Millimeter-Wave Wireless Local Area Network Over Multimode Fiber System Demonstration

A radio over fiber system using millimeter-wave for downlink (DL) and intermediate frequency for uplink (UL) transmission, that includes a wireless path and uses multimode fiber (MMF), is investigated by throughput measurements. Live wireless local area network transmissions (IEEE 802.11g, 54 Mbps), are upconverted to 25.2 GHz for the DL by using an optical phase modulator and optical filter millimeter-wave generation approach. Both DL and UL data were successfully transmitted between a mobile unit (MU) and commercial access point (AP), via a remote antenna unit connected to the AP by a 300-m MMF link. The measurements, for the full link using omni-directional antennas at the MUs, demonstrate good signal coverage throughout an office area of 12.8 x 7.2 m(2) and indicate that a coverage area four times this size would be possible if the antenna were placed in the center of a room.