A square hotel lobby needs wireless coverage in every direction around one ceiling access point. Which antenna fits that room?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
You want a light that shines all around the room, not a spotlight on one wall. An omnidirectional antenna does that around the ceiling access point. A sign-in page and a band preference do not shape the radio pattern, no matter how useful they are for other jobs.
Full Explanation
An omnidirectional antenna radiates in a broad pattern around the access point, which matches a square lobby that needs coverage in every direction from one ceiling mount. A directional antenna focuses energy in a beam. Aimed at one wall, it leaves the other sides of the lobby weak, which is the pattern you would choose for a long aisle, not this room. A captive portal is a sign-in page that gates guest access. It does not change antenna pattern. Band steering encourages capable clients onto 5 GHz. It is not an antenna type and it does not decide which way the radio energy goes. Exam caveat: an omnidirectional ceiling pattern is still weaker directly below some mounts and through walls, so a survey still belongs in the plan. Operational check: mount the omnidirectional access point near the center of the lobby, survey the corners, and add a second radio only if a corner stays below the signal you require. Survey the lobby corners after the mount, because furniture and the elevator bank can still shadow an omnidirectional radio.