As wireless technology continues to grow and develop, several antenna shapes and designs have arisen to provide different types of coverage. An Omni directional antenna is so called because it provides a wireless signal in a 360° radius, or in "all directions". These types of antennas are very common, and typically look like a very straight, stick-like shape.
Since the energy of the signal is not directional or pointed in a specific way, Omni antennas tend to be of lower gain than directional antennas such as parabolic dish, Yagi, and panel antennas. However, higher gain isn't usually required for small installations such as Wi-Fi "hotspots" in stores and cafes. For those kinds of applications, a single Omni directional antenna installed near the center of the location often does the trick.
The 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band is typically designated for Wi-Fi use, and is the most common band for things like laptop and tablet wireless access. Therefore, if you are setting up a network for customers or visitors to access the Internet wirelessly, you'll often be installing a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi antenna. However, check the specifications of the access point that is being hooked up to the antenna to make sure the frequencies match.
Quick note: L-com has a huge selection of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi antennas, from parabolic dish antennas, to Omni directional and everything in between.
