Cruz Reader WiFi Reception Improvement

I bought this version of the Cruz eReader from Velocity Micro even though many people complained about the touch screen which is resistive as opposed to capacitive. Resistive touch screens require the user to make two layers of material contact each other whereas Capacitive touch screens work on the electrical resistance that is present in skin and uses one layer. Resistive screens work well with a stylus. I also like the form factor of the reader 4x3 as opposed to the 16x9 of the other Cruz model. This one is also $199 and the capacitive 16x9 version is $299.

eReading is really the only thing this pad is good for. Maybe some low level web browsing and email; Twitter etc... but that's it. And since Borders may be going out of business soon, who knows what will happen to the Borders online book store. I've used the Kindle application for Android on this platform and I've found that the Kobo reader that comes with it is just a nicer all around experience.

But enough of that, let's geek out and make this thing get a better WiFi signal. This is an easy process and a good beginner's activity. you'll need to get one of these antennas first. Laptop Notebook Wifi Bluetooth WWAN/EVDO/HSDPA Broadband Internal Antenna. The steps below will walk you through the process. You can click on the images and they'll download a higher resolution picture.

	This is my Cruz eReader with a DecalGirl.com skin. Decal Girl makes skins for all kinds of devices. The Cruz Reader happens to be one of the many. I have this same skin on my Palm-Pre and a surfer one on my Dell mini-9.
	Here's the back with more of the skin visible. You'll want to set the reader down on something soft (like the case it came with) since it will be screen down for most of this work. In this image I just have it propped up a little so you can see it.
	It's best to remove any SD/MMC card you might have so that we can use that portion of the case to start removing the back. This is the easiest area to get started since you can get the most leverage using your finger to pull the case off. Do this slowly not in one big grab.
	Start to work your fingernail around the edge of the case. You'll feel it begin to pop in some places. Some people have reported that there is tape holding down parts of the back. I didn't encounter that on my Cruz eReader.
	After you've worked your way around the case the back should just fall off
	In this image, you'll see that I've already installed the secondary WiFi antenna in a figure 8 pattern.
	This is the PCI WiFi card located in the top right corner. Here you'll see that on the left, there is an open antenna port while on the right, the manufacturer has only installed one antenna. I'm not sure where it goes but it must be somewhere in back of the main circuit board.
	This is where you'll connect the additional WiFi antenna line.
	Place the connector over the open port and press down. This may take some trial error since it's so small. You should feel it pop into place.
	This is what it looks like when it's connected.
	The pointing hands here show the path that I used to layout the wire. This path avoids any of the tie down locations for the back cover. It also uses areas under the back cover where there seems to be the most space. A figure 8 is the most effective design for this type of antenna in this amount of space. The best layout for this antenna is straight out if possible. While testing, I was able to pickup networks throughout my neighborhood that were up to 1000 feet away with the perfectly straight design. Of course, that required that I leave the back off of the Cruz.
	At the end of the WiFi antenna you'll find a square plastic plate. Even though this plate is thin, you'll need to place it somewhere there's enough space. The battery in the Cruz seems to be recessed a little more into the case so that's where I decided to end my figure 8 loop.
	A close up of the tape job. Crude, but it works.
	When you're done, carefully place the cover on the back and slowly press it into place. If it seems that there is some extra resistance in a particular area, you may be butting up against the antenna wire. Make sure that it's not blocking a lockdown port.
	Once complete, the sides of the back cover should fit snugly against the case. If you find areas where the case is still lifted, you may need to remove the back and rearrange your antenna. If you've followed the path I used above, everything should work fine. The fewer times you remove the back the better. The little tabs can easily break off and I don't know how to get new backs for the Cruz.
	Don't forget to clean your screen when you're done. That should do it. Boot your Cruz and see if you get a better signal. I know I did, at least 30% to 60% better.