"Wal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Simple question I hope:
>Using a simple wireless access point with a coverage of the average house
>block, if someone used a long range directional or other antenna could they
>reach this access point or do both machines need to be using antennas of the
>same size/strength and point to each other?
Antenna gain at either end is equivalent. So if a neighbor can
connect to your AP by using an antenna with 12 dBi of gain
(replacing the standard one that we'll say is 2 dBi), the exact
same effect could be had by instead replacing your 2 dBi antenna
with one of 12 dBi, or also by using 7 dBi antennas at both
ends. The requirement is that a total of 10 dB be added, and it
makes no difference if it is 10 dB to his end, 10 dB to your
end, or 5 to each end.
Note that antennas add gain for both transmit and receive
directions too. Transmit power on the other hand, provides gain
in one direction only. Hence just increasing the power output
of one end does not have the same effect as a better antenna,
but increasing power at both ends does.
>Another example:
>Theres a hotspot in a cafe which covers inside and outside of the immediate
>premises. If you sat a 100 meters or so away with a decent directional
>antenna and have good line of sight could you link on to it or would it need
>a similar antenna pointing back to you? I am not about to gain access
>illegally anywhere but do want to link up on a similar situation with my own
>hardware.
A cafe hotspot is *clearly* being advertized as available for
use, so there is nothing illegal about connecting to it. A high
gain antenna will certainly increase the range at which a connection
is possible. Typically for every 6 dB additional gain the range
will be doubled.
--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)
(E-Mail Removed)
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