Question about Omni vs Directional Antennas

[BlueSky]

Hi folks,

I am looking at a high gain antenna to boost signal so it can reach thru a couple of walls down the hall. I was looking at an omnidirectional antenna (an outdoor whip style) which has 15db and a horizontal range of 360 degrees, but only 6 degrees vertical. Is the 6 degrees vertical a big problem if the computers i am trying to reach are all on the same floor? Is it ok to use the higher powered outdoor antennas for indoor use? (The indoor ones seem to have much lower db strength).

I am also planning to pick up a 6db desktop omni antenna to place on the back of the wireless pci card to further help my signal.

I could go for antennas with 80 horiz and 80 vertical but they are only 8db..... and i figured the higher db and 360 horiz would prove better. Am i wrong?

 

[StormBringer]

If you need to get more vertical out of the antenna, just angle it, though that could raise the swr of the antenna, which will lower the signal a bit.

Indoor antennas have a lower gain because they are just meant to boost the signal to give you better signal through the whole house, or to reach one end to the other, if its a big house), the outdoor antenna is usually used when people are trying to use their wireless in the backyard, or in an outbuilding, maybe sharing with a neighbor.

Want more antenna info? here:
http://flakey.info/antenna/omni/quarter/
http://www.wlan.org.uk/antenna-page.html
http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html
http://www.netscum.com/~clapp/wireless.html
http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/cantenna.html
http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/parabolic/parabolic.htm
http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennawncalc.html
http://bcwireless.net/moin.cgi/AntennaOverview

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Buy yourself a drill, a roll of CAT5e cable and a crimping tool. Much better (and safer).

 

[BlueSky]

some cat5 would definitely be best, but simply not an option given the separate structured buildings. Would i be better off with a 15db omnidirectional whip with 360h and 6vertical.......... or a 12db directional indoor panel with 80horiz and 23vertical?

From the location of my access point, the target area to hit both sets of computers is about 45 degrees horizontal, about 75 feet, and through 3 sets of walls.

help??

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Cat5e is also weatherproof...