TX Power to RADIUS

[workmen]

Hi Community,

Is there a table on how far each of the RADIO Transmit power can reach? I read from this documentation (https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Other_Topics/MR_Access_Point_FAQ#:~:text=However%2C%20barring%20....) that Meraki access points equipped with omnidirectional antennas typically reach a range of 100 meters and Directional antennas would greatly extend this range. However, what if I only want it to reach 25 meters (radius/circumference) to avoid overlapping with other access points. What TX power should I set? Radio transmit power of 2.4 and 5G band can be set from 2 - 30, however what if I set the TX power of both bands let's say 15, do both bands transmit up to 50 meters (radius/circumference) though as far as I know, 5G bands have shorter range so I guess they have a different table for both bands.

Thanks and Regards, 

[alemabrahao]

This will depend on the type of antenna, so it would be a good idea to read the datasheet for each antenna.

What you read is a general context, but may not reflect reality.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Other_Topics/Frequently_Asked_Questions_regarding_Cisco_Meraki_A...

[alemabrahao]

Also take a look at this.

https://meraki.cisco.com/product-collateral/mr-family-datasheet/

[alemabrahao]

And this.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Wi-Fi_Basics_and_Best_Practices/Understanding_Wireless_Performan...

[K2_Josh]

Usually some degree of overlap is part of a Wi-Fi design to allow for roaming. Hiring a Wi-Fi consultant is the best way to tune radio settings. If there's no budget a business case for hiring specialists, you can start with Meraki's RF Spectrum tool to assess the perceived dBm values from each of the APs. 

Also, some devices, such as Windows computers with Intel chipsets, allow controlling their roaming aggressiveness (from Device Manager) so that they will more quickly switch to APs with better signal strength.

[cmr]

I'd estimate that omnidirectional antennas typically have a useful range of more like 30m in clear air.  You will get some connectivity further away with the TX power set to max, but it won't be great.

[cmr]

You also want cell overlap for a good roaming experience.  Otherwise clients drop off rather than move across.

[pdeleuw]

Assuming that "RADIUS" in the title of this post is a typo: 100 meters is the range without any obstacles, i. e. outdoor. Indoor you will never reach 100 meters. The coverage depends on the antenna and the environment. There are walls, different materials, furniture, people, etc. You cannot predict the coverage. So a very important step in wireless design is a site survey, before and after the installation. If you do not want or cannot do a site survey, you have to determine the best transmit power experimental. The Meraki dasboard can help with the integrated tools (Wireless -> RF Spectrum). Here you can see the channel utilization and the interfering APs.

Yes, the coverage of 5 GHz is lower than of 2.4 GHz. With a given medium (air) the attenuation is four times higher with two times higher frequency.

[PhilipDAth]

These are pretty safe settings to use for a dense indoor deployment.  I usually start with these numbers and then take it from there.