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I have a 2014 T-Mobile ZTE Hotspot which is no longer holding a signal. After tearing down the hotspot it is NOT clear to me which hardware component is the wifi antenna.

I have posted pictures below hoping someone could call out which component is the wifi antenna.

Thank you in advance!

For reference the photos below are of a T-Mobile 2014 ZTE Hotspot Model: Li3728T42P3h774771

enter image description here enter image description here Here is a detailed view of what is inside one of the plastic caps which could be the antenna. enter image description here

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The pictures aren't very clear, but it appears the antennas (yes, multiple antennas) are not on the board itself. They would seem to be in the back cover and/or the clear plastic caps with flexible circuit boards inside (the orange colored stuff inside the clear plastic parts.)

I say this because I see 5 parts that appear to be RF connectors. Those are the small silver squares with a round black thing - the black things have holes, so they would seem to be connectors rather than buttons.

Each of the apparent RF connectors has a set of spring contacts next to it. I expect those are the connections to the antennas in the housing. If you look at the clear plastic parts, they have matching connections. The flexible circuits inside are then the antennas.

There's probably matching spots on the back housing for some of the connections, with antennas embedded in the housing.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thank you very very much! I think you are correct about that. When I inspect the plastic caps closer they have a number on them as mf915. I googled searched that value and its seems to reference a type of antenna the hotspot uses: ltemobilebroadbands.com/zte-mf915-lte-mobile-wifi.html \$\endgroup\$ Nov 27, 2016 at 17:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ Here is a detailed view of what is inside the plastic cap, it is a sticky-tape like structure: cl.ly/3I0G0o2W1E0S is this the actual antenna? In the photo, you will see 3 gold prongs on the board itself, which touches the gold parts on the sticky-tape like component from inside the plastic cap. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 27, 2016 at 18:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @GeorgeJester That would be a diplexer (or triplexer) (multi-band filter with multiple outputs single input) for the frequency bands covered by the antenna near the connectors, and then the antenna is the strip of copper above and to the right. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 27, 2016 at 18:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes, that would be the antenna. The one in the photo appears to have been damaged. There is a tear that crosses at least one of the traces. \$\endgroup\$
    – JRE
    Nov 27, 2016 at 19:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ You should add that picture to the question or answer! Also keep in mind there is a cellular antenna, a wifi antena and sometimes bluetooth antenna. Maybe a NFC coil as well. \$\endgroup\$
    – Passerby
    Nov 27, 2016 at 19:39

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