SISO antenna on RUTX11

[Diego]

I have a network with 5 RUTX11 radios, where 1 is configured as an access point and the other 4 as clients, all configured in 2.4GHZ.

I would like to know if I can use SISO antennas, with only one polarization, on a single Wi-Fi port of the radio.

Do the two Wi-Fi ports of a radio transmit the same signal?

[Arturas]

Good afternoon,

Teltonika RUTX11 supports MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology for Wi-Fi, which requires dual antennas for optimal performance. Here’s a breakdown of your query:

Key Considerations:

1. Antenna Configuration:

The RUTX11 has two RP-SMA Wi-Fi antenna ports designed for MIMO operation, which improves throughput and reliability by using spatial diversity.

Using SISO antennas (single polarization) on one port is technically possible, but it will force the device into SISO mode, negating MIMO benefits like higher data rates and signal robustness.

2. Wi-Fi Port Behavior:

The two Wi-Fi ports do not transmit identical signals. They are part of a MIMO setup, where each antenna handles separate spatial streams or polarizations (e.g., horizontal and vertical) to enhance performance.
If you use only one antenna port, the router will default to single-stream communication, reducing theoretical maximum speeds (e.g., from 867 Mbps in dual-band MIMO to ~150 Mbps for 2.4 GHz SISO)

3. Impact on Your Setup:

For 2.4 GHz networks, MIMO is less critical than in 5 GHz, but it still improves stability and coverage. Disabling one antenna port may lead to:
Reduced throughput for high-bandwidth applications.
Increased susceptibility to interference in dense environments
If your use case prioritizes simplicity over performance (e.g., low-data IoT devices), SISO antennas might suffice. However,Teltonika recommends using dual-polarized antennas for full MIMO functionality

Regards,
Arturas