ANT-25 or ANT-27?

[Adrian4]

Hello,

I am looking to buy a bunch of antenna for meraki MR 76's but im a little confused as to which to get.


I thought that one (sector?) was supposed to be more focused for longer range in a narrower field and the patch was more of a wider spread?

But when I look at the coverage patterns int he data sheets, it looks like there's not a lot of difference except maybe the 27 bleeds more signal backwards than the 25?

https://meraki.cisco.com/lib/pdf/meraki_datasheet_antenna_dual_band_sector__9dBi_12dBi.pdf
https://meraki.cisco.com/product-collateral/ma-ant-25-datasheet/?file


The access points will be mounted maybe 10 meters ish high on the side of very large building sides in two scenarios.

The first is to cover as much wide open space around the buildings as possible - so an ideal coverage would be 180 degrees and out as far as possible.

The second is to throw the signal as far as possible in a particular direction to reach far corners of a yard.

I assumed I'd need a mix of both antenna (not mixing on the same AP) but is there much difference? Looking at the patterns, I'm thinking the 27 sector is best for both situations?

[alemabrahao]

Have you checked this discussion?

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Wireless-LAN/Antenna-selection-for-MR76-ANT-25-vs-ANT-27/m-p/112645#...

[Adrian4]

I did a search and that one wasnt in the results for some reason! lol its the exact same question.

However, the post that is marked as the answer is just the boiler plate description of the device - "sector is more focused".

But if you look at the data sheets....IS it more focused? doesn't look like it.

[Brash]

The vertical beamwidth is far narrower on the 27 than the 25 as per the datasheet. It also has a higher gain.

The horizontal beamwidth is relatively comparable.

[Adrian4]

ah maybe that's were im getting confused - i assumed the horizontal plane was the one that was most relevant. I imagined it was the pattern radiating out in a horizontal wave (left to right so to speak) which would give the area coverage, and vertical was more up and down from the base.

Have I got it the wrong way around and the arrow direction is in fact the vertical?

[Brash · Accepted solution]

This image does a better job than me attempting to explain it in words 😅

[Adrian4]

ah much better image lol - yea so it is how i expected.

So a narrower vertical beam provides the extra gain, but the actual area left to right that it covers is more or less the same?

So assuming the vertical is enough to hit the ground from 10meter up, then its better to go with ANT-27's in pretty much every case as it has the extra gain?

[Adrian4]

hmm - i guess it means there will be more of a dead area directly beneath the antenna. You would have to be further away from it before you get good signal 

[Brash]

I think this is more what is meant by the 'more directional' antenna.

The narrower beamwidth and increased gain means it should punch further and to a more specific point. As you mentioned, there is likely to be dead spots (or at least poor signal) closer to the antenna.

All that said, I'm certainly no wireless expert and could well be wrong. There's at least a couple of wireless pro's in this community who could probably advise better.

[Adrian4]

cheers, i think I will just go with ANT-25's and add a 27 if the range isnt enough.