The 5.1-5.8 GHz (Wi-Fi 5/6) segment spans 5100 to 5850 MHz and is used for wi-fi 5 / wi-fi 6 / u-nii. Wavelength at the center of this band is roughly 55 mm, which sets the physical size of every resonant element and, with it, the gain a given form factor can reach.
Why the band sets the antenna size
A half-wave dipole at the center of the 5.1-5.8 GHz (Wi-Fi 5/6) band is about 27 mm long, and a quarter-wave element about half that. Every practical antenna in this band is a variation on that dimension: a collinear omni stacks several half-wave sections to trade elevation beamwidth for gain, a panel places elements over a reflector, and a Yagi adds parasitic directors ahead of the driven element. There is no way to get more gain out of the same aperture, so a higher gain figure on this band always means a physically larger part.
In this range the path is effectively line-of-sight. Rain attenuation is still small but no longer zero, foliage is a hard blocker rather than an attenuator, and the short wavelength means a high-gain aperture fits in a compact housing.
Band summary
| Frequency range | 5100–5850 MHz |
|---|---|
| Center wavelength | 55 mm |
| Half-wave element | 27 mm |
| Typical service | Wi-Fi 5 / Wi-Fi 6 / U-NII |
| Catalog models | 80 |
Gain options on 5.1-5.8 GHz (Wi-Fi 5/6)
| Gain | Shortest model at that gain | Length | Elevation beamwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 dBi | AW-CMB-2-WIFIBT | 60 mm | 70° |
| 3 dBi | AW-CMB-3-4GGPSWIFI | 96 mm | 60° |
| 4 dBi | AW-FPC2458-4 | 55 mm | 90° |
| 5 dBi | AW-RD5800-5 | 150 mm | 40° |
| 6 dBi | AW-CP5800-6 | 30 mm | 75° |
| 12 dBi | AW-FG5800-12 | 580 mm | 5° |
| 15 dBi | AW-PA5158-V15B65 | 260 mm | 15° |
| 18 dBi | AW-PA5158-V18B65 | 580 mm | 7° |
| 23 dBi | AW-WM5158-23 | 305 mm | 11° |
MIMO Antennas models in this band
| Model | Band (MHz) | Gain | Polarization | Length | Connector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AW-MM5800-2x15 | 5725–5850 | 2x15 dBi | Dual ±45° slant / MIMO | 405 mm | N-Female |
| AW-PA5158-V18B65 | 5100–5850 | 18 dBi | Vertical | 580 mm | N-Female |
| AW-PA5158-V15B65 | 5100–5850 | 15 dBi | Vertical | 260 mm | N-Female |
| AW-WM5158-23 | 5725–5850 | 23 dBi | Vertical | 305 mm | N-Female |
| AW-FG5800-12 | 5725–5850 | 12 dBi | Vertical | 580 mm | N-Female |
| AW-CMB-3-4GGPSWIFI | 698–5850 | 3 / 28 / 4 dBi | Vertical + RHCP | 96 mm | SMA-Male ×3 |
| AW-LP0858-2x11 | 800–5800 | 2x11 dBi | Dual ±45° slant | 700 mm | N-Female |
| AW-CP5800-6 | 5150–5850 | 6 dBi | Linear | 30 mm | IPEX MHF (U.FL) |
| AW-RD5800-5 | 5150–5850 | 5 dBi | Vertical | 150 mm | SMA-Male |
| AW-CMB-5-5GGPSWIFI | 617–5850 | 4x4 / 28 / 2x5 dBi | Vertical + RHCP | 150 mm | SMA-Male ×7 |
| AW-FPC2458-4 | 2400–5850 | 4 dBi | Linear | 55 mm | IPEX MHF (U.FL) |
| ACC-CAB-RUBBER-SMA-COMBO | 0–6000 | 3 dBi | Vertical | 200 mm | SMA-Male antenna + SMA cable |
Matching the band to the link
Free-space loss at the center of this band is about 107 dB over one kilometer. Add the loss of the feedline, subtract the gain at both ends, and compare the result against the receiver sensitivity for the modulation you intend to run. If the margin is under roughly 10 dB the link will work on a clear day and drop in rain or foliage, which is usually the point at which a higher-gain aperture or a shorter cell radius becomes the cheaper fix.