Updated Antennas: Asus WL-ANT157 vs. Delock RP-SMA

[joegreat]

Hi,

I read thru the discussions about updated antennas, and did some research by myself: There I found out that the Asus WL-ANT157 looks like the same product as the Delock RP-SMA (item no. 88447).

Both antenas have the same specification:

• RP-SMA male screw interface
• With flexible joint, rotatable
• Frequency: 2.4 GHz + 5.8 GHz 
• Gain:      5 dBi,    7 dBi
• VSWR: 2.0 max.
• Polarization: linear, vertical
• Impedance: 50 Ohm
• ABS UV resistant
• Operating temperature: -10 °C to 55 °C
• Length: with flexible joint 90 x 120 x 13 mm

The big difference is the price: The Delock version costs only on third of the Asus labled one. It's only a little bit harder to get the Delock ones, as you need to look thru the list of Delock dealers to find one who will sell you the antennas.

I got 3 of the Delock antennas and mounted two of them to the router (the middle one does not fit, as it has not enough room).

My first range and dbm improvements have been fantastic (changed the antennas on the running router): 10 dbm (and more) improvements over the standard antennas in all rooms of my home!

But after rebooting the router I could not verify the first results anymore.
I got rather, more or less, the same results as before. Maybe the Asus power management kicks in here...

Still the antennas make perfect sense for me: They send and receive the signal mainly on the front and back (much less on left and right side), which is perfect for my home as the router sits nearly in the middle of the flat and the rooms are front and back of the router - and the neighborhood left and right is not effected so much.

With kind regards
Joe

 

[dmillerzx]

I recently bought the ASUS brand. Replaced the center antenna with it. Not noticing much of a difference however, it can't hurt. Would love to by more of the Delock brand. Can't find anyone selling them in the US though.

 

[joegreat]

Delock online shops

Would love to by more of the Delock brand. Can't find anyone selling them in the US though.

Hi,

Check with the online shops: They might ship the antennas to US.
As the weight is low the shipping cost will not be big - they could just send a letter envelope via postal service with antennas.

With kind regards
Joe

 

[Faiakes]

Delock purchase

Hi

I just purchased both and will be running some tests over the summer. (with an ASUS RT-N66U)

The Delock one appears to be german based and does seem to have identical specs and make up.

 

[Faiakes]

I got 3 of the Delock antennas and mounted two of them to the router (the middle one does not fit, as it has not enough room).

My first range and dbm improvements have been fantastic (changed the antennas on the running router): 10 dbm (and more) improvements over the standard antennas in all rooms of my home!

But after rebooting the router I could not verify the first results anymore.
I got rather, more or less, the same results as before. Maybe the Asus power management kicks in here...

Which router were you using and what, if any, settings did you change?

Any updates since?

 

[joegreat]

Which router were you using and what, if any, settings did you change?

Any updates since?

Well the RT-N66U router works like a charm and the antennas as well.

The Delock one appears to be german based and does seem to have identical specs and make up.

Really?
I did not find any difference in the specs and the make up...
Furthermore I strongly believe that Delock is the OEM for Asus, meaning that Delock produces them!

Can you share the difference?

With kind regards
Joe

 

[Faiakes]

Really?
I did not find any difference in the specs and the make up...
Furthermore I strongly believe that Delock is the OEM for Asus, meaning that Delock produces them!

Can you share the difference?

I think you misread me.

I agree there doesn't seem to be a difference between them.

 

[joegreat]

I think you misread me.

I agree there doesn't seem to be a difference between them.

Correct! I added an imaginary "not" to the expression...

 

[Fraoch]

But after rebooting the router I could not verify the first results anymore.
I got rather, more or less, the same results as before. Maybe the Asus power management kicks in here...

It could be that ASUS's AiRadar won't work properly with mismatched antennas since you stated you couldn't change the middle one.

Just a guess.

 

[OpTicaL]

I purchased the ASUS WL-ANT157 and WL-ANT-191(2.4GHz) together with my RT-N66U. Noticed no significant difference over stock antennas.

I'm really curious under what conditions do these antennas show improvement.

I live in a apartment, no cement or steel beams in the walls. At ~50ft away one floor down in my garage, using inSSIDer, the connection quality is the same as stock antennas. Speed tests on speedtest.net was also the same and 5GHz performance dropped off at around the same distance vs stock antennas (~30ft).

For the money ($50+tax for both antennas on Amazon) I don't think it's worth it at all. I'd be better off using my WRT54GL as a repeater to eliminate weak/dead spots.

 

[joegreat]

I purchased the ASUS WL-ANT157 and WL-ANT-191(2.4GHz) together with my RT-N66U. Noticed no significant difference over stock antennas.

I'm really curious under what conditions do these antennas show improvement.

Hi,

Well they show improvments in the coverage if you use them to enhance the coverage in the direction they send the radio waves.

The standard antennas are tranmitting omnidirectional and the flat one more in the direction of the flat side, plus: They have a higher gain (dbi values) in the reception of your (weak ) client signals.

If you do not see an improvment in transmission, it could be also that the routers power management kicks in and reduces the transmission power.

Did you check the router side reception? This should be cleary improved by the antennas (if they show in the right direction).

With kind regards
Joe

 

[Faiakes]

Hi

I finally installed both the ASUS and the DeLock one.

They have definitely made an improvement of 1 bar eception through thick cement with steel.

 

[Pericynthion]

Just out of curiosity, anyone observed any difference using the directional antennas with the 'explicit beamforming' in the latest firmware?

As I understand it, this aspect tracks / better handles client specific location, so if you're at the end of a long run, explicit beamforming + directional antenna should be an interesting combination.

 

[DrTeeth]

The firmware has no control over the radiation pattern of the antenna. Transmitters do just not work that way.

 

[Embattle]

I've got a Delock antenna arriving soon but I'm interested in what part of the antenna is actually the directional part, in essence the part you point towards the area you want increased coverage. Is it the outer edge or the flat front?

 

[joegreat]

I've got a Delock antenna arriving soon but I'm interested in what part of the antenna is actually the directional part, in essence the part you point towards the area you want increased coverage. Is it the outer edge or the flat front?

The flat front/back distribute the waves (the outer edge will have less radiation then the standard antenna).

The radiation is distrusted like this:
HBW (Horizontal Beam Width):
70° @ 2.5 GHz
50° @ 5.7 GHz

VBW (Vertical Beam Width):
70° @ 2.5 GHz
60° @ 5.7 GHz

Where the default antenna has 360° distribution (plus less Gain in reception).

See data sheet for the full details:
http://www.delock.com/produkt/88447/pdf.html?sprache=en

With kind regards
Joe

 

[connorm]

if anyone is ever looking to buy 2 wl-ant157. i have 2 im looking to sell

 

[gope]

if anyone is ever looking to buy 2 wl-ant157. i have 2 im looking to sell

Hello,
how much you sell it and where are you leaving (for the transport)?
Thanks.

 

[jmantn]

Would anyone recommend these with the rt-ac68u?

Having RSSI between 69 and 81 between six devices al in the same room. Wondering if a different antenna would work as I've adjusted my TX to 200 so out of ideas.

 

[grizzlyoldman]

The firmware has no control over the radiation pattern of the antenna. Transmitters do just not work that way.

The firmware does have some control over how the antenna array radiates. E.g. explicit beamforming (which I enable) and universal beamforming (which I disable).