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Why would a wireless access point have two antennas?

Why would a wireless access point have two antennas?

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Some APs do have just one antenna, but most have a pair of diversity antennas. An AP with diversity antennas continuously samples incoming signals, choosing the input source (antenna and receiver) with the best signal, then using the chosen antenna for the next transmission.

Diversity antennas help to defeat multipath, a phenomenon that occurs when RF signals reflect off objects in their path. As a result, the AP may receive both the primary signal and one or more reflections of that same signal. Diversity algorithms let the AP use the best signal at any given time, adjusting automatically for changing environmental conditions.

This was first published in November 2003

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