| CLIENT WI-FI ADAPTER CARDS |
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| There are advertisements for high-power 802.11 Access Points that claim that you'll have six times more power than a standard Access Point. The problem is that the limiting factor is whichever unit (Access Point or Client Wi-Fi radio) has the lowest power input. Whether you're using a built-in Wi-Fi wireless LAN network interface, a PCMCIA 802.11 NIC, or an external USB 802.11 radio, the key point is to understand that the power level of the client Wi-Fi interface must as great, or greater than the power level of the associated access point. The following discussion explains the reason. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| While it's true that most new notebook computers can be purchased with built-in Wi-Fi, legacy systems and desktop computers still need additional hardware for Wi-Fi connectivity. Connect802 has that hardware available for quick delivery. A 200 mW (23 dBm) 802.11 Access Point may be able to transmit over 1000 feet but that doesn't help a 30 mW Client Wi-Fi adapter talk back to the Access Point. Wireless LAN Access Points with high-power don't help a WLAN unless the Client WiFi adapters are at least equal in power input. Wi-Fi signal boosters (RF amplifiers) can help offset cable loss when a long antenna cable needs to be run, but a high-power Access Point can not help an under-powered Wi-Fi client adapter. A High Power Access Point may be specified with a 200 mW signal level. Unfortunately this won't help improve the effective WLAN coverage unless the clients are equally equipped. Some examples of products that fall into the high-power category are the Enterasys RoamAbout Access Point 30000, The Lucent ap500, and the Engenius 2511. Using these types of high-power 200 mW or 23 dBm units the person doing the RF design must carefully consider what's going to be done with that "extra" RF power.. compensate for a long antenna cable or send the signal to places where Clients can't talk back. Consider which Wi-Fi client adapter cards you'll need if you're using a 200 mW wireless access point and mesh router note/repeater. You're not going to find a high-power 200 mW PCMCIA Wi-Fi 802.11 adapter card. You're not going to find a 200 mW high-power USB Wi-Fi 802.11 radio. Most WiFi client cards operate closer to 30 mW or 50 mW, much less than you would expect when some of them are even specified to operate as 100 mW (20 dBm) Wi-Fi 802.11 client adapters. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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