wifi project question

[eng amr fouad]

hey , we are a company in Egypt and we are changing our wireless infrastructure .the contractor who is doing the project tells me that any wall access point "C9120AXE-I" with antenna "air-ant2566p4w-rs" is good even in small places .. this antenna is directional ...here is a screenshot 

be advised that behind the camera is also a wall . is this good? . as I understand directional antenna is only good for point to point or large area's.. so is what he is doing is correct ?

[Leo Laohoo]

The AIR-ANT2566P4W is in the Approved Antennas Catalyst 9120e.

[eng amr fouad]

thank you . but I am asking about putting this antenna in a narrow place like that ..I don't think directional antenna would be suitable .

[Mark Elsen · Accepted solution]

  - >thank you . but I am asking about putting this antenna in a narrow place like that ..I don't think directional antenna would be suitable .
                      - Besides expecting that  originally a  wireless site survey has been done  , it should now be done again
                        with the purpose of checking coverage  for the intended AP-models (and antenna's)
                        and or  use this combination (AP + antenna)  for testing  first 

 M.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@eng amr fouad wrote:
but I am asking about putting this antenna in a narrow place like that ..I don't think directional antenna would be suitable .

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One picture is not enough to make any decision.

Get a wireless site survey done to validate the design &/or the choice of antenna.

[eng amr fouad]

we have done a heat map and a site survey.. its said on the heat map that this access point should be air-ant2544v4m-rs .. but instead he installed air-ant2566p4w-rs saying that it will work. a heat map will be done in the end of the project but i don't believe him 

[Rich R · Accepted solution]

I'd be inclined to agree with you but as the others have said the only way to be sure is with a post-install survey.
Don't wait till the end of the project - insist that he does a survey of that location immediately to prove what he is saying.

Frankly I don't understand why he has even used an external antenna which is just extra cost.  Why didn't he use a C9120-AXI (internal antenna) AP there?

You can compare the radiation patterns of the 2 AP models at:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/antenna/installation/guide/ant2566p4w.html
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/antenna/installation/guide/b-air-ant2544v4m-ns.html

[Haydn Andrews]

My view is first if this is meant to be covering the area below the antenna, I would have had some down tilt or the antenna lower.

I also dont like having big metal ducts right below the sides of a patch antenna, your going to have bunch of reflection happening, and may have some issues to areas on the other side and below them.

Generally I only use directional antennas indoors for the following reasons

1. trying to contain the signal to a specific area - generally high densitiy

2. Warehouse/ long skinny rooms where i need to push all way to other side.

So not sure what the wireless design was trying to do in this case.