- Cisco Network Router User's Manual

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CiscoAironetAccessPointDeploymentGuide 
CiscoSystems
Copyright©2012CiscoSystems,Inc.Allrightsreserved.
Page37of52
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Note: Avoid using single‐band (single‐radiating element antennas) like those used with the earlier AP
3500,becausetheyarenot fully compatible with the newer AP 1600/2600 and AP 3600. Antennas for
theAP1260andtheAP3500aresingle‐radiating elementantennasmade foreachindividualband.
The
AP 3600, 2600, and 1600 use dual‐band, dual‐radiating el ement antennas and are branded with an
orangemarking.(SeeFigures46and47.)
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Whenusing802.11nratesinareaswithhighmetal,suchasdistributionareasorairportha ngars,lower
gainantennasontheceilingmayperformbetter
becausetheytendtoradiatethesignalinalldirections
and increase the chance that multi‐path will enhance the signal. If you have a clear path, a patch
antennaattheendofanaisleatroughlythesameheightorjustabovethe(WLANclient)ispreferred.
(SeeFigure
49.)Besuretodoasitesurvey.
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Figure49:ImportanceofSiteSurveyinAreaswithHighAmountsofMetal
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Ahighgainantennamayhaveanullordeadspotdirectlybelowitbecausethe antennaele mentisoften
much longer and has less metal surface area
 available to conduct the radio wave if you are directly
underneath it. (See Figure 50.) The further away you are from the antenna, the more surface is
available,andthebetteritperforms.
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