Receive Sensitivity is how much signal a card needs to receive in order to work at that speed level. A 3 dB difference is double the power. You can now see some cards are getting much better distances. The difference between a Cisco 350 and a Addtron at 1 Mbps is 32x times the sensitivity. This means that the Cisco needs 1/32 as much signal strength as the Addtron does to work at the same rate. Also, a lower receive sensitivity number is better (IE: -95 is better than -80).
Receive sensitivity is measured in dBm @BER 10E-5 or (or 8% FER).
Note: IEEE 802.11 15.4.8.1 says that "F" in 8% FER for DSSS devices stands for an MPDU having 1024 octets. 8/100 (errors/frames) / (1024 (octets) * 8 (bits) = approx. 1/100,000 errors/bits = 10-5 BER. i.e. 8% FER should be comparable to 10-5 BER.
Please add your card to the list if you have the information:
Card |
1 Mbps |
2 Mbps |
5.5 Mbps |
11 Mbps |
Note |
[http://www.demarctech.com/products/reliawave-rwz/reliawave-rwz-100mw-prism2-5-pcmcia-card.html Demarc(100mW, RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-96 |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
OEM Zcom XI-325HP? |
[http://www.demarctech.com/products/reliawave-rwz/reliawave-rwz-200mw-prism2-5-pcmcia-card.html Demarc(200mW, RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-96 |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
OEM Zcom XI-325HP? |
[http://www.senao.com/service%20&%20support/Spec/NL-2511CD_PLUS_Spec.pdf Senao NL/SL-2511CD PLUS (200mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
[http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SenaoCard Unofficial Senao Support Webpage] |
[http://www.senao.com/service%20&%20support/Spec/NL-2511CD_PLUS_EXT2_Spec.pdf Senao NL/SL-2511CD PLUS EXT2 (200mW, 2 MMCX connectors)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
[http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SenaoCard Unofficial Senao Support Webpage] |
[http://www.engeniustech.com/Wireless_LAN.data/Components/W-lanProductSpecs/PDF/NL-2511CD%20PLUS%20Spec.pdf EnGenius NL/EL-2511CD PLUS (200mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
same as Senao NL-2511CD PLUS |
[http://www.engeniustech.com/Wireless_LAN.data/Components/W-lanProductSpecs/PDF/NL-2511CD%20PLUS%20EXT2%20Spec.pdf EnGenius NL/EL-2511CD PLUS EXT2 (200mW, 2 MMCX connectors)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
same as Senao NL-2511CD PLUS EXT2 |
[http://www.sonicwall.com/products/wirelesscard.html SonicWALL Long Range Wireless Card (200mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
OEM Senao NL-2511CD PLUS; see this [http://www.sonicwall.com/services/pdfs/SonicWALL_Long_Range_Wireless_Card_FAQ.pdf FAQ] |
[http://www.macsense.com/product/broadband/wpe700.html MacSense WPE-700 (200mW)] |
-95 |
-93 |
-90 |
-87 |
OEM Senao NL-2511CD PLUS, MAC OS support! |
[http://www.smartbridges.com/new/products/an.php smartBridges airNIC (32mW, USB, SMA connector)] |
-95 |
-90 |
-89 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.zcomax.com/1mbfile/XI-325HP%20200mW.doc Zcom/Zcomax XI-325HP (200mw, 2 RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-94 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
|
[http://www.smc.com/drivers_downloads/library/SMC2532WBOM5_DS.pdf SMC SMC2532W-B (200mW, 2 RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-94 |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
OEM Zcom XI-325HP |
[http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4555/products_data_sheet09186a0080088828.html Cisco 350 Series (100mW)] |
-94 |
-91 |
-89 |
-85 |
|
[http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11391_na/11391_na.HTML Compaq MultiPort W200 (32mW, MC? connector)] |
-94 |
-91 |
-87 |
-85 |
|
Lucent/Agere/Proxim Orinoco Gold/Silver Card (32mW) |
-94 |
-91 |
-87 |
-82 |
|
Dell TrueMobile 1150 (32mW) |
-94 |
-91 |
-87 |
-82 |
OEM Orinoco Gold |
Compaq WL-110 (32mW) |
-94 |
-91 |
-87 |
-82 |
OEM Orinoco Gold |
Proxim USB 842x |
. |
-88 |
. |
-84 |
has u.FL connector inside case PCB |
[http://www.smartbridges.com/new/products/ab.php smartBridges airBridge (100mW, RJ45, SMA connector)] |
-94 |
-88 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.smartbridges.com/new/products/abo.php smartBridges airBridge Outdoor (100mW, RJ45, N Bulkhead)] |
-94 |
-88 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
Nokia C110/C111(35mW) |
-94 |
. |
. |
-83 |
|
[http://www.senao.com/service%20&%20support/Spec/SL-2011CD_PLUS_Spec.pdf Senao SL-2011CD PLUS (100mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
