Long Range Wifi Antennas

Although wifi antenna quality has steadily improved over the last ten years many users still are not satisfied with the performance that they receive from the stock wifi antennas that come with consumer grade equipment. T

o add a long range wifi antenna to an existing router that router must first have an antenna that is designed to be swapped out in some way. While there are various methods for modifying existing wifi antennas to improve their range and transmission qualities, they should only be undertaken by those experienced in dealing with soldering small electrical parts. For those who are not experienced in this area the best bet is to start with a router that will accept the addition of optional long range wifi antennas.

Long Range Wifi Antenna Connectors

The majority of commerically available long range wifi antennas connect to a router via an "N" type connector. A discussion on wifi antennas on a wireless forum web site notes that this connector is NOT directly compatible with most common routers from Linksys, Netgear, and other common brands. In most cases the user will have to purchase an "N" to RP-SMA or RP-TNC adapter in order to plug the antenna into the router's antenna jack.

RP-SMA style connections are used primarily by Netgear and D-link while RP-TNC connections are used by companies such as Linksys. Before purchasing any logn range wifi antenna check the manual to make certain of the connection type and purchase the appropriate adapter at the same time.

Long Range Wifi Antenna Types

There are several basic types of wifi antennas, the most common being unidirectional and omnidirectional. Omnidirectional wifi antennas transmit and receive in a 360 degree circle spreading out from the antenna. Unidirectional antennas focus the transmission in one direction only. This type of wifi antenna will often provide the best distance for a user, but is only really useful for fixed mount installations such as from a house to an outbuilding a long distance away.

They are not appropriate for home use in most cases unless the other devices using the wireless network are all in the same location and do not move. A third type that is more appropriate for some situations is the semi-directional wifi antenna which focuses the radio frequencies in a 60 to 120 degree arc, extending range in one general direction but not in the opposite direction.

Once the type of long range wifi antenna and the type of connector required have been acquired, hooking the antenna up to the wireless router is a relatively simple affair. Perhaps more important is that the upgraded router be placed somewhere in the home that is centrally located. Replacing the stock antenna with a long range wifi antenna can drammatically improve the wifi reception in most consumer grade wireless routers.

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