Exercise 6.4.1
There are three main types of antennas that can be used for WLAN APs: directional, omnidirectional, and right-angle. Describe each of these antenna types. You can get more powerful antennas that can broadcast longer distances. Why would these antennas be limited in use for standard WLAN placement in a home?
An omnidirectional antenna radiates transmissions out and receives transmissions in from all directions, although not equally in all directions. Most of the antennas in this category are thin rods or long flat sticks.
Exercise 6.4.2
Using Figure 6-12 as a guide, explain what type of antenna and which channel should be used for each of the APs that are placed. Given the capacity of each AP, is this placement sufficient to cover all the classrooms and labs? Why or why not?
A directional antenna is one that has a wide dispersion of more than 80 degrees and less than 120 degrees. A highly directional antenna has a dispersion of 80 degrees to as little as 28 degrees, and is used for point-to-point transmission. Highly directional antennas use a line of perpendicular elements
Lab 6.4 Review
1. Radio signals attenuate through walls and obstacles. How would this affect AP placement in a home or office? Use your textbook and Internet research to justify your answer.
