I did Laptop WiFi upgrade

[JunkBear]

Having a Dell Inspiron N5030 with a mini pci-e wifi DNXA-95-01 Atheros AR9285 with only one onboard antenna connector that was going at 65Mbps and refused to connect at McDonalds wifi for the rare time I go there.

I had a Realtek RTL8191SE laying around from a dead Toshiba somebody gave me. Equipped with two onboard antenna connectors since the Toshiba had black and white antennas wires.

Strange thing is that my N5030 have only one black wire and when connected to the wifi where the black is usually connected in Toshiba it go down to 12Mbps and capt only couple feets around. So I swapped the black connector onto the white one and now I capt all neighbors around with a 72Mbps for me.

 

[blobster21]

You most probably plugged the antenna on the TX connector instead of the RX one, thus the 12Mbps.

It may be good enough, still it's not the best possible setup since this RTL8191Se based card clearly has separate TX/RX connectors.

 

[JunkBear]

I did now put on Rx that why the 72Mbps now. Will it change something to not have the Tx connected?

 

[blobster21]

This will affect your emission range. I'm sorry but i can't be more specific, it's just common sense.

Tx rate vs. Rx rate: we are trained to assume there is only one rate; often thinking that the transmit rate is the rate. Note that asymmetric rates are typical where the transmit rate we see on our connected client does not necessarily represent the receive rate. Very much true on the AP/infrastructure side as well – there are separate Tx and Rx rates in the Wi-Fi world.

source : http://ontheflywifi.net/top-10-wi-fi-misconceptions/

 

[JunkBear]

So basically the Rx is from downstream and Tx is for upstream. Which means that since I did not plug the Tx antenna my Transmition rate will be lower and less powerful?

 

[95Viper]

You most probably plugged the antenna on the TX connector instead of the RX one, thus the 12Mbps.
It may be good enough, still it's not the best possible setup since this RTL8191Se based card clearly has separate TX/RX connectors.

This is sort of a simplistic explanation.
The antenna/e on the wifi cards are, all, used for transmit and receive... usually, the connections are labeled main(1) , aux(2) on cards with two antennae connections or main(1), aux(2), and aux(3) on cards with three connections. Main (1) is on the left as you are looking at the connectors with the connectors at the top of card. Some card manufacturers use other labeling, as, I don't believe there is a standard on the labeling (ex. the Main antenna could be labeled MAIN, 1, TR1, or ,even, a WHITE triangle may be used).
The card uses the antenna with the best reception or transmit rate as needed; unless, your driver may allows for choice of antenna used.
Some cards, which, are setup for MIMO can use one, two, or three antenna/e for transmit and receive at the same time; this, also, depends on the wireless access points capabilities. For info, google MIMO and/or spatial streams.

If you wish, you could add the second antenna in the system.
The kits are out there to do this.

EDIT:
I believe it was Linksys had a card or wifi device that you could choose whether antenna 1 or 2 would be transmit or receive, as an option.

 

[JunkBear]

Thank you. Basically the original single antenna is black but when plugged also on black side of the realtek card it sucks so after plugging the black to the white side all is fine.

Originally one antenna black...now still one antenna but white activated only.