Hi. We use external antennas for unique deployments on campus. We try to stick with the integrated antennas as much as possible to save cost but we know that this setup is not for all situations. With the Cisco 3600 series AP, we have deployed them using the Cisco 180 patch which is similar to the Terrawave. Primarily these have been used in our sport venues to cover entrance gates for ticket scanners. The one thing I would look out for is how far you intend to have the directional antenna reach. If the clients are using low-powered omni antennas they might not be able to transmit as far as the directional antenna and higher power that you are using on the AP. If you are talking about using the directional antennas for a Point-to-Point link then this is not a problem. Our goal with external antennas is similar to yours, we want to keep the outside signal for outside devices and the inside signal for inside devices. In the ticket gate scenario that we use directional antennas at, we have to utilize 802.11b rates to get the distance / performance from the end devices needed. Our mounting assets for access points are not close enough to the gates and the end devices dont have a high power setting to enable 802.11g or 802.11a.
-Jimmy -- James Helzerman University of Michigan On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 8:05 PM, Jason Cook <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi All,**** > > ** ** > > Just wondering what people have done with external antenna’s?**** > > ** ** > > The question I have is primarily around whether or not to use 360 degree > Omni or 180 degree patch antenna’s on the outside of a building. We have > been recommended to use 360’s in most cases, even though these put coverage > back into building where we deploy internal coverage. It seems to me that > this could cause issues with RF interference, and end up with turning the > power down on external antenna potentially reducing coverage quality > outside. While a 180 will direct the coverage where intended, leaving > internals to do their intended job and externals to do theirs. **** > > ** ** > > We are using Cisco 3602e’s with TerraWave. **** > > ** ** > > Regards**** > > > Jason**** > > ** ** > > --**** > > Jason Cook**** > > Technology Services**** > > The University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA 5005**** > > Ph : +61 8 8313 4800**** > > e-mail: [email protected]**** > > ** ** > > CRICOS Provider Number 00123M**** > > -----------------------------------------------------------**** > > This email message is intended only for the addressee(s) and contains > information which may be confidential and/or copyright. If you are not the > intended recipient please do not read, save, forward, disclose, or copy the > contents of this email. If this email has been sent to you in error, please > notify the sender by reply email and delete this email and any copies or > links to this email completely and immediately from your system. No > representation is made that this email is free of viruses. Virus scanning > is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient.**** > > ** ** > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at > http://www.educause.edu/groups/. > > -- James Helzerman Wireless Network Engineer University of Michigan - ITS Communications Systems and Data Centers Phone: 734-615-9541 ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
