A dual band WiFi antenna is a revolutionary invention in the communication landscape. It is designed to operate in two distinct frequency bands of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. With two operating frequency bands, dual band WiFi antennas can offer better range, more reliability, higher speeds, reduced interference, and better quality in the connection. These antennas are able to switch between the two frequencies to provide optimal performance based on the signal strength and the bandwidth available at a given time. 2.4 GHz is the most commonly used frequency band for WiFi networks, thus making the network crowded. With 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz both available, this allows the devices that are compatible with 5GHz to connect using the 5GHz band. This reduces the congestion in the 2.4 GHz band, leaving it for devices that do not support 5 GHz connectivity. Using dual-band WiFi antennas enables modern WiFi networks to be faster and more reliable with undisrupted service.
Frequency Bands
The two frequency bands used in dual band WiFi antennas are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
- 2.4 GHz frequency band
The 2.4 GHz frequency band generally ranges from 2400 MHz to 2485 MHz. This frequency band has 14 overlapping channels that are 20 MHz wide among which 1 to 11 channels are used in the US and 1 to 14 channels are used in Europe, Africa, and Asia. 2.4 GHz is the typically used frequency band for WiFi as well as other wireless technologies like Zigbee and Bluetooth. The 2.4 GHz frequency band has high penetration characteristics and hence can penetrate through materials like timber, brick, insulation etc., and hence is widely used for wireless networking applications. However, since the 2.4 GHz frequency band is heavily used it is overloaded and can cause interference during usage. Due to the high network traffic, the signals will get weakened and the performance of the WiFi network will get disrupted. Dual band WiFi antennas were introduced as a remediation for this.
- 5 GHz frequency band
The 5 GHz frequency band generally varies between 5.15 GHz to 5.35 GHz and 5.725 GHz to 5.825 GHz. This frequency band has 4 large sub-bands with 26 channels out of which 19 are non-overlapping. The four main sub bands are categorized as A upper band for indoor applications spanning from 5.150 GHz to 5.250 GHz, A lower band for indoor applications spanning from 5.250 GHz to 5.350 GHz, B band for indoor or outdoor applications spanning from 5470 GHz to 5725 GHz and C band for outdoor waterproof applications spanning from 5735 GHz to 5850 GHz. The non-overlapping channels ensure minimal interference and high-speed communication through the network. The wavelength of the 5 GHz signal is significantly shorter than that of the 2.4 GHz frequency band. They are easily subjected to attenuation, even through a brick wall, and hence can provide connectivity only to a small coverage area. However, within that limited coverage area, this frequency band can provide high speed, high throughput, and uninterrupted connectivity for data transmission.
Applications of Dual Band WiFi Antennas
- Home Networking
Dual band WiFi antennas are highly suitable for home WiFi connections. With the availability of both frequency bands of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, devices can connect to the network on either frequency band depending on the signal strength for each band, compatibility of the devices, and the network traffic on each frequency band. Using dual-band WiFi antennas will facilitate seamless network connectivity within the house with increased speeds and throughput.
- Office Environments
In office environments, it is crucial to have uninterrupted internet connectivity, especially in this modern digitalized world where most of the important communication and transactions happen through the internet. By deploying dual band WiFi antennas to implement the office network it is possible to minimize interferences and provide quality network connection for daily office tasks.
- Public WiFi Hotspots
When setting up public WiFi hotspots, the network needs to cater to a large number of users. Dual band WiFi antennas play a major role in such systems by having two frequency bands on a single device. A higher number of users can be accommodated by having two frequency bands. Dual band WiFi antennas can provide a stable connection with higher speeds, less interference, and more reliability.
- Manufacturing and Warehousing
In manufacturing and warehousing, dual band WiFi antennas are used in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and NFC (Near field Communication) systems for tracking and detection purposes. Efficient communication between the RFID readers and tags and NFC enabled devices is crucial to manage systems such as access control systems, production lines, logistics, etc. Dual band WiFi antennas are able to provide a consistent network to ensure smooth workflow in manufacturing and warehousing.
Types of Dual Band WiFi Antennas
Dual band WiFi antennas are available in a wide range of configurations such as dipole, loop, patch or helical designs and each configuration will offer unique performance capabilities in terms of bandwidth, speed, radiation pattern, polarization etc.
- Panel antenna
Dual band WiFi panel antennas are directional antennas that are generally used for outdoor point to point applications. They have a gain typically around 16/20 dB and operate in 2.4/5 GHz frequency range. Outdoor dual band WiFi antennas are built to be durable even in harsh weather conditions and are usually rain and dust resistant. Panel antennas are easy to install and can be mounted on poles.
- Omnidirectional fiberglass antenna
As the name suggests, this type of dual band WiFi antenna is able to provide consistent coverage in all directions. They are ideal for outdoor networks and can be directly installed into a router or otherwise mounted in an elevated location with minimal obstructions. They have a protective insulated covering of fiberglass like material which allows them to be rain and dust resistant, and thus makes them ideal for outdoor applications.
- Sector antennas
Dual band WiFi sector antennas are ideal for providing coverage to a specific area between 45 degrees to 90 degrees. They are suitable for applications that require a focused beamwidth. This type of sector antenna is used in implementing public WiFi hotspots and can be easily mounted on walls or poles and even in outdoor environments.
