I recently spent and quite expectedly, it turned out that the performance and sensitivity of their radio modules differ significantly. When I connected an antenna to the routers, the speed increase increased by a multiple. This gave me the idea to conduct a comparative test of antennas, which will not only provide communication in a private house, but also make it no worse than in a city apartment, with a cable connection. Well, what ended this testing can be found below. Traditionally, for those who want to watch, not read, I made a video.
Testing technique
Without a normal structural approach, you cannot get high-quality results, and the purpose of this test was to choose the best antenna for the highest speed Internet access. The router was chosen as the measurement standard , which quite justifiably took first place in the previous test. This device can work both with a regular wired provider, using a backup 3G / 4G communication channel if necessary, or work completely autonomously using 3G and 4G cellular networks. In my test, only the 4G network is used, since only data is transmitted through it and the load of voice traffic does not affect this communication channel.
For the test, I chose three different antennas of different types: the first test, to get clean values, the router worked without external antennas, using only the built-in antennas. The second test was connected to an antenna with a circular pattern. In the third test, a panel antenna was used, which has a narrower radiation pattern, which was used in the previous test. Well, the fourth stage was the test of a narrowly focused mesh parabolic antenna.
All speed measurements were carried out on a weekday in the daytime, so that the load on the base station was minimal and the download speed was maximum. At each stage, the test was carried out three times and the average value of the download and upload speed was calculated. The router was connected to the same BS, the antennas were aligned according to the signal readings in the router's web interface.
I also made a daily graph of download and upload speeds in my area, which perfectly demonstrates the user experience with the Internet. I believe that the provider will have approximately the same picture of the load on the BS. Interestingly, the download speed graph jumps significantly, but the return graph is practically unchanged - this suggests that users download more than give data.
Price: 4800 р
TTH:
Frequency bands, MHz: 700–960, 1700–2700
Gain, dB: 2 x 6
Allowable transmit power: 10W
Size, cm: 37 x Ø6,5
Weight, grams: 840
Let's start by testing an antenna that has a circular radiation pattern. This antenna cannot boast of some exorbitant gain, but it supports MIMO technology, that is, these are two antennas in one housing. In addition, it is airtight and has 5 meters of pre-assembled cable assemblies. The frequency range covers all segments from GSM to LTE, that is, 2G/3G/4G networks are supported. Mounting on a bar or directly to a wall is included in the package. And now let's consider in what situations it can be used if it has such a size and KU. The first thing that comes to mind is shielded premises: a semi-basement or basement, a metal warehouse or hangar, a ship or a boat. In all these cases, reinforced concrete and metal perfectly shield the external signal, and if radio engineering can work perfectly outside, then there may be no reception at all inside. In this case, such an antenna will solve the communication problem. It can be used not only for a router, but also for a repeater. But it is for the router that it will reveal its full potential, and the circular radiation pattern works well on moving objects, allowing you not to tune the antenna to any one tower. In my case, the speed with the antenna turned out to be slightly lower than without it, since the gain of the antenna is similar to the gain of the built-in antennas in the router, but losses occur on 5-meter cables.
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Ready-made kit with fasteners and pre-wired cable, suitable for shielded rooms, hermetically sealed
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Has a small KU
Price: 4500 р
TTH:
Frequency range, MHz: 1700-2700
Gain, dB: 2×16-18
Allowable transmit power: 50W
Dimensions, cm: 45 x 45 x 6
Weight, grams: 2900
The second antenna has worked for me for several years and participated in the previous test. It has proven itself very well when working both directly with the tower and with the reflected signal. Since its radiation pattern is narrower than that of an omnidirectional antenna, the gain increased to 16-18 dBi, depending on the signal frequency. In addition, it works in MIMO mode, and this already gives an increase in speed. Standard pole mount provides both horizontal and vertical adjustment. In addition, the mount allows you to rotate the antenna 45 degrees to change the polarization - sometimes this gives a gain of several megabits. Big, airtight and efficient! And if without this antenna the RSRP / SINR indicators were -106/10, then with the panel antenna they increased to -98/11. This gave an increase in download speed from 13 to 28 Mbps, and for upload from 12 to 16 Mbps. That is, a twofold increase in downloads on the same BS is an excellent result. In addition, the antenna, due to its small angle, allows you to cut off nearby, but more loaded base stations and switch to other, less loaded ones. One has only to take into account that it is desirable to make the cable assembly shorter so as not to lose the signal in the wires.
