From: gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net   
      
   On 7/24/20 11:24 PM, Sqwertz wrote:   
   > Does this flip-open flappy dohickey actually do anything?   
      
   Maybe.   
      
   > Or is just for show and something to accidentally (or purposely)   
   > break off?  I seem to get better reception with it closed and sitting   
   > it's its dock.   
      
   In radio (RF), there is the concept of polarization of antennas and the   
   radio waves that they emit.   
      
   Many APs have rubber duck antennas that actually do have wire in them   
   and said rubber duck antennas are depicted vertical, thus vertically   
   polarizing them.  Having a similarly vertically polarized antenna on the   
   other end, like the A6210, passes the basic conceptual sniff test.   
      
   That being said, I don't know how the high frequencies in 802.11   
   (multiple GHz) react to polarization compared to lower frequences (Hz /   
   kHz / MHz).  It may be that the wavelength of the multi-GHz frequency is   
   short enough that the orientation doesn't make much difference.   
      
   Though, I have fixed WiFi problems by making sure that the rubber duck   
   antennas were standing vertical many times in the past.   
      
   So, conceptually, I think the idea passes the sniff test.   
      
   The biggest question to me is if there is anything inside the flap or   
   not.  I doubt that Netgear would have created it if it didn't do   
   something to make it worth the effort.   
      
      
      
   --   
   Grant. . . .   
   unix || die   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)