Question on D-Link ANT24-0600 2.4GHz 6dBi Indoor Directional Antenna

3 Apr 2005 1:44 PM

James Xiaolu Jin

At home just trried this D-Link antenna on my Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router
(replaced one of the two WRT54G's antennas with this D-Link ANT24-0600
antenna, with its included RP/SMA Connector), hoping to (as D-Link claimed
at its website http://www.dlink.ca/product.php?PID=182):

* Extend the Range of Your Wireless Device
* Improve Directional Coverage
* Provide 2 to 2.5 times the output over bundled dipole antennas (2dBi)
* Work with 802.11b & 802.11g Networking

But unfortunately I didn't see much improvement (if any at all) in wireless
signal strength and/or area of wireless coverage? Not sure if I didn't
install it properly or this this D-Link antenna simply does not do much at
all?

Regards,
James

3 Apr 2005 3:28 PM

tzar

DLink products suck and so does thier tech support.
Show quoteHide quote

"James Xiaolu Jin" <jamesx***@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:GpSdnWIHtqEYbtLfRVn-gA@rogers.com...
> At home just trried this D-Link antenna on my Linksys WRT54G Wireless
> Router (replaced one of the two WRT54G's antennas with this D-Link
> ANT24-0600 antenna, with its included RP/SMA Connector), hoping to (as
> D-Link claimed at its website http://www.dlink.ca/product.php?PID=182):
>
> * Extend the Range of Your Wireless Device
> * Improve Directional Coverage
> * Provide 2 to 2.5 times the output over bundled dipole antennas (2dBi)
> * Work with 802.11b & 802.11g Networking
>
> But unfortunately I didn't see much improvement (if any at all) in
> wireless signal strength and/or area of wireless coverage? Not sure if I
> didn't install it properly or this this D-Link antenna simply does not do
> much at all?
>
> Regards,
> James
>

3 Apr 2005 5:14 PM

Jeff Liebermann

On Sun, 3 Apr 2005 09:44:28 -0400, "James Xiaolu Jin"
<jamesx***@rogers.com> wrote:

Show quoteHide quote

>At home just trried this D-Link antenna on my Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router
>(replaced one of the two WRT54G's antennas with this D-Link ANT24-0600
>antenna, with its included RP/SMA Connector), hoping to (as D-Link claimed
>at its website http://www.dlink.ca/product.php?PID=182):
>
>* Extend the Range of Your Wireless Device
>* Improve Directional Coverage
>* Provide 2 to 2.5 times the output over bundled dipole antennas (2dBi)
>* Work with 802.11b & 802.11g Networking
>
>But unfortunately I didn't see much improvement (if any at all) in wireless
>signal strength and/or area of wireless coverage? Not sure if I didn't
>install it properly or this this D-Link antenna simply does not do much at
>all?

The antenna is apparently a patch antenna, which has a gain of about
6dBi. However, Dlink (and most others) do not seem to find it
necessary to include the coax cable and connector losses in their
specifications. The data sheet shows 1.5meters of ULA-316 coax cable
which has a loss of 2.5dB/meter. The connector and adapter are good
for another 0.5dB loss. So, the real antenna gain is:
+6dBi - 3.7dB - 0.5dB = 1.8dB
or about the same as the stock antenna. I wouldn't expect to see any
improvement (except by improvment in location or line of sight).

Specifying the gain of an add on antenna without including the cable
and connector losses is deceptive advertising and apparently epidemic
among antenna vendors that include pigtails. Will it really require a
hint by the FTC to get their attention?

--
Jeff Liebermann    je***@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D   http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060    AE6KS 831-336-2558

3 Apr 2005 7:23 PM

James

Jeff,

Thanks for your reply, and I think your input/info on the unit's coax cable
and connector losses does make sense.

Maybe I shall forget about it!

James

Show quoteHide quote

"Jeff Liebermann" <je***@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> wrote in message
news:e980515u4pc9329fr7f26psc7ilal4poqu@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 3 Apr 2005 09:44:28 -0400, "James Xiaolu Jin"
> <jamesx***@rogers.com> wrote:
>
> >At home just trried this D-Link antenna on my Linksys WRT54G Wireless
Router
> >(replaced one of the two WRT54G's antennas with this D-Link ANT24-0600
> >antenna, with its included RP/SMA Connector), hoping to (as D-Link
claimed
> >at its website http://www.dlink.ca/product.php?PID=182):
> >
> >* Extend the Range of Your Wireless Device
> >* Improve Directional Coverage
> >* Provide 2 to 2.5 times the output over bundled dipole antennas (2dBi)
> >* Work with 802.11b & 802.11g Networking
> >
> >But unfortunately I didn't see much improvement (if any at all) in
wireless
> >signal strength and/or area of wireless coverage? Not sure if I didn't
> >install it properly or this this D-Link antenna simply does not do much
at
> >all?
>
> The antenna is apparently a patch antenna, which has a gain of about
> 6dBi. However, Dlink (and most others) do not seem to find it
> necessary to include the coax cable and connector losses in their
> specifications. The data sheet shows 1.5meters of ULA-316 coax cable
> which has a loss of 2.5dB/meter. The connector and adapter are good
> for another 0.5dB loss. So, the real antenna gain is:
>   +6dBi - 3.7dB - 0.5dB = 1.8dB
> or about the same as the stock antenna. I wouldn't expect to see any
> improvement (except by improvment in location or line of sight).
>
> Specifying the gain of an add on antenna without including the cable
> and connector losses is deceptive advertising and apparently epidemic
> among antenna vendors that include pigtails. Will it really require a
> hint by the FTC to get their attention?
>
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann    je***@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
> 150 Felker St #D   http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060    AE6KS 831-336-2558

3 Apr 2005 11:30 PM

Jeff Liebermann

On Sun, 3 Apr 2005 15:23:56 -0400, "James" <some***@microsoft.com>
wrote:

>Thanks for your reply, and I think your input/info on the unit's coax cable
>and connector losses does make sense.
>
>Maybe I shall forget about it!

Whether it works for you depends upon what problem you're trying to
solve. An omni antenna will spray RF in all manner of undesireable
directions, createing reflections and receiveing interference. A
directional antenna, with the same amount of gain will reduce these
reflections and interference. Lots of other possibilities. One is if
you're using a PCI 802.11 card with the antenna mounted on the back of
the computah. Not a great location as it's usually low towards the
floor, behind the computer case, which acts as a shield, and mixed in
with a mess of cables. By moving the antenna away from the nighmare
that was behind the computer. an external and properly located antenna
is a good thing.

Incidentally, I was wondering about the 6dBi gain. A full size air
dielectric patch antenna has a gain of about 8 dBi. I'm guessing that
the DLink antenna is a ceramic backed patch and is therefore smaller,
with a lower gain. Unfortunately the data sheet for the Dlink does
not specify the patch diameter making guesswork difficult.

Also, apparently not all such antenna manufacturers are clueless. SMC
mentions the coax cable attenuation in:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SMCHMANT-6-N&cat=NET
which has the same specs as the Dlink.

--
Jeff Liebermann    je***@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D   http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060    AE6KS 831-336-2558