Most if not all wireless access points and wireless routers come with the standard omni -directional rubber duck wireless antenna. Omnidirectional antennas used in the wrong situations are such a waste of money and can be a secuirity risk. Directional antennas can be used to focus your signal where it's needed.
Reasons to use a directional antenna:
1. Save money- Long hallways are common in office buildings. Don't try to use the defualt Ominidirectional antennas on a long hallway. You will have to purchase more equipment to extend the bubble of coverage. One directioal antenna with a 60 degree focused signal would be able to extend your coverage area twice as far
2. Security- When your wireless signal bleeds outside your operational area you will attract hackers, crackers, leeches, wardrivers and social engineers. The higher the DBI on the antenna the more focused your signal is, so if you have an 8dbi antenna your probably looking at a 60 degree cove or signal comming from your antenna. A 14dbi antenna might have a 30 degree focused signal that might not provide the width of coverage you need and it might send your signal to far.
3. Less Equipment - Cut down on your epuipment that you have to install and manage
4. Shoot Signals around corners - Take an access point, two panel directional antennas and a signal splitter ( The splitter will allow you to hook two antennas to one access point). Now you can mount the directional antennas on a corner mount, shooting the signal down two hallways at onced. This solution is very common and will save you money.
5. Distance - Omnidirectional antennas usally have half their signal wasted by walls. Directional antennas don't have that waste they focus their signal in one direction thus extending your signal much farther that an Omni. There are two different types of directional antennas: directional and highly directional.
6. Smaller Profile - Omnidirectional antennas are hard to blend into an office enviroment or building. They stick out like a sore thumb and advertise your wireless network to everyone. Directional antennas like the panel type have a smaller profile and often look like lights or smoke detectors.
This articles purpose isn't saying that there isn't a purpose for omnidirectional antennas. What I"m saying is that most people don't even think of changing their antennas after purchasing their wireless router or access point. My next article will discuss the advantages of combining directional antennas and Omnidirectional antennas
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