Antenna Selection - Omni vs Sector

[khurley]

I am looking for some help with antenna selection. I am designing a network to cover a large outdoor area where we will have mobile equipment with PC's in them. I had planned on using the Metro with four radios, three b/g's with 3-120 degree sectors and fourth radio for backhaul. The antenna vendor suggested using 8.5 dbi omni's instead. I have tested Cisco radios with 5 dbi omni's and I only get 120-150 m of range, and I need 300m guaranteed range. I realize that antenna selection is critical and I only want to do this once. Cost is not an issue.

Any input would be appreciated. Kevin

[lonnie]

The antenna vendor has no clue. Sorry to be harsh but they are dead wrong. Your original plan of sectors is what you need to do. This might even be a signal to find another antenna vendor. I get quite concerned when an expert gives wrong advice.

The sector has higher gain so more signal is delivered and received plus it hears signals from a physically smaller area thus noise is reduced. The idea of higher signal and lower noise is the ultimate goal, so sector wins every time. Omni is cheap and dirty and is fine for starting out small. We use them, but the vast majority of our installs are sectors. I do an omni for what I call microcells to pickup a few people right around an existing customer.

[khurley]

Thanks Lonnie.

Any resellers out there that are interested in looking at this project?

I am in Southwestern Ontario.

[sligbot]

We're in Hamilton and in Owen Sound. Busy as anything but always ready to help out.

--Rich

[Stratolinks]

I am near London (somewhat north). I would not likely be willing to do the work right now (maybe in about a month), but if this is in the area, I would be willing to offer a bit of consulting for a pretty reasonable fee. And I can always make recommendations as to where to get the hardware (right sligbot).

PM me if you want more info.

[pwmaclean]

OmniPro is who we buy our antenna's from, I know they are in Ontario, their salesmen have been wrong more than once though. ;) This forum seems to be the best bet on advice before committing.
j

[tog]

"OmniPro" is a pretty funny name for an antenna vendor. Maybe you should find one named "SectorPro"

[pwmaclean]

Haha, and I bet they still wouldn't know much about what they sell!!

[khurley]

Here is some interesting information: I contacted Hopling, which is reselling the ADI Metro boards with their own OS. Their price for a Metro with two 400mW a/b/g radios was over $3000. And they insisted that to "upgrade" to four radios would require shipping the AP back to them. Lonnie - You should apparently be charging more!

[lonnie]

No problem, I'll get right on that. Just kidding.

We are doing OK without gouging. If we charged more it would mean an easier time to expand since we are currently using cash flow to build higher inventories and more product lines, but as I said I feel we are doing OK. Growth is slower than it could be, but we simply do what we can with what have. Sort of like my Parents did through their whole lives.

Here is some interesting information: I contacted Hopling, which is reselling the ADI Metro boards with their own OS. Their price for a Metro with two 400mW a/b/g radios was over $3000. And they insisted that to "upgrade" to four radios would require shipping the AP back to them. Lonnie - You should apparently be charging more!

[simcor23]

We are also in Southern Ontario Brantford to be exact and are always open for new projects. I completed a fairly massive project for sixnations and newcredit reserves and currently run an ISP here in brantford and surrounding areas.