|
That "beer can thing" (a waveguide) gives 8db gain (about 8 times as much power) if you use the right can and measure very carefully. I used a certain tomato sauce can to get about 1.5 mile range with 802.11g.
The waveguide needs to be pointed directly at the other antenna and that's true of any "better" antenna, except one that's simply longer. Different antenna designs increase range by being more directional - they work better in one direction, worse in others.
If you look up at a radio tower, you'll see professionals use exactly two antenna designs. Most of the antennae on the tower are simple poles like what came with your router or wireless, called dipoles. Broadcasters use those because it's the best design for sending and receiving in all directions. The professional ones on a tower may have some horizontal elements add to the bottom, called a ground plane, but otherwise they are identical. What that tells you is that pros know gimmicky antenna designs are bullshit. For coverage in all directions, the only thing better than a dipole is a bigger dipole.
The second type you'll see on a commercial radio tower is the parabolic dish, which is the best design for pointing directly at the other station. They are best known for their use in picking up one specific satellite they are pointed at, giving them the name "satellite dishes".
If professional broadcasters use those two designs, that tells you gimmicks are just that. Marconi, Tesla, and the whole of the US military R&D budget for communications and radar already figured out the best antenna designs, so don't buy any "breakthrough new antenna technology".
|