Hastings Wireless: Antenna Tests

2004 Jul 20 - Brian Kloppenborg

We finally got out in the 98 F weather and started testing on our equipment. We used a Laptop with a Netgear MA401 V2 PCMCIA card for the mobile point and a DWL-900AP+ for the stationary point. We mounted everything to a tripod for testing. A one meter patch cable made from LMR-400 was used.

Devices

DLink DWL-900AP+ Access Point:

DWL-900AP+ Access Point

24 dBi parabolic grid antenna with N-connector

24 dBi Parabolic Grid Antenna

Home-built 24 dBi omni-directional antenna with N-connector which was later encased in 1" diameter PVC

Custom 24 dBi Omni-directional Antenna

Results

The results are listed in tabular form below:

  12 dBi Stock Antenna Custom Omni 24 dBi directional
Distance (ft) Strength Quality TX Rate (Mbps) Strength Quality TX Rate (Mbps) Strength Quality TX Rate (Mbps)
0 100 100 2 100 100 2 100 100 2
25 80 100 2 93 100 2 100 100 2
50 80 100 2 86 100 2 93 100 2
75 66 93 2 80 100 2 93 100 2
100 60 80 2 66 93 2 93 100 2
125 40 60 2 60 86 2 93 100 2
150 40 53 2 60 80 2 80 100 2
560 26 40 1 40 46 2 66 86 2
650 N/A     26 40 2 60 80 2
720       13 20 1 40 46 2
830       13 13 1 40 40 2

Here is an aerial photo of the testing area with approximate locations for the distance markers:

 

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