benefits of Higher dBi Omni-Directional Antenna

[Corairgt]

What are the benefits of using higher dBi Omni-directional Antenna? Should I get the highest dBi antenna available to boost the range of my router?

 

[jdabbs]

May be counterproductive in some circumstances. Using a higher-gain omni typically means sacrificing vertical coverage (gain comes from reshaping the radiation pattern). The improvement in reception also extends to interference. If a client is too weak to be picked up, the situation may not improve since the client's signal is increased right along with the noise.

 

[Corairgt]

May be counterproductive in some circumstances. Using a higher-gain omni typically means sacrificing vertical coverage (gain comes from reshaping the radiation pattern). The improvement in reception also extends to interference. If a client is too weak to be picked up, the situation may not improve since the client's signal is increased right along with the noise.

What would be the optimal dBi that you recommend?

 

[thiggins]

How To Fix Your Wireless Network - Part 4: Antennas

 

[jdabbs]

What would be the optimal dBi that you recommend?

I would not make a recommendation without knowing the environment. For situations where a higher-gain omni is advised (single floor wide-arc coverage), at least an 3 dBi improvement over the existing antenna for noticeable improvement.

 

[Corairgt]

I would not make a recommendation without knowing the environment. For situations where a higher-gain omni is advised (single floor wide-arc coverage), at least an 3 dBi improvement over the existing antenna for noticeable improvement.

Is the gain of an antenna directly proportional to the range of transmission?

 

[jdabbs]

No. Decibel is logarithmic, and range is affected by attenuation from obstacles and free space path loss. You can get a rough estimate of attenuation from published measurements, but you would still need to factor in interference from other networks.