Killer 1103 Wireless-N Help

ste-sim2x9 · 31 Jul 2015 at 19:07

Hi i've just brought a Killer 1103 Qualcomm Atheros uPCI-e Wireless-N 1103 3x3 MIMO 450Mbps card to replace a Realtek RTL8723BE card that refused to function right on windows 8.1 and now 10. I've fitted laptop network cards before but not cards with 3 antenna fittings like this has. My Laptop has only 2 cables for the antenna. What is the 3rd antenna socket for?

Caged · 31 Jul 2015 at 19:44

For the third antenna that you don't have.

You've bought a 3x3 card and you don't haven enough antennas for it. You will see a maximum PHY link of 300Mbps.

ste-sim2x9 · 31 Jul 2015 at 19:53

Can i buy an extra antenna for it?.

Steveocee · 1 Aug 2015 at 05:06

ste-sim2x9 said:
Can i buy an extra antenna for it?.

Probably, it should be a fairly standard U.fl connector but where you'll route the antenna is another story. You'd be better just connecting the 2 and leave it at that.

ste-sim2x9 · 1 Aug 2015 at 15:14

At the moment i have it working with the 2 antennas connected and is running fine. I just didn't know if i needed the 3rd antenna.

Steveocee · 1 Aug 2015 at 15:29

ste-sim2x9 said:
At the moment i have it working with the 2 antennas connected and is running fine. I just didn't know if i needed the 3rd antenna.

If it's working then probably not. I think the additional antenna are for when it increases bandwidth and you start to transfer 300+ Mbps (3x3). Depends if your router supports it as to whether you're missing out or not.

ste-sim2x9 · 1 Aug 2015 at 15:53

Just been looking at the wireless info via [netsh wlan show all]. Below is some of the info about my wireless connection

State : connected
Radio type : 802.11n
Channel : 44

Does this mean i'm running on 5ghz.
My modem is a virgin media super hub 2 and has both 2.4 and 5ghz ticked.

Steveocee · 1 Aug 2015 at 15:56

I believe it does. I don't think The SH2 can do more than 300Mb transfer even in 5Ghz so you're probably over specc'd for the router.

I think in the options you can move the speed up/down at what it states is cost of stability BUT I don't think the SH2 is dual band simultaneous (any corrections welcome) so any devices you don't have with 5Ghz won't work on wifi now.

bremen1874 · 1 Aug 2015 at 15:58

Channel 44 will be 5GHz. The highest channel on (in the UK) 2.4GHz is 13.

ste-sim2x9 · 1 Aug 2015 at 16:12

Steveocee said:
I believe it does. I don't think The SH2 can do more than 300Mb transfer even in 5Ghz so you're probably over specc'd for the router.

I think in the options you can move the speed up/down at what it states is cost of stability BUT I don't think the SH2 is dual band simultaneous (any corrections welcome) so any devices you don't have with 5Ghz won't work on wifi now.

I think it does as my 3rd gen ipad and the wifes Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 still connect fine and they ain't 5ghz compat. The Sh2 lets me untick 2.4 or 5ghz
or tick both.

Steveocee · 1 Aug 2015 at 16:38

ste-sim2x9 said:
I think it does as my 3rd gen ipad and the wifes Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 still connect fine and they ain't 5ghz compat. The Sh2 lets me untick 2.4 or 5ghz
or tick both.

Brilliant. My memory is patchy as I hardly ran my SH2 in router mode.

ste-sim2x9 · 1 Aug 2015 at 17:10

Thanks for the input