Radio propagation and anti-multipath techniques in the WIN environment

The unique characteristics of wireless in-building network (WIN) systems based on microwave radio technology are addressed, focusing on the multipath propagation problem which most distinguishes radio from wired LAN media. This is followed by a discussion of the three principal techniques that have been developed within the radio communication industry to deal with this multipath problem: adaptive equalization, spread spectrum, and antenna diversity. A review of the strengths and weaknesses of each of these techniques reveals that antenna diversity is clearly the preferred choice for use in WIN systems operating in the recently allocated spectrum near 18 GHz. An example of such an antenna system is examined. It is shown how these multiple, directional antenna systems function in three types of environment.< >