In a previous article, we discussed the 10 access points most used by Tanaza’s users. Today, we provide the list of the 7 best outdoor access points supported by Tanaza.
One of the main perks of Tanaza is its vendor-agnostic approach: you can choose the access points you prefer for your Wi-Fi deployments, as Tanaza supports a wide range of access point models from different vendors. Among them, let’s focus on the best access points for outdoor deployments, i.e. parks, public streets, main squares, etc.
Understand the power gain with the Rule of 10s and 3s
In the datasheet of your access points, you will find the device’s radio power. This value describes how well the transmitting antenna converts the input power into radio waves (output power). This is also called “power gain”.
The power of an access point is the intensity of its wireless signal. In general, people believe that the higher the power, the further distance you can cover. But this is not true, as the mathematical relation between the covered area and the power of the access point is much more subtle.
Before explaining the formulas, let’s make a practical example.
Imagine that the intensity of the wireless signal is represented by a light bulb. If you light the bulb in a dark room, the room will be equally illuminated by the bulb, in all directions with the same intensity.
This change in intensity is what is called the gain; it represents the increase of power, in other words the ratio between the input power and the output power.
Gain = Power output / Power input
The gain of antennas is expressed in decibels (dB). In the wireless communication sector, the power output and input are in milliWatts (mW).
To be simple, let’s see the so-called Rule of 10s and 3s, that allows us to calculate output power of an access point.
For every gain of 3 dB, the power in mW is doubled
For every loss of 3 dB, the power in mW is halved
For every gain of 10 dB, the power in mW is multiplied by 10
For every loss of 10 dB, the power in mW is divided by 10
Example: we have an access point that can transmit 100 mW. We add an antenna that it supposes to give a gain of 3 dB.
100 mW + 3 dB = 100 x 2 = 200 mW
To conclude, if you want to optimise your WLAN performances, you have to think carefully about the power level you need and the direction in which you want to spread the wireless signal. Prefer mono-directional antennas if you want to cover a small specific area, rather than an access point with omnidirectional antennas for bigger deployment.
Mesh WiFi networks are actually been around for a while. They are not a temporary tech type. This is well established. The debate since some time has instead shifted to the possibilities of using mesh technology to improve the performance of wifi networks and make them more reliable.
We all know that the best way to build a reliable, well-working and performing Wi-Fi network covering a large outdoor area is to add more access points through cabling. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. When there’s the need to cover an outdoor area without cabling, one of the possibilities is to use extenders or repeaters to boost the signal of your access point. In a previous article, we explained to you why it is not a best practice for Wi-Fi networks, as the way these devices works reduces the bandwidth by 50%.
So, if you are deploying a Wi-Fi network within a large area, and you want to provide satisfactory Wi-Fi service to your customers, you need to find other options.
The second option you may want to consider is a mesh wifi network, that is composed of multiple access points (also called “nodes”) that “communicate” one to each other wirelessly. The mesh technology allows you to create a Wi-Fi network without using cables, simply by spreading access points with mesh technology around your outdoor location to cover all the dead spots.
The nodes of a mesh wifi network are all part of a single wireless network; the nodes communicate with the main router through mesh technology: each node is relaying the signal from one access point to another. In doing so, even the access point farthest from the main router is able to broadcast the Wi-Fi signal. The mesh router system can be the best option for those who wants to deploy or boost a Wi-Fi network within a big area, where cabling is not possible.
However, mesh wifi network is not a problem-free technology; unfortunately, it can be said that it provides more disadvantages than advantages. First, even if access points are not cabled to the modem through an Ethernet cable, they still need power; and this can be hard, in some outdoor locations. Furthermore, mesh network requires continue supervision by a skilled network administrator (a lot of work!); but, what is most important is that about 50% of your bandwidth is not available to Wi-Fi clients, as it is consumed by the network itself to keep links stable and ensure uninterrupted data transmission; additionally, there can be latency, as messages take time to get from a node to the gateway and vice versa (if the node is far from the gateway).
Example: a mesh router system could fit the Wi-Fi needs of camping spaces, open-air sport venues, etc.
To summarise , even if building a mesh network seems to be better than cabling multiple access points, you should be aware that the network will lost in Wi-Fi speed and bandwidth.
Thus, if you already have a mesh network installed, and you want to add the Tanaza captive portal technology to it, you can link one of the nodes to a Tanaza access point with the “captive on LAN” function enabled. This way, you will be able to manage and configure through Tanaza the login page (with social login) for your mesh network’s SSID.
Screenshot 1: link one of the nodes to a Tanaza access point with the “captive on LAN” function enabled
We’ve seen that using extenders, repeaters and mesh networks to cover outdoor areas can be problematic. So… what is the best practice to build a strong, reliable network? Wireless bridge is the best choice for your Wi-Fi network when you can’t use cables. For example, Ubiquiti NanoStation can be used to create a 5GHz wireless bridge and then, Tanaza access points are connected to the Ubiquiti Nanostation devices to provide Wi-Fi to clients. The bridge’s main advantage is that you are not losing in bandwidth and Wi-Fi signal quality.
Screenshot 2: Ubiquiti NanoStation can be used to create a 5GHz wireless bridge and then, Tanaza access points are connected to the Ubiquiti Nanostation devices to provide Wi-Fi to clients
To conclude, ensuring the Wi-Fi speed and the bandwidth when deploying a Wi-Fi network in a big area is a challenge. Extenders and repeaters are definitely not the solution as they are not powerful as real access point. Mesh WiFi Network might be an option but you take the risk to lose in Wi-Fi speed and in bandwidth. The best option remains the bridge that, combined to a software of Wi-Fi management, allows you to offer a qualitative service to customers. For example, the Tanaza software allows you to configure many access points from one single centralized platform based on the cloud: customize the user experience by creating different SSIDs and implementing a captive portal with multiple login methods, configure the user’s Wi-Fi session thanks to the Tanaza coupon system (time session, bandwidth limit, concurrent users…) and much more!
If you want to know more about how Tanaza can help you to manage your Wi-Fi network, click here.
These two devices are perfect if you are looking for a small and affordable Wi-Fi device. Their small dimensions (20cmx8cm) allow you to install them discreetly in small locations such as a small bar, bedroom for hotels (you could for example install one access point every two bedrooms in order to maximize the performances of your Wi-Fi network).
The RE355 uses the 802.11n standard, slower than the RE450, this Wi-Fi device is affordable and fits perfectly locations like bars and shops with 10-15 concurrent users maximum. The RE450 is an AC Wi-Fi device with a very good quality-price ratio. The device is really easy to install and perfect for locations like bars, restaurants and hotels.
Both of them can be a good choice for installations in hotels, thanks to their small dimensions and their affordable price, to install one access point per room while reducing the hardware expenses.
Suitable for indoor deployments and ceiling installation, they have a minimal and elegant design, and only internal antennas, allowing you to install them in hotels, bars, restaurants, museums and many other venues with a minimum aesthetic impact.
Both access points use the latest Wi-Fi standard (ac), perfect for high-speed browsing like streaming videos even with many concurrent users.
Tanaza is vendor-agnostic and works great with a wide range of access points in order to give as much freedom as possible to its partners.
If you want to see the full list of supported access points, click here.
Regardless to the model chosen by our partners, Tanaza empowers the access points by adding a complete set of features for cloud and hotspot management.
In this article, you can find the list of the 10 access points most used by Tanaza’s users between 2015 and 2016.
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