Hacking an SMC Barricade AP/Router...

masqIt · 07-23-2002

Hola,
Alright, I have the 700WBR SMC Barricade router at my house. I want to hack it and add better antenna(s).

I have had it open a few times when I was bored, and found inside, a single D-Link PCMCIA 802.11b radio card- heh. No pics from the inside just yet.

Anyhow, there are 2 wires comming off the PCMCIA card, both soldered onto the card in the common copper antenna feet placings, and then those 2 lead to small pathetic 'laughing in your neighbors face who wants access' antennas.

I want to take those off, and add 1 omnis, or one omni- someone, help, jackarse at work here.

Can I just solder it to one point, are those antennas both TX/RX and just for redundancy or 'better coverage'?

Do I need 2 omnis?

You can referance antennas from this page: http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/antennas_2400.html

Thanks All!
-geoff

lincomatic · 07-23-2002

check out this thread:
http://forums.netstumbler.com/showth...ight=diversity

masqIt · 07-23-2002

thanks for the link- I read it, but many of my above questions still pertain.

I would love it if there were n-male or any type of connectors for that matter, but there arent on mine, so I have the option of soldering and splicing. wee

any ideaS?

lincomatic · 07-23-2002

i'm not familiar with your hardware setup, but you have 2 options:
1) just solder the wire straight into the AP
2) find some suitable jacks - N is kind of big for the AP...SMA or TNC might fit better and just solder them in.

you'll gain about 1dB or so by doing (1) but it might be nice to be able to remove the wire sometimes.

if your AP doesn't let you select only 1 antenna, my advice is just try 1 antenna first (leaving the other built-in antenna connected), and if you don't like the performance, then get another one.

again, i don't know the configuration of your house or where you want to get the reception, but an omni or panel-type antenna would work. if you don't to spend big bucks, you can check out the homebrew antenna thread in the hardware section. home-built antennas are cheap to build, most cost <$10.

make sure you use decent 50 ohm cable designed for 2.4GHz operation or your cabling will eat up all your gain. for shorter runs LMR240 is ok or for longer runs, LMR400. of course, if you are only going to do a couple of feet or so, something like RG8 or RG8x will suffice.

the best thing is just roll up your sleeves and experiment

masqIt · 07-23-2002

thanks! I appreciate your help and time on this subject.

I am going to get working on this project once I get back from europe in about 1 month- I will post again then.

i guess I have one question left, anyone with this AP/router that has done it already? thanks!

-geoff

07-23-2002	#1 (permalink)
masqIt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 33	Hacking an SMC Barricade AP/Router... Hola, Alright, I have the 700WBR SMC Barricade router at my house. I want to hack it and add better antenna(s). I have had it open a few times when I was bored, and found inside, a single D-Link PCMCIA 802.11b radio card- heh. No pics from the inside just yet. Anyhow, there are 2 wires comming off the PCMCIA card, both soldered onto the card in the common copper antenna feet placings, and then those 2 lead to small pathetic 'laughing in your neighbors face who wants access' antennas. I want to take those off, and add 1 omnis, or one omni- someone, help, jackarse at work here. Can I just solder it to one point, are those antennas both TX/RX and just for redundancy or 'better coverage'? Do I need 2 omnis? You can referance antennas from this page: http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/antennas_2400.html Thanks All! -geoff __________________ Everything Extreme: http://www.masqit.com

07-23-2002	#2 (permalink)
lincomatic Squaaawk! WiFi! WiFi! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tinsel Town Posts: 1,682	check out this thread: http://forums.netstumbler.com/showth...ight=diversity __________________ ~lincomatic

07-23-2002	#3 (permalink)
masqIt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 33	linco--- thanks for the link- I read it, but many of my above questions still pertain. I would love it if there were n-male or any type of connectors for that matter, but there arent on mine, so I have the option of soldering and splicing. wee any ideaS? __________________ Everything Extreme: http://www.masqit.com

07-23-2002	#4 (permalink)
lincomatic Squaaawk! WiFi! WiFi! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tinsel Town Posts: 1,682	i'm not familiar with your hardware setup, but you have 2 options: 1) just solder the wire straight into the AP 2) find some suitable jacks - N is kind of big for the AP...SMA or TNC might fit better and just solder them in. you'll gain about 1dB or so by doing (1) but it might be nice to be able to remove the wire sometimes. if your AP doesn't let you select only 1 antenna, my advice is just try 1 antenna first (leaving the other built-in antenna connected), and if you don't like the performance, then get another one. again, i don't know the configuration of your house or where you want to get the reception, but an omni or panel-type antenna would work. if you don't to spend big bucks, you can check out the homebrew antenna thread in the hardware section. home-built antennas are cheap to build, most cost <$10. make sure you use decent 50 ohm cable designed for 2.4GHz operation or your cabling will eat up all your gain. for shorter runs LMR240 is ok or for longer runs, LMR400. of course, if you are only going to do a couple of feet or so, something like RG8 or RG8x will suffice. the best thing is just roll up your sleeves and experiment __________________ ~lincomatic

07-23-2002	#5 (permalink)
masqIt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 33	awesome thanks! I appreciate your help and time on this subject. I am going to get working on this project once I get back from europe in about 1 month- I will post again then. i guess I have one question left, anyone with this AP/router that has done it already? thanks! -geoff __________________ Everything Extreme: http://www.masqit.com

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