Zyxel Smart Antenna?

[s61]

I came across this new line of access points from zyxel featuring a smart antenna array. After reading the white paper, it appears that it operates the same way beamflex does. Is this a joint venture between ruckus and zyxel, or is it just their own implementation?

[yung_yi_lin]

Agree with you, s61. Beamforming is client dependent.

@Eizens,

I intended to say "omni directional" antenna, but that's fine. Just trying to find what's the truth. Is it physically changing antenna pattern, or is it Tx beamforming. 

The typical embeded antenna is like this. They are mostly PIFA antennas. You can easily find those in FCC report.

My point is, from the white paper, and from the antenna design, there is no way to come out the conclusion to say it is just beamforming, pure marketing, but nothing else.

[eizens_putnins]

1. Beamforming may be client-dependent theoretically, do you have ever seen client-dependent beamforming implemented and working? I haven't.  

2. I became really curious (you are right, from whitepaper conclusion can't be done, as WP is not written by technical people for technical people). So I looked on fcc report, which is really technical source: https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/I88WAC6503D-S/2472776 and description there is quit different. I found that this AP really seems to be similar to clone of Ruckus ZF2942, each antenna has (at least it looks so) 4switchable elements, and there is FPGA to switch them.  In this case this AP can provide real beamforming. It is interesting, how it corresponds  with Ruckus patents, but it is possible, that patent for this old design without  PDR is expired, or even sold, or there is a way to ignore it. I don't expect Ruckus commenting on that, but it would be interesting to know. There is another china vendor, which is openly copying Ruckus Beamflex, difference is that his equipment doesn't really work that well...

[eizens_putnins]

Antenna close look.

[s61]

Did a little bit more digging as well. Picture below comes from their WAX650S. Googled the company, adant, and it turns out they specialize in designing smart antennas. They've contracted zyxel and d-link according to the following article. https://wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/adant-smart-antennas-can-boost-wi-fi-speeds-from-close-to-ze...

[hayward_kong]

interesting...