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I am troubleshooting a network install that has an extremely imbalanced signal level.

This is on an SMC Wireless A bridge out in the middle of the country on a farm/industrial type location. We are beaming a network signal about 1,000ft across an open field to a metal pole barn.

The remote side is showing an RSSI of 30, which is great. However the link pointed towards the pole barn is only showing about 16-18 at best. Both sides have been repeatedly re-aimed and still no better.

Even though its a pretty shallow angle, could we be seeing bounceback radiation coming back off the pole barn polluting the office side of the signal?

I doubt we should be seeing any bounceback, but I cant think of any other reason why we couldnt get decent signal from only one end.

A view of the far end is below, as seen from the near radio (the near radio is 6' up and 25' to the left of where the photo was taken). The red square is approximately where the far antenna is.




Any suggestions to improve the near side RSSI?

The pic isn't showing for me. If you have a link, that would be great.


On the reflection issue, very much it can cause a problem. Back is 2001, we had a customer on our WISP call us telling us he had no service. After some questions like "have you changed anything", he told us he put a metal roof on his house behind the antenna. So, yes it can cause huge issues.

Make sure you have the polarity right, although that would affect both sides so most likely not the problem.

Can you temporarily move the antenna on the barn side and see if that has an effect?

GT

Polarity was my first thought as well. we confirmed, and the only thing we didnt do was change both sides to try that.

changing the antenna location is not easy, but if they keep having dropouts I'll suggest.

do you think dropping transmit power on the near side could help? My thought is a less powerful signal would have a rougher time making it all the way back to the near end and reduce the interference. Or am out in left field, and likely to cause the currently good side to degrade as well?

I fixed the problem that was causing the pic to not show.

If that barn on the far end has a metal roof, it could be the issue. Not sure what kind of radios you are using, but could you swap them end for end to see if the problem follows the radio or if it stays on the barn side? This would tell us quite a bit.


GT

GTHill Escribi?3:

If that barn on the far end has a metal roof, it could be the issue. Not sure what kind of radios you are using, but could you swap them end for end to see if the problem follows the radio or if it stays on the barn side? This would tell us quite a bit.


GT

That could be a possibility. we are using SMC SMC2890W-AG radios (I think) with external panel antennas. So in theory we could disco the panels and swap them without too much hassle.

and yes, its a metal roof, with giant steel tanks inside the barn.