D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => Routers / COVR => DGL-4500 => Topic started by: olddoc on May 13, 2008, 01:23:05 PM
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Has anyone replaced 1 or more antennas on an N router?
Hawking and other companies make antennas that help a lot to improve coverage for b and g networks.
I wonder what the DLink tech gurus think of using a directional antenna on a 3 antenna N router.....
Do you need more than 1 to help? Which 1 port for best use of a single antenna?
How about amplifiers? I assume the 4500 is 100milliwatt total output.
There are consumer grade amplifiers for under $150 that could bring that up to 500mw which might increase range.
(As an advanced class Ham licensee I understand you need to receive the remote signal at the router and an amp won't help with that although antennas might.)
I have a Radiolabs amplifier: http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wireless/wireless-range-extender.php (http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wireless/wireless-range-extender.php) but I have not tried it on my 4500.
Since I am using the same frequencies as an 801.11g network there should be a way to make it help.
Which antenna outlet should I put it on?
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You would have to put one in each antenna outlet, which might cost you more than the router.
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I would go with an amp/antenna on the left and right outlet and just an antenna on the middle outlet.
If i had to choose only one, i would go with the left outlet if you were facing the DG4500's front.
But don't take my word for it. Try using a wireless network analyze. see which outlet gives you the best results. :)
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Thats not going to work well, the N on that router is a 3X3 solution, for G modes it'll work but not for N.
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Since your a Ham I can make this simple, the encoding done on data on a draft N connection is based on multiple send and receive streams, and is adjusted for constructive interference between the multiple transmit antennas. a single antenna will not allow you to connect at N speeds.
An amplifier can help, however they are of questionable legality, I am no master of the FCC regulation on transmission power, but I believe some of these products may violate their regulations. And as I recall the regulations are limited by gain and power so you might be able to push a certain wattage, but not have the kind of antenna array to receive.
Ideally what you would need is an array designed with the draft N multiplexing in mind, and if you need the power you will need it on all 3 antennas.
However much like the equipment you work with more power isn't always the best option, with WiFi it is usually external interference and your own reflections that make the most difficulty for you.
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Thanks for all the comments. I put my 500mw (should be perfectly legal at 2.4Ghz) amp on the left.
and I have 2 directional antennas on outside.
When I run in only g mode, I get 54Mb connections inside all over. Works for me.
g and n also work well enough on my deck. I am quite happy. But if I didn't already own the amp, I wouldn't buy a new one for an n router.
Why do you want to pipe /dev/null to DGL forums? Wouldn't /dev/urandom be better? ;D
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I like to think that like old Debian SSL keys my drivel isn't random, it's just drivel.