Antenna Overview - ZyXEL Communications NWA-3160 User Manual

Table 91 Wireless Security Relational Matrix (continued)
AUTHENTICATION
METHOD/ KEY
MANAGEMENT
PROTOCOL
WPA
WPA-PSK
WPA2
WPA2-PSK

Antenna Overview

An antenna couples RF signals onto air. A transmitter within a wireless device
sends an RF signal to the antenna, which propagates the signal through the air.
The antenna also operates in reverse by capturing RF signals from the air.
Positioning the antennas properly increases the range and coverage area of a
wireless LAN.
Antenna Characteristics
Frequency
An antenna in the frequency of 2.4GHz (IEEE 802.11b) or 5GHz(IEEE 802.11a) is
needed to communicate efficiently in a wireless LAN.
Radiation Pattern
A radiation pattern is a diagram that allows you to visualize the shape of the
antenna's coverage area.
Antenna Gain
Antenna gain, measured in dB (decibel), is the increase in coverage within the RF
beam width. Higher antenna gain improves the range of the signal for better
communications.
For an indoor site, each 1 dB increase in antenna gain results in a range increase
of approximately 2.5%. For an unobstructed outdoor site, each 1dB increase in
gain results in a range increase of approximately 5%. Actual results may vary
depending on the network environment.
Antenna gain is sometimes specified in dBi, which is how much the antenna
increases the signal power compared to using an isotropic antenna. An isotropic
NWA-3160 Series User's Guide
ENCRYPTIO ENTER
N METHOD MANUAL KEY
TKIP/AES No
TKIP/AES Yes
TKIP/AES No
TKIP/AES Yes
Appendix B Wireless LANs
IEEE 802.1X
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