Solved: Cisco AIR-ANT2506 Compatibility

glakovski · ‎05-19-2009

Hi,

I need an omni antenna with the specifications of AIR-ANT2506 for a Lighweight AP 1242 for outdoor installation. The AP is compatible with the antenna, but the description of the antenna says that it is a 2.4 GHz Bridge Antenna. Does this mean that it is not suitable or even unusable for ordinary Lighweight implementation, but only for Bridge installations. I should cover an area around the entrance of a store...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

phillip.vansickle · ‎06-04-2009

I have 15 of them deployed in outdoor areas. They work just fine as a general coverage Omni antenna. I get coverage for about 1/4 mile or more with the antenna mounted just above roof level on a 1 story building.

Try to keep your cable length as short as possible from the AP to the antenna for the maximum range.

For cable, lighnting protection and termination tools, I find Tessco to be a great resource.

View solution in original post

glakovski · ‎05-20-2009

Or my question said in another way... Does anybody has used this antenna to cover a outdoor area, not just to bridge the AP to another one?

JASON BOYERS · ‎05-21-2009

I don't have one, but it appears that it would be fine. Point to multipoint bridging would be a normal application for it. You'd need 2 for diversity, or else hard code the AP to only use that one antenna.

phillip.vansickle · ‎06-05-2009

I use these with lightweight AP's as well (1310) with 4404 controllers...be sure to turn off antenna diversity for the AP in the controller. Connect the antenna to the right(2.4 Ghz primary) TNCRP connector on the AP.

Outdoor situations present less mulipath issues, so I wouldn't worry about antenna diversity.

I do just fine with data and even VoWifi coverage. The VoWifi coverage is somewhat less though (I think this is due to the antenna in the phone).

Whatever you do, don't depend on an outdoor wireless solution to provide solid indoor coverage. Use a seperate indoor AP for this. (I learned this the hard way).

Also, do not mistake the two connectors on the AP for two seperate radios. When diversity mode is used, the antennas must be one wavelength apart (approx 5 inches at 2.4ghz) or multiples of that wavelength, not exceeding 4 multiples.

I have seen, at my previous employer, outdoor deployments where two antennas running to the same AP in diversity mode were wrongly used in an attempt to get coverage in two different areas.

Good article that deals with diversity:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_tech_note09186a008019f646.shtml

Leo Laohoo · ‎05-21-2009

This should work. According to the description ...

Mast-mount indoor/outdoor antenna with a RP-TNC connector-This antenna was designed for WLAN applications for frequencies of 2400-2500 MHz. The antenna is omnidirectional and has a nominal gain of 5.2 dBi. It is designed to be mounted on a round mast.

phillip.vansickle · ‎06-04-2009

I have 15 of them deployed in outdoor areas. They work just fine as a general coverage Omni antenna. I get coverage for about 1/4 mile or more with the antenna mounted just above roof level on a 1 story building.

Try to keep your cable length as short as possible from the AP to the antenna for the maximum range.

For cable, lighnting protection and termination tools, I find Tessco to be a great resource.

Tommo2010 · ‎08-20-2010

Hi Phillip,

I have a question regarding this antenna. I currently have this antenna mounted on the corner of a building, but I am not getting anywhere near the range of 1/4 mile you are talking about?

Are you able to give me the settings to enable this, because I am needing this sort of range and don't appear to be able to get it?

How high above any obstructions on the roof does it need to be? Have you used any length of coax cable from the antenna to the AP?

I also have a 1310G-E-K9 AP?

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

PS. If I were to then need to get internet internally in the buildings using the omni, what would you suggest I mount on each building to use this AP / Omni as a point to multipoint?

Regards, Ian

Leo Laohoo · ‎08-20-2010

1. How long is the cable from the antennae to the AP? The longer the cable, the higher the signal loss and therefore shorter footprint.

2. You'll need to get line-of-sight. If anything is standing between the antennae and the destination ...

Tommo2010 · ‎08-21-2010

1. How long is the cable from the antennae to the AP? The longer the cable, the higher the signal loss and therefore shorter footprint.

