How does beamflex choose an antenna element?

[s61]

I've looked at some of the internals for some ruckus access points, specifically the 7000 series. What I can't seem to figure out is how the access point activates individual antenna elements. The antennas appear to be connected by one u.fl cable each. Does it use the u.fl cable to connect the entire antenna to the radio, while a controller on the board chooses an individual antennae element to power? Also, is there a way to determine the amount of antenna elements a ruckus AP is currently using or has, without physically looking at it? Is it in a log?

[andrea_coppini]

The whole point of BeamFlex is that you don’t need to worry about it, it just works.  Most of the inner workings is a patented company secret but essentially you are correct.  In the older APs (7962), it used to be individually connected antennas and then the beamflex algorithm chooses one ore more antenna elements. In newer APs this was changed to use reflectors. The antenna is always the one, but the algorithm turns on and off RF reflectors to direct the beam.

[s61]

Wow that's very interesting. I asked because I was genuinely curious about this. Thanks for clarifying. However, going back to my last question would it be possible to view something like that? On the 9.8.3 firmware I know I've seen something in the log section.

[andrea_coppini]

No. BeamFlex is a hardware function. The controller, or even the part of the AP which communicates with the controller, aren’t aware of what BeamFlex is doing.