WiFi Antennas  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: vidarr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2022, 05:47:29 pm
content: There are three antennas on this Cisco E2000 WiFi router that I have. Someone cut the wires for some reason. There are no datasheets that I can find that specifies which antenna goes to which connection point on the board.Is it possible to figure this out by trial and error, or will using the wrong antenna on the wrong connection ruin the board (like using the WiFi with no antenna sometimes does)?Better, does anyone know which one is which? That would be awesome.Thanks!

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2022, 06:50:15 pm
content: It always helps to search for images with keywords like "router XYZ internal pcb".I found this. The antennas look similar to yours.https://img5.pcpop.com/ProductImages/500x375/1/1221/001221088.jpgI ought to have a similar router somewhere in my junk box, but I don't remember it having three antennas, I think it was just twoI could take a look later if you want.

author: fzabkar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2022, 12:04:22 am
content: The FCC database is a good source of information, including internal photos:https://fccid.io/Q87-E3000/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-1222035.pdfhttps://fccid.io/Q87-E3000

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2022, 12:41:50 am
content: not sure if they u-fl or a smaller variantBought many of theses cables or foil, flexibles pcb look a like etc ... you just need to know the working frequency ... they sell for cheapwhen possible i buy the ones with sma connectors and put an antenna instead, more gain, more distance2.4 GHz WiFi5 GHz WiFi

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2022, 08:55:34 am
content: Quote from: fzabkar on December 06, 2022, 12:04:22 amThat's interesting, some productive use of taxpayer money at lastBut I'm not sure what to make of it. It looks like the cables are soldered down to the board, but they show disconnected u.FL connectors on another pic?BTW, soldering the cut cables to the board (if possible) may be more effective than trying to splice them. I have never tried splicing RF coax, but it sounds like something that may or may not work out very well. (I guess it also depends on how you do it.)As for my old router, it's E1000. 2.4GHz only and it has two antennas soldered to the PCB. I'm too lazy to open it now, but I'm almost sure it looked exactly like this one:https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/infodepot/images/3/32/Linksys_E1000_v1.0_FCCf.jpg/revision/latest

author: vidarr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2022, 01:30:30 pm
content: Quote from: fzabkar on December 06, 2022, 12:04:22 amThis one is the closest for sure.Another point, I watched a YT video of a guy soldering the wires to the antennas (there are hundreds of these videos). It looks pretty easy. I already prepped the end of the wires. I don't think splicing the wires together is possible. From what I understand, the length of the wire isn't so important as the tuning of the antennas at the end of the wire. Another video a guy didn't put antennas on the end of the wire; he did an equation and figured out how much bare wire to expose at the end.Anyway, this should be good practice. I have a bunch of ESP32 toys that need antennas.Thanks Guys!