wl txant 0 -> better wifi signal

[yelo3]

I noticed that my AC-56U fw 378.56_2 has stronger wifi after issuing these commands

wl txant 0
wl down
wl restart
wl up

Can you tell me what txant 0 means?
Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

txant    Set the transmit antenna
    0 - force use of antenna 0
    1 - force use of antenna 1
    3 - use the RX antenna selection that was in force during
        the most recently received good PLCP header

Doesn't sound like a good idea to change this.

 

[yelo3]

It's what "ECO MODE = ON" does
I found this while testing the android APP.

Maybe my antenna 1 is broken?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I guess it's called "ECO MODE" because it's only powering one transmitter instead of two. Expect a reduction in link speed though.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Maybe my antenna 1 is broken?

Maybe it's pointing in a different direction or is further away? Not screwed on tightly?

 

[yelo3]

It's an internal antenna, I can't see it

 

[ColinTaylor]

It's an internal antenna, I can't see it

Ah, OK. I see now: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...32120-inside-story-asus-rt-ac56u-and-rt-ac68u

If you want to experiment, try rotating the router by 180 degrees relative to the client. Then see if the antennas performance swaps around.

 

[yelo3]

180° on which axis?
I've already experimented 90° on horizontal X axis with no change, but I've never experimented other rotations.
Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

If you look at the picture in the article I linked to you can see the antennas etched onto the PCB. As you look at the front of the router, one pair is on the left and the other on the right.

So if your client was somewhere to the left of the router (looking front on) and you were to turn the router around (180 degrees) so you're now looking at the back, the relative antenna positions would be reversed.

Of course, if your client device is directly in front or behind the router it would make no difference.

 

[yelo3]

Actually I get better signal even if the router is rotated by 180°