Enhanced Airport express comparison: [26-Feb-2006]

Index:
• Test configuration
• Improvement measurement
• Conclusion
• Links

The objective of this page is to show how an home made WiFi antenna can improve (or not!) the strength of the WiFi signal.

Test configuration:

To measure the WiFi signal enhancement of my various "home made antennae" I used the Airport Client Monitor included in the Apple Airport management tools. On the picture bellow you can see my Powerbook positioned 2 and a half meters away from my Airport Express access point. All measurements were made in these conditions.

Test configuration.

Improvement measurement:

Four environments were measured:
• Neutral test (the Airport Express itself).
• Chinese kitchenware test.
• Beer keg test.
• Metallic place test.

The following pictures show each test and its results in sequence. The area highlighted in red on the measurement diagrams represent when the passive antenna "enhancers" were 'active'.

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Neutral test.

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Chinese kitchenware test.

Chinese kitchenware result.

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Beer keg test.

Keg result.

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Metallic plate test.

Metallic plate result.

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Conclusion:

Please keep in mind that the measurement taken here are far from following any scientific and reliable method.
The test results confirmed that placing a metallic device behind a WiFi antenna (more or less around the right distance (focal point)) enhances signal strength. The Chinese kitchenware improves the WiFi connection by +10dBm and, not like the others homemade antennae, gives a stable signal!

Related articles:
• Airport Express enhancement.
• External antenna on an Airport Express mod.

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Links:

Apple Airport Support page.
Direct download the Apple Airport Management Tools from Apple's website.
Direct download Apple Airport Management Tools documentation.