How easy is it to solder in new LEDs/Space for WiFi antenna?

[Josho]

I'm putting a new case on my brothers Nintendo DS (not a lite) and I'm probably going to put a Wifi Antenna adapter in it. Basically, you know on routers and PCI WiFi cards you can unscrew the antenna? Well I'm thinking of taking the adapter it screws into and drilling a hole to put that in, so he can screw on and off an antenna. Is there space under the hinges for it?

Second, changing the Power and charging LEDs. Is it easy to solder 0603's? I'll use the smallest tip I can get hold of, I have a 40W iron, but I may be getting a 180W 4 Second heating time iron, that you can adjust the temperature on.

Can I take off the green power LED, and re use that on the charging orage LED? I want to change the power to blue, charging to green and leave the low battery red.

Also, can you have a seperate WiFi light?

Thanks, Josh.

[The Compiler]

I'm putting a new case on my brothers Nintendo DS (not a lite) and I'm probably going to put a Wifi Antenna adapter in it. Basically, you know on routers and PCI WiFi cards you can unscrew the antenna? Well I'm thinking of taking the adapter it screws into and drilling a hole to put that in, so he can screw on and off an antenna. Is there space under the hinges for it?

In the DS phat there is space where the two holes for the strap are.

Second, changing the Power and charging LEDs. Is it easy to solder 0603's? I'll use the smallest tip I can get hold of, I have a 40W iron, but I may be getting a 180W 4 Second heating time iron, that you can adjust the temperature on.

They are really small! Around 1x2x0.5mm, so it's not THAT easy.

Can I take off the green power LED, and re use that on the charging orage LED? I want to change the power to blue, charging to green and leave the low battery red.

I don't know, I think the LED isn't usable after unsoldering, because it's simply too small.

Also, can you have a seperate WiFi light?

I don't think so.

Florian

[seikene]

The LED is still usable, but of course only if you didn't leave it on the iron too long. I actually did that antenna mod some time back. I grabbed an old small radio antenna, soldered the wires to the Wifi chip, and had it placed in the stylus holder. Suprisingly, it fit flush inside, and since I had it with a black case (phat DS btw), it made it look like some kind of giant 2 screen RC remote , sold it for 80 bucks XD. It's kinda hard to solder those LEDs, because they are small. If you're soldering them to wires, mainly people in the forum usually twist 2 wires together, leaving the bare ends close to each other, but far away enough to solder the LED w/o soldering both wires together. If you're soldering it to the motherboard, I would use an x-acto knife to gently pry the LED out of place while having the iron right on it, and then use a new LED, put it on the same spot, and have some tweezers holding it in place so the iron won't move it or take the LED with it. Best place to stick the antenna if you don't mind is in the stylus slot. Just unscrew the pieces holding the stylus holder, and be sure it can fit in there, or else just cut a piece of the holder out, and slide the antenna in there, depending on it's size, OR just cut the top part of the holder off, and try to attach something to the bottom of the antenna that's the same size as the stylus to hold it in there, and just glue it inside.

[Jumbo]

Dude what the hell are you going to do with a 180 watt iron!!!???

Its gonna be so hard to use and its gonna be way to hot and you would DESTROY
 the Mobo in like 2 seconds.

You should use a 25 watt at most on mobos.
They are very fragil

And ya 0603 leds are tiny and the best thing to use are tweezers.

Practive before u try it out too. You dont want to ruin your brothers mobo you know lol

Good luck 

[Josho]

Yeah, I got my soldering iron, no way that's getting anywhere near a DS.

I thought it was 180W so it heated up quick, it's 300 C and it glows red at the tip, so I guess I need another soldering iron then, I have a 30/40w and a 180W.

Damn, another one?

New idea anyway, I'm putting the WiFI antenna on his DS, but not the LED's now, but I'm buying a second hand DSL and putting a shock or ghost clear case on it, maybe clear blue I don't know.

When I have the money, you guys can help me mod it.   

What I mean is with the antenna BTW, I'm going to drill a little hole in the back of the DS, then place one of these in it:


Then plug the other end directly into the Wifi, no soldering needed. Then I'm gonna give him a WiFi antenna:

So that when he wants WiFi, he can screw it on and give it a good range, and IMO look cool, but my opinion. His one isn't as good as me and my brother's lites, but meh.

[Josho]

OK, I got the new case, but my mum has my brother's DS, and she's at work.

I want to put this antenna in it, but I need about 3mm of space sticking in the DS and 4-5MM of space width ways, like this: []

Look at this picture:



On the right hand side, you see the thread? Well the nut and washer go on the outside, and the cable and "metal" plate go inside, where it there space for that, there must be some, surely!

[F00 f00]

I have used one of those antenna connectors before (there called pig tails btw). I have one in my eeepc. Problem is there quite a bit bigger than you think, I struggled to fit it into my laptop so you may find it wont fit in a ds. I have seen smaller non removable ones that might be a better bet. Soldering on a wifi antena is not a good plan. They need to be really well insulated and a soldered one probably would give you the same or worse reception than you already get.

Top tip for soldering smd leds (or anything really) is use blue tack to hold them in place. It really works wonders. I use it all the time.