Why Are There Two Antennas On Many Conventional Routers?

#1 ocdavi

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Post icon Posted 31 January 2006 - 04:35 PM

Hey Everybody-

Quick Question. Why are there two antennas on most conventional routers? And what is each antenna used for?

Thanks in advance.

#2 tibbar

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 04:37 PM

one is used for your wireless lan, the other provides a covert channel for NSA.

If you want to read more about my security research, visit Tibbar.org

#3 ocdavi

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 04:47 PM

tibbar, on Jan 31 2006, 04:37 PM, said:

one is used for your wireless lan, the other provides a covert channel for NSA.

I heard that on the grapevine once. Damn the NSA. Damn Linksys.

#4 linux_dude

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 04:53 PM

They're the best poor man's attempt at an omnidirectional antenna. That is, unless you orient them both in exactly the same way.

#5 ocdavi

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 05:03 PM

linux_dude, on Jan 31 2006, 04:53 PM, said:

They're the best poor man's attempt at an omnidirectional antenna. That is, unless you orient them both in exactly the same way.

Are you sure?

I assumed it would be something more to the nature of one antenna is receiving, and one broadcasting or one is wirelss B and the other is wireless B.

Second although the antennas are weak, most are omni-directional.

#6 linux_dude

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 05:13 PM

Yes, I'm completely sure I'm right and you're wrong, otherwise why would I write it. :P

If they were omnidirectional, why would you be able to move them? They aren't exactly directional, but somewhat. From what I know, the usual cheap router antennas make about a 40 degree toroid.

#7 ocdavi

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 05:36 PM

linux_dude, on Jan 31 2006, 05:13 PM, said:

Yes, I'm completely sure I'm right and you're wrong, otherwise why would I write it. :P

If they were omnidirectional, why would you be able to move them?

Thanks. Good point with the movement!

#8 MasterTsunami

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Posted 31 January 2006 - 07:58 PM

It's a diversity antenna; basically a switch that chooses one antenna or the other, but not both at the same time. So it gets a packet on one antenna, and then on the other, and says "which is the best antenna for this packet?" Then it uses that packet. And then it uses that same chosen antenna to transmit back to the same radio, unless it fails, in which cases it chooses the other antenna and trys again. Repeat ad nauseum. Cuts out interference :)

So yeah, basically ghetto omnidirectional. See here: http://www.techonlin...e_article/37714

#9 Tyler

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Posted 01 February 2006 - 03:29 PM

Oh man, i think that OcDavi actually believed you about the NSA and the Omnidirectonal bit. OcDavi, if you want the right answer i would stick with the seroius one by MasterTsunami :)

#10 linux_dude

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Posted 01 February 2006 - 04:26 PM

Or mine, there was only one nutty answer. Though I can't prove he's wrong.

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