I'm considering replacing an AirPort Extreme by adding an R52Hn to my RB493G.

1. What does the R52Hn come with? Will I need to purchase pigtails to bring the antenna jacks to surface of my case (the Mikrotik RB493 case with the 3 holes on the side)?

2. I assume I'll need two antennas. For simultaneous 2.4 and 5 GHz, does that mean one antenna is 2.4 and one is 5? Or do I get two dual-band antennas?

3. Should I want to go there, does the R52Hn support Virtual AP?

1. What does the R52Hn come with? Will I need to purchase pigtails to bring the antenna jacks to surface of my case (the Mikrotik RB493 case with the 3 holes on the side)?

It comes by itself, a single card in an anti-static bag. It has 2x MMCX Connectors, so you'll need MMCX->* (whatever you are trying to achieve)

2. I assume I'll need two antennas. For simultaneous 2.4 and 5 GHz, does that mean one antenna is 2.4 and one is 5? Or do I get two dual-band antennas?

Ok I think you're a little confused here.

- Yes you'll need two antennas for 802.11n
- This card cannot do simultaneous 2.4ghz and 5ghz, you can select one or the other. If you want dual band, you'll need to purchase two of these cards.
- You can purchase dual band antennas if you wish, however again you can only use one band at one time.

3. Should I want to go there, does the R52Hn support Virtual AP?

It certainly does


Back to your original idea..

I'm considering replacing an AirPort Extreme by adding an R52Hn to my RB493G.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the AirPort Extreme is a 3x3 MIMO device. So already you have a potential drop in speed moving to the R52Hn as that is only 2x2.

You can swap over to an R52Hn, however I don't think it will do exactly as you are thinking at the moment.

I have personally never seen great laptop-to-R52Hn performance my self, but that was in some basic testing I have done before the card went into service on a point-to-point link, so I would only take those results with a grain of salt

r52Hn is awesome for PtP link but my exp. with PtMP r not so gr8. Although theoratically i think it shld be gud but practicall I am yet to be assured. I am still in RnD mode on that

Thanks. I guess I'll stick with the airport for now. I was attracted by the potential increase in coverage through the use of external antennas and 5 db more power, and I have a potential use for VAP, but I'd want simultaneous dual band, and I definitely will be using it as a multi-client base.

Are any of the other cards suitable candidates? Or is it just better to skip it.

for simultaneous dual band use 2 sectors 1 433ah with 2 different cards

Thanks. I guess I'll stick with the airport for now. I was attracted by the potential increase in coverage through the use of external antennas and 5 db more power, and I have a potential use for VAP, but I'd want simultaneous dual band, and I definitely will be using it as a multi-client base.

Are any of the other cards suitable candidates? Or is it just better to skip it.

For what you are trying to achieve (Home AP), its better to just stick with your AirPort Extreme. Any other setup is going to be much larger and realistically overkill.

You could setup 2x cards with two lots of small omni's in a box, but its not going to be anywhere as neat as your AirPort, nor is it going to be as easy to setup.

But hey, you're on this forum, so you're most likely into the hardware and hacking of it all, so its no reason to -not- do it, just probably not the best solution for home wifi