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Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:46 pm
by ocgltd
I just purchased my first Groove A2Hn and have it connected to a 2.4Ghz Yagi (which claims 20db gain, but hey it's $8 from ebay so who knows). As well, 10 feet away, I have a generic Linksys wrt router with built in MIMO antenna's.

When I check my laptop, it shows the Linksys at 99% power, the Groove at 40% power. (with antenna point right at me).

I confirmed the wireless power Tx Power Mode on the Groove is set to 'default'. Can anyone explain why there is such lower power radiating out?

Could the groove be defective? Any easy way to test? (I'm new to MikroTik and some of the wireless stuff so figuring it all out)

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:43 am
by saintofinternet
hi...

could you please explain what is that you want to achieve with groove? and also the details (tech specs) of the antenna you have put on groove....

and remember the wifi signals are never 90% at the recv. end because they are subjected to a lot of interference the moment they leave the radiating element.

-sid

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:18 pm
by ocgltd
I'm trying to setup a wireless link from my house to a house 200 feet away. I'm trying to avoid flooding my own home with excessive wifi, so the yagi which is a 20+db gain should focus most of the signal out the front.

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:15 pm
by saintofinternet
what are you using at the recv. end??

a lot depends on the antenna + WLAN card sensitivity to boost the incoming signal.

please check that and inform what hardware you have on the recv. end.

-sid

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:35 pm
by ocgltd
I'm using a laptop for testing, not sure how relevant the card/etc is since this same laptop is comparing the signal from 2 different transmitters (both transmitting on 2.4Ghz N)...

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:58 am
by saintofinternet
have you enabled the N on the Groove?

select the channel as 20/40 Mhz Above or Below.

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 1:48 am
by ocgltd
I finally put a 3 inch wire into the groove as an omnidirection and my signal increased dramatically.

So, I opened up the antenna and found the shield was not properly soldered to a ring (drive element) on the yagi. So, I resoldered it and now power is way up!! woohoo... (and instead of a variable capacitor at the drive element they used a short thin wire...also cheap,cheap).

Good lesson for anyone who also buys an $8 yagi direct from china on ebay :)

Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 1:52 am
by cbrown
Good lesson for anyone who also buys an $8 yagi direct from china on ebay :)
Haha. What were you expecting?

Re: Groove A-2hn very lower power output?

Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 2:06 am
by ocgltd
I didn't believe the 25db gain claim, but I assumed 10db gain was reasonable. (I didn't expect an antenna which attenuates the output)...

I can't understand how they build and ship an antenna from China for US$8. At least with some repair it appears to work ok.

The upside: even if I just keep the N-connector and coax I'm ahead :)