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RF Signal and Antenna

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RF Signal and Antenna Dr. Tahseen Al-Doori Dr. Tahseen Al-Doori The access point has to handle transmitting data differently than receiving data. – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: RF Signal and Antenna


1
RF Signal and Antenna
Dr. Tahseen Al-Doori
2
Objectives
  • Active and Passive Gain
  • Azimuth and Elevation Chart
  • Beamwidth
  • Antenna Types
  • Visual line of sight
  • RF line of sight
  • Fresnel Zone

3
  • Antenna Polarization
  • Antenna Diversity
  • Multi-Input-Multi-Output (MIMO)

4
  • The installation of antennas has the greatest
    ability to affect whether the communication is
    successful or not.
  • Antenna installation can be as easy as placing an
    access point in your office or it can be as
    complex as installing an assortment of
    directional antennas.
  • With the proper understanding of antennas and how
    they function, successful planning for and
    installing them in a wireless network will become
    a skillful and rewarding task.

5
Active and Passive Gain
  • You can increase the signal that is radiated out
    of the antenna (EIRP), by increasing the output
    of the transmitter, which in turn increase the
    amount of power provided by the antenna
    (Intentional Radiator) and thus the amount of
    power from the antenna (EIRP).
  • This increase is referred to as Active Gain.

6
  • When power is focused, the amount provided to the
    antenna does not change. It is the antenna acting
    like a lens on a flashlight that increase the
    power output by concentrating the RF signal in a
    specific direction.
  • Since the gain was created by shaping or
    directing the signal, and not by increasing the
    overall power, this increase is referred to as
    Passive gain.
  • Passive gain is caused by focusing the existing
    power, while the active gain is caused by adding
    more power.

7
Azimuth and Elevation Chart
  • There are many antenna types designed for many
    different purposes, just as there are many types
    of lights designed for many purposes.
  • It is easy to see the different lights by
    lighting them on, unfortunately, in the case of
    antennas that is not the case.

8
  • With the antenna measurements you need to walk
    around the antenna with an RF meter, take
    measurements and then plot it on piece of paper
    to find out the behavior of the RF Signal. This
    is a time consuming task and the results will be
    affected by the interference of many objects.
    Therefore, the manufacturers create azimuth
    charts and elevation charts. Which is known as
    radiation patterns.

9
Azimuth and elevation charts
10
  • Here are a few statements that will help you
    interpret the radiation charts
  • In either chart, the antenna is placed at the
    middle of the chart.
  • Azimuth chart H-plane top-down view
  • Elevation chart E-plane side view
  • The outer ring of the chart usually represents
    the strongest signal of the antenna. The chart
    does not represent distance or any level of power
    or strength. It only represents the relationship
    of power between different points on the chart.

11
  • One way to think of the chart is to consider the
    way a shadow behaves.
  • If you were to move a flashlight closer or
    farther from your hand, the shadow of your hand
    would grow larger or smaller. The size of the
    shadow does not represent the size of the hand.
    The shadow only shows the relationship between
    the hand and the fingers.
  • With an antenna, the radiation pattern will grow
    larger or smaller depending upon how much power
    the antenna receives, but the shape and the
    relationships represented by the patterns will
    always stay the same.

12
Beamwidth
  • Is the measurement of how broad or narrow the
    focus of an antenna is and is measured both
    horizontally and vertically.
  • It is the measurement from the center, or
    strongest point, of the antenna signal to each of
    the points along the horizontal and vertical axes
    where the signal decreases by half power (3 dB),
    as seen in the Fig. below

13
  • These 3 dB points are often referred to as half
    power points. The distance between the two half
    power points on the horizontal axis is measured
    in degrees, giving the horizontal beamwidth
    measurement. The distance between the two half
    power points on the vertical axis is also
    measured in degrees, giving the vertical
    beamwidth measurement.

14
Antenna Types
  • There are three main categories of antennas
  • Omni-directional radiate RF in a fashion similar
    to the way a table or floor lamp radiates light.
    They are designed to provide general coverage in
    all directions.
  • The small rubber dipole antenna, often referred
    to as a rubber duck antenna, is the classic
    example of an omni-directional antenna and is the
    default antenna of most access points.
  • The closest thing to an isotropic radiator is the
    omni-directional dipole antenna.