- Rubber duck antenna (stubby antenna/ whip antenna)
Rubber duck dual band WiFi antennas are used to provide coverage for a wide area. With frequency bands of 2.4 /5 GHz these antennas can be used in routers for a consistent network. These can be used both in indoor and outdoor applications. Rubber duck dual band WiFi antennas typically have a smaller gain of around 2.5 – 4.5 dB compared to other types.
Benefits of dual band WiFi antenna
- Increased Capacity
When the number of users/devices is high, the traffic on the network will be high and congested. By offering two frequency bands instead of a single frequency band like in traditional WiFi setups, dual band WiFi antennas have the ability to provide a stable and better quality network connection to a larger capacity. With the increased overall network capacity and bandwidth, dual band WiFi antennas can ensure that a higher number of users can connect simultaneously and have a better user experience without sacrificing performance or quality.
- Reduced Interference
The 2.4 GHz is a commonly used frequency for various technologies like WiFi, Zigbee, and bluetooth and hence it is crowded with various devices such as microwaves, wireless phones, bluetooth devices, etc. Thus the 2.4 GHz band gets congested and becomes subject to a lot of interference and slower speeds. The 5 GHz band is much less crowded and hence users can experience reduced interference and better overall performance.
- Enhanced Speed
The 5 GHz frequency band offers higher speeds for data transmission than the traditional 2.4 GHz frequency band. Since two frequency bands are available simultaneously for connectivity, the traffic on each frequency band will be reduced. This allows for better speeds and higher throughput. By operating across two frequency bands, dual band WiFi antennas can mitigate the latency issues in the network.
- Improved Range
The 2.4 GHz frequency band has higher penetration ability and can transmit and receive signals through brick walls, plaster, insulation, timber etc. and hence can provide coverage to a longer distance. The 5 GHz frequency band uses shorter wavelengths and has lower penetration ability. However, within its reachable range, it provides high speed and high quality connectivity. Thus, the combination of both frequency bands in a single antenna enables the dual band WiFi antennas to have better range than single frequency band antennas.
- Optimized Performance for Different Applications
The dual band WiFi antenna is extremely versatile and can be used over a wide variety of applications and services. The 5 GHz frequency band can be used for high speed and high throughput critical applications like video streaming, online gaming, large scale uploads, and downloads, etc. The 5 GHz frequency band in the dual WiFi antennas allows for an uninterrupted and smooth user experience in such use cases. Applications like IoT devices can use the 2.4 GHz frequency band to stay connected over longer distances. The availability of both frequency bands makes the dual band WiFi antenna an ideal device to achieve optimal performance across various applications.
- Dual Frequency Bands
As the dual band WiFi antenna operates on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands it provides a lot of flexibility for users to optimize the performance based on their needs. With both frequency bands integrated to a single device, it reduces cost, space utilization, interferences, congestion issues, and other complexities.
- MIMO Support
Dual band WiFi antennas are able to incorporate Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology. Here, multiple antenna elements are utilized to improve data throughput and reliability. The spatial diversity brought by multiple devices enables to achieve higher data rates and higher signal quality.
Omnidirectional vs directional dual band WiFi antenna
Dual band WiFi antennas are available both in omnidirectional and directional modes. Omnidirectional antennas are able to transmit signals equally in all directions providing a 360 degrees coverage area while directional dual band WiFi antennas transmit signals in a targeted area of generally between 45-90 degrees coverage area.
Compatibility with WiFi standards
Dual band WiFi antennas can provide coverage from 2.4 GHz up to 5.8 GHz. They utilize the two major frequency bands used by wireless networking technologies and hence they can be used by all the major versions of the 802.11 protocol. Given below are some of the WiFi standards that are compatible with the commonly available dual band WiFi antennas.
Wi-Fi 1 (802.11b)
Wi-Fi 2 (802.11a)
Wi-Fi 3 (802.11g)
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Setting up a Dual Band WiFi Antenna
Similar to setting up any other antenna, the first and most crucial part of setting up a dual band WiFi antenna is identifying the optimal location and correctly positioning the antenna. Based on the application requirement, the other performance parameters such as frequency, gain, directionality, radiation pattern, polarization etc. need to be decided. The mounting method of the antenna will depend on the type of dual band WiFi antenna chosen. Some types can be directly fixed onto routers while some types can be separately mounted on poles or walls. Test the signal strength and speed and make any necessary modifications to achieve optimized performance of the antenna.
Conclusion
Dual-band WiFi antennas have revolutionized modern communication and network systems by addressing some of the most common challenges with network devices such as slow speed, interrupted connectivity, and unreliability in the connection. By combining the generally used WiFi frequency band of 2.4 GHz with 5GHz frequency band into a single device, dual-band WiFi antennas are one of the most versatile and compact antenna types in the market today. These antennas are able to offer optimized connectivity in both frequency bands, thus reducing the congestion and interferences for a single band. Overall, dual band WiFi antennas are able to provide seamless connectivity at a higher speed, higher throughput, and better quality over traditional WiFi antennas
