This is Part 2 of the transmit power series. In Part 1, I covered the theory behind AP transmit power, client transmit power, EIRP, and the loud AP problem. In this part, I wanted to test the theory in a small lab. The goal was simple: If I increase AP transmit power, does the link improve in both directions, or does only the client hear the AP better? This is the core of the loud AP problem. Making the AP louder may improve the downlink from AP to client, but it does not automatically improve the uplink from client to AP. ...
Transmit Power Part 1: APs, Clients, EIRP and Why More Power Is Not Always Better
Transmit power is one of those wireless settings that looks simple at first. More power should mean better Wi-Fi, right? Not always. In Wi-Fi, increasing the transmit power of an access point can improve what the client hears from the AP. But that does not automatically improve what the AP hears from the client. Wi-Fi is bidirectional. Both sides of the conversation matter. This post looks at AP transmit power, client transmit power, EIRP, antenna gain, receive sensitivity, and why a “loud AP” can sometimes create more problems than it solves. ...
Starting My CWNE Journey
Every journey starts somewhere. For me, this blog marks the beginning of a new chapter: documenting my path toward becoming a Certified Wireless Network Expert, better known as CWNE. Wireless networking has always fascinated me. It is one of those technologies that feels simple from the outside: devices connect, users roam, applications work. But behind the scenes, there is a huge amount of design, engineering, troubleshooting, and continuous learning involved. ...