A coaxial cable carries radio frequency (RF) energy between the antennas and the radio equipment. An antenna cable introduces signal loss in the antenna system for both the transmitter and receiver. In order to reduce signal loss, minimize the cable length and use only low-loss (LL) or ultra low-loss (ULL) antenna cable in order to connect radio devices to antennas.

RF coaxial cable = loss of signal strength

Loss of signal strength is directly proportionate to the length of the cable segment. As the diameter of the cable increases, signal loss decreases, but at a much higher purchase cost. As signal frequency increases (a higher-numbered channel), loss increases.

LL cable extends the length between any Aironet product and its antenna. With a loss of 6.7 decibels (dB) per 100 feet (30 meters [m]) for LL cable and 4.4 dB for the ULL cable, these cables provide installation flexibility without a significant sacrifice in range or performance.

• Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Antenna