-87 |
[http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SenaoCard Unofficial Senao Support Webpage] |
[http://www.senao.com/service%20&%20support/Spec/SL-2011CD_PLUS_EXT2_Spec.pdf Senao SL-2011CD PLUS EXT2 (100mW, 2 MMCX connectors)] |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
-87 |
[http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SenaoCard Unofficial Senao Support Webpage] |
[http://www.senao.com/products/wlan%20client/sl-2511cd.htm Senao SL-2511CD (50mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-93 |
-91 |
-89 |
-87 |
[http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SenaoCard Unofficial Senao Support Webpage] |
Alvarion DS.11 bridge (250mW) |
-93 |
-90 |
-88 |
-85 |
|
[http://www.smartbridges.com/new/products/ac.php smartBridges airCarte] |
-93 |
-88 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.speedstream.com/support/pdf/1021_datasheet_cardbus.pdf Siemens SpeedStream SS1021 (63mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-92 |
-90 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.zcom.com.tw/product/product%20info/pro_info113.htm Zcom/Zcomax XI-325B (32mW, 2 RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-92 |
-89 |
-88 |
-85 |
|
[http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1035506154&indexFlagvalue=1021876859 ZyXEL ZyAIR B-100 (80mW)] |
-92 |
-89 |
-86 |
-85 |
|
[http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1035506154&indexFlagvalue=1021876859 ZyXEL ZyAIR B-101 (32mW)] |
-92 |
-89 |
-88 |
-85 |
OEM Zcom XI-325B |
[http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1035506154&indexFlagvalue=1021876859 ZyXEL ZyAIR B-200 (63mW)] |
-92 |
-89 |
-86 |
-85 |
|
[http://www.zcomax.com/1mbfile/Spec/xi-325h.doc Zcom/Zcomax XI-325H (100mw, RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-92 |
. |
. |
-85 |
|
[http://kbserver.netgear.com/products_automatic/MA401.asp Netgear MA401 (PCMCIA) ] |
-92 |
-88 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.senao.com/service%20&%20support/Spec/SL-2011CD%20Spec.pdf Senao SL-2011CD (20mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-91 |
-89 |
-87 |
-85 |
|
Netgear MA101 (20mW, USB) |
-91 |
-89 |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.zcom.com.tw/product/product%20info/pro_info111.htm Zcom/Zcomax XI-300 (20mW, 2 RP-MMCX connectors)] |
-91 |
-89 |
-86 |
-83 |
|
[http://www.zcom.com.tw/product/product%20info/pro_info112.htm Zcom/Zcomax XI-300B (20mW, no EXT antenna)] |
-91 |
-89 |
-86 |
-83 |
|
ZyXEL ZyAir 100 (20mW) |
-91 |
-89 |
-86 |
-83 |
OEM Zcom XI-300/300B |
Proxim RangeLAN-DS (20mW) |
-91 |
-89 |
-86 |
-83 |
OEM Zcom XI-300/300B |
[http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=36&prid=542 Linksys WPC11v4 ](?mW, Cardbus) |
-91 |
-89 |
-85 |
-82 |
|
Cisco 340 Series |
-90 |
-88 |
-87 |
-83 |
|
[http://208.57.237.150/dl?File=C:\Inetpub\ftproot\TEW-221PC\DataSheet\Spec_TEW-221PC.pdf&Name=Spec_TEW-221PC.pdf&Size=252986 TRENDnet TEW-221PC] |
-90 |
-89 |
-86 |
-83 |
|
Yakumo WLAN PCMCIA (35mW) |
-90 |
. |
. |
-80 |
|
[http://support.acer-euro.com/documents/manuals/wireless/manual_wireless.html Acer WarpLink PC Card 250 ] (Nominal temperature, PCMCIA) |
-90 |
. |
-87 |
-84 |
|
D-Link DWL-650 |
-90 |
. |
-87 |
-84 |
|
[http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=42 D-Link DWL-520 ] (32-bit PCI, 40mW, Reverse SMA) |
-90 |
. |
. |
-84 |
|
[http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=9 D-Link DWL-650 Revision M ] (40mW, Cardbus) |
-90 |
. |
. |
-83 |
|
[http://www.dlink.com/products/?model=DWL-120 D-Link DWL-120] (USB) |
. |
-90 |
. |
-84 |
|
AOpen AOI-701R (PCMCIA16, ?mW) |
. |
-90 |
. |
-84 |
|
Alvarion PC-DS.11b (63mW) |
-89 |
-86 |
-84 |
-80 |
|
Tellus AP |
-88 |
-88 |
-88 |
-83 |
|
[http://www.encore-usa.com/product.php?id=67 Encore WLAN PCMCIA] |
. |
-87 |
. |
-80 |
|
D-Link DCF-650W/K (Compact Flash) |
-88 |
-86 |
-83 |
-80 |
|
Intel 2011 |
-87 |
-85 |
-84 |
-81 |
|
[https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=243267&native_or_pdf=pdf Microsoft MN-520 ](PCMCIA16) |
-83 |
-83 |
-83 |
-80 |
|
Belkin F5D6020 (PCMCIA, 50mW) |
-80 |
-80 |
-80 |
-76 |
|
All cards are 30mW output unless otherwise specified.
Note A dBm <-> mW calculator can be found [http://www.bessernet.com/jobAids/dBmCalc/dBmCalc.html here], for those that are wondering about exact mW/dBm correlations. Power in dBm is simply 10*log(power in mw) so, for example, 100mw expressed in dBm is 10*log(100)= 10*2= 20dBm