5.5dbi rubber ducky antennas

I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi rubber ducky
antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys specifically). RS # 278-844.
They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5

So the question is:

a) will one see significant improvement over the factory supplied Linksys
antennae?

b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're really
worth, about $2 ?

I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...

TIA,
-- Paul

"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi rubber
ducky
> antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys specifically). RS #
278-844.
> They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...tegory_name=CT
LG_004_003_002_000&product_id=278-844&hm=special5
>
> So the question is:
>
> a) will one see significant improvement over the factory supplied
Linksys
> antennae?
>
> b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're
really
> worth, about $2 ?
>
> I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...
>
> TIA,
> -- Paul
>
I bought a pair to see how & IF any improvement can be seen -
Well, a change from 2.2db to 5.5db does not seem to be that much
as displayed by the Netstumbler graphs,
or by walking around the house with the laptop -
Basically - the areas where the speed dropped from 11mbit to 6mbit
has not changed, nor has the indicated "signal strength" as displayed by
XP -
It's not like I can now see 11mbit all around the house - still drops to
6 & 2 mbit -
Phil -

"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi rubber ducky
> antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys specifically). RS # 278-844.
> They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5
>
> So the question is:
>
> a) will one see significant improvement over the factory supplied Linksys
> antennae?
>

Only in your mind. So, no, not worth the bucks or the hype.

> b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're
really
> worth, about $2 ?
>
www.ebay.com

Rita

| I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi rubber ducky
| antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys specifically). RS # 278-844.
| They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
|
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5
|
| So the question is:
|
| a) will one see significant improvement over the factory supplied Linksys
| antennae?
|
| b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're
really
| worth, about $2 ?
|
| I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...

I'm very skeptical of aftermarket antenna (Mobile Mark excepted --
http://www.mobilemark.com ). Way back in another life I did extensive lab
and field test on aftermarket antennas for cellular @ 800/1900/2400 MHz.
With the exception of Mobile Mark (I have no interest in their operation)
all were less than as promoted, some far less. Also be aware that some gain
claims are against a isotropic antenna v. the more accepted reference to a
dipole.

"Not Me" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bl56e1$852tu$(E-Mail Removed)...
> | I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi
> | rubber ducky antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys
> | specifically). RS #278-844.
> | They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous.
> | Link:
> |
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5
> |
> | So the question is:
> |
> | a) will one see significant improvement over the factory
> | supplied Linksys antennae?
> |
> | b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for
> | what they're really worth, about $2 ?
> |
> | I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...
>
> I'm very skeptical of aftermarket antenna (Mobile Mark
> excepted -- http://www.mobilemark.com ). Way back in
> another life I did extensive lab and field test on aftermarket
> antennas for cellular @ 800/1900/2400 MHz.
> With the exception of Mobile Mark (I have no interest in
> their operation) all were less than as promoted, some far
> less. Also be aware that some gain claims are against a
> isotropic antenna v. the more accepted reference to a
> dipole.
>

Virtually ALL antenna gain claims are against isotropic antenna (dBi).
WHERE do you find antenna gain expressed in dBd? dBi is the globally
accepted standard for expressing antenna gain. This isn't 'cheating' -- it
only stands to reason that 0 'dB' should be an antenna without gain. The
isotropic antenna IS the antenna without gain. A dipole antenna HAS gain,
so why would you prefer to use an antenna that has gain for your reference
for specifying gain as opposed to using the MUCH "more accepted" isotropic
antenna which doesn't exist except as a reference antenna?

The 5.5 dBi 'Radio Shack' antenna (which is not manufactured by Radio Shack
and IS the same antenna as the Fab-Corp) can be a useful antenna upgrade for
some users. It renders a little more than 3 dB increase over the stock
Linksys antennas. That translates to a very modest increase in range, and
if that's all that's needed then $30 for two antennas is a very reasonable
solution. If the range increase is only required in one direction, then one
of Michael Erskine's reflector designs is even a more reasonable and more
effective solution.

For an omnidirectional replacement antenna, this is actually a very good
deal and it is in no way related to the cell phone antenna scams.

There is also another antenna add-on sometimes known as a 5 dBi Range
Extender which sells for about $15 to $20 and it's nearly useless because
the increase in antenna gain is offset by the increase in cable loss. That
is not the case with the Radio Shack 5.5 dBi antenna because there IS no
cable on the Radio Shack antenna -- it connects directly to the back of a
Linksys access point or wireless router.

Don W.

"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi
> rubber ducky antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys
> specifically). RS # 278-844.
> They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5

Why do you think that $30 for two omnidirectional antennas with RP-TNC
connectors seems kind of outrageous? Can you find any other 5.5 dBi
antenna anywhere that comes with an RP-TNC connector that sells for less?

>
> So the question is:
>
> a) will one see significant improvement over the factory
> supplied Linksys antennae?

Depends on what you mean by significant improvement. By changing the
antennas at only one end of the connection (access point end) you should
experience a (slightly better than) 3 dB increase in signal level assuming
the client is directly in the horizontal plane of the vertically oriented
antenna. This translates to double the signal level at a given range or a
40% increase in range for a given signal level.

