Operating Broadcom Wi-Fi Chips as Arbitrary Signal Transmitters, Like SDRs

Re:Operating Broadcom Wi-Fi Chips as Arbitrary Signal Transm... by colanderman on Thursday March 15, 2018 @09:08AM (#16592462)

The limits in the 2.4 GHz range are 1 W maximum emitted power, amplified via directed antenna up to 4 W maximum. (5 GHz has more complex rules, but is generally more restrictive of emitted power and less restrictive of directed amplification.) Not sure what these dongles are so I can't comment on them specifically.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Operating Broadcom Wi-Fi Chips as Arbitrary Signal Transm... by exikyut on Thursday March 15, 2018 @10:56PM (#16598240)

I see.

This 5MW one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/171907612288

And this 5.8MW one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/222605454974

And this 6MW one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/171907483813

Are all 2.4GHz.

And I probably shouldn't really use any of them then. :/

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Operating Broadcom Wi-Fi Chips as Arbitrary Signal Transm... by colanderman on Friday March 16, 2018 @05:52PM (#16604276)

If you are using them in the US to transmit at their full power in a point-to-multipoint system, they are not legal.

They would be legal for a point-to-point setup, since they achieve their high EIRP due to high antenna gain (as opposed to high output power). But also due to that high gain, they're not really useful for anything but point-to-point (think backhaul between buildings).

You could also use them legally and usefully as a client (pointed at an AP) if you turn the power down so that the EIRP is 4 W (36 dB). You'd still benefit from the high antenna gain in the receiving direction (though not in the transmitting direction, which includes TCP ACKs).

[ Parent | on HN ]