Replacement Antennas

[ascanio1]

Please recommend me replacement antennas for the following 2 routers:
1) Buffalo Airstation Giga Nifty WZR-G144 DD-WRT (images to help recognize connectors)
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/album.php?albumid=25
2) ASUS RT-AC66U (U.FL, RP-SMA)

I need +9dBi omnidirectional - pls consider Asus' already + 3dBi/5dBi gain.
All routers/clients lie on the same (+/- 3ft) plane.

I am afraid to buy the wrong antennas which could curtail some functions/capabilities/specifications so, please, recommend me a specific brand & model, possibly with good cost/performance.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[stevech]

http://www.l-com.com/category.aspx?id=2073

Your connectors are probably RP-SMA, but check to be sure. And the coax needs to be just one ft. or less. Or antenna plugged directly into router (no coax is best).

a change of 3-6 dB or so will hardly be noticeable. So don't spend much on this!

Best way to improve two-way coverage: Add an access point (AP) which can be any old re-purposed WiFi router.

 

[ascanio1]

Thanks for the link. I appreciate your help.

I can't add an AP bcs:
1) already too many radios (overcrowding).
2) repeaters cut throughput in half - my goal is opposite.

Are you sure that these antennas will work with my routers?

Buffalo:
From attached images my Buffalo connectors look like small buttons. Quite different from connectors on your linked antennas. Are you sure that they are compatible?

Asus:
The connectors here seem fine but are these antennas ok also for 5GHz? And for 802.11ac? And all the other features / functions of the Asus router?

 

[NXIL]

I can't add an AP bcs:
1) already too many radios (overcrowding).
2) repeaters cut throughput in half - my goal is opposite.

Hi,

AP is different than a repeater. Repeater does cut throughput in half.

An access point sends out a primary signal--then via ethernet cable connects back to router that is connected to internet.

You did not describe your setup--would powerline networking help?

Or, the eternal question: can you find a way to lay some Cat5e/Cat6 cable to where you need the internet?

Oh: and you did not say if you were on 2.4 or 5ghz--5ghz band is still a lot less crowded, and has more channels. As long as your AP is not too far away (exact distance depends on obstacles, which 5ghz is NOT good at penetrating) but you may find going to the 5ghz band helps.

 

[stevech]

Add an AP, rather than trying to use antennas.

The AP can go on any channel. Not at all an issue.

In WiFi, it matters not how many SSIDs appear in your survey. What DOES matter is if any one of those SSIDs sends constant heavy traffic such as streaming 1080HD video (Internet Netflix is not a heavy load). If one SSID is very heavily used, you simply avoid using a channel # within +/- 3 of that channnel, e.g., 1, 6 or 11. But most WiFi gear doesn't show you how heavy the traffic is, and when it is. There are easy ways to know.

So don't avoid use of an AP for these reasons.

 

[ascanio1]

@ Stevech: Thanks, I appreciate your help! unfortunately radios are a problem. My setup is:

- Modem
> (Ethernet port): Asus RT-AC66U
> (TV Antenna port): Cable TV Top Set

- Asus
> (Ethernet port): A) Buffalo Giga Airstation (DD-WRT) and B) RT-S300HI
> (2.4+5GHz): Network 1 - 802.11ac not yet setup (waiting for 3 new adapters)
> (5GHz): Network 2 - 802.11n only
> (2.4GHz): Network 3 - 802.11n only

- Buffalo DD-WRT
> (2.4GHZ): Network 4 - 802.11g only (don't want to mix g & n)

- RT-S300HI:
> (phone jack): IP telephone line only

Add an AP, rather than trying to use antennas.

What are the drawbacks of using high gain antennas instead of new APs?

... What DOES matter is if any one of those SSIDs sends constant heavy traffic such as streaming 1080HD video

2 of my clients are (constantly) on p2p & Skype and 1 sometimes on Vudu (1080p). Sometimes also stream video/music from central HDD (on Asus) to clients. Cannot say what % of time all together but at peek times we have recurrent problems.

... you simply avoid using a channel # within +/- 3 of that channnel, e.g., 1, 6 or 11.

Powerline & cabled APs were my first idea but I'd rather not:
- lay more cables
- add more radios
because my environment (inSSIDer) shows: my 3 radios signals plus 14 (powerful) more radio signals on 2.4GHz at peek time, spread across all channels, regardless of logic - no use talking to neighbors. No 5GHz radios except my Asus but I cannot upgrade all clients to 5GHz & kids won't use cables: I'm a dinosaur for suggesting it . Besides, 5GHz has much, much greater reach problems than 2.4GHz.

My household uses 4 to 6 clients on 802.11g, about 5 to 7 on 802.11n (2.4GHz) a couple on 802.11n (5GHz) and soon 3 on 802.11ac. I cannot replace, retire or change location to the above clients (and here lies my problem).

RT-S300HI & Modem CANNOT be relocated but Asus & Buffalo CAN be relocated: I bought 1 x 20m flat Cat 6A cable & I'm testing for best locations but I never get sufficient throughput in all locations.

My home is about 300m2. Ceilings & floors packed with thermal insulation, cables, AC metal ducts, etc. but walls are plaster w/ wallpaper only.

Help!

 

[ascanio1]

@ NXIL
Thanks! I appreciate the help!

You did not describe your setup

Please read my reply to Stevech.

--would powerline networking help?

Yes, definitely, but I'd rather not add more radios.

can you find a way to lay some Cat5e/Cat6 cable to where you need the internet?

Yes, but I'd rather not... it's already going to be a nightmare to relocate my WiFi routers...

5ghz band is still a lot less crowded, and has more channels.

5GHz has even more (reach) problems than 2.4GHz and there are at least half a dozen clients which I cannot upgrade immediately. All the others I am upgrading as soon as possible BUT this will only mean that I will require MUCH, MUCH GREATER RANGE for my 5GHz Ausus antennas: in 2 opposite locations the 5GHz signal is not even visible at all, never mind weak!!! And where it is visible I get one green line only.

As long as your AP is not too far away (exact distance depends on obstacles, which 5ghz is NOT good at penetrating) but you may find going to the 5ghz band helps.

See above.

Logic would be to separate channels... but forget that... neighbors won't sit down & use logic. Every floor is an independent unit so I would like to install omnidirectional, but "flat" radiance antennas to avoid interfering with other networks.

I really appreciate all the suggestions. If high gain is the only way, please advise brand/model as I don't want to curtail any of my router's new functionalities/capabilities by installing the wrong antennas!!!

 

[stevech]

Don't use antennas. Add an AP.
Don't worry about neighbor's WiFi. Rarely are any used heavily enough to impact you.

 

[ascanio1]

@ Stevech,

I don't want to lay cables. That leaves powerline: 802.11g, 802.11n (2.4GHz), 802.11n (5GHz) and 802.11ac. 4 APs, correct?

 

[stevech]

@ Stevech,

I don't want to lay cables. That leaves powerline: 802.11g, 802.11n (2.4GHz), 802.11n (5GHz) and 802.11ac. 4 APs, correct?

Not quite. Here are the options for adding APs to connect back to a router, without running cat5:
Power Line (Home Plug) - see Home Plug forum section
MoCA (TV coax coveying IP) - see MoCA forum section

4 APs? Sounds like way too many.

802.11g/n are not applicable to the discussion on how to connect an AP to your router.

802.11ac is a year or more away from being practical. Even then it won't bring range improvement.

 

[ascanio1]

@ Stevech,
I'm learning a lot of stuff by checking out your advice. Thanks! I'm still way ignorant in networks, but... at least you're teaching me a few interesting things!

MoCA (TV coax coveying IP) - see MoCA forum section

MoCA means running a cable and, as I said, I would prefer to avoid this. But I did not know that it was possible!
http://www.mocalliance.org
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7869&highlight=MoCA
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7553&highlight=MoCA
My cable company installed TV aerial AND Cat 6A from their modem to my HT & Router location (which does not cover the whole house). Both are available, which should I prefer?

Advice on a post recommended a separate radio for each protocol/frequency to achieve best performances - so I set up this:
Network 1: 802.11n (on 5GHz)
Network 2: 802.11n (on 2.4GHz)
Network 3: 802.11g (on 2.4GHz)
Network 4: 802.11a/c (on 2.4 & 5 GHz) - not yet active waiting for a/c laptop adapters.
So all this extra info does not help me solve my original post problem: I have 4 networks on separate SSID, how do I extend the range of all 4 SSID?

4 APs? Sounds like way too many.

Can I use one AP to extend the signal of 4 SSID, on 4 separate radios?

If YES:
Then problem solved: I will install 1 powelrline Home Plug and create 1 AP extending all 4 SSID over 4 different radios (but which Home Plug has 4 radios?).

If NOT:
Then will I need 4 Home Plugs for 4 APs?
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=8035&highlight=MoCA
Here it says that you cannot use one radio only!

Not quite. Here are the options for adding APs to connect back to a router, without running cat5:
Power Line (Home Plug) - see Home Plug forum section

This is the same thing as the powerline which I mentioned. Yes, good solution. I agree. But see above: will I need 4 of these HomePlugs/APs?
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwa...ne-charts/view

Any help would be very welcome!

 

[ascanio1]

@ Stevech
@ NXIL

Vudu films keep cutting out if we watch on WiFi but are perfect when we plug an ethernet into the modem.

My wife had me remove the Cat6 cable which I laid from the router to the AP and powerline did not work because my electric cabling system is not masked and is completely shared amongst all home plugs (the building is pre 1970s).

So I'm back to square one: more gain for the antennas.

I bought these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00938LKRC/?tag=snbforums-20
but an inSSIDer survey shwed zero gain!

I'm sure that if I could buy real +9 or +12 gain omni antennas the problem would be solved. But those are the only ones that I could find on eBay and Amazon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please help!

 

[ascanio1]

There are easy ways to know. So don't avoid use of an AP for these reasons.

Which are these easy ways to detect which AP is busy?

 

[L&LD]

Some people on these forums have found the Super Power Supply antenna to work well for them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-9dBi-RP-S...WR2543ND-TL-WR1043ND-TL-WDR4300-/130935923654

 

[ascanio1]

They look identical to the ones which I purchased. But @ 12$ it can't hurt to try.
Thanks.

 

[L&LD]

I found the thread for you that I'm remembering!

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=95501&postcount=10

 

[RogerSC]

MoCA means running a cable and, as I said, I would prefer to avoid this. But I did not know that it was possible!
http://www.mocalliance.org
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7869&highlight=MoCA
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7553&highlight=MoCA
My cable company installed TV aerial AND Cat 6A from their modem to my HT & Router location (which does not cover the whole house). Both are available, which should I prefer?

The idea with MoCA (analogous to powerline networking) is that you use the existing cable TV wiring in your walls, and the cable outlets in various places in your house. For example, MoCA works really well between where my cable modem, router, and computer desk to my entertainment center in my living room where my Roku and TV are, since there's cable TV cables already in the walls for that. And the bedrooms are wired for cable TV as well. If I had to add cables, I'd be adding ethernet cables instead to use an AP or switch at my entertainment center, rather than cable TV cables.

I haven't used powerline networking, but it has a reputation for being a lot slower than its state speed rating, inconsistent, and varying in speed according to what's the distance needed, and what's happening on your power lines. A lot of people do like it, though.

 

[stevech]

MoCA is far superior to power line IP due to lack of noise and attenuation.

PowerLine is vulnerable in many ways. It's almost plug and play. But tomorrow with a new appliance/gizmo or attenuating surge suppessor plug strip, the speed can reduce or stop alltogether. But with patience and knowledge of what not to do, PowerLine can work.

 

[ascanio1]

I found the thread for you that I'm remembering!

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=95501&postcount=10

Thanks, by when you posted I had already bought these which I found looking from the previous post link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMJI9TA/?tag=snbforums-20
I'll post my impressions.

 

[ascanio1]

I'd be adding ethernet cables instead to use an AP or switch at my entertainment center, rather than cable TV cables.

Thanks for the advice but I cannot add cables and the building is too old for powerline as the electric wiring is not masked.

No cables.
No Powerline.

After 6 months on this forum, I have come to the conclusion that I have no other solution but seek greater gain for my antennnas.

A few months ago I bought these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 but they are crap: zero gain (inSSIDer).

Yesterday I bought new ones (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I hope that these will work better.

Do you have any advice/experience with extra gain?