Panasonic CF-30 w/ GOBI card and CPS issue

[kb0uxv]

I am using the latest CPS on a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 (CF-30KCP54AM). I am programming 2500 and 5000s using the USB cable. I can not read or write to a radio when the computer's wireless antenna switch is on. This switch turns on or off the bluetooth, wireless LAN, and internal wireless "GOBI" cell air card. This is the little switch on the front right below the power switch. If I turn the antenna switch off everything works as it should.

I would like to be able to program without switching the internet off every time. Has anyone else noticed this problem, and if so is there a fix? Thank you.

[bezking708]

Does this occur all the time? If you have can, disable the wireless, open My Computer, plug a USB flash drive\thumb drive\whatever into the same port as the XTS cable and switch on the wireless. If the flash drive disappears from My Computer, it means that one of the wireless controllers is taking over the USB port when it is enabled, thus preventing you from using the cable.

It would be a rather large WTF if Panasonic actually designed the system like this, but it is possible.

[kb0uxv]

Thank your for your reply. Yes, it does happen all of the time. The USB port on the computer works as it should with USB jump drives, USB mice, when the wireless switch is on.

Also, with the switch on when plugging the USB cable into the radio, the computer makes the "found new device noise" so the computer is seeing the radio...but when reading or writing the following error always appears:

Open Radio Failed
Error Context: 24, Status C0000344

As stated before, having the wireless switch off results in reading and writing working properly.

I have further trouble shot this and discovered that the problem is associated with the internal GOBI cell card (on the Verizon network). On the lower right task bar there is a link to the WIRELESS SWITCH UTILITY. By right clicking it I can individually disable wireless LAN, bluetooth, or wireless WAN (GOBI card). It should be noted that manualy shutting off the antenna switch automatically shuts off all 3 devices.

When I manually disable WAN using the WIRELESS SWITCH ANTENNA UTILITY the radio will read and write as it should, despite the position of the physical antenna switch.

So it is apparent that the cause is the air card. I understand that this "GOBI" internal card is new to the market too so I may be the first to run into this problem. Any other thoughts are appreciated, thank you.

[resqguy911]

I have the exact same problem with my MkIII CF30. I also learned that I have to turn off the wireless via the switch in order to read/write. It hasn't bugged me in a while so I forgot until you brought it up, but maybe the com ports are conflicting?

[MTS2000des]

RFI to the programming cable prehaps?

[kb0uxv]

Dont know about the RFI...when I dock the CF-30 in my work car, the dock has a RF passthrough and the computer switches to the external antenna on the trunk. When docked I still have problems reading or writing to mobiles and portables. I would think when the laptop is docked the radios would be far enough away from the RF to not cause problems.

Also, I can open the Verizon "VZAccess" application and manually disconect from service. So the device is on but it is not connected, which I think kills the RF. When disconected I still cant read or write, the only way it works is when I manually disable the GOBE card.

[EindhovenOne]

I know this is an old thread, but I am having the same error with my CF-31. I am booting it up now to see if switching the wireless switch off solves the problem. This is very weird.

***UPDATE***

I tried using the hardware switch as well as clicking on "Disable" for all of the wireless items, and still no go. Same error. Anything else USB works without issue EVEN the XTL2500/5000 programming using the USB cable.

[resqguy911]

I haven't deployed any CF31's yet, so I cannot help with that one. Since they all shipped with W7 I can't use them until we change cad software. Maybe I'll just fire one up with cps and mess around.

[LAC-OPS]

I'm having the same problem with the CF31 with GOBI/Verizon. Tried another one with GOBI/AT&T, no difference. Except mine wont work with APX or XTS5000/XTL5000 regardless of the wireless switch position. I'm running Win 7 Pro, 32-bit and I tried the other USB ports also, no-go

[EindhovenOne]

...aaaaaaaand now the XTL's won't friggin' read either! Anyone have anything else to suggest?

[LAC-OPS]

Just out of curiosity, I just tried V17, didn't help.

I DID notice however that the "XTS5000 radio" that is under "Modems" in device manager shows up as "Port 0002, Hub 0004" but under USB Devices, it only shows Hubs 1-3 as existing. I'm not a USB expert, so I'm not sure what that means. I also figured out that the 4 external USB ports on the CF31 are ports 1-4 on Hub 0004. Again, flash drives work fine on these ports.

Any ideas?

[HLA]

It has to be some kind of rf, what if you remove the antennae from the radios and extend the cable and keep the radio as far away from the laptop as possible?

[LAC-OPS]

It's not RF, I'm certain it's a USB issue. It works fine on the CF29 and CF30 and my old Dell, just this CF31 is giving me (us) problems. I did try that though.

[jmr061]

Both items (the GOBI and the XTL/XTS) are showing up as modem in the device manager correct? My guess is the CPS is polling the incorrect modem. For those that still have the problem with the device turned off try disabling it in the device manager.

Jason

[GEMOTO]

I have a CF-52 with the same problem. I heard that if you use windows to manage the wireless connection vs. the Intel Pro Set software it may work better but I have never tried it.

[resqguy911]

I have a CF-52 with the same problem. I heard that if you use windows to manage the wireless connection vs. the Intel Pro Set software it may work better but I have never tried it.

I only use windows wireless, proset is disabled by choice because our cisco routers don't like it. Still buggered when the wireless switch is on.

[LAC-OPS]

Thanks for the suggestions, tried disabling the GOBI in device manager, still no-go. As far as the wireless client, it is a Windows 7 computer so there is no "ProSet" wireless, it's done by Windows already.