The cable is the standard 91cm, I haven't extended it yet but will need to purchase at least 1m so I can put the AP and PWRINJ on a shelf underneath and inside. (I cannot see how the AP can be mounted outside, with the short length of coax that goes between the AP and the PWRINJ!)

2. You'll need to get line-of-sight. If anything is standing between the antennae and the destination ...

It is mounted on the Apex of a roof of a building, about 1 metre above so there is line of sight for 2-3 of the buildings. For me to get line of sight for all the buildings, it would need to be mounted about 3-5 metres high, and I would therefore need 6-7 metres of Coax cable? to connect to the AP which is inside the building, therefore losing about 5dBi (I was told you lose 0.18 x 10ft of dBi per cable length?)

If you can advise how to mount the AP outside the building, and therefore resolve the possible signal loss of cable length I'm open to suggestions...

phillip.vansickle · ‎08-21-2010

I am using Times Microwave LMR600 cable with crimp on conectors from the same company. I bought a special kit to terminate the cable (you need the proper stripper and crimper). For lightning protection,I am using a Polyphaser for the 2.4 Ghz freuquency range (don't recall the model off hand). I try to minimize the cable length. The longest run I have is around 100ft, but I usually average under 50ft. Most of these installations are in very rural areas.

If you have large metal objects (such as heavy trucks) that block your signal path you may experience conectivity issues. I had this happen at a weigh station where the antenna was not mounted high enough.

Also, in the controller, make sure that you set the AP to use the antenna on the right side.

phillip.vansickle · ‎08-21-2010

What are you trying to accomplish?

Are you trying to link to buildings together and provide access indoors?

Tommo2010 · ‎08-21-2010

I am trying to get internet into a number of properties on an estate. I am not sure of the best solution as we are also quite remote / rural, hence why we have a satellite internet set up and not using internet through a telephone exchange as we are too far away from it.

I am looking for the cheapest solution, and am happy to have the properties hard wired laying ethernet cable to each property, but if I can achieve internet in each property with wireless then that is probably a better solution.

I have attached a birds eye view diagram of the properties, showing where the current satellite modem is located, and where the antenna is mounted (It is about 1 metre above the roof line, but on each property the roofing is corrugated iron)

I have line of site with the antenna to at least 3 of the properties (Crag house, Sams, The Bothy and probably The Barn & maybe just about Oak)

I therefore need internet access internally in these properties. I do, as a separate project and if possible, a property 1.2miles across a loch that we have line of site with that if possible we would like internet to be broadcast across there, but the first port is to get the properties on the estate hooked up with wireless.

If you have any suggestions of what Access Points would work, they do not have to be whizzbang because we only have broadband speed currently of 512k, upscalable to 3MB.

I also do not understand how being able to run 50-100ft coax cable from the antenna to the AP works, when I was told that for every 10ft of cable, you lose about 2dBi from the antenna, is this true??

I have just attached a photo of 2 antennas on the corner of the white building (1 is the AIR-ANT2506, the other taller one is an itellite 12dBi antenna which I haven't yet tried)

You can see the white building to the left that needs to be wireless, the building in the middle of the picture, and the 2 just to the right of this building. There is a further one behind the grass you see in the middle of the picture, and a final property that isn't in the picture, but if you look at the excel spreadsheet you should be able to work out the buildings)

Regards, Ian

Tommo2010 · ‎08-23-2010

Hi Phillip,

In addition to my previous post. I have available to me some AIR-LAP1131AG-N-K9's & AIR-LAP1242AG-N-K9's. Which would be the best option for me to link these up to the AIR-BR1310G-E-K9 with AIR-ANT2506?

I see that the 1242 would need antenna's purchased but these then give an option of mounting the antenna outside, whereas the 1131 appears to be an indoor AP with integrated antenna.

Is it a case of the 1242 with more ANT2506's would be a better option to do point to multipoint but would cost more.

The 1131 may pick up the signal from the 2506 but would probably need to be mounted near a window to enable this?

Any advice appreciated,

Regards, Ian