What is STBC?
STBC stands for Space-Time Block Coding. STBC is an optional alternative to spatial multiplexing that is more complicated and expensive but gets better performance, particularly for systems where the number of receive antennas is less than the number of transmit antennas. A typical case is that of an AP transmitting to a handset or handheld client; the AP of course can support multiple antennas and transmitters but the client may only have room (and battery power) for a single receiver. In this case, STBC can be used to significantly increase the signal to noise ratio (SNR) at the receiver, thereby improving the range.
