Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:49 Post subject: Buffalo WHR-G300N Antenna Mod
I just thought I would write a quick report on my experience with modding my Buffalo WHR-G300N to accommodate two external antennas.
Background:
Wireless signal is almost non-existent in basement. Router is located on second floor.
Planning:
First, after reading FCC test documentation and gathering various images of dissembled WHR-G300Ns, I figured out that I needed two antennas with a 'u.fl' connector.
Second, I went to eBay and purchased:
2 x 2.4 GHz 5 dBi IPX u.fl omni directional wifi antennas (Diameter: 10.47mm, Length: 180mm). Total cost $12.99 USD.
Modding:
Below are some pictures I took while I was modding.
I needed to drill two holes at the top of the router to support the new antennas.
I used a hot glue gun to secure the antennas in place (crazy glue probably would have worked, but I had none around the house).
Main board with new antennas connected (connecting them was very simple).
Finished modded router next to the original two (stock) antennas.
Done!
I will add to this thread once I have adequately tested my new antennas.
Update: Results below.
Last edited by cwalk on Fri Aug 14, 2009 19:54; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 1380 Location: Pacific North West, USA
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:15 Post subject:
Could you post a link on where you ordered those antennas from?
Mod looks sweet!
I will have to try that on mine! _________________ Soylent Green Is People !
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Netgear Nighthawk R7000 - DD-WRT Build R46220
Linksys EA8500 - OpenWRT IPQ806x Trunk R16375 5.4 Kernel
since its a MIMO router (wikipedia: mimo) you should move the antennas to have the bigest distance between them (even on the mounted side of the enclosure)
i would have uses rp-sma bulkhead plugs so that the antennas could be changed
Ok, well my signal has definitely improved in my basement. Here are the results (used Vistumbler). The graphs indicate percentages (100% - being strongest signal). I estimate my mod added somewhere in the area of 20-40% signal improvement.
Before
After
Sash wrote:
a few tips on this:
since its a MIMO router (wikipedia: mimo) you should move the antennas to have the bigest distance between them (even on the mounted side of the enclosure)
i would have uses rp-sma bulkhead plugs so that the antennas could be changed
Thanks for the tips. I was thinking about using rp-sma connectors, but purchasing the pigtails + antennas was more expensive then just purchasing fixed antennas. The spacing of the antennas crossed my mind as well, but unfortunately there really wasn't another place to mount them as the main board fits fairly snug in the plastic housing.
DoesItMatter wrote:
Could you post a link on where you ordered those antennas from?
Ok so I did an antenna mod of my own. The u.fl to sma 4 inch wires were $1 each. The antennas I already had from some sale or another. But I think they are around $17 each after rebate from newegg currently. They are +7dbi Dlink ones. I took some readings from an Asus netbook before and after the "mod". They are are from various places out side of my house. Here are the results:
Place of measurement/internal/external
front door/43-47dbi/48-51dbi
end walkway/30-34dbi/37-40dbi
end driveway/17-24dbi/33-36dbi
across street at mailbox/19-21dbi/27-31dbi
across street at 9944 and boat house/10-14dbi/18-25dbi
across street at palm/6-11dbi/15-17dbi
9934 numbers/2-5dbi/9-12dbi
Of course you have no idea where these places are but you can at least get a feel for the dbi increase from different distances.
Here are some of the pics I took during and after the "mod".
Nice mod! Your work installing the sma connectors makes my glue gun mod look amateur. I liked that you had before/after measurements from a variety of locations. Your results seem respectable too (looks like 1.1-1.5x signal).
Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 1380 Location: Pacific North West, USA
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 18:45 Post subject:
OK.
I also did the mods to my 2 - WHR-G300N's
I have the same type of UFL -> RPSMA's that slaveunit has, except mine were a little longer.
4 - 12dbi 2.4ghz antennas - 13" each, were $18 shipped from Australia
4 - 10" UFL -> RPSMA's were $8 shipped from China
$26 for all parts, or $13 per router, to add 2 - 12dbi 2.4ghz Antennas per router.
Below are some measurements for before and after.
I modified 1 WHR-G300N originally, but only put 2 - 2dbi external antennas on, because I still hadn't received the 12dbi antennas in the mail yet.
---------------------
5 feet away computers & monitor in between.
Router 1 - original antennas
Router 2 - 2 - 2dbi external antennas
----------------
Average Signal Quality 50%
Signal = -50
Noise = -95
SNR = 45
TX Power = 101mw
Channel 8 - Mixed - Rate = 300Mb/s
----------------
After both antenna mods
Router's 1 and 2 - each have 2 - 12dbi external antennas
Average Signal Quality 65%
Signal = -40
Noise = -95
SNR = 55
TX Power = 101mw
Channel 8 - Mixed - Rate = 300Mb/s
-----------------
Attached is a pic of the 2 routers attached in a Access Point and Repeater Bridge configuration
This was about 5 feet away, computer and monitor in-between. _________________ Soylent Green Is People !
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Netgear Nighthawk R7000 - DD-WRT Build R46220
Linksys EA8500 - OpenWRT IPQ806x Trunk R16375 5.4 Kernel