Buffalo WHR-G300N Antenna Mod

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cwalk
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:49    Post subject: Buffalo WHR-G300N Antenna Mod Reply with quote
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
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DerUltrazauberer
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:35    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice! Did this mod help you? It would be fine if you can tell now something about the signal strength. Very Happy
DoesItMatter
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:15    Post subject: Reply with quote
Could you post a link on where you ordered those antennas from?

Mod looks sweet!

I will have to try that on mine!

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Sash
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:26    Post subject: Reply with quote
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

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cwalk
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 16:44    Post subject: Reply with quote
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?


I purchased mine from this seller:

http://stores.shop.ebay.ca/QualityChinaGoods

I forgot to mention, the unit uses 4 small torx screws, so make sure you have an appropriate screwdriver before attempting this mod.
genetix
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice thread, that's very interesting! Good job Smile
Anonymouz
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
Does it work if the 2 cables are connected to a single high gain antenna?
Sash
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 14:38    Post subject: Reply with quote
Anonymouz wrote:
Does it work if the 2 cables are connected to a single high gain antenna?

what?!
i dont think u gotta clue of electronics so i stongly suggest to stay away from doing such announcements.

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Anonymouz
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 16:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sash wrote:

what?!
i dont think u gotta clue of electronics so i stongly suggest to stay away from doing such announcements.


What I'm trying to ask is instead of using 2 antenna (mimo) you link them onto a single antenna. I just wanna know how much quality does that affects.
DarkScorpion
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:41    Post subject: Reply with quote
Simply put, no.
slaveunit
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 17:07    Post subject: Reply with quote
With these u.fl connections, did you just pull them off? I dont believe the unscrew correct?
cwalk
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 21:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
slaveunit wrote:
With these u.fl connections, did you just pull them off? I dont believe the unscrew correct?


Yes, I pulled the u.fl connectors off easily. The connectors are very similar to the connectors on a 9V battery (just much smaller).
slaveunit
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 1:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
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".




cwalk
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 11:25    Post subject: Reply with quote
slaveunit wrote:
Ok so I did an antenna mod of my own...


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).
DoesItMatter
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 18:45    Post subject: Reply with quote
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.

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