APs Located Inside Ceiling

[Rowell Dionicio]

What would be the proper way to mount APs, 3602E, if my requirements be that they are inside the ceiling and unseen by the end user. No type of external antennas must be visible. Existing APs are inside the ceiling (basically an attic space) with the antennas pointed upwards.

[Leo Laohoo]

 if my requirements be that they are inside the ceiling and unseen by the end user.

There's a significant chance that if you "hide" your AP inside the ceiling cavity, you might get bad wireless coverage.

This is because there are a lot of "junks" and metals up in the ceiling spaces.  Signals going sideways get thrown in a very bad way.

You want to hide your APs?  Put a cover on them.

Check this one out by Terrawave:  http://www.terra-wave.com/shop/files/products/pdfs/V10102-C-1131.pdf

[Rowell Dionicio]

Yeah that's what I'm concerned about.

I have a strict requirement that we cannot drill any holes through the ceiling. These aren't tile ceilings. It's more like a residential structure with attic space.

The existing APs now just sit on the floor of the attic with teh antennas pointed upwards.

My thoughts were to get a mount that will keep the AP upside down to point the antennas downwards but I am aware that I may, and most likely will, get bad coverage.

[Scott Fella]

Have you looked at these:

http://www.oberonwireless.com/WebDocs/Model1029-00_Spec_Sheet.pdf

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[Rowell Dionicio]

Hi Scott,

I did find that and may use those so that the AP antennas point downward. It seems like that is my only solution.

[Scott Fella]

I don't think you will gain much by pointing the antennas down. You might as well just leave it as is. A cheaper solution is to get some L brackets at a hardware store and custom mount the AP bracket to that unless you really do want to hide the AP.

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[Rowell Dionicio]

Thanks Scott,

You believe with this dipole antenna, http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/antenna/installation/guide/ant2524.html, there wouldn't be much gained from pointing them downwards? The height from the ground to the ceiling is about 15-20 feet.

Either way, I'm going to have a wireless site survey done. There's nothing we can do about the AP placement.

[Scott Fella]

The antenna position should be vertical... now 15-20 shouldn't be bad, but what you will run into is the attenuation because of the ceiling and air duct or other materials in that same space.

Thanks,

Scott

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[Rowell Dionicio]

Thanks Scott. I learned quite a bit here and in doing some research on azimuth and elevation patterns.

[Scott Fella]

Well keep us posted on how things go and if you notice any significant coverage when you invert the AP or not.

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