How to choose the best antenna for your access point
If the coverage provided by your wireless router or access point is still insufficient, you can replace the antenna with different higher gain models. There are antennas that have the same transmission power but that can extend wireless coverage in certain directions. To make an update is indispensable that your device is equipped with removable antennas and standard hooks (SMA or TNC).
Before to make an antenna upgrade you must first distinguish between directional and omnidirectional models. Directional antenna essentially work as that ones provided by default to cover equivalent distance in all directions , while omnidirectional cover specific directions for creating a longer distance bridge.
When you purchase an omni-directional antenna, it can be established its efficiency on the basis of dBi values: antennas typically mounted on the access points or router offer 2 or 5 dBi, while there are models with 6, 8 and even 10 dBi. Consider that an increase of 6 dBi corresponds to a doubling of the range of the coplanar plane.
The higher dbi values mean lower antenna “vertical” efficiency .In practice 8 dBi antenna is less efficient than a 5 dBi if the client is placed at a different elevation from the access point.
Directional antennas are typically used to establish small wireless links of small , therefore rarely they find space in a home wireless environment, these systems focus the issue in a specific direction penalizing all the others. Examples of highly directional antennas are Yagi, Backfire or Satellite Dishes, models that require a precise pointing. For indoor use the best solutions consist in directional panel antennas (prices from 30 up to 150 dollars), providing good coverage in a field angle without requiring specific point.
read also how to direct router antenna for getting the best coverage.
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