AsiaRF AW7915-NP1 / 802.11ax / WiFi6

OK, that’s the same for us. I’d say we wait 2-4 weeks for others to join and get a good quote.

I was thinking to use the WLE900VX for 2.4Ghz.
The card is dual band already and it supports 3 channels.
Does the ax protocol improve performance over 2.4Ghz?

It does - dramatically! Up to 1,2 GBit/s with 4x4:4 and MU-MIMO…
Actually the WLE900VX has 2x2:3 (3 antennae out of which only two can be used by one client at a time/no MIMO) with a maximum throughput of 300 MBit/s.

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Just in case, I’ve seen diplexers in a shop, even in stock now: Turris Omnia diplexer | Discomp - networking solutions (though not very cheap in my layman eyes… I guess I’m used to buying mass produced stuff)

Thank you for advice, so to have 4 antennas in total we need diplexer, pigtail to connect from both AsiaRF card and yes the black anntenna only then will be possible to complete upgrade to 802.11ax, where to get antennas and pigtails ?

I think discomp.cz has everything you need. → wrong, they seem to not sell MHF to MHF cables (and especially not MHF I to MHF I ones - those are needed). As I do not want so search for other distributors I linked one possible cable from a manufacturer originating in Germany I am pretty much happy with.

edited

I’ll edit this post later today with a detailed upgrade accessory list and links.

Maybe I’ll later on improve it with pictured instructions for TO when the cards arrive.

edit:
What you have

What you want:

  1. Usage scenario LTE-router: 2-3 holes for LTE-access (3 if you want to have also an external GPS-antenna), 4 holes for WIFI
    1. drill 2 more holes
      2.A (dual WIFI 2,4GHz + 5GHz) buy 2 AW7915-NP1, 2 heatsinks, 2 diplexers, 4 UFL to UFL cables, 1 antenna
      2.B (single WIFI 2,4GHz or 5GHz) buy 1 AW7915-NP1, 1 heatsink, 3 UFL to RP-SMA, 1 antenna
  2. Usage scenario AP/router for (V)DSL/cable/SFP-modem or SFP-modem+router: buy 2 AW7915-NP1, 2 heatsinks
    1. cheap
      1. drill 1 more hole
      2. buy 3 UFL to RP-SMA cables, 3 antennas
    2. buy 2 diplexers, 4 UFL to UFL cables, 1 antenna

p.s.: It may make sense replacing the standard antennas with other external antennas (e.g. those) and additional cabling, but that absolutely depends on the usage scenario/architectural conditions and is off topic in this thread.

edit 2: just wanted to crosslink @Pepe 's thread about replacement parts where I borrowed some links - thanks :slight_smile:

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Yes, however at the end they tell you that they do not go below 35$ per piece. Which is still cheap I guess. Hence, I ordered 2 :slight_smile:

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Diplexers are quite expensive (about 10 € for 1pc). You can buy just antennas and cables to have 6 antennas together - two common for both 2,4GHz and 5GHz and 2 for 2,4GHz and 2 for 5GHz.
I have now 5 antennas with only two diplexers…

One question for @psiegl: Does the card have heat sink on it? As seen on picture of my AC wave 2 card, it came with pre installed heat sink. Or there is no need for heat sink?

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That would be actually great. I had not seen the pigtail and antennas on discomp website but looked just briefly. I just bought new Turris Omnia at fair today and talked with guys from team. I asked them if they will be selling the kit for upgrade to wifi ax and they said they plan it but were unable to give any details or date so far. My plan is now to migrate from blue Turris 1.0 to Omnia. Actually it is going to be new configuration on HBD TOS 6 and do the upgrade to ax and switch once I feel it is ready.

Nope, the AsiaRF AW7915-NP1 does not come with a heat sink. See below:

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OK, then it might be necessary to add an heatsink. I’ll add it to the accessory-list above.

Do you think, heatsink is necessary?

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After all there is one gold standard for electronic devices - the cooler they are operated the smoother they run.
I don’t know how well the AW7915-NP1 is engineered (remember the faulty capacitors of the WLE900VX bundled with TO Indiegogo version that refuse warm reboots) and I’m tired of finding out the hard way so I myself clearly recommend using a heatsink.

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Hmmm, thats true, but does that from discomp, recommended for LTE modem, have enough capacity to cool down this wifi card? I think it is the same as for CPU on Omnia, which uses the case for further heat dissipation.
So, then there will be one from CPU + 2 from wifi cards. If cards will be hot, the case will be hot too and it could affect whole system. Heatsink of my current wifi card has different construction, not connected to the case. Maybe it is worth to consider this.

Edit: Maybe this one should be OK: AMPUL.EU - Hliníkový chladič 28x28x20mm s teplovodivú

or this one AMPUL.EU - Hliníkový chladič 28x28x15mm s teplovodivú

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You are right, but we also need to consider that there is low to zero air flow in a passively cooled housing. A while ago I had to test my second TO (because it is operating standalone in an allotment directly below a non-insulat roof that gets pretty warm in midsummer), where I attached the mentioned cooler to both a LTE-modem and a WLE900VX and did a stresstest with all components (5 GHz-Wi-Fi, LTE and CPU) and as a result got a pretty warm but not hot housing. But this might be too much when operating 3 AW7915-NP1-cards in parallel…
Maybe someone owning a card and a IR-thermometer needs to do some stresstests followed by temperature-measurements to see if a small cooler is enough. But my gut feeling is no cooler will be not enough.

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Well, yesterday I was copying some stuff from my 2x 2,5" HDD NAS perk, sumultaneously via wifi and LAN (= each HDD was running) and router housing was quite hot - 43°C in place where cpu cooler is sticked. With 3 such coolers sticked not far from each other it could be much worse.

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Anybody else willing to participate in our collective order?

I’d like to join you guys…
What info do you need?

Just send me a PM how many cards you would like to order and which country you are from for a beginning.
As soon as we are “complete” (maybe 1 more week waiting for other participants) I will ask for the pricing and come back to you for how to pay.

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Just FYI, they do charge $35 for shipping with FedEx plus there will be VAT + Tax + handling on top of that.