Yes, you can swap in a dual-band antenna for your ASUS B550-E motherboard.
Yes, you can swap in a dual-band antenna for your ASUS B550-E motherboard.
The shark fin antenna appears to be merely a wire housed within a plastic casing.
You might swap the shark fin for plastic straws and ensure living creatures stay away from it.
It's actually straightforward. I followed the same steps you mentioned and searched online. Didn’t find anything appealing. As a hands-on person, I’ve chosen to try these changes myself.
First, I detached the antenna from its mounting base. Then I removed the flat plastic layer beneath it. The plastic was welded to the main part of the base but easily separated without any obvious damage.
Next, I used an old 2.5" hard drive, stripped it, and broke off two small magnet pieces. I glued them inside the base on the flat piece (carefully removing the tiny support parts at the tip).
Then I reinserted the magnet pieces back into the base with a bit of superglue. After that, I reassembled the antenna normally.
I tested it thoroughly. The modifications are subtle—neodymium magnets aren’t very strong now (since I broke a couple), so they won’t damage the case or interfere with signals. Placed it inside the base above the plastic, and the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth stayed stable. No drops or wobbles detected.
I’d recommend doing this at your own risk, though. You might void any warranties. As for why Asus didn’t include magnets or added weights, I don’t know.
The thing to observe with DIY antenna projects is that ionizing radiation levels drop in a logarithmic way. This means an antenna designed for ionizing power can be safe if tissue stays at least a few millimeters away, effectively rendering it non-ionizing by the time it reaches the body. Such setups can be built from any radio-transparent material, which is why I suggested using straws. Running a Wi-Fi antenna through the center of one keeps it shielded—your hand can’t approach more than a couple of millimeters. But getting too near risks exposure and potential health issues. Updated August 5, 2022 by Bombastinator