Configuring External Antenna

If the AP has external antenna connectors, you need to configure the transmit power of the system. The configuration must ensure that the system’s EIRP Effective Isotropic Radiated Power or Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power. EIRP refers to the output power generated when a signal is concentrated into a smaller area by the Antenna. is in compliance with the limit specified by the regulatory authority of the country in which the AP is deployed. You can also measure or calculate additional attenuation between the device and antenna before configuring the antenna gain. To know, if the AP device supports external antenna connectors, see the Installation Guide that is shipped along with the AP device.

EIRP and Antenna Gain

The following formula can be used to calculate the EIRP limit related RF Radio Frequency. RF refers to the electromagnetic wave frequencies within a range of 3 kHz to 300 GHz, including the frequencies used for communications or Radar signals. power based on selected antennas (Antenna Gain) and feeder (Coaxial Cable Loss):

EIRP = Tx RF Power (dBm)+GA (dB) - FL (dB)

The following table describes this formula:

Table 1: Formula Variable Definitions

Formula Element	Description
EIRP	Limit specific for each country of deployment.
Tx RF Power	RF power measured at RF connector of the unit.
GA	Antenna gain
FL	Feeder loss

Configuring Antenna Gain

To configure antenna gain for APs with external connectors, complete the following steps:

1. In the WebUI, select one of the following options:
   • To select a group in the filter:
     1. Set the filter to one of the options under Groups. Ensure that the filter selected contains at least one active access point.
        The dashboard context for the group is displayed.
     2. Under Manage, click Devices > Access Points.
        A list of APs is displayed in the List view.
   • To select an AP in the filter:
     1. Set the filter to Global.
     2. Under Manage, click Devices > Access Points.
        A list of APs is displayed in the List view.
     3. Click an AP listed under Device Name.
        The dashboard context for the AP is displayed.
     4. Under Manage, click Device > Access Point.
2. Click the Config icon.
   The tabs to configure APs are displayed.
3. Click the Access Points tab.
   The Access Points table is displayed.
4. To edit an AP, select an AP in the Access Points table, and then click the edit icon.
5. Click the External Antenna tab. This option is available only if the selected AP supports external antennas.
6. Enter the Antenna Gain values in dBi for the 2.4 GHz Antenna Gain and the 5 GHz Antenna Gain.
7. From the Antenna Polarization Type drop-down list, select any of the following:
   • co-polarization—Select this option for the polarization of both the transmitting and receiving antenna to be same.
   • cross-polarization—Select this option for the polarization of both the transmitting and receiving antenna to be different.
8. Click Save Settings.

After configuring the external antenna parameters, ensure that you reboot the AP.