estqwerty’s wifi antennas

New interesting product is coming to market Ubiquiti NanoStation - two versions for 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands.

There is not much info available only the info and datasheets. A both devices running new Ubiquiti AirOS which is also interesting.

The device designed to advance the Global Wireless ISP industry to the next level. Featuring a compact indoor/outdoor design and an interface so intuitive even the most technically challenged can instantly become experts. But, don’t be fooled; it is as powerful as it is simple. Nanostation packs some phenomenal performance with a revolutionary design combining a hi-gain 4 antenna system, advanced radio architecture, and highly researched and developed firmware technology allowing throughput, stability, and capacity performance rivaling even the highest-end WiMax networks. All at a MSRP of $79.

• Atheros AR2316 SOC, MIPS 4KC, 180MHz
• 16MB SDRAM, 4MB Flash
• 1 X 10/100 BASE-TX (Cat. 5, RJ-45) Ethernet Interface
• 26dBm, +/-2dB
• -97dBm +/-2dB
• Integrated 10dBi Dual Pol + External SMA
• over 15km
• 12V, 1A (12 Watts). Supply and injector included
• Passive Power over Ethernet (pairs 4,5+; 7,8 return)
• -40C to 85C (System PCB optimized for hi-temp)
• 5 to 95% Condensing

http://www.ubnt.com/products/ns5.php

http://www.ubnt.com/products/ns2.php

AirOS

• Dynamically router board protocol compatible
• Operate in proprietary channels; enhanced security and network privacy
• 5/10/20/40MHz options for increased throughput or increased range performance
• English, Spanish, French, Portugues, and Chinese
• Automatically converge to optimum ACK timeout value for distance links
• Adaptively SW adjust antenna polarity for optimum peformance
• Full SDK and Ubiquiti engineering support open for 3rd party firmware developments

Here You can find very good tutorial how to resurrect bricked Netgear router WGT264 without using a jtag cable :

http://www.embraceit.com.au/wgt624/

There are some interesting steps in this tutorial. First is the step 4 were the trendnet firmware is stripped or converted from .img format to .elf file.

“… Step 4.

The TRENDnet firmware needs to converted from its .img format to the .elf format so that the file is bootable over TFTP. I used http://www.cygwin.com and the following Linux command to strip the superfluous header information :-

dd if=510APB_1121US.img of=510APB_1121US.elf skip=52 bs=1
…”
Second interesting thing is that the author is used AP firmware to reflash router. May be will be possable to reflash a router and use different wireless modes like AP client or WDS ?

Wow ! It’s a surprise for me to see that helical antennas are working so good on 5ghz to 6ghz band. Here is a company that selling them http://www.q-par.com/products/helical-antennas/5-6-ghz-helical-antenna

GAIN ~10 to 11.5 dBic by specification -who knows

So if You like to try 5ghz wireless links, You may try helical antennas . I’ll be waiting for results if someone try to build and test this.

Here is the picture of one of this - nothing unusual really:

Very Cheap Dipole feeders - they are easy to be build and you do not need a lot or expensive materials. Everything here can be made from wire or scrap /I watch too much scarpwars on Discovery channel /

I found some very interesting looking feeders for dishes - VERY cheap to make, first is made only from feeder line or simple coax.

http://patraswireless.net/antennas.html

“A simple dipole feed. Good solution to illuminate parabolic constructions (solid, grid etc.) Heliax holds the dipole, as well as feeds the N-type female connector to the back. Tests shown 4 dBi (against Lucent 24 dBi parabolic grid). “

Second is Russian of course http://www.hub.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=16285

Name of the file is interesting too D_Linc3_008.jpg

Interesting materials - onli several pieces of pcb board are used - very good.

From the same forum are these too -

Last pic is from http://martybugs.net/wireless/conifermods2.cgi

And for the end howto make wire reflector or DIY Parabolic Grid Reflector

Info is from this : http://www.zero13wireless.net/foro/showthread.php?t=248

19dbi gird blueprint :

For me is easy to buy small offset dish - 80cm is around 10 to 15 Euros here.