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Signal amplification allows you to double the speed, the radiation pattern makes it possible to choose a less loaded BS, a convenient mounting kit, has not lost its qualities for several years
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With a size of 45x45 centimeters, it has windage, which requires a high-quality base for fastening
Price: 6000 р
TTH:
Frequency range, MHz: 1700–2700
Gain: 25 dB at 1700-1880 MHz, 26 dB at 1900-2175 MHz, 27 dB at 2600-2700 MHz
Maximum input power: 100 W
Size, cm: 90 x 81 x 36
Weight, grams: 3200
The parabolic mesh antenna is remarkable in itself - it has an impressive size of 90x81 centimeters. It is not round, as is customary for satellite dishes, which even has a positive effect on the radiation pattern. In addition, the mesh design significantly reduces windage - the wind just passes through it, and this practically does not affect the focusing of the signal. The antenna operates in the frequency range from 1700 to 2700 MHz. There are three feed positions, one for each frequency. The instructions clearly show how to position the irradiator relative to the antenna in order to get the maximum gain at the desired frequency, that is, first you need to know at what frequencies your provider operates. Here the web-interface of the router comes to the rescue, in which the operating frequency is quite clearly demonstrated. This antenna is somewhat more difficult to work with, requires precise alignment, since the directivity angle is very small. An obvious advantage of this solution is the ability to accurately direct to the desired BS, even if several stations are located almost in a straight line. There are also disadvantages: the detuning time on the BS increases noticeably, and it becomes more difficult to work with the reflected signal. But the most important thing is the gain. It ranges from 25 to 27 dBi. In my case, this made it possible to amplify the signal from the original RSRP / SINR -106/10 to -90/19 dBi, and the receive speed increased from 13 to 41 Mbps, transmission from 12 to 21 Mbps. That is, the reception speed has increased by more than three times! Well, in a remote area, where cellular communication may not catch at all, it is quite possible to catch both 3G and 4G signals for several tens of kilometers!
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Excellent gain, mesh design reduces windage, the ability to adjust the irradiator to the desired frequency
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Dimensions
Summing-up
Comparative testing showed that even without an antenna, with a good elevation (10 m from the ground), the Zyxel LTE3316-M604 router can provide an acceptable Internet speed. But you can’t leave the router on the street, so this option is suitable in an apartment, office, but not where the tower cannot even be seen with binoculars.
The FREGAT MIMO antenna is suitable for those who, for a number of reasons, cannot receive a radio signal at the place where the router is installed. It can be shielded walls, low location, other interference. And two antennas in a single housing will provide support for MIMO technology, which should increase the speed of operation.
As for the OMEGA 3G / 4G MIMO panel antenna, it proved to be very worthy. Work with both direct and reflected signal, lots of mounting options, good gain. Small dimensions do not give a large windage, and the gain in speed is noticeable. You can safely take it if there is a 3G / 4G signal, but it is extremely weak or not at all.
Well, the PRISMA 3G / 4G MIMO parabolic mesh antenna is suitable for the most desperate, because with such gain and the ability to fine-tune to the BS, you can get communication even in the most remote village if there is a base station of a mobile operator within a radius of several tens of kilometers.
Conclusion
For now, I left the OMEGA 3G/4G MIMO antenna working. I had to move the mounting bar on the wall a little, since the dimensions of the antenna dictate their conditions. With a cable 3 meters long and a selected router, I saw speeds up to 50 Mbps when the BS was the least loaded. This tends to a theoretical speed limit of 75 Mbps under the current operating conditions of the BS: Band3 frequency -1800 MHz, channel width 10 MHz. But the main thing is that at a distance of more than 8 km from the base station, I managed to get speeds close to those that can be had in the immediate vicinity of the tower. For example, I will give a picture of the coverage of the radio signal when using different frequencies.
In conclusion, I will say that you can always provide yourself with good Internet in the country or in a private house. Do not be afraid of unfamiliar equipment: to choose a 3G / 4G router, just read my previous article. And when choosing an antenna, contact those who are seriously involved in them - they will select the best solution and even prepare all cable assemblies. All you have to do is connect everything. Good luck, good ping and stable speed!
Source: habr.com