Wi-fi difference

[Ramontes]

I want to know the difference on wifi adapters with 2 antennas vs 3 antennas, is it a more stable connnection? faster speeds if your router allows it

[MastuhWaffles]

You can buy a really fast wifi adapter but if your internet is not up to snuff it won't do you any good.

I went with an ASUS, they make different models to suit you needs and it pretty much tells you what it supports.

[W-L]

I want to know the difference on wifi adapters with 2 antennas vs 3 antennas, is it a more stable connnection? faster speeds if your router allows it

 

Usually with 3x3 antenna system they have better range and give more spatial streams meaning higher throughput speeds if your connecting device also has a 3x3 system to receive. Most theses days also include beam forming with that to help to give a more directed and stronger signal to a device.

[MblaZe7run]

There is actually one true reason, and one reason only, that there are multiples. In the spoiler is an image showing how the omni-directional antenna emits radio waves. With multiple antenna, you can angle them in different orientations to basically be within range of the access point. If multiple antenna are within range (which is almost always the case), the antenna CAN be automagically set to either transmit or receive data (computer negotiates that without your knowledge or intervention). That being said, the antenna should still be all in the same orientation, or parallel. That way the signal isn't crossing over itself and data isn't lost/corrupted (self-interference is commonly the number one cause of packet-loss via wireless communication).

 

 

Source: Computer networking major with a focus in wireless communications, and an unnamed book because I can't seem to find it...

[Ramontes]

There is actually one true reason, and one reason only, that there are multiples. In the spoiler is an image showing how the omni-directional antenna emits radio waves. With multiple antenna, you can angle them in different orientations to basically be within range of the access point. If multiple antenna are within range (which is almost always the case), the antenna CAN be automagically set to either transmit or receive data (computer negotiates that without your knowledge or intervention). That being said, the antenna should still be all in the same orientation, or parallel. That way the signal isn't crossing over itself and data isn't lost/corrupted (self-interference is commonly the number one cause of packet-loss via wireless communication).

 

 

Source: Computer networking major with a focus in wireless communications, and an unnamed book because I can't seem to find it...

so if its a 3-way one must be up and the other two 90 degrees from the middle right

[MblaZe7run]

so if its a 3-way one must be up and the other two 90 degrees from the middle right

With best practice, all 3 parallel. But thanks to CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance), your computer and access point (most commonly called the router in home-use scenarios) will detect when a packet is lost/dropped/etc and will re-transmit (insanely simplistic explanation). This all happens in a fraction of a second, but does happen more often than wired (regardless of "proper" setup of the NIC antenna).

 

 

In reality, orient the antenna any way you care to, and you'll be fine and notice no difference from "proper" orientation. Mine on my desktop are set kind of like | / _ (with the last one more at 22*, but there's no slash for that.. lol) because there are cables in the way that are a little necessary for use on my computer. I have zero issues and the same amount of packet loss as the "proper orientation" (ex. | | | ).

 

Hope that helps some and wasn't too much.. I can get a little excited about the topic

[Ramontes]

With best practice, all 3 parallel. But thanks to CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance), your computer and access point (most commonly called the router in home-use scenarios) will detect when a packet is lost/dropped/etc and will re-transmit (insanely simplistic explanation). This all happens in a fraction of a second, but does happen more often than wired (regardless of "proper" setup of the NIC antenna).

 

 

In reality, orient the antenna any way you care to, and you'll be fine and notice no difference from "proper" orientation. Mine on my desktop are set kind of like | / _ (with the last one more at 22*, but there's no slash for that.. lol) because there are cables in the way that are a little necessary for use on my computer. I have zero issues and the same amount of packet loss as the "proper orientation" (ex. | | | ).

 

Hope that helps some and wasn't too much.. I can get a little excited about the topic

yeah i understand most of it, thank you fro the very in depth explanation it did help me a lot

[KaminKevCrew]

With best practice, all 3 parallel. But thanks to CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance), your computer and access point (most commonly called the router in home-use scenarios) will detect when a packet is lost/dropped/etc and will re-transmit (insanely simplistic explanation). This all happens in a fraction of a second, but does happen more often than wired (regardless of "proper" setup of the NIC antenna).

In reality, orient the antenna any way you care to, and you'll be fine and notice no difference from "proper" orientation. Mine on my desktop are set kind of like | / _ (with the last one more at 22*, but there's no slash for that.. lol) because there are cables in the way that are a little necessary for use on my computer. I have zero issues and the same amount of packet loss as the "proper orientation" (ex. | | | ).

Hope that helps some and wasn't too much.. I can get a little excited about the topic

That's an awesome explanation! Thanks! I legitimately learned something there and I appreciate that. I wish I could give you a cookie...