15
  • An easy way to explain the radiation pattern of a
    typical omni-directional antenna is to hold your
    index finger straight up (this represents the
    antenna) and place a donut on it as if it were a
    ring (this represents the RF signal).
  • If you were to slice the Donut in half
    horizontally, as if you were planning to spread
    butter on it, the cut surface of the Donut would
    represent the azimuth chart, or H-plane, of the
    omni-directional antenna. If you took another
    Donut and sliced it vertically instead,
    essentially cutting the hole that you are looking
    through in half, the cut surface of the Donut
    would now represent the elevation, or E-plane, of
    the omni-directional antenna.

16
  • We have learned that antennas can focus or direct
    the signal that they are transmitting.
  • It is important to know that the higher the dBi
    or dBd value of an antenna, the more focused the
    signal.
  • When discussing omni-directional antennas, it is
    not uncommon to initially question how it is
    possible to focus a signal that is radiated in
    all directions.
  • With higher-gain omni-directional antennas, the
    vertical signal is decreased and the horizontal
    power is increased.

17
  • The Fig. below shows the elevation view of three
    theoretical antennas. Notice that the signal of
    the higher-gain antennas is elongated, or more
    focused horizontally. The horizontal beamwidth of
    omni-directional antennas is always 360 degrees,
    and the vertical beamwidth ranges from 7 to 80
    degrees, depending upon the particular antenna.

18
  • Because of the narrower vertical coverage of the
    higher-gain omni-directional antennas, it is
    important to carefully plan how they are used.
    Placing one of these higher-gain antennas on the
    first floor of a building may provide good
    coverage to the first floor, but because of the
    narrow vertical coverage, the second and third
    floors may receive minimal signal.
  • In some installations you may want this in
    others you may not. Indoor installations
    typically use low-gain omni-directional antennas
    with gain of about 2.14 dBi.

19
  • Antennas are most effective when the length of
    the element is an even fraction (such as 1/4 or
    1/2) or a multiple of the wavelength (?).
  • A 2.4 GHz half-wave dipole antenna consists of
    two elements, each 1/4? in length (about 1 inch),
    running in the opposite direction from each
    other.

20
  • Omni-directional antennas are typically used in
    point-to-multipoint environments.
  • The omni-directional antenna is connected to a
    device (such as an access point) that is placed
    at the center of a group of client devices,
    providing central communications capabilities to
    the surrounding clients.
  • High-gain omni-directional antennas can also be
    used outdoors to connect multiple buildings
    together in a point-to-multipoint configuration.

21
  • A central building would have an omni-directional
    antenna on its roof, and the surrounding
    buildings would have directional antennas aimed
    at the central building. In this configuration,
    it is important to make sure that the gain of the
    omni-directional antenna is high enough to
    provide the coverage necessary but not so high
    that the vertical beamwidth is too narrow to
    provide an adequate signal to the surrounding
    buildings.

22
  • The Fig. below shows an installation where the
    gain is too high. The building to the left will
    be able to communicate, but the building on the
    right is likely to have problems.

23
  • Semi-directional radiate RF in a fashion similar
    to the way a wall sconce is designed to radiate
    light away from the wall or the way a street lamp
    is designed to shine light down on a street or a
    parking lot, providing a directional light across
    a large area.
  • Semi-directional antennas are used for short- to
    medium-distance communications, with
    long-distance communications being served by
    highly-directional antennas

24
  • There are three types of antennas that fit into
    the semi-directional category
  • Patch
  • Panel
  • Yagi (pronounced YAH-gee)
  • Patch and panel antennas are more accurately
    classified or referred to as planar antennas.

25
The exterior of a patch antenna and the internal
antenna element
26
  • These antennas can be used for outdoor
    point-to-point communications up to about a mile
    but are more commonly used as a central device
    for indoor point-to-multipoint communications.
  • It is common for patch or panel antennas to be
    connected to access points to provide directional
    coverage within a building.
  • Planar antennas can be used effectively in
    libraries, warehouses, and retail stores with
    long aisles of shelves.

27
  • Due to the tall, long shelves, omni-directional
    antennas often have difficulty providing RF
    coverage effectively.
  • In contrast, planar antennas can be placed high
    on the side walls of the building, aiming through
    the rows of shelves.
  • The antennas can be alternated between rows with
    every other antenna being placed on the opposite
    wall. Since planar antennas have a horizontal
    beamwidth of 180 degrees or less, a minimal
    amount of signal will radiate outside of the
    building. With the antenna placement alternated
    and aimed from opposite sides of the building,
    the RF signal is more likely to radiate down the
    rows, providing the necessary coverage.

