is only the dataline you are still searching for, look for two track running close together, probably next to each other on the flylead. The data lines in usb is differential, so they are/should be running right next to each other. You can swap the Datap and Datan without damage. The usb spec does use the polarity in a way since a pullup on the plus line configures one speed mode and a pull up on the minus another speed. The lines are differential, so as far as the data is concerned, it does not care about polarity.

good luck
mikkie

sot-23 pinout mosfet

Hi, thanks for that.

Unfortunately, all the interesting traces are on an inner layer - I can only properly identify the power lines on the top and bottom.

That leaves four lines. I have tried (I think) all 16 combinations of these connected to the two data lines, all I can get from Windows is "There is a problem with your USB device".

What is puzzling me is:- why have *six* wires? No-one solders on six wires and respective connectors unless they are needed. Two of the lines go to the gate and one side of a P-channel MOSFET - that too is puzzling - the other side of the MOSFET seems to supply the Vcc rail on the board. Or maybe it is the other way around and there is another power wire and the MOSFET switches the power to the wire...

I was told the module is working (removed from an old laptop broken for spares) but don't know for sure.

100 points still up for grabs...

FoxyRick.

driver orange usb wlan

Hi, it seems you have connected the board to a PC already. That means you are not asfraid to try a few things. What test equipment do you have? Multimeter?Scope?

Do you know if the board is USB low,full or high.

We can proceed as follows to try and find out what is going on:
1. Measure with an ohm meter between the remaining signals and the power pin, perhaps you can find the line that have the pull-up, normally 1k5. This 1k5 might also be connected via switch(mosfet, transistor) to the line.
2. look for 2 low ohm resistors close together (low and full speed bus), often designers add series termination resistors to reduce reflections on the cable, typical values are 33R.
3. the next step would to power up the module: Using a lab supply if you have one, else the usb, connect power and ground to the pins you have determined to be such.
4. Enable the FET and check that the voltage flows to the device you thinks is the regulator and check the output. Check the voltage on the logic chip. Check the input and output of the inverter to make sure you got that right, just for confidence.
5. Another way to find the datalines would be to look for the ESD protection components. Because this board was mounted in the laptop, it might not have any. I normally use 1 of two devices, SN65220 or the NUF2221. These are both small 6 pin SOT223 devices. Typically located very close to the connector to be effective.

Hope this helps
Mikkie

Added after 11 minutes:

Just thought of something else:

On the mini-B a new signal is added as ID for identification. This signal I think will be used for USB OTG. You can just leave it open currently. Also the 6th line could also be used for a second ground or shield.

cheers
mikkie

laptop wlan pinout

Hi,

I'll try the tests in a couple of days - I'm in the middle of something else at the moment. If I recall, there are 4 of the lines that have resistors near them. You've given me a good lot to check out.

I have basic test stuff (40MHz oscilloscope/10MHz digital storage, 8-channel 'scope mux, good multimeter, PSU's etc) and I certainly don't mind experimenting!

Cheers,
FoxyRick.

intern usb wlan

Hi there!

i have the reverse problem
i have Dialogue FlyBook laptop with wm168b, but i want to upgrade it to 802.11G. using 3rd party disassembled 802.11g Token-shaped USB module.
it may be helpful, but there is option in my flybook to switch ON/OFF the power on wm168.
As U can see, one of "extra" wires lead to locking transistor. I beleive that THIS extra wires just turn wm168 power on and off.

what pin number do i put in for wlan

Ok, I know this is a little late (2 yrs) but I have one of these and decided to make it work. The trick is that the unit requires a 3.3v power supply isolated from the 5v usb vcc.

USB pin 1 VCC isolated
USB pin 2 Data (-) - yellow wire
USB pin 3 Data (+) - brown wire
USB pin 4 Ground - orange & green, 3.3v supply neg.

3.3v supply - red wire
purple is n/c

if your colors dont match here's some help

red - closest to 4 resistors - 3.3v
yellow - to resistors - data (-)
brown - to resistors - data (+)
orange - has a thick trace - ground
purple - n/c
green - trace to a transistor - tie to ground

This works. just dl driver from driver guide or such.

prism3 wlan driver wm168

Hi i try that but its say that windows detects that is not working, can you put some diagrams (schematics) to see how you do that.

i have to put resistors???

mi wlan is wm168b internal usb

here is the pic

internal usb connector pinouts

The whole trick is the power supply. If you hooked up the data lines right, you sould be fine. What I did is used a LM317 (you can find a datasheet for these)

The LM317 has 3 pins: Adj. , Vout , Vin

C1 - 1uF Tant., C2 - 3.3uf Tant. (I used 3.3uF, 1, 2.2, etc. is ok).
R1 - 240ohm, R2 - 400ohm (used 4 -100ohm- in series) R's 1/4W

Dont connect the shield from the usb cable, connect all grounds, use 5.0V from usb for Vin on LM317, 3.3 Vout to red lead on wm168b, green and orange to all grounds