Upgraded router antenna

PiKe

PiKe

PiKe

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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Location
Lake District
I have a wireless bridge over 12 meters through 2 double glazed windows.

TPlink WDR3600 on this side and an Asus ac51u on the other.

Signal isn't bad (-45dbm strength and -70dbm noise) but only get around 8mbps, I was wondering whether I should upgrade to a higher db rated antenna and if so, whether I should go omni-directional or panel antenna? The router is used only as a bridge so I don't need indoor coverage from it.

The antenna on the receiving end of the bridge cannot be replaced so I understand that upload is going to limited somewhat.

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I don't want to replace what I have, it only needs to be stable enough to stream Netflix.
 
My connection is 55meg, I've tried a lan speed test and I get the same results as stated in the OP.

I may try the ghetto reflector to see if it makes a difference.
 
PiKe said:
Signal isn't bad (-45dbm strength and -70dbm noise) but only get around 8mbps, I was wondering whether I should upgrade to a higher db rated antenna and if so, whether I should go omni-directional or panel antenna? The router is used only as a bridge so I don't need indoor coverage from it.

The antenna on the receiving end of the bridge cannot be replaced so I understand that upload is going to limited somewhat.
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If you have line of sight, much better to use a directional antenna. That you can't replace the receiving end antenna shouldn't limit your uplink. The link budgets will be the same in both direction as the high gain directional antenna on the 'sending' end will give equal benefit when receiving.
 
If you only improve gain of the antenna at one end then your received signal will become asymmetric.

Like having a conversation across a car park and one person speaking and the other shouting.

Whilst it seems a good idea it won’t help as much as you think it would, best bet would be to try as other have stated and swap the kit.
 
So the last 2 posts contradict one another, I thought adding a directional antenna at the sending end would mean download is higher than upload, but its like that already.
 
So I created a parabola and found it made next to no difference, I removed the aerials and pulled them apart and they are the dual band stubby kind, they are only an inch long whereas the antenna are about 4 inches.

So what should I do next? Get some regular high gain or a directional?
 
So I pushed the parabola all the way on to the aerial now I know how stubby it is inside the actual plastic casing and it's improved things slightly :)

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PiKe said:
So the last 2 posts contradict one another, I thought adding a directional antenna at the sending end would mean download is higher than upload, but its like that already.
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That'll be 'cos Steveocee isn't correct. If you add a 10dBi antenna to one end it'll improve both the uplink and downlink by 10dBi.
 
Well adding the windsurfer to the antenna has improved things measurably.

This has obviously concentrated the signal, but would a panel antenna actually now be worse than this? I'm only using it on one of the antennas, should I ideally upgrade both at the same time?
 
clv101 said:
That'll be 'cos Steveocee isn't correct. If you add a 10dBi antenna to one end it'll improve both the uplink and downlink by 10dBi.
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I'm not. Upgrading 1 end does not improve both uplink and downlink. Plus I'm sure OP has remembered to turn down the router output power in line with the gain addition he is makingas per OFCOM's regulations?

I'm not wrong. To get a "true" improvement on a link like this you need to improve the gain on both ends. My car park analogy hits the nail on the head with this. Sorry if you don't understand that.
 
Surely, the way a satellite dish works shows that you can concentrate a weak signal to a point?

Anyhow, I've quartered the output power (to 25mw), as I believe the windsurfer modification gives me a 12db antenna, still get the same signal strength so will leave it there.
 
Steveocee said:
I'm not. Upgrading 1 end does not improve both uplink and downlink. Plus I'm sure OP has remembered to turn down the router output power in line with the gain addition he is makingas per OFCOM's regulations?

I'm not wrong. To get a "true" improvement on a link like this you need to improve the gain on both ends. My car park analogy hits the nail on the head with this. Sorry if you don't understand that.
Click to expand...

You're not right, calculate the link budget for the uplink and the downlink. Adding gain to either antennas benefits both the uplink and downlink. Obviously, if you turn down the power as you increase the gain, maintaining the same EIRP then you'll only help the uplink not the downlink - but that isn't what's being proposed here.
 
If you can do DIY and don't care to much on appearance then watch this tutorial on how to build a bi-quad using a Pie dish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B93FtrjVIsc You can build something better like a double bi-quad, yagi or cantenna but this is by far the easiest to build. Keep in mind this is for 2.4GHz only, a 5GHz antenna will be smaller.

Alternately you can just buy one pre-made from somewhere or get something consumer grade like a nano station. Just don't touch the cheap Chinese stuff on eBay which isn't manufactured correctly.
 
clv101 said:
You're not right, calculate the link budget for the uplink and the downlink. Adding gain to either antennas benefits both the uplink and downlink. Obviously, if you turn down the power as you increase the gain, maintaining the same EIRP then you'll only help the uplink not the downlink - but that isn't what's being proposed here.
Click to expand...

I'm right, I really don't care about your opinion on that.

So you are proposing OP breaks the law to improve rates then?
 
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