28
  • Planar antennas are also often used to provide
    coverage for long hallways with offices on each
    side or hospital corridors with patient rooms on
    each side.
  • A planar antenna can be placed at the end of the
    hall and aimed down the corridor. A single planar
    antenna can provide RF signal to some or all of
    the corridor and the rooms on each side and some
    coverage to the floors above and below.
  • How much coverage will depend upon the power of
    the transmitter, the gain and beamwidth (both
    horizontal and vertical) of the antenna, and the
    attenuation properties of the building.

29
  • Using semi-directional antennas indoors often
    reduces reflections, thus minimizing some of the
    negative effects of multipath such as data
    corruption.

30
  • Yagi antennas are not as unusual as they sound.
  • The traditional television antenna that is
    attached to the roof of a house or apartment is a
    yagi antenna. The television antenna looks quite
    different because it is designed to receive
    signals of many different frequencies (different
    channels) and the length of the elements vary
    according to the wavelength of the different
    frequencies.

31
  • A yagi antenna that is used for 802.11
    communications is designed to support a very
    narrow range of frequencies, so the elements are
    all about the same length.
  • Yagi antennas are commonly used for short- to
    medium-distance point-to-point communications of
    up to about 2 miles, although high-gain yagi
    antennas can be used for longer distances.

32
The exterior of a yagi antenna and the internal
antenna element
33
  • Another benefit of semi-directional antennas is
    that they can be installed high on a wall and
    tilted downward toward the area to be covered.
  • This cannot be done with an omni-directional
    antenna without causing the signal on the other
    side of the antenna to be tilted upward. Since
    the only RF signal that radiates from the back of
    a semi-directional antenna is incidental, the
    ability to aim it vertically is an additional
    benefit.

34
  • Highly directional radiate RF in a fashion
    similar to the way a spotlight is designed to
    focus light on a flag or a sign. Each type of
    antenna is designed with a different objective in
    mind.
  • Highly-directional antennas are strictly used for
    point-to-point communications, typically to
    provide network bridging between two buildings.
    They provide the most focused, narrow beamwidth
    of any of the antenna types.

35
  • There are two types of highly-directional
    antennas
  • Parabolic dish and grid antennas.
  • The parabolic dish antenna is similar in
    appearance to the small digital satellite TV
    antennas that can be seen on the roofs of many
    houses.
  • The grid antenna resembles the rectangular grill
    of a barbecue, with the edges slightly curved
    inward. The spacing of the wires on a grid
    antenna is determined by the wavelength of the
    frequencies that the antenna is designed for.

36
  • Because of the high gain of highly-directional
    antennas, they are ideal for long-distance
    communications as far as 35 miles (58 km). Due to
    the long distances and narrow beamwidth,
    highly-directional antennas are affected more by
    antenna wind loading, which is antenna movement
    or shifting caused by wind. Even slight movement
    of a highly-directional antenna can cause the RF
    beam to be aimed away from the receiving antenna,
    interrupting the communications. In high-wind
    environments, grid antennas, due to the spacing
    between the wires, are less susceptible to wind
    load and may be a better choice.

37
  • Another option in high-wind environments is to
    choose an antenna with a wider beamwidth.
  • In this situation, if the antenna were to shift
    slightly, due to its wider coverage area, the
    signal would still be received. No matter which
    type of antenna is installed, the quality of the
    mount and antenna will have a huge effect in
    reducing wind load.

38
Phased Array
  • A phased array antenna is actually an antenna
    system and is made up of multiple antennas that
    are connected to a signal processor.
  • The processor feeds the individual antennas with
    signals of different relative phases, creating a
    directed beam of RF signal aimed at the client
    device.
  • Because it is capable of creating narrow beams,
    it is also able to transmit multiple beams to
    multiple users simultaneously. Phased array
    antennas do not behave like other antennas since
    they can transmit multiple signals at the same
    time. Because of this unique capability, they are
    often regulated differently by the local RF
    regulatory agency.

39
Sector Antennas
  • Sector antennas are a special type of high-gain,
    semi-directional antennas that provide a
    pie-shaped coverage pattern.
  • These antennas are typically installed in the
    middle of the area where RF coverage is desired
    and placed back to back with other sector
    antennas. Individually, each antenna services its
    own piece of the pie, but as a group, all of the
    pie pieces fit together and provide
    omni-directional coverage for the entire area.

