WAP11 - 2 aerials....use both?

The WAP11 that I have (indeed, the WAP11s that everyone else has
as well!) has two aerials but there is an option in the setup to
use just the left, just the right or both. What advantage is there
to using just one? I have toyed with a home-made parabolic tinfoil
covered reflector behind one arial, but f I go down this route am
I better off with two reflectors (one on each) or only using one
aerial?

--
Bryan Anderson <www.anderson-it.com>

Bryan Anderson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The WAP11 that I have (indeed, the WAP11s that everyone else has
>as well!) has two aerials but there is an option in the setup to
>use just the left, just the right or both. What advantage is there
>to using just one?

As I understand it...

Most consumer wireless routers with two antennae are designed to operate in
diversity mode. Diversity mode improves performance, but depends on both
antennae have the same general characteristics. In some circumstances (like
using an external antenna), the antennae will be different. Selecting the
external antenna will disable diversity mode, which would not work properly in
that situation.

On Tuesday, Clark W. Griswold, Jr.* wrote:

> Most consumer wireless routers with two antennae are
> designed to operate in diversity mode. Diversity mode
> improves performance, but depends on both antennae
> have the same general characteristics.
> In some circumstances (like using an external antenna),
> the antennae will be different. Selecting the external
> antenna will disable diversity mode, which would not
> work properly in that situation.

So as far as I can tell, best performanc is with both the
external antennae working and the options to go with just
the left or just the right are in case I want to change
one of them for a higher gain antenna. Leave well alone in
that case ;-)

--
Bryan Anderson <www.anderson-it.com>

* Did you get the name of the german girl you took to the
cave on your European Vacation? Loved those knee-high socks!

The WAP11 has receive only diversity. So the trnasmit side is only connected
to the right antenna. It took some experimenting to find that out. For an
external antenna, hook it up to the right antenna and set the setting
accordingly.

Any questions about which is right or left (don't trust the manuals) can be
seen eailiy with signal strength tools like netstumbler.

Matt

"Bryan Anderson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> The WAP11 that I have (indeed, the WAP11s that everyone else has
> as well!) has two aerials but there is an option in the setup to
> use just the left, just the right or both. What advantage is there
> to using just one? I have toyed with a home-made parabolic tinfoil
> covered reflector behind one arial, but f I go down this route am
> I better off with two reflectors (one on each) or only using one
> aerial?
>
> --
> Bryan Anderson <www.anderson-it.com>

Use an early di624a dlink here with no option to select which antenna of the
two.
Attached to it is a 5.5db magnetic base range extender Omni antenna, and a
6db desktop flat panel 80 degree directional antenna - both in use full
time.
I move around with the laptop and one spot is way weak on the omni and I'll
see it initially connect apparently to the weak antenna and within two or
three minutes it will appaently switch over to the stronger antenna as the
pc card signal strength icon pops to near full and stays there.