If you happened to be using a Linksys WAP-11 as your client device
communicating with another WAP-11 as the access point and you change the
antennas on both ends, the signal level at any given range will quadruple
and the range for a given signal level will double.

>
> b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for
> what they're really worth, about $2 ?

Using this criteria, I would much rather buy from you than sell to you as
you seem to think that dollars are quite valuable whereas solutions are
worth very little.

>
> I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...

Or, conversely, the Radio Shack deal is even a little better!

>
> TIA,
> -- Paul
>
>

Don W.

"Rita A. Berkowitz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi rubber
ducky
> > antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys specifically). RS #
278-844.
> > They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
> >
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5
> >
> > So the question is:
> >
> > a) will one see significant improvement over the factory supplied
Linksys
> > antennae?
> >
>
> Only in your mind. So, no, not worth the bucks or the hype.

What information leads you to this conclusion?

>
> > b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're
> really
> > worth, about $2 ?
> >
> www.ebay.com
>
> Rita

Care to offer an auction number for any ebay auction where a 5.5 dBi antenna
with RP-TNC connector ( or two such antennas ) is going for $2?

Don W.

> > Only in your mind. So, no, not worth the bucks or the hype.
>
> What information leads you to this conclusion?
>



Conclusive side-by-side tests done in a laboratory setting.


> >
> > > b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for what they're
> > really
> > > worth, about $2 ?
> > >
> > www.ebay.com
> >
> > Rita
>
> Care to offer an auction number for any ebay auction where a 5.5 dBi
antenna
> with RP-TNC connector ( or two such antennas ) is going for $2?
>

The original poster was asking were he can find these antennas for, "what
they're worth" and I've answered. It is your determination of whether you
feel they are "worth" $2 or not no matter what you finally decide to pay for
them, not mine. I feel that they are only worth $0.02 and wouldn't take one
for free. The original poster is really being generous by placing an
astronomical value of $2 on them.


> Don W.
>
>

"Rita A. Berkowitz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Only in your mind. So, no, not worth the bucks
> > > or the hype.
> >
> > What information leads you to this conclusion?
> >
>
> Conclusive side-by-side tests done in a laboratory
> setting.
>

lol.

>
> > >
> > > > b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells
> > > > these for what they're really worth, about $2 ?
> > > >
> > > www.ebay.com
> > >
> > > Rita
> >
> > Care to offer an auction number for any ebay auction
> > where a 5.5 dBi antenna with RP-TNC connector ( or
> > two such antennas ) is going for $2?
> >
>
> The original poster was asking were he can find these
> antennas for, "what they're worth" and I've answered.
> It is your determination of whether you feel they are
> "worth" $2 or not no matter what you finally decide
> to pay for them, not mine. I feel that they are only worth
> $0.02 and wouldn't take one for free. The original poster
> is really being generous by placing an astronomical
> value of $2 on them.
>
> > Don W.
> >

IOW you know of no such auction. Thought so.

Don W.

It would seem the price is outrageous relative to the price of the complete
AP. The antennas (relatively simple bits of mass produced plastic and wire)
account for 40% - 50% of the total retail price of the AP (~$75) ?? Sure,
they can ask whatever the market will bear, but I'll bet they don't go
flying off the shelf at those prices....

-- Paul


"Don W." <dNOSPAMwiddersAThotmail.com> wrote in message
news:r8ycnYG70f_3peuiXTWc-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I see Radio Shack is now selling pairs of replacement 5.5dbi
> > rubber ducky antennas for 802.11b gear (they say Linksys
> > specifically). RS # 278-844.
> > They want $29 a pair for these, seems kind of outrageous. Link:
> >
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...44&hm=special5
>
> Why do you think that $30 for two omnidirectional antennas with RP-TNC
> connectors seems kind of outrageous? Can you find any other 5.5 dBi
> antenna anywhere that comes with an RP-TNC connector that sells for less?
>
> >
> > So the question is:
> >
> > a) will one see significant improvement over the factory
> > supplied Linksys antennae?
>
> Depends on what you mean by significant improvement. By changing the
> antennas at only one end of the connection (access point end) you should
> experience a (slightly better than) 3 dB increase in signal level assuming
> the client is directly in the horizontal plane of the vertically oriented
> antenna. This translates to double the signal level at a given range or a
> 40% increase in range for a given signal level.
>
> If you happened to be using a Linksys WAP-11 as your client device
> communicating with another WAP-11 as the access point and you change the
> antennas on both ends, the signal level at any given range will quadruple
> and the range for a given signal level will double.
>
> >
> > b) there must be a source elsewhere that sells these for
> > what they're really worth, about $2 ?
>
> Using this criteria, I would much rather buy from you than sell to you as
> you seem to think that dollars are quite valuable whereas solutions are
> worth very little.
>
> >
> > I see fab-corp.com has them for $19 EACH, even worse...
>
> Or, conversely, the Radio Shack deal is even a little better!
>
> >
> > TIA,
> > -- Paul
> >
> >
>
> Don W.
>
>