40
  • Unlike other semi-directional antennas, a sector
    antenna generates very little RF signal behind
    the antenna (back lobe) and therefore does not
    interfere with the other sector antennas that it
    is working with.
  • The horizontal beamwidth of a sector antenna is
    from 60 to 180 degrees, with a narrow vertical
    beamwidth of from 7 to 17 degrees.
  • Sector antennas typically have a gain of at least
    10 dBi.

41
  • Installing a group of sector antennas to provide
    omni-directional coverage for an area provides
    many benefits over installing a single
    omni-directional antenna.
  • To begin with, sector antennas can be mounted
    high over the terrain and tilted slightly
    downward, with the tilt of each antenna at an
    angle appropriate for the terrain it is covering.
    Omni-directional antennas can also be mounted
    high over the terrain however, if an
    omni-directional antenna is tilted downward on
    one side, the other side will be tilted upward.

42
  • Since each antenna covers a separate area, each
    antenna can be connected to a separate
    transceiver and can transmit and receive
    independently of the other antennas.
  • This would provide the capability for all of the
    antennas to be transmitting at the same time,
    providing much greater throughput.
  • A single omni-directional antenna would be
    capable of transmitting to only one device at a
    time.
  • The last benefit of the sector antennas over a
    single omni-directional antenna is that the gain
    of the sector antennas is much greater than the
    gain of the omni-directional antenna, providing a
    much larger coverage area.

43
  • Sector antennas are used extensively for cellular
    telephone communications and are starting to be
    used for 802.11 networking.
  • Example As you walk or drive around your town or
    city, look for radio communications towers that
    are around your neighborhood. Many of these
    towers have what appear to be rings of antennas
    around them. These rings of antennas are sector
    antennas. If a tower has more than one grouping
    or ring around it, then there are multiple
    cellular carriers using the same tower.

44
Visual Line of Sight
  • When light travels from one point to another, it
    travels across what is perceived to be an
    unobstructed straight line, known as visual line
    of sight (LOS).
  • For all intents and purposes, it is a straight
    line, but due to the possibility of light
    refraction, diffraction, and reflection, there is
    a slight chance that it is not. If you have been
    outside on a summer day and looked across a hot
    parking lot at a stationary object, you may have
    noticed that because of the heat rising from the
    pavement, the object that you were looking at
    seemed to be moving. This is an example of how
    visual LOS is sometimes altered slightly.
  • When it comes to RF communications, visual LOS
    has no bearing on whether the RF transmission is
    successful or not.

45
RF Line of Sight
  • Point-to-point RF communication also needs to
    have an unobstructed line of sight between the
    two antennas.
  • So the first step for installing a point-to-point
    system is to make sure that from the installation
    point of one of the antennas, you can see the
    other antenna.
  • Unfortunately, for RF communications to work
    properly, this is not sufficient. An additional
    area around the visual LOS needs to remain clear
    of obstacles and obstructions.
  • This area around the visual LOS is known as the
    Fresnel zone and is often referred to as RF line
    of sight.

46
Fresnel Zone
  • The Fresnel zone (pronounced FRUH-nel the s is
    silent) is an imaginary Rugby ball-shaped area
    that surrounds the path of the visual LOS between
    two point-to-point antennas. The fig. shows an
    illustration of the Fresnel zones rugby
    ball-like shape.

47
  • Theoretically, there are an infinite number of
    Fresnel zones. The closest ellipsoid is known as
    the first Fresnel zone, the next one is the
    second Fresnel zone, and so on.
  • For simplicitys sake, and since they are the
    most relevant for this section, only the first
    two Fresnel zones are displayed in the figure.
    The subsequent Fresnel zones have very little
    effect on the communications.

48
  • The fig. below illustrates a link that is 1 mile
    long. The top solid line is a straight line from
    the center of one antenna to the other. The
    dotted line shows 60 percent of the bottom half
    of the Fresnel zone. The bottom solid line shows
    the bottom half of the first Fresnel zone. The
    trees are potential obstructions along the path.

49
  • The typical obstacles that you are likely to
    encounter are trees and buildings.
  • It is important to periodically visually check
    your link to make sure that trees have not grown
    into the Fresnel zone or that buildings have not
    been constructed that encroach into the Fresnel
    zone. Do not forget that the Fresnel zone exists
    below, to the sides, and above the visual LOS. If
    the Fresnel zone does become obstructed, you will
    need to either move the antenna (usually raise
    it) or remove the obstacle.

