Strange design on a big branded product

[sam1275]

Hi, I got a Linksys E1200 recently and when I see the disassembling photo I got confused:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Disassembling+the+Linksys+E1200/22917
There is half space contain nothing in the case??? I think only shit China brand do this to make their product looks bigger, why Linksys design like this? Thank you for discuss!

[obiwanjacobi]

Perhaps there are other models that have more features and a bigger PCB?
They reuse the housing for all models and keep a uniform look and feel for their range of products...?

[Ian.M]

Physical stability?  With five ethernet cables connected a narrower case would be likely to tip

[Rerouter]

If it was the kind of thing china was pulling you would expect a lump of concrete in the blank space to up the weight, (more weight = more quality)

It is likely to be a common case between a number of products, that or considering airflow is such an issue with these products, they chose to give it far more ventilation in places that are hard to cover,

[wraper]

Nothing strange. Moreover there could be multiple revisions of this thing with different board size. This enclosure could be used for multiple models too.

[SL4P]

if just take it back to the shop, and ask for a full one.

[andtfoot]

Perhaps there are other models that have more features and a bigger PCB?
They reuse the housing for all models and keep a uniform look and feel for their range of products...?

I have a Linksys access point that has the same looking case. Probably just different screen-printing and back panel.

[Jeroen3]

Looks like this one is missing the MIMO antenna's.

[ConKbot]

It looks like the EA-1600 shares the same case. The EA-1600 is an wireless AC router, vs the 1200 which is a wireless N router, so one would expect the EA-1600 would use a larger PCB and need more space.  Note the extra clips and standoffs in the teardown of the 1200.  Saves cash on the design of a new case, design of injection molding tooling, making of the molds, and logistics/supply chain of yet another case style. 

[tron9000]

n

I think only shit China brand do this to make their product looks bigger, why Linksys design like this? Thank you for discuss!

and you wonder why they make so much money? its re-using 1 enclosure for multiple products. An injection mould can cots a fortune so why not make other product fit inside it, or conversely, design a product to fit in an existing enclosure.

want a laugh, take apart a TGP110 pulse generator - now that's a waste of space!

[Rerouter]

and you wonder why they make so much money? its re-using 1 enclosure for multiple products. An injection mould can cots a fortune so why not make other product fit inside it, or conversely, design a product to fit in an existing enclosure.

want a laugh, take apart a TGP110 pulse generator - now that's a waste of space!

Let me guess, a small board, but a big box to fit all the knobs on?

That is one of my own largest pitfalls when designing something, yes i can make it all fit 3x3cm pcb, but i have 20 I/O, in the way of buttons, pots etc, which means i need to then make my board bigger to mount all of that to nicely... (to clarify i build my own test tools for work)

[tron9000]

want a laugh, take apart a TGP110 pulse generator - now that's a waste of space!

Let me guess, a small board, but a big box to fit all the knobs on?

That is one of my own largest pitfalls when designing something, yes i can make it all fit 3x3cm pcb, but i have 20 I/O, in the way of buttons, pots etc, which means i need to then make my board bigger to mount all of that to nicely... (to clarify i build my own test tools for work)

Well its not all wasted, they placed a little PSU board in the middle!

[retiredcaps]

After rev 1.0, companies do a lot of "value engineering" which sometimes means reducing the original BOM while retaining the same functionality.  So it is not uncommon for manufacturers to put in completely new revisions of the board while keeping the same model number.

I found a picture of the E1200 rev1 board on the Internet and as you can see it is "full" size.

http://infodepot.wikia.com/wiki/Linksys_E1200_v1.0?file=Linksys_E1200_f.jpg

[sam1275]

Thank you everyone.