I. External Antennas (Installed outside the device housing)
1. Rod Antenna
- Appearance: Cylindrical rod-shaped, mostly with SMA connectors
- Features: Low cost, simple installation, omnidirectional radiation, easy assembly and disassembly
- Applicable frequency bands: 433 MHz, LoRa, NB-IoT, 4G, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz
- Applications: DTU, gateways, industrial control boxes, charging piles, chassis equipment
2. Magnetic-Mount Antenna
- Appearance: Strong-magnet base with feeder cable, attachable to metal surfaces
- Features: Flexible installation, position adjustable for better signal; available in small and large sizes
- Applications: Vehicle-mounted terminals, outdoor chassis, shared devices, industrial monitoring terminals
3. Waterproof Patch / ManholeCover Antenna
- Appearance: Flat disc or square shape, IP67/IP68 waterproof rating for buried or open-air outdoor deployment
- Features: Dust-proof, water-resistant, corrosion=resistant, low-profile with small footprint
- Frequency bands: 4G, NB-IoT, UHF-RFID, GNSS
- Applications: Smart manhole covers, buried equipment, outdoor asset monitoring
4. Fiberglass Antenna
- Appearance: Long cylindrical rod with waterproof fiberglass housing
- Features: High gain, rain-proof and sun-resistant, suitable for longrange outdoor scenarios
- Applications: LoRa base stations, RFID readers, long-range factory gateways
5. Blade / Flat Antenna
- Appearance: Flat strip shape, fixed by adhesive or screws
- Features: Thin profile, low wind resistance, outdoor waterproof
- Applications: Vehicles, construction machinery, charging piles, outdoor cabinets
6. Combined Integrated Antenna (Multi-band Combo Antenna)
- Appearance: Single housing integrating multiple antennas such as 4G+GNSS+2.4G
- Features: Only one mounting hole required for the device, simplifies mechanical design and reduces openings
- Applications: Smart terminals, industrial gateways, vehicle-mounted equipment
II. Internal Antennas (Installed inside device housing)
1. FPC Flexible Antenna
- Appearance: Flexible thin film, bendable, adhered to inner housing wall with back adhesive
- Features: Lightweight and bendable for irregular spaces; clear-out area must be reserved
- Frequency bands: 2.4 GHz, 4G, NB-IoT
- Applications: Compact IoT modules, sensors, handheld devices
2. On-Board PCB Antenna
- Appearance: Printed directly on the main circuit board of the device
- Features: No extra components required, lowest cost; strict PCB layout requirements, clearout area required
- Applications: Wi-Fi & Bluetooth modules, miniature sensors
3. Ceramic Chip Antenna
- Appearance: Small square SMD component soldered onto PCB
- Features: Ultra-compact size for space-constrained products
- Frequency bands: GNSS (Beidou / GPS), 2.4 GHz
- Applications: Wearable devices, miniature positioning terminals, small modules
4. Steel-Sheet / Metal Spring Antenna
- Appearance: Stamped metal sheet, fixed by soldering or snapfit structure
- Features: Stable performance, moderate cost
- Applications: Indoor smart devices, electricity meters, sensors
III. RFID-Dedicated Antennas
- Flat-Panel RFID Antenna: Square flat panel for wall-mount installation, UHF 902-928 MHz, for tag identification at warehouse gateways
- Circularly-Polarized Antenna: Works reliably for tags in random angular orientations, widely used in warehouse assembly lines
IV. GNSS Positioning-Dedicated Antennas
- Dome Antenna: Raised circular housing with built-in amplifier circuit; active antenna requiring power supply
- Features: Circular polarization, resistance to multipath interference, high positioning accuracy
- Applications: Vehicles, UAVs, smart manhole covers, outdoor positioning terminals
Antenna Form Selection Look-up Table
| Antenna Type | Installation Method | Core Advantages | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rod Antenna | External thread mounting | Cost‑effective, easy assembly & disassembly | DTU, industrial gateways |
| Magnetic‑Mount Antenna | External magnetic attachment | Position adjustable, flexible installation | Vehicle‑mounted, chassis equipment |
| Waterproof Patch / Manhole‑Cover Antenna | External screw fixing | IP67‑IP68 rating, burial‑capable | Smart manhole covers, outdoor terminals |
| Fiberglass Antenna | Outdoor pole‑mount installation | High gain, long transmission range | LoRa base stations, RFID |
| FPC Flexible Antenna | Internal adhesive mounting | Lightweight and bendable | Compact IoT terminals |
| Ceramic Antenna | Internal SMD soldering | Minimum footprint | GPS, Beidou, Bluetooth modules |
| Combined Integrated Antenna | External | Multi‑band integration, fewer housing openings | Vehicle‑mounted, multi‑function gateways |