50
  • To determine if an obstacle is encroaching into
    the Fresnel, you will need to learn a few
    formulas that will allow you to calculate its
    radius.
  • We are only concerned with the following formula
    as it calculate the radius of the first Fresnel
    zone at the mid-point between the two antennas.
    This is the point where the Fresnel zone is the
    largest. This formula is as follows

51
N which Fresnel Zone you are calculating
(usually 1 or 2) d1 distance from one antenna
to the location of the obstacle in miles d2
distance from the obstacle to the other antenna
in miles D total distance between the antennas
in miles ( D d1 d2 ) F frequency in GHz
52
Example
  • Figure shows a point-to-point communications
    link that is 10 miles long. There is an obstacle
    that is 3 miles away and 40 feet tall. So the
    values and the formula to calculate the radius of
    the Fresnel zone at a point 3 miles from the
    antenna are as follows
  • N 1 (for first Fresnel zone)
  • d1 3 miles
  • d2 7 miles
  • D 10 miles
  • F 2.4 GHz

53
  • So if the obstacle is 40 feet tall and the
    Fresnel zone at that point is 67.53 feet tall,
    then the antennas will need to be mounted at
    least 108 feet (40' 67.53' 107.53') above the
    ground to have complete clearance. If we are
    willing to allow the obstruction to encroach up
    to 40 percent into the Fresnel zone, we need to
    keep 60 percent of the Fresnel zone clear. So 60
    percent of 67.53 feet is 40.52 feet. The absolute
    minimum height of the antennas will need to be 81
    feet (40' 40.52' 80.52'). Later, you will
    learn that due to the curvature of the earth, you
    will actually need to raise the antennas even
    higher to compensate for the earths bulge.

54
  • When highly-directional antennas are used, the
    beamwidth of the signal is smaller, causing a
    more focused signal to be transmitted.
  • Many people think that a smaller beamwidth would
    decrease the size of the Fresnel zone.
  • This is not the case. The size of the Fresnel
    zone is a function of the frequency being used
    and the distance of the link.
  • Since the only variables in the formula are
    frequency and distance, the size of the Fresnel
    zone will be the same regardless of the antenna
    type or beamwidth.

55
  • The first Fresnel zone is technically the area
    around the point source, where the waves are in
    phase with the point source signal.
  • The second Fresnel zone is then the area beyond
    the first Fresnel zone, where the waves are out
    of phase with the point source signal.
  • All of the odd-numbered Fresnel zones are in
    phase with the point source signal, and all of
    the even-numbered Fresnel zones are out of phase.

56
Earth Bulge
  • When you are installing long distance
    point-to-point RF communications, another
    variable that must be considered is the curvature
    of the earth, also known as the earth bulge.
  • Since the landscape varies throughout the world,
    it is impossible to specify an exact distance for
    when the curvature of the earth will affect a
    communications link.
  • The recommendation is that if the antennas are
    more than seven miles away from each other, you
    should take into consideration the earth bulge,
    since after seven miles, the earth itself begins
    to impede upon the Fresnel zone.

57
  • The following formula can be used to calculate
    the additional height that the antennas will need
    to be raised to compensate for the earth bulge
  • H D2 8
  • H height of the earth bulge in feet
  • D distance between the antennas in miles

58
  • You now have all of the pieces to estimate how
    high the antennas need to be installed. Remember,
    this is an estimate that is being calculated
    since it is assumed that the terrain between the
    two antennas does not vary. You need to know or
    calculate the following three things
  • The 60 percent radius of the first Fresnel zone
  • The height of the earth bulge
  • The height of any obstacles that may encroach
    into the Fresnel zone, and the distance of those
    obstacles from the antenna

59
  • Taking these three pieces and adding them
    together gives you the following formula, which
    can be used to calculate the antenna height
  • H obstacle height earth bulge Fresnel zone
  • HOB (D2/8)(72.2x((Nxd1xd2)/(FxD))1/2

60
Example
  • Fig. below shows a point-to-point link that spans
    a distance of 12 miles. In the middle of this
    link is an office building that is 30 feet tall.
    A 2.4 GHz signal is being used to communicate
    between the two towers. Can you calculate the
    height of the antenna.

