AT&T DumVerse

I don't have any problems getting RP-SMA connectors, pigtails, and adapter. For example, e-Bay:

Now, if you getting quality RP-SMA connectors, that's another story.

In the distant past, the FCC demanded that unusual and weird connectors (Part 15.203) be used to prevent users from adding high gain antennas, power amps, and such. The FCC tried to "fix" the problem by demanding manufacturers use more weird and wonderful connectors:

The wi-fi industry decided that was rather expensive, and convinced the FCC to delay the deadline indefinitely, which effectively killed that dumb idea:

Again, a new, better router is easily configured to operate the same, and would be a seamless, invisible transition from any attached device POV. It would also perform WAY better.

ATT puts barely compliant wifi in their box, and you get to barely tax the connection rate potential of your wifi device. A good cisco router would not only function a hundred times better, but you could also mount it on that door, and thereby place the antennas outside a metal box where they belong.

The router is so much better too. And they also have four hard wired ports too, so a nearby computer, NAS or other device could be utilized.

Some dumb install tech did it that way, and got connectivity. Went back to the shop and said "It works from inside the box", and now they all do it that way. Very dumb. You would think that they would have a clue about antennas and things wireless from all those years when those guys were the only ones who had microwave links and such.

Cables and antennas are not cheap.

Very likely why ATT did not/does not furnish or offer them.

And the antenna would need a base plate and double stick, screws, etc.

The new routers have their antennas inside the case. Just mount the low profile, 'handsome' case on the outside of the communications panel area.

I had to do a 45 foot horizontal 'fish' through expanded foam insulation and cabinetry headers. Not fun. But the router is now in his upstairs location and both the basement and the third floor are now getting great service, whereas before only the basement was working.

I'd set up an old antique telephone stand there and put an NAS underneath, and the router on the underside of the top and place a household phone or decor on top. Hides the door and the cables and adds an accessible NAS.

Yes. Some were ridiculously overdressed, while others were the standard.

Didn't look hard, but didn't see any tie wraps. So they must have gotten the velcro clue the rest of the industry uses (for comm lines)

The 90 degree multi-wire turn "board" was pretty hilarious..

Bullshit.

FCC Part 15.203

An intentional radiator shall be designed to ensure that no antenna other than that furnished by the responsible party shall be used with the device. The use of a permanently attached antenna or of an antenna that uses a unique coupling to the intentional radiator shall be considered sufficient...

So it is written, so it must be.

I beg to differ somewhat:

I collect photos and videos of buring cell towers. Don't ask why.

AT&T uses other vendors routers. Until recently, it was 2wire/Pace routers. Lately, it's Cayman/Netopia/Motorola, Netgear, and Westel.

While some of these certainly have their problems, they are all FCC Part 15 compliant. You'll find the FCC ID number on the serial number tag. Plug it into:

and you will be blessed with the FCC certification report.

However, if your non-specific concern over compliance is Wi-Fi.org certification, you can search for the applicable certificate at:

Oh, they have a clue, all right. They understand that crappy WiFi signals and the resulting packet loss allow them to charge the same amount per month for lower network utilization.

-- john

So it is horseshit.

I have routers with detachable antennas and they (high end replacement antennas) were sold at Radio Shack and a million other places and that was a decade ago!

In fact, there was an entire industry around replacing them back then!

So it must be a new rule.

Sure. OEM barely able to function.

Certainly NOT what the maker produces in their own product line.

TNC? That's basically a threaded BNC isn't it? All the routers I have seen (in UK) have much smaller connectors than that, does indeed look like SMA.

Can't screw a SMA into mine to test it because, yes, it is reversed! Never noticed that before...

n.

both RP-TNC and RP-SMA exist and are used for antennas

-Lasse

Kinda. The R-TNC is standard for ISM antennas in the US.

AlwaysWrong is always wrong, as expected.

But he is an expert in poopology.

The FCC enforces rules when convenient. Allegedly, only antennas that were certified along with the wireless may be used, and only those with equal or less gain. You probably won't have a problem if you buy and use a high gain antenna. However, if you start manufacturing, you may attract attention. The FCC enforcement burro doesn't care unless there is interference to a politically well connected individuals or organizations, in which case they agressively enforce all the fine print.

Radio Shack and high end do not belong in the same sentence.

There is still such an industry. I designed some antennas for them.

Looks like it was enacted in 1996:

The failed attempt tighten the rules was in May 2000 and indefinitely postponed in Sept 2000.

Right. Like I said, some models have issues. For example, the Netopia/Motorola 2210 series has a bad case of bulging capacitors in both the unit and in the switching power supply. It also overheats.

As an added bonus, the PCB hole size is so tight, that I can barely remove the bulging caps, or insert a replacement cap. The AT&T 2-wire

Do you have a particular AT&T branded wireless router that is giving you problems?

AT&T is a marketing organization and doesn't make consumer products. Lucent was their manufacturing arm and that's gone. They sold off Paradyne in about 1996. AT&T sticks their name on other manufacturers equipment.

For the truly perverse RF designers, there's also an RP-N connector: