RT-N66 Antenna Orientation

[Vandergraff]

I am running the Merlin 374.43 fork.

This gives me close to the original firmware WiFi range - but still gives me spotty coverage in some remote locations that were originally OK.

After reading 'The Best Way to Point Your Wi-Fi Router Antennas: Perpendicularly' I thought I would try some experimentation.

I mounted my RT-N66 vertically on its stand and have the antennas pointing up, left and forward (orthogonal and pointing in the -x, y , -z axis). The improvement for remote clients in all directions and for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz was pretty dramatic - significantly better RSSI and link speeds (confirmed by speed tests from the remote clients).

I know Asus recommends \ | / (which I was using previously) and the math of MIMO and Beamforming is complicated but for me (3 level house on 1 acre) the orthogonal orientaion works much better (and yes you mileage may vary depending on your situation).

For those trying to improve WiFi coverage I would definitely recommend experimenting with Antenna Orientation.

 

[Nullity]

I am running the Merlin 374.43 fork.

This gives me close to the original firmware WiFi range - but still gives me spotty coverage in some remote locations that were originally OK.

After reading 'The Best Way to Point Your Wi-Fi Router Antennas: Perpendicularly' I thought I would try some experimentation.

I mounted my RT-N66 vertically on its stand and have the antennas pointing up, left and forward (orthogonal and pointing in the -x, y , -z axis). The improvement for remote clients in all directions and for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz was pretty dramatic - significantly better RSSI and link speeds (confirmed by speed tests from the remote clients).

I know Asus recommends \ | / (which I was using previously) and the math of MIMO and Beamforming is complicated but for me (3 level house on 1 acre) the orthogonal orientaion works much better (and yes you mileage may vary depending on your situation).

For those trying to improve WiFi coverage I would definitely recommend experimenting with Antenna Orientation.

Can you post a few examples of the RSSI and throughput improvements you experienced?

 

[Vandergraff]

Can you post a few examples of the RSSI and throughput improvements you experienced?

I saw one PC (one floor up and at one end of the house) connecting on 5GHz go from RSSI of less than -80dBm and link speed of ~ 60 Mbps (which had always seemed a little high) go to RSSI of -75dBm and link speed 216-243 Mbs.

At the other end of the house (180 degrees direction from the router than the PC) an iPhone can reliably connect on 2.4 Ghz at ~ RSSI -82dBm and link speed 19 Mbps (speed test from iPhone reports 16 Mpbs) in location where connection wasn't possible before.

From inside our garage (90 degrees direction from the other two locations and maybe 100ft and sharply downhill from the house) an Android phone can reliably connect on 2.4 Ghz at ~ RSSI -72dBm and link speed 5 Mbps - before RSSI ~ -84dBm and connection intermittent. By the pool outside the garage (but also 100ft and sharply downhill from the house) an iPhone connects on 2.4 GHz at RSSI -72dBm and link speed 24 Mbps (speed tests also at 24 Mpbs) - in this location I don't recall the previous RSSI - but speed tests were typically half this in the past.

All these locations are obviously close to the edge of the coverage of the router - but both 2.4 GHz and 5GHz connections seem improved in all directions.

Other closer devices continue to get good RSSI and link speeds - RSSI's may be a little better.

I had been considering trying an AC68 to see if it would help with range - but I think I will stick with the N66 for now - especially after seeing some of the comments here

 

[sinshiva]

i have tried your XYZ orientation. i disagree, however i don't doubt that adjusting the antennas has helped you. i suspect that the best way to orient them is: as necessary; but all in the same direction.

in my case, my n600 client sees a repeating wave where one of the antennas improved signal from -49 to -41, but it bounces back and forth so fast i can't imagine it being of any benefit to myself, at least.

see attached

[edit/]

redid the test with 40mhz and it is actually a lot smoother

 

[Nullity]

Ruckus' and Ubiquiti's forums have some very in-depth information about antennas.

Check out some of the documentation on Ruckus' BeamFlex antenna array that uses 12 antennas (and magic?).



The technical side of antenna orientation is mostly useless for me because it takes me much less time to load up InSSIDer, kismet, etc and walk around my house than read and understand a dozen whitepapers on wireless specs and antenna polarization.

Knowing about the "donut" signal dispersion of an omnidirectional antenna is practically all you need to know when orienting your wifi antennas, in my omnipotent opinion.

 

[Vandergraff]

i have tried your XYZ orientation. i disagree, however i don't doubt that adjusting the antennas has helped you. i suspect that the best way to orient them is: as necessary; but all in the same direction.

Yup as I said in my original post your mileage may vary. In my case it does seem to help - for you no.

What software are you using for the screen shot you posted?

 

[hggomes]

Software name is: inSSIDer

 

[Vandergraff]

Software name is: inSSIDer

OK - I didn't recognize it for some reason.

I have an older version 2.1 I use.

What are you displaying - the time graph view?

Attached is time graph from a 2.4 GHz client. The green signal at the top is my router. The other signals are neighbor routers.

RSSI on this client is about 6 dBm better since I made the change in antenna orientation. The variation is the signal waveforms looks similar before and after. Do you see something to be concerned about in these signals.

Thanks

 

[System Error Message]

Despite what asus wants you to believe their antennas are omni directional. I accidently opened an antenna and saw it was just a standard antenna cable that is short. hence asus antennas are only a bit better than internal from what i saw.

 

[Nullity]

Despite what asus wants you to believe their antennas are omni directional. I accidently opened an antenna and saw it was just a standard antenna cable that is short. hence asus antennas are only a bit better than internal from what i saw.

Where does Asus claim the antennas are anything other than omni-directional?

I thought omni-directional antennas were the standard for consumer-grade wireless routers.

 

[System Error Message]

well they arent the antennas you think they use. They use very short antennas (the conductor inside). I guess its because they dont want to have too much range considering where its being used. If you replaced them with actual bigger antennas that would increase their range.

Being omni directional it makes no difference how you orientate them. If you want to improve your signal reception get an antenna with higher dB rating with good quality conductor. You could always try orienting your clients too.

 

[Vandergraff]

Being omni directional it makes no difference how you orientate them.

At least in my case it made a significant and measurable difference.

Try changing the antenna orientation report back on RSSI and link speed.

As I said in my first post your mileage may vary.

 

[Nullity]

well they arent the antennas you think they use. They use very short antennas (the conductor inside). I guess its because they dont want to have too much range considering where its being used. If you replaced them with actual bigger antennas that would increase their range.

Being omni directional it makes no difference how you orientate them. If you want to improve your signal reception get an antenna with higher dB rating with good quality conductor. You could always try orienting your clients too.

That statement is simply wrong.

There is a reason why virtually all omni-directional antennas are oriented vertically. The radio signal's "donut" is most useful this way.

Please see http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnidirectional_antenna
Notice that if the antenna was oriented horizontally that the resulting donut-shaped radiation pattern would radiate mostly into the ground and sky. Most people want a horizontally spread radiation pattern. Also, the higher the gain, the flatter and wider the "donut" gets, making proper orientation even more important.

 

[dlandiss]

^^^Correct.

"Omnidirectional" is often cited without the qualifier "in the horizontal plane." Simple linear antennas of the sort used with these routers send/receive with the most efficiency perpendicular to the physical antenna, thus the donut-shaped pattern.

Orienting the antennas so they are NOT parallel to each other tilts one or more of the donuts so that some signal is directed above and below that plane achieved by a perfectly vertical antenna. Smart electronics can add signals from more than one antenna in shifted phases to enjoy even more gain in particular directions -- at the expense of signal strength in un-used directions.

 

[hizzo3]

Let's also not forget the construction of the house. I've seen metal roofs do some bats**t crazy things with WiFi signals. Same can go for metal studs. Care to elaborate more on the environment of the set up?

 

[System Error Message]

changing the antenna orientation may help with deadspots because of metal cages only allowing a certain orientation of waves. I dont have deadspots though so i cant really see the difference. I have tried it before and the difference was probably marginal and not noticeable.