Antennas for WiFi Connectivity

Wireless fidelity (WiFi) is a superset of the IEEE 802.11 standards for communications over several tens of meters. A WiFi device connects to the network via an access point. The design of commercial WiFi antennas is a compromise between cost, size, manufacturability, and performance. This paper describes the design considerations of antenna from a WiFi system perspective with state-of-the-art solutions. The omnidirectional and multiband antenna solutions with diversity characteristics, particularly for access points and portable devices, are discussed. Case studies of a compact multiband antenna with omnidirectional coverage for access point application and a dual-band antenna system for portable devices are presented.