Motherboard What's with the weird box-shaped antenna?

[zovc]

It's me again with another silly question.

As per the title, I've noticed a few motherboards--especially 'higher end' ones--coming with strange box-shaped antennas. My AsRock Z97E-ITXac came with one and I just watched a review of another AsRock motherboard (the Z270 Fatal1ty) that had the same sort of antenna.

What I'm talking about is pretty clearly pictured here.

Part of the reason I ask is just because I think they look odd. The other reason is, as a 'SFF enthusiast,' the idea of having extra wires dangling off of my motherboard and cluttering things up really gets me down. If my motherboard came with an antenna like this, can I replace it with 'regular' post-like antennas?

 

[ricochet]

Yes, you can easily replace with the following: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GMBUS8O/?tag=theminutiae-20

 

[cmyk78]

You're welcome for the link

 

[ricochet]

You're welcome for the link

I ordered them immediately after you gave me that link!!! Now go back into your igloo before you get frost bite!

 

[zovc]

Yes, you can easily replace with the following: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GMBUS8O/?tag=theminutiae-20

That item's description says "Only use for MINI PCI-E INTERFACE, DO NOT USE FOR M.2 (NGFF) INTERFACE"

I believe--though I could be mistaken--that my motherboard (and most newer ITX ones) use M.2 interface WIFI cards. Of course, I could just be mistaken because M.2 is really confusing.

 

[ricochet]

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/lz7-8-high-end-build.1162/page-2#post-29084

 

[zovc]

So there's no adjustment needed internally, screw the them on? That's what I was hoping for!

 

[cmyk78]

Yeah you just screw them on instead of the box thing

 

[Phuncz]

I taped it to the back of my Ncase M1 when I had my ASRock board in there. Now with an Asus board, I received this kind of antenna:

It doesn't fall down as easily I could also tape it somewhere in the "alternate mode".