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5/26/05 Cisco 1000 Series Lightweight Access Point External and Internal Antennas
OL-7426-03
The following sections contain more information about Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access point
internal and external antennas:
• External Antenna Connectors
• Antenna Sectorization
• 802.11a Internal Antenna Patterns
• 802.11b/g Internal Antenna Patterns
External Antenna ConnectorsExternal Antenna Connectors
The AP1020 and AP1030 Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points have male reverse-polarity TNC
jacks for installations requiring factory-supplied external directional or high-gain antennas. The
external antenna option can create more flexibility in Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access point
antenna placement.
Note that the 802.11b/g 2.4 GHz Left external antenna connector is associated with the internal Side A
antenna, and that the 2.4 GHz Right external antenna connector is associated with the internal Side B
antenna. When you have 802.11b/g diversity enabled, the Left external or Side A internal antennas are
diverse from the Right external or Side B internal antennas.
Also note that the 802.11a 5 GHz Left external antenna connector is separate from the internal
antennas, and adds diversity to the 802.11a transmit and receive path. Note that no external 802.11a
antennas are certified in FCC-regulated areas, but external 802.11a antennas may be certified for use
in other countries.
Antenna SectorizationAntenna Sectorization
Note that the Cisco WLAN Solution supports Antenna Sectorization, which can be used to increase the
number of clients and/or client throughput in a given air space. Installers can mount two Cisco 1000
Series lightweight access points back-to-back, and the Network operator can disable the second
antenna in both Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points to create a 360-degree coverage area with
two sectors.
Installers can also mount Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points on the periphery of a building and
disable the Side B internal antennas. This configuration can be used to supply service to the building
interior without extending coverage to the parking lot, at the cost of eliminating the internal antenna
diversity function.
802.11a Internal Antenna Patterns802.11a Internal Antenna Patterns
The Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points contain one 802.11a radio, which drives two fully
enclosed high-gain antennas that provide a large 360-degree coverage area. The two internal antennas
are used at the same time to provide a 360-degree omnidirectional coverage area, or either antenna
can be disabled to provide a 180-degree sectorized coverage area.
Note: The AP1010 Cisco 1000 Series lightweight access points are designed to be
used exclusively with the internal high-gain antennas, and have no jacks for external
antennas.