Think I need a new outdoor antenna. Not sure what one/type to get.

[Org]

I use a small local wisp it was usable (30-35ping 1-6% packet loss) for the last few months but over the last week or two the average packet lost has jumped to 20-60% and sometimes the connection is basically dead. I'm assuming the antenna's going bad (idk).

I don't think it's the ISP, 1/3mile closer my mate has no issues. My antenna has not moved and nothing new is in the way but I'll be calling them sometime this week to confirm.

On the antenna it says FCC ID: RWQ-CPE2 so I'm 99% sure my antenna is a zcomax CPE-250 Series Zcomax Technologies: Outdoor Products - Outdoor will most 2.4ghz frequency (with 4+mile range) antenna's work or is there another factor?

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Joy, I used to work for a company that used these things, except, they always had terrible latency if you was over a single hop from them.

Anyways, I am unsure of how your ISP has there network setup, nor how those CPE's work, but the ISP I worked at, they had each CPE programmed into the network, as each CPE has a MAC address, in order to prevent un-authorized access. It is possible that there are more people on there network, and it most likely, can only listen to ONE person at a time.

I would call them, and ask them if they can check the signal strength of the CPE to the nearest transmitter/responder, and if it's weak, but properly aimed, they can possible install a dish of sorts to gather the signal and reflect it back onto the CPE.

If I remember right, we used the ZCN-1523-2-8 on our network for customers, that is, if I remember right. Also, a CPE, is INCREDIBLY expensive...

BTW, the higher freq ones, don't work as well when further from the dish, as a lower freq signal can travel further, and through objects better. The higher freq, just offers a higher speed of data transmission, but, you must also be closer and have no objects in the way.

I still remember us having dual transmitters on all the water towers, one at 800Mhz, and one at 2.4Ghz with a really, really high output power. That way, depending upon the customer, we could install a different CPE for there location.

 

[Org]

I tried moving the antenna a few foot higher (from 15foot to 19foot) seems to be a bit better but it's still 8-10% packet loss.

It's odd I'll have 10-15mins of good then 4-6mins of bad.
http://i40.tinypic.com/nczdc6.jpg
red => 25%packet loss

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Like I said, it's probably dropping packets as I have a feeling it is a full duplex connection, but can only talk to ONE person at a time per transmitter/reciever they have where ever yours is aimed. You would be dropping packets where it focuses on another connection, or, something could be in the way that you are un-aware of?

 

[milen]

Like I said, it's probably dropping packets as I have a feeling it is a full duplex connection, but can only talk to ONE person at a time per transmitter/reciever they have where ever yours is aimed. You would be dropping packets where it focuses on another connection, or, something could be in the way that you are un-aware of?

Had similar issues before, changing the channels fix the problem.

Try 6,9,11 the do not overlap....

 

[milen]

Like I said, it's probably dropping packets as I have a feeling it is a full duplex connection, but can only talk to ONE person at a time per transmitter/reciever they have where ever yours is aimed. You would be dropping packets where it focuses on another connection, or, something could be in the way that you are un-aware of?

Had similar issues before, changing the channels fix the problem.

Try 6,9,11 they do not overlap....

 

[Strikr]

The best bet would be to change from Full Duplex to Half-Duplex like c0rr0sive said.

Also, you should ask them about 7ghz antennas. Work alot better.