3802E External Antenna

[Simon Young]

I have purchased a couple of AIR-AP3802E-E-K9, by mistake, instead of AIR-AP3802I-E-K9

I have been reading there is not much benefit in an office environment, to using the external antenna

https://community.cisco.com/t5/other-wireless-mobility-subjects/external-antenna-vs-internal-antenna/m-p/2449854#M62224

The majority of deployments meet this criteria, however I do have a number of warehouse spaces, with 3602i

Could there be value in replacing the 3602is with the 3802Es in the warehouse with external Antenna?

Which Antennas would be of the most use

Ideally, can anyone give me an idea of the benefits I might gain from moving to the 3802Es with the antenna if any

Thanks

[pieterh]

placing the "E's" in the warehouse adds resistance to broader environmental conditions (temp, humidity)

"there is not much benefit in an office environment, to using the external antenna"

this is true for the radiation pattern using standard omnidirectional antenna's.

but you could also mount a patch antenna on the wall with the AP above the ceiling.

(or ant-outside / ap-inside a cabinet)

When you mount directional antenna's this is a total different story, also in an office environment.

either using patch or yagi, gives better separation between "cell's" .

This totally depends on the actual environment, so not an easy answer do this or that!

good design would need a site-survey in advance and again after placement

[Leo Laohoo]

I wouldn't use a very-expensive 3800E. Period. If I had the option to use an external antenna, I'd settle with a 2800E instead.
Are you able to talk to the vendor who sold you the APs and ask them to swap them for 3800E? Most of the time vendors are very open to things like this.

[Simon Young]

Hi Leo

I took your advice and I tried speaking to the vendor but the units were sent to a remote site and opened before I worked out the issue. My bad for not asking them to check the box label

So I'm stuck with them, trying to make the best of a bad situation. What I want to do is use them, in the most beneficial way.

[Leo Laohoo]

If you can't get them replaced, then you'll need to purchase antenna for each of the unit. (Just be warned that doing this way will cost MORE than a 3802I.)
List of compatible antennas can be found:  

• Select the Right Antennas for Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi Access Points; or 
• Approved Antennas for Use with Access Points 2800 and 3800 

Note:  Make sure you pick the dual-band antennas (2.4 Ghz & 5.0 Ghz).  

Hope this helps.

[Simon Young]

Based on what you are saying, write this off unless you have a very specific need.

[patoberli]

That's correct.
Also regarding the replacement of your other warehouse models. No you probably will not gain much, if anything at all, because your warehouse clients probably don't speak 802.11ac, nor need the increased bandwidth.
You could use the old antennas there though, but you might loose one or two radios/antennas, depending on how the old antennas (if they utilize just 1 or 2 of the antenna ports of the old AP, you loose them also on the new AP).

If you need something to "play around", you can always install a Mobility Express image on one of the new APs and create a little test network with the new technology. You simply can't really utilize it, thanks to missing antennas.

[Simon Young]

Firstly thanks to everyone for some really valuable insight.

Before I got involved in the wireless we had already purchased a number of AIR-CAP3602I-E-K9 and this was our de facto standard. Further purchases have been the same, without it ever really being questioned.

As the 3602I will be going EoL, AIR-CAP3802I-E-K9 was picked as a suitable replacement, again I did not question it

Reading some of the links posted

I am beginning to think 3802i is too high a spec for what we need, possibly even 2800i models are. None of the clients are 802.11ac, the highest is 802.11an and this wouldn't apply to all devices in my warehouse area

In relation to the original question

I was hoping I could add an omnidirectional antenna to the mis-ordered AIR-CAP3802E-E-K9 access points. I could then move the current 3602I elsewhere. The CAP3802E would then give me an enhanced wireless service in the specified area and I could tell my boss, that it was all okay, no harm done and we haven't wasted loads of money on over spec'd access points.

But I think we are possibly spending too much money as it stands on all our wireless

[pieterh · Accepted solution]

I don't think I've seen how many 3800E's you have?

There may be a place in an office or a meeting room where you can find use for one or two 3800's.

It may free some 3602's for the warehouse area?

AIR-ANT2524DW-R  external omni (dual-band) antenna's can be found for about $15

the 3802 can be configured to use only one,

but to not tie down this (relative expensive) device you need four per AP.

be aware: the 3800 needs 802.3at (30W) PoE equipment or uPoE.

AP 2800 and AP 3800 Powering Options

[Simon Young]

I have purchased x3 of the 3802E models. They were going to be used (if I had bought 3802i models) for an office space.

Local IT installed the access points as per my instructions. When I checked the switch, it told me which models I had and the penny dropped. So in the new office, I had some spare 3602i models which were swapped in. Which solved that problem

However I now have x3 3802E models which are unusable without external antennas. I was trying to think of the best place to utilize them and assumed that I could take down the current warehouse 3602i models, replace with the 3802e models. Add some omnidirectional antennas and this might provide a better solution.

If I added x4 AIR-ANT2524DW-R per 3802e would this be better than the 3602i

Considering the cost of the 3802 units, spending some more money on antennas and getting the best out of them shouldn't be a big deal. What I don't want is them to end up in a cupboard

I'd then take the original warehouse 3602i models and place somewhere else

[patoberli]

The main added features of the 3800 series are modularity, 802.11ac Wave 2, higher CPU performance for more parallel clients and Mobility Express. Based on your description, you will not use a single one of these features.

So what I'd do, get for each AP 4 of the cheap dual-band antennas and use them in office space, where your clients maybe already support 802.11ac (all notebooks newer than 3 years should support that, same for mobile phones) and utilize the 3-5 times higher bandwidth.

[pieterh]

I cannot guarantee you will notice the difference between the 3602 and the 3802.

the 3802 is expensive and has much potential/capacity, 

but if you are gonna need it in your office environment ????

But you got them now, and putting them on a shelf is the worst thing to do!

If you cannot sell them for a good price, investing in the antennas and put them to work is the next best thing.

[Simon Young]

Thanks again for all the feedback, its much appreciated