This page provides details of Wireless NICs used for the permanent and pushcart CentMesh nodes. (For details of wireless cards on mobile CentMesh nodes, see the "Mobile CentMesh? Nodes" page off the "Resource Specifications" page.)

We use wireless cards based on Atheros chipsets due to its open-source driver support through Madwifi.

Description

Type-1

EMP-8602 PLUS-S: 802.11a/b/g 600mW High Power mini PCI Card

• Manufacturer - EMP/EnGenius
• Specifications
  • Atheros AR5006 6th generation chipset (AR5212, RF5413)
  • Dual band 802.11a/b/g
  • Available transmit power upto
    • 28 dBm +/- 2dBm 802.11b
    • 28 dBm +/- 2dBm 802.11g
    • 22 dBm +/- 2dBm 802.11a
  • Two U.FL. (MHF) antenna leads - go to pigtails?
  • Receiver Sensitivity
    • 802.11a: -90dBm @ 6Mbps, -72dBm @ 54Mbps
    • 802.11g: -91 dBm @ 6Mbps, -74 dBm @ 54Mbps
    • 802.11b: -95 dBm @ 1Mbps, -90 dBm @ 11Mbps
• go to ​datasheet for further details

Type-2

ALFA AWPCI085H: 802.11a/b/g 1000mW miniPCI Card

• Manufacturer - ALFA networks
• Specifications
  • Atheros AR5006XS 6th generation chipset (AR5214)
  • Dual band 802.11a/b/g
  • Output Power:
    • IEEE 802.11a 22dBm+1 @ 6Mbps (Avg)
    • IEEE 802.11a 25dBm+1 @ 6Mbps (Peak)
    • IEEE 802.11g: 27dBm+1 @ 6Mbps(Avg)
    • IEEE 802.11g: 31dBm+1 @ 6Mbps(Peak)
  • Super A/G (Turbo) mode support
  • Two MMCX antenna connector - go to pigtails?
  • IEEE 802.11a/g Sensitivity @ Packet Error Rate: 10%
    • 54 Mbps : ~ -74dBm, 48 Mbps : ~ -77dBm, 36 Mbps : ~ -83dBm, 24 Mbps : ~ -86dBm,
      18 Mbps : ~ -90dBm, 12 Mbps : ~ -91dBm, 9 Mbps : ~ -93dBm, 6 Mbps : ~ -94dBm
  • go to ​datasheet for further details

Inventory

	Type-1	Type-2
MRC lab	22	2
EB-II	19	0

Place to purchase/Previously purchased from

• Engenius cards (type-1) ​netgate-EnGenius
• ALFA cards (type-2) ​netgate-ALFA