WRAP Indoor Enclosure - Where to put antenna?

[rneily]

I dont really need all the features of the outdoor enclousure for the WRAP platform, but the regular aluminum indoor enclosures dont have holes for antennas.

Anyone got any recommendations on where to put the holes for the antenna or pictures if someone has allready done this?  What size drill bit is needed?

[hoba]

Sorry for the poor quality, these are just handy shots…
The best place to drill a hole (IMO) is between the power connector and the right NIC (seen from behind). I suggest you first get the pigtail cable and then find the right size of the driller. The placement at this location makes it possible to remove the board (for example for cf-replacement) without unmounting the antenna.

http://pfsense.com/~hoba/Bild034.jpg
http://pfsense.com/~hoba/Bild035.jpg

[rneily]

Dont most of the wireless cards have two antennas?  Is it necessary to hook up both?  (I see you only have one here)

[hoba]

You don't need both but it will work with 2 too (diversity). The driver does some autosensing wether to use the one, the other or both.
There is not very much space but I have seen people adding another antenna next between the left edge and the com port.

[rneily]

Thanks for the input Hoba!  I'm off to order some cards/antennas.

[rneily]

I'd thought I'd followup and say that the new Aluminum WRAP enclosures from www.mini-box.com allready have a pre-drilled hole for the antenna… I think this is a new feature, I called www.mini-box.com and they didnt even know it was there...

[Guest]

PcEngines is shipping cases with pre-drilled holes (2port has 2 and 3port has 1) since the end of 2005.