Here is an interpretation of Part 15, explaining how to make sure your
high-gain antenna is within the ``legal limit'':

 http://www.lns.com/papers/FCCPart15_and_the_ISM_2.4G_Band.index

Here is some rambling that agrees with John Utz's speculation, that
the proprietary connectors were required by the FCC so that the
manufacturers could sell particular type-certified antennas.  However
it's trivial to get a bullshit-to-N adapter from brumleynet or
similar, so if this was the intent, it failed.

 http://lists.bawug.org/pipermail/wireless/2001-July/001492.html


My take on it all: there are a bunch of radio integrators out there
who have up until now made their living selling the sort of systems
that goofballs are now building DIY out of pringles cans (if they're
showoffs) or commercial $50-$100 wire-mesh-dish antennas (if not).
The integrators worry about ``fade margins'' and have fancy test
equipment and talk about ``the site'' and ``the customer.''  The
simplicity of this new low-end gear irritates them, threatens them,
makes them feel castrated and superfluous, so they have many reasons
to explain why their roles are still necessary.  They start with the
reasonable assertion that ``our systems work better than yours,'' but
are overwhelmed with a chorus of ``WE DON'T CARE!''  

So they try again.  No mere amateur can navigate the maze of FCC
regulations.  The relevant language usually includes the words ``type
certification'' and ``pacemakers,'' and the associated images of
death, chaos, the Lidless Eye of the FCC's goon-squad huff-duff vans,
the Fascist Jackboot and ``daddy, why is mommy in handcuffs?''
<sniff>, so shameful, so sad that their fresh innocence should be
tainted by concepts like moral ambiguity and innocent until proven
guilty.  

``Great Scott, Batman!  I'd better hire a professional Radio Priest
before it's too late, or abandon my presumptuous goofyness in
tampering with the Awesome Mysteries of Radio for good!''  so,
although I'm now convinced that John Utz's specilation is probably
spot-on as to what's going on with these goatheadded plugs---``that's
a connection, but not a connector.''  (Scott at Electro-Comm)---I
would be wary of taking these naysayers at face value.  They have a
vested interest, and clearly the FCC is trying to do something
different with the 2.4GHz junk band---hence the cultivated threat to
the established regime, and the ERP bonus allowance for links that are
directional on both ends.

Airport only put out 30mW, and the legal limit for ISM is 1000mW, 3dB
antenna.  We are being handed such pathetic toys, and the proper way
to use a toy is to play and be happy, right?

``That's not a toy, son.  That's a radio.  In the wrong hands, it's
Dangerous!''

As for the firmware-upgrade problems, I would say that hindsight is
20-20, but all the same you were the victims of some really
low-quality software.  Thanks for mentioning it---I'll try to avoid
the HP and Proxim ``brands.''  I've already been avoiding HP for a
while now.

BTW, someone on a.c.ericsson told me it would be illegal to allow
consumers to upgrade the firmware in any radio gear themselves,
because a firmware upgrade would require the device to go through type
certification again.  Yup.  Well I guess I've been schooled.  I'll
never try THAT again, Officer.