61
Antenna Polarization
  • Another consideration when installing antennas is
    antenna polarization.
  • Although it is a lesser-known concern, it is
    extremely important for successful
    communications. Proper polarization alignment is
    vital when installing any type of antennas.
    Whether the antennas are installed with
    horizontal or vertical polarization is
    irrelevant, as long as both antennas are aligned
    with the same polarization.

62
  • Polarization is not as important for indoor
    communications because the polarization of the RF
    signal often changes when it is reflected, which
    is a common occurrence indoors.
  • Most access points use low-gain omni-directional
    antennas and they should be polarized vertically
    when mounted from the ceiling. Laptop
    manufacturers build diversity antennas into the
    sides of the monitor. When the laptop monitor is
    in the upright position, the internal antennas
    are vertically polarized as well.

63
Antenna Diversity
  • Wireless networks, especially indoor networks,
    are prone to multipath signals.
  • To help compensate for the effects of multipath,
    antenna diversity, also called space diversity,
    is commonly implemented in wireless networking
    equipment such as access points (APs).
  • Antenna diversity is when an access point has two
    antennas and receivers functioning together to
    minimize the negative effects of multipath.

64
  • The Figure shows a picture of an access point
    that uses antenna diversity.

65
  • Since the wavelengths of 802.11 wireless networks
    are less than 5 inches long, the antennas can be
    placed very near each other and be effective.
    When the access point senses an RF signal, it
    compares the signal that it is receiving on both
    antennas and uses whichever antenna has the
    higher signal strength to receive the frame of
    data. This sampling is performed on a
    frame-by-frame basis, choosing whichever antenna
    has the higher signal strength.

66
  • The access point has to handle transmitting data
    differently than receiving data.
  • When the access point needs to transmit data back
    to the client, it has no way of determining which
    antenna the client would receive from the best.
    The way the access point can handle transmitting
    data is to transmit using the antenna that it
    used most recently to receive data. This is often
    referred to as transmission diversity. Not all
    access points are equipped with this capability.

67
  • There are many different kinds of antenna
    diversity.
  • The most common implementation of antenna
    diversity utilizes one radio card, two
    connectors, and two antennas.
  • The question often gets asked why client cards
    seem to have only one antenna.

68
  • In reality, PCMCIA client cards typically have
    two diversity antennas encased inside the card.
  • Laptops with internal cards have diversity
    antennas mounted inside the laptop monitor.
    Remember that due to the half-duplex nature of
    the RF medium, when antenna diversity is used,
    only one antenna is operational at any given
    time. In other words, a radio card transmitting a
    frame with one antenna cannot be receiving a
    frame with the other antenna at the same time.

69
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
  • Multiple input multiple output (MIMO, pronounced
    MY-moh) is another, more sophisticated form of
    antenna diversity.
  • Unlike conventional antenna systems, where
    multipath propagation is an impairment, MIMO
    systems take advantage of multipath. There is
    much research and development currently happening
    with this technology and thus much disagreement
    about MIMO. There currently are no official or de
    facto standards for the technology.
  • MIMO can safely be described as any RF
    communications system that has multiple antennas
    at both ends of the communications link being
    used concurrently..

70
  • How the antennas are to be used has not yet been
    standardized. There are multiple vendors
    providing different current and proposed
    solutions. Complex signal processing techniques
    known as Space Time Coding (STC) are often
    associated with MIMO. These techniques send data
    using multiple simultaneous RF signals and the
    receiver then reconstructs the data from those
    signals. The proposed 802.11n standard will
    include MIMO technology

71
Conclusion
  • Don't ignore the importance of the antenna.
    Choosing the right antenna and matching its
    characteristics to the best propagation path are
    the two most important factors in setting up a
    communications circuit.
  • The weakest link in the communications circuit is
    the wrong propagation path.
  • The best transmitter, antenna, and receiver are
    of little use if the propagation path is improper.

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  • The role of a wireless antenna is to direct radio
    frequency (RF) power from a radio into the
    coverage area.
  • Different antennas produce different coverage
    patterns, however, and need to be selected and
    placed according to site coverage requirements.

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  • Finally, remember that the choices made during
    the antenna selection process can make or break a
    WLAN system, just like the choice of speakers can
    make or break a stereo system.
  • For example, a good antenna properly deployed can
    reduce stray RF radiation, by making the signal
    up to 100 times lower outside of the work area,
    and thus much harder to surreptitiously
    intercept.

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Supplements
  • Types of WiFi Antenna Designs
  • Radio Frequency and Antenna Behaviors and
    Characteristics
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