Can somebody verify this on another tl-wr741nd?
I just got a tl-wr741nd and flashed backfire 10.03. Everything works fine but the external antenna is not being used. I'm using mac80211/ath9k
This router has only one external antenna but internally it has two, one of them as a PCB trace antenna. I have tried putting a reflector on the external antenna, using a 14db panel antenna and I see no change in reception (always the same amount of aps when scanning, same power, etc). I also expected it to be much better with the stock antenna.
So, I've come to the conclusion it's NOT using the external antenna but the internal pcb one. Maybe diversity is disabled but the antenna is not set correctly or something. txantenna, rxantenna and diversity seem to be all ignored in /etc/config/wireless.
You can see the antenna connections on this pic from the wiki: http://wiki.openwrt.org/_media/toh/tp-l … l-pins.jpg
i opened a ticket too: https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/7576
some info about the ar9285 wireless nic from Luis Rodriguez (from atheros):
> AR5416 and AR9280 are 2 stream.
>
> AR9285 is 1 stream.
>
> All AR9280s are 2 stream and have a 2x2 RX/TX chain configuration.
>
> The AR5416 has an 3x2 RX/TX chain configuration but it must be noted
> this then means one stream can use two chains with selection diversity
> -- sort of like antenna diversity but for one chain.
>
> AR9285 devices are 1-stream and use antenna diversity with some
> enhancements, I think one of the enhancements is LNA, which I believe
> means we get to dynamically configure the power amplifier depending on
> the noise on the driver and I think this helps with noisy
> environments.
>
> AR9170 is 2 stream 2x2 chain config.
>
> AR9271 (USB) is 1 stream with antenna diversity support (and LNA IIRC).
>
> Luis
>
802.11n does allow for 1 stream devices with a 1x1 TX/RX chain setup
but the hardware *can* have two antennas like your typical legacy
device with diversity enabled. This is the case for AR9285, for
example.Luis
(Last edited by naplam on 7 Jul 2010, 13:47)