WRT54GS and external antenna...

Don't know where to get one... I have seen external antenna packs that have two antennas and go to both on the unit, and have opened my unit up to make it just one output, I was told that you can't have an impedence mismatch between the two outputs past the splitter, and there are two of em to balance things out and cut down dead spots.. Since I wanted to use an external antenna, I just tapped into the output before the splitter.

It was soldered.. I just added a mini-uhf thru the case connector, cut the lead and soldered it to the new output connector.

somewhere on the internet are pictures of the inside of the device... I don't happen to recall the links (maybe someone here knows em, or a search can find em).. Amazing... since the advent of digital cameras there seems to be a plethora of people doing autopsies on things and posting the photos....

PS In case you are curious, they don't bleed when you cut em :)

Didn't find the actual autopsy photos, but there is a forum/website for linksys stuff

and the message with the links to autopsy info (text of the page) WRT54G v WRT54GS Hardware Differences - The Autopsy Posted: Thu 17 Jun , 2004 18:59

Its been requested that we post a sticky with a link to our autopsy of the differences between the four hardware versions of the WRT54G and WRT54GS

The Definitive Autospy can be found here - Autopsy: Linksys WRT54G/GS Hardware Versions Under the Knife

It covers the versions: WRT54G v1 WRT54G v1.1 WRT54G v2.0 WRT54GS

We hope to do the same for WAP54G when we acquire the varied units as well as compare them to the WRT54G.

____________

(note, for the actual link you have to go to the page)

Nope. It's not a splitter, power divider, Wilkinson combiner, co-phasing contraption, or any such device. It's a switch that is part of the diversity reception circuit. The radio section is connected to only one antenna at a time.

If you look at the photograph of the WRT54GS at:

'll notice the traces and coax cable coming from the antennas, which converge at the switch IC. The switch is controlled by the radio which builds a table of MAC addresses and which antenna received the last complete packet from that MAC address (or other such algorithm). When not associated with any client, the radio just scans between the two antennas looking for suitable packets. With various alternative firmware for the WRT54G, the scanning can be disabled and the radio permanently connected to one antenna.

It doesn't hurt to leave an outside antenna connected to one port, while the insipid rubber ducky antenna is left connected to the other. I use this arrangement at my house. The outside antenna goes to an

8dBi omni, for the neighbors to use, while the rubber ducky takes care of my laptop connections inside.

It is exactly what you can do! Or you can effectively do the same thing by simply removing one antenna. It will then never have the best receive signal, and therefore will never be selected for either receiver or transmit.

But with any of the 3rd party firmware upgrades the antenna selection can be forced.

I see no purpose whatever in doing a hardware modification. You lose *nothing* by either removing one antenna or locking the switch to one or the other of the two antennas.

By modifying the hardware you lose the option of easily going back to a diversity configuration at some point in the future.

These are diversity antennas - which means the one with the better signal will be used fro client - but not both at the same time.

I disconnected both, and connected a new antenna just to one - it works fine.

In the admin pages - you can control the config of the antennas.

Go get the Linksys documentation form their web site for more info...

Hi,

I need to use a Linksys WRT54GS for a wireless link of 4kms. This device has two small antennas.

How do I unscrew / unmount these original antennas and to which connector do I connect my external 24dBi grid antenna?

Thanks for tips on this issue

best regards

tor

They just unscrew, but one of mine is stuck! There is a large black piece that covers the actual screw in piece but the alrge black covering is hard plastic and does not get out of the way. Grab the largest part(biggest around) of the antenna and try to unscrew it. One of mine came off but as I said I cannot get the other one off.

The "large part" can be pulled off.

Thomas

"f/fgeorge" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

OK, thanks for that info, but what about connecting ONE external antenna to TWO antenna connectors? How do I get full power out / in to the external antenna from this router??

Tor

"Peter Pan" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net...

OK, thanks for this info. How much (in dB) do I loose if I use an external combiner and where do I get a suitable such device?

Thanks again for tips

Tor

"Peter Pan" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net...

Thanks for this info. Since you have 'been there and done that'::

What kind of connection is used between the sender and the splitter. Is it soldered or some kind of coax plug which can be 'cleanly' connected to a pigtail cable?

Tor

"Peter Pan" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net...

ROTFL

I'm an electronics engineer and I'm definately not afraid of opening black boxes and modifying them. However this is a brand new box and I would just like to know a few details before I go in and break the warranty ;-)

Thanks for all your info Peter

Tor

"riggor9999" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com...

Aha, I have the sveasoft firmware, there are options for RX antenna: auto / left / right and the same for TX antenna. Does this mean that I can set both TX and RX antenna to right and connect my external antenna to the right socket and all is well ??

Sounds too good to be true ;-)

Can I have a comment on this (and how much power I loose by this method compared to opening the box and solder a connector directly to the TX output terminal).

Tor