*8500 Antenna Came Apart How to fix?

[FormatC]

Hi there long time Netgear user (My first newly bought router was my WNDR4500) anyway I bought a used R8500 router online and it was packed too well as in I was unwrapping it from it's bubble wrap (in a box in a box) and two of the plastic pieces around the antennas came off.

I don't think they are broken but the antenna board does not just slide in like I thought and I don't want to force it and break it if I didn't already.

How do these go back together?

Left is the antenna shell right is the router and 2 antenna boards.

[plemans · Accepted solution]

Just curious. It had to have come out half decently for the connections to be intact. so it'd have to go back in half decently. 

My understanding is the board is there because its an amplified antenna. 

the housing is just a protective. you don't *need* it but it should go back on without to much force or it wouldnt have come off. 

[plemans]

Photos have to be approved by a moderator. If you click on "choose file" and attach that route, we can see whats going on in the photo right away

[FormatC]

I don't know what you mean sorry.
Anyone know the answer though
Picture here
"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wBzxCKhbbfajT5tc93vxYwUlMQ9dFbz6/view?usp=sharing"

[plemans]

looks like the boards are still good. I'd (carefuly) try and get them back on and use a little hot glue to hold it together. Or I'd ask for a refund on ebay (think thats where you bought them from)

[FormatC]

Yep I got it from eBay I can't get the boards to slide in that housing and I don't want to break it so I'm asking is there a specific way the board is supposed to be put into the plastic piece?

[plemans]

No clue. I don't have that specific model and I haven't had the antenna's come apart on any of mine. got a picture of the end of the housing that it slides into? 

And a picture of the end of the board? 

Is it to tights as it slides in or what issue happens?

[FormatC]

Here are more pictures of the plastic pieces

"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qMt4j0S6xNHpyuXTZ8MYz28W4YuLXy-v/view?usp=sharing"

Anyway why the board? Never seen a router with a board on the antenna before.
I only got it because it also came with an EX7000 and was cheaper then just the router from another seller.
My R7500 is acting weird random reboots so I need another non ISP provided router.

AKA spy routers I asked Charter they said they can only see that I have one but nothing past it like they can with theirs that is the reason you can remotely manage it and see what devices are on it

[plemans · Accepted solution]

Just curious. It had to have come out half decently for the connections to be intact. so it'd have to go back in half decently. 

My understanding is the board is there because its an amplified antenna. 

the housing is just a protective. you don't *need* it but it should go back on without to much force or it wouldnt have come off. 

[FormatC]

Well I looked more closely at the inside and the board has to put to one side of the plastic case not the center as I was doing.

I got both of them back on but one has a small stress crack but it still attached as it was not on the clip part.

[plemans]

glad you got it back on!

Hope it works great for you!

[FormatC]

Yet got it configured last night with DD-WRT as I heard of the "Bricking" issue with the Netgear Genie firmware but I think DD-WRT is missing some features mainly 5GHZ WiFi single smart mode and LED control.
I have the 400 (MBPS MB?) I forget which alphabet soup letter they use but it seem much faster even with my wired (most of my stuff) stuff.

I mostly use WiFi for stuff that lacks an ethernet port.