External Antenna

billcna · 08-19-2004

Ok help me out here guys, I'm new. I have a Lucent (Orinoco) Silver card. I broke down and bought a 5dbi Magmount antenna. (not the cheap one) and have a 19 inch pigtail to hook it up. From my home network, I get a 74% signal with the built in antenna. When I hook up the external, the signal drops to 22%....what gives? How could I pick up signals outside when the signal in my house drops?

Confused.

wrzwaldo · 08-19-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by billcna

Ok help me out here guys, I'm new. I have a Lucent (Orinoco) Silver card. I broke down and bought a 5dbi Magmount antenna. (not the cheap one) and have a 19 inch pigtail to hook it up. From my home network, I get a 74% signal with the built in antenna. When I hook up the external, the signal drops to 22%....what gives? How could I pick up signals outside when the signal in my house drops?

Confused.

When you say "not the cheap one" exactly which one did you get. Picture/link/etc of/to it? Is the pigtail good? What kind of connector on the antenna?

billcna · 08-19-2004

The pigtail and the antenna were both ordered from fab-corp. Pigtail is an Orinoco to N-Male. The antenna is:

5 dBi Magnetic Mount Omni Antenna

This unit can be used for many applications including surveillance work, ISM/Data and other high frequency applications. This antenna has a ground plane imposed at the feedpoint. This design overcomes the typical ground decoupling that occurs at the higher frequencies. This 5 dBi gain model also compensates for typical system losses that occur at these higher frequencies. Because the antenna has its own built-in ground plane, it is not required that it be mounted on a metal surface.

These antennas are very small in design and appearance. A powerful mini magnet (only 2") holds the antenna securely at all times. The 3" round integral ground plane can serve as a removal handle. The low profile whip with close winding phasing coil reduces potential whistling noise. These antennas can be mounted on virtually any surface! A metal surface however will provide the best contact with its powerful magnet. This unit comes complete with a N female pigtail on 9 feet of low loss LMR-240 coax.

Click here for more information on this antenna

Regular Price: $ 89.00
Your Price: $ 59.99

You can find this antenna on the fab-corp site.

wrzwaldo · 08-19-2004

Any way to test your antenna and pigtail on another card?

billcna · 08-19-2004

I'll give it a try. I have an Orinoco Silver card that I can test with. Should the singal not be stronger?

wrzwaldo · 08-19-2004

There are a couple variables but you should see a better signal with that antenna in most situations.

Dutch · 08-19-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by billcna

I'll give it a try. I have an Orinoco Silver card that I can test with. Should the singal not be stronger?

Also check the pigtail, you might have gotten a dud.. If shorted, you'd experience signal-loss.

Just my 0.02€'s worth...

Dutch

FraidyKat! · 08-20-2004

Try testing that with a lower signal from farther away. I have ran accross this several times, depending on location, where strong signals that are close by would get a lower signal on the external antenna. WHere as one from down the street went froma barely detectable 4db signal to 14db. My AP was only 6 feet away and seemed to drop 10-15db on the external antenna.

Being in HAM radio for 10 years, the only thing this is similar to is the signal is so strong on the "Transmitter" it's possible it's actually over driving the "Receiver". This can happen when two mobile radios are too close together. But also take in mind that HAM radios usually start at about 25 watts and go up to 2000 watts. WiFi only runs 100-300 MilliWatts.

Just a thought.

MikeP928 · 08-20-2004

FraidyKat may be right. I ran into the same issue testing a 10db omni in my home office. I could not figure out why the new antenna on 6 ft. of LMR-400 at desk level was worse than without anything. Then I realized that the antenna from my AP was mounted on top of a 7' equipment rack next to my desk. The donut patterns were almost vertically stacked. All I was getting was bounce. I moved to the other side of the room and held the antenna up, then everything looked much better.

billcna · 08-25-2004

That sounds like a very plausible explanation. Especially since I've since bought another pigtail, shorter cable and also used a second Orinoco card and still have the same results. The signal remains the same to slightly lower. So, I suppose that I could be too close to my AP for the external antenna to work properly. I'll have to give it a try from down the street. Thanks guys.

08-19-2004	#1 (permalink)
billcna Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6	External Antenna Ok help me out here guys, I'm new. I have a Lucent (Orinoco) Silver card. I broke down and bought a 5dbi Magmount antenna. (not the cheap one) and have a 19 inch pigtail to hook it up. From my home network, I get a 74% signal with the built in antenna. When I hook up the external, the signal drops to 22%....what gives? How could I pick up signals outside when the signal in my house drops? Confused.

08-19-2004	#3 (permalink)
billcna Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6	Details The pigtail and the antenna were both ordered from fab-corp. Pigtail is an Orinoco to N-Male. The antenna is: 5 dBi Magnetic Mount Omni Antenna This unit can be used for many applications including surveillance work, ISM/Data and other high frequency applications. This antenna has a ground plane imposed at the feedpoint. This design overcomes the typical ground decoupling that occurs at the higher frequencies. This 5 dBi gain model also compensates for typical system losses that occur at these higher frequencies. Because the antenna has its own built-in ground plane, it is not required that it be mounted on a metal surface. These antennas are very small in design and appearance. A powerful mini magnet (only 2") holds the antenna securely at all times. The 3" round integral ground plane can serve as a removal handle. The low profile whip with close winding phasing coil reduces potential whistling noise. These antennas can be mounted on virtually any surface! A metal surface however will provide the best contact with its powerful magnet. This unit comes complete with a N female pigtail on 9 feet of low loss LMR-240 coax. Click here for more information on this antenna Regular Price: $ 89.00 Your Price: $ 59.99 You can find this antenna on the fab-corp site.

08-19-2004	#5 (permalink)
billcna Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6	Try I'll give it a try. I have an Orinoco Silver card that I can test with. Should the singal not be stronger?

08-20-2004	#9 (permalink)
MikeP928 Heeere's your sign! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mexico Beach, FL Posts: 1,169	FraidyKat may be right. I ran into the same issue testing a 10db omni in my home office. I could not figure out why the new antenna on 6 ft. of LMR-400 at desk level was worse than without anything. Then I realized that the antenna from my AP was mounted on top of a 7' equipment rack next to my desk. The donut patterns were almost vertically stacked. All I was getting was bounce. I moved to the other side of the room and held the antenna up, then everything looked much better. __________________ Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. -- Benjamin Franklin, 1759

08-25-2004	#10 (permalink)
billcna Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 6	could be right That sounds like a very plausible explanation. Especially since I've since bought another pigtail, shorter cable and also used a second Orinoco card and still have the same results. The signal remains the same to slightly lower. So, I suppose that I could be too close to my AP for the external antenna to work properly. I'll have to give it a try from down the street. Thanks guys.

08-19-2004	#4 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,147	Any way to test your antenna and pigtail on another card?

08-19-2004	#6 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,147	There are a couple variables but you should see a better signal with that antenna in most situations.

08-20-2004	#8 (permalink)
FraidyKat! G33K! NooB-Driver Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 29	Try testing that with a lower signal from farther away. I have ran accross this several times, depending on location, where strong signals that are close by would get a lower signal on the external antenna. WHere as one from down the street went froma barely detectable 4db signal to 14db. My AP was only 6 feet away and seemed to drop 10-15db on the external antenna. Being in HAM radio for 10 years, the only thing this is similar to is the signal is so strong on the "Transmitter" it's possible it's actually over driving the "Receiver". This can happen when two mobile radios are too close together. But also take in mind that HAM radios usually start at about 25 watts and go up to 2000 watts. WiFi only runs 100-300 MilliWatts. Just a thought.

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