I know this is not a Soekris-specific question, but I couldn't find a good answer on the net, because very few people build their own 802.11 access points - with Soekris owners being a notable exception.
I'm using my Soekris 5501 as an 802.11b/g access point, using a MSI MP54G2 card (Ralink RT2561 chip set). It has dual antenna connections for diversity. It is installed in a basement directly underneath the office space (all wood/drywall construction), which is 2 stories high above the basement, and about 25 feet radius. For lack of knowledge, I use two different rubber ducky antennas on it, a 7 dB gain single-element antenna pointed straight up (to make a wider doughnut-shaped field to go 25 feet out), and a smaller 2 db antenna at right angles to it to fill the hole in the doughnut (for users who are directly above the bigger antenna). The antennas are only a few inches apart, and mounted directly on the 5501 box (I used a blank PCI slot cover with holes drilled in it to get all the extra wires out). I have been experiencing lots of receive errors on it, and reception seems very position sensitive, so started playing with the antennas. And at some point it occured to me that I have NO idea what it means to have two diversity antennas. Are they electrically separate, and the AP has two separate transmitters/receivers? How does it select which packet goes where? Or if they are just connected to each other electrically, wouldn't having two antennas in close proxomity cause terrible interference effects? As a more general question: For an AP to serve a 25' diameter by 15' high area is very easy, even with a simply antenna. Maybe I should just use a single antenna, and simplify the system. In that case, should the second connection left disconnected, or should I install a resistive terminator on it? Pointers at some knowledge on antenna setup for 802.11 access points would be appreciated. -- Ralph Becker-Szendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] (408)395-1435 735 Sunset Ridge Road; Los Gatos, CA 95033 _______________________________________________ Soekris-tech mailing list [email protected] http://lists.soekris.com/mailman/listinfo/soekris-tech
