Project Abstract

Existing wireless access points operating @ 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz have an advertised range that could cover up to 1500 feet.  However, experience indicated that the signals in typical residential areas seldom travel beyond a few tens of feet.  Room walls, desks, bookshelves, etc, all tend to attenuate the signal and decrease the range.  Using commercially available access points and field measuring instruments, we will…

(1)    Do a detailed study of IEEE 802.11wireless standards

        (2)    Determine the typical range of a wireless access point

        (3)  Design and implement passive reflector antennas such as parabolic reflectors that will redirect the 

              wireless energy in specific quadrants and thereby increase the coverage

        (4)  Compare the coverage performance with and without the reflector antennas