# How Rain Affects Wireless Microwave Links: 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 80 GHz Compared

DevFeed: [How Rain Affects Wireless Microwave Links: 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 80 GHz Compared](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-rain-affects-wireless-microwave-links-24-ghz-60-ghz-and-80-ghz-compared-40174.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.j2sw.com/netops/wireless/rain-fade-microwave-links/>)

Author: j2sw

Published: 2026-06-15T09:47:43Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Justin Wilson (j2sw)](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/justin-wilson-j2sw.md>)

Topics: [Network](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/network.md>), [Network design](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/network-design.md>), [Internet](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/internet.md>), [data centers](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data-centers.md>)

Tags: [24ghz](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/24ghz.md>), [60ghz](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/60ghz.md>), [80ghz](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/80ghz.md>), [adaptive](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/adaptive.md>), [backhaul](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/backhaul.md>), [capacity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/capacity.md>), [changes](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/changes.md>), [e-band](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/e-band.md>), [error-correction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/error-correction.md>), [fiber](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/fiber.md>), [microwave](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/microwave.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [network-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-design.md>), [perfomance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/perfomance.md>), [radio](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/radio.md>), [reduction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reduction.md>), [rf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rf.md>), [wireless](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/wireless.md>), [wireless-networking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/wireless-networking.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how rain fade affects wireless microwave links, with emphasis on 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 80 GHz bands. It describes how precipitation reduces signal strength, causes adaptive modulation and throughput reductions, and can eventually cause a link to drop when fade margin is exhausted.

## Source excerpt

Rain can have a major impact on wireless microwave links, especially as frequencies increase. Learn how rain fade affects 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 80 GHz circuits, and why fade margin is critical for reliable network design. The post How Rain Affects Wireless Microwave Links: 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 80 GHz Compared appeared first on Justin Wilson (j2sw).