topic Re: Range of T300E access point in Access Points - Indoor and Outdoor

Range of T300E access point

maryam_essamlal — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 10:47:07 GMT

Hello,

Can you please tell me about the range of the T300e in a wet area where we don't have barrieres?

Thanks

Re: Range of T300E access point

eizens_putnins — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 13:03:21 GMT

What you mean as a wet area? Pool?

Re: Range of T300E access point

maryam_essamlal — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 14:44:10 GMT

It's about a river.

Re: Range of T300E access point

john_d — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 17:36:50 GMT

Are there trees?

I don't think we will be much help -- range and coverage depends on a lot of environmental factors, including the nature of the foliage / trees in your area, as well as how the AP is mounted and what kind of devices you intend on covering (phones have much lower range than laptops). And in your case, which external antennas you decide to pair with your T300E.

If you are trying to select the right AP for a deployment, it might be better to work with a supplier and get some actual units for doing a site survey.

Re: Range of T300E access point

eizens_putnins — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 18:05:26 GMT

River is not a problem - trees are. As far as you have line of site, you will be fine up to some 100-150 m from AP. But recommended way would be to get AP and make site survey, if not with professional tools, tad at least using some free tools (Inssider for example) on laptop, HeatMapper or Wi-Fi analyser on any Android device. To get an idea of possible coverage, you even can use any AP, T300 just will provider a bit bigger distance and much more speed everywhere, but even with worst SOHO AP you'll get some idea about coverage area -- as frequency and modulation are same, propagation is similar. Of cause, it apply only if you don't plan to use directional antennas - than you obviously need to survey with similar antenna.
Actually, for me idea to use external antennas with Ruckus is the last resort, and viable only in very specific cases, because this way you loose the main benefits of Ruckus equipment -- Beamflex. Also, external antennas are potential source of problems because connections waterproofing isn't so reliable.
Mostly when you need directional antennas you just use T301S and N models with integrated 30x120 degrees and 30x30 degrees antennas, which work absolutely brilliant.
We regularly use Ruckus AP with 30x30 degree antennas for public events on sea beach (musical festivals) and just mount some T301S APs on the one pole in the area, target them in proper directions and cover big areas with many hundreds of users.
Anyway, if area you want to cover isn't compact and around some pole, you need directioanl antennas, and you would prefer to use T301S or N -- with T301N directional antenna you can efficiently cover long area about 30x 500m or even more, if there are no obstacles. Of cause, T301E with similar sector antennas will work good enough, but T301S for example, would work better - you have no additional signal losses on cables to antenna, and you have a few additional db because of Beamflex+ ...
If you don't have experience and equipment yourself, it would be a good idea to consult some company with experience with outdoor projects, they would have equipment and experience needed.

Re: Range of T300E access point

maryam_essamlal — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 11:04:56 GMT

Thanks for all for your reply. There is no trees and generally there is no barrieres. To total superficie of the area concerned is about 300 x 600 and we planned to put about 7 Access point to cover the whole area.

Re: Range of T300E access point

dave_vaughan_71 — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 13:21:20 GMT

We are covering a 20 acre campground with 5 APs. We are heavily treed. The approximate footprint is 1200' by 1200'. We are using/ meshing 3 different models of the T300. Your area has no barriers - you might be able to get a way with a 1 or 2 sector APs - sure as heck will not need 7. Doing a site survey with a Ruckus engineer will likely save you some money.

Re: Range of T300E access point

michael_brado — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 20:28:59 GMT

Hi Maryam, I've helped with marinas before. Are all the APs in your picture wired?
Is there any way to run cable down the docks with the boat slips? Where you have
the greatest concentration of APs today, I think you could pull some (5 and 6, 9 and
10) and still have adequate coverage on shore. If you could put two APs across
at the end of the dock where 16 is, and part-way down the dock towards 15, would
be one recommendation. And if you could put two APs mid-way down the longest
dock where boats are slipped (far left), and mid-way down the one third from the
right), you could probably provide better connection rates for your boat clients.

Re: Range of T300E access point

michael_brado — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 20:31:04 GMT

In your current configuration, boat clients will see many APs will close to the same
RF, or not good enough (those in the water at ends of the docks in the middle).

Re: Range of T300E access point

eizens_putnins — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 21:36:43 GMT

Hello, Maryam,
Thank for the plan, it makes you situation much more clear.
Actually, the most important question is where you can mount APs (and have power + LAN to them).
You obviously have many options. You probably want to mount all APs on land, which will be easier and more reliable.
It seems more appropriate to use APs with directional antennas (T301S (120x30 degrees) and T301N (30x30 degrees).
If you can use building roofs, than you can cover all boats (and most of marina) by 3x T301N + 1x T301S APs, located somewhere on building roofs 4, 3, 2, 1, and providing good speeds and minimal interference.
If you want even better coverage, you can just use 6x T301N (one per pear).
If you are limited in AP q-ty, you can actually install just 2x T301N on building 17, and 1x T301S on building 13, with proper APs orientations you'll get very reasonable reception in most marina.
In any case both vertical and horizontal angles must be carefully calculated in accordance with AP mounting height and necessary coverage sector borders.
You can use downtilt to limit reach of APs in the last case.
There is a lot downtilt calulaltors available in Internet, which will give you start and end of -3db level reception zone, if you put in antenna diagram width (30 degrees), AP location height and downtilt (say, 10 degrees). So you can easy calculate what downtilt you need with which mounting height.
If you are limited to APs with omnidirectional antennas (T300, for example), than you need to mount APs somewhere in the middle of area. This will work, but is less attractive option (you'll probably need to use mesh connections instead of copper cables, because of distances, for example). It will work too, of cause. But you'll need some 7-8 APs for good coverage, and then you'll have more interference.

Re: Range of T300E access point

maryam_essamlal — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 07:41:06 GMT

Hello,

Thank you for your answers and help. It was really helpful.