Does anyone have any good settings for setting up WiFi Hotspots for best user access (as opposed for CPE connections) ? We’re only providing low speed access, and want to cover as much area as possible - i read somewhere that I can force low speed associations and get better coverage , but cannot recall the settings. Are there any other special tricks , as the R52abgn device i have on 2 x 8db antennas is offering very poor coverage.
The other card is an X2 running a 120deg sector, which seems to offer good service, but possibly could be tweaked by not allowing higher speed connections - bandwidth per customer is approx 25k as its a free, non add supported service.
You can set your cards to run in 2.4ghz-b only mode. This will limit your clients to 11mbps but will provide the max power output of your cards. Besides you’re only offering them 25kbps. Like you alluded, 2.4ghz-g only or 2.4ghz-b/g will give you faster transmissions but shorter range. You may have the rare laptop wireless client that can not detect b-only - I have seen at least 2 laptops out of hundreds that detect only 2.4ghz-g or 5ghz. You may also choose to manually set your data rate to well below 11mbps (1,2,5 etc) this may help clients on the edge of your network that have very weak signals.
If the hotspot is within an office or other room, 8dbi should work. But for outdoor hotspots where range is needed you may want to get a higher gain antenna. A 15dbi omni should be minimum, moving up to 17dbi or 19dbi sectors or for added gain (but potentially more antenna units to procure) consider 23dbi panel antennas. Just be sure that you aren’t exceeding the regulatory limit for your area.
You mentioned R52abgn I presume you mean R52Hn, if so you’re pushing just over 300mW. You may want to replace that with an xr2 (~600mw) along with the antenna upgrade. Otherwise you will just have to install a few extra APs so you don’t run into regulatory issues. Also if you are going with b-only the R52H does the same thing - with ufl connectors instead and of course no n.
Scan for frequency usage in the area and use less congested ones. You may want to disable default forwarding as well to limit the (ab)use of your network for potentially degrading ‘inter-client’ talk. Avoid obstacles.. You should be acquainted with all of that already.