Role of Communication Antenna & Radio Frequency in Wi-Fi
WiFi has been the biggest part of our communication system for years. If you ever wonder how communication antenna and RF is related to the communication system, you are in the right place.
For wireless communication to be successful, the radio frequency signal must radiate with sufficient power so that it is easily received and understood by the receiver.
Generally, two types of amplification or gain relate to RF signal communication:
First type – active gain – is caused by the transceiver or the usage of an amplifier on the wire in between the antenna and transceiver. An external power source is required to make the active gain get started.
Second type – passive gain – is achieved by focusing on the RF signals with the usage of an antenna. Passive or antenna gain increases the strength of the signal of a wireless communication system.
Let’s explore the antenna concept a bit deeper:
The antenna installation and design in wireless networks are one of the most important facets contributing to either the failure or success of wireless communication. A single key factor that determines: how far the signal can travel and how strong an antenna is called beamwidth. Beamwidth is something that is the measurement of how narrow or broad the focus of the antenna is (both of these are measured vertically and horizontally).
There are three types of antennas, each having diverse beamwidth pattern:
Monopole:
This one is a resonant antenna and its length is determined by the wavelength of the radio waves being received and transmitted. A monopole antenna is generally made of a single conductor, which is mounted over the ground with a transmitter or the one side of the feedline from the receiver joined to the conductor and another side to the ground. It has an omnidirectional pattern for the radiations and is used for wide coverage transmission.
Dipole:
The antenna in wireless communication becomes handy when it’s of Dipole type, which is suitable for the application that demands over a range of frequencies transmission. It consists of two poles where the current flow in these two and associated voltage results to electromagnetic wave or radio signal to radiate to the outer-side from the antenna.
Loop:
These antennas are used in communications with the frequency of 3GHz and electromagnetic field probes in the MF (microwave frequency). There are two types of loop antennas one is electrically small and the other is electrically large based on loop’s circumference.
Wireless networks are prone to multipath signals. Multiple-input Multiple-output (MIMO) is an advanced antenna form which is used in all modern wireless access points.
Antenna in wireless communication plays a crucial role. Choosing a correct antenna type for your communication deployment and installation access point makes a big difference. Pick a suitable one now!
