What Can An Additional Wireless Antenna Do For Your Network?

Sometimes, your connection is just not up to speed with your current wireless antenna. You notice that files are taking longer to download and web pages are really slow. You've checked your computer and it is running up to speed. What you have is a problem with your connection.

All wireless networks will drop to a lower speed if too many data packets are being missed while you use your computer. Tha 54Mbit connection you paid for may be running as low as 1Mbit just to get through.

To improve wireless network signal, there are two ways to get that connection back where it is supposed to be:

Get a range extender
Get an addition wireless antenna.

A range extender can give you better coverage, but you must find a location that is accessable from both your computer and your access point.

An external wireless antenna can also give you the additional coverage and you can locate the antenna near the access point.

By finding out how WiFi antennas for wireless lan systems work, you will see there are two types of antennas that you can use:

Omnidirectional antennas
Directional antennas

An omnidirectional antenna is, as its name suggest, is an antenna that sends and receives signals from all directions. If you could see the coverage from this type of antenna, it would have a doughnut shape.

The higher the db gain for the antenna means it gets a stronger signal; however, the shape means that any devices located directly below or above the antenna would get a weak signal. You should take this into account when you design your network, especially if you are located in a multi-story building or house.

Even the antenna that is built onto your access point has this characteristic, so you may need to lean the antenna to get the strongest signal where you want it.

A directional antenna has its signal focused to a specific area. Most of these signals would look like the light from a flashlight if you could see them.

These antennas are usually used to cover a large area in one direction or to connect different buildings to the network. Sometimes many of these are used to point to different areas to cover a wide area as on a college campus or neighborhood network.

Most wireless network users will not need an additional antenna unless they have a large area to cover. Also, when you enlarge your coverage area, you also enlarge the area that outsiders can access your network.

If you are the handyman type, you can get information on the Web about how to make a wireless network antenna for making wifi antenna for your personal use that can be adjusted to meed your needs.