What type of antenna would a network technician use to receive and send data from all directions?

An omni antenna, short for omnidirectional antenna, is specifically designed to receive and transmit signals in a 360-degree pattern around its axis. This characteristic makes it particularly useful in situations where coverage is needed in all directions, such as in a wireless network setup within a building or in an outdoor area where devices might be located at varying distances and orientations from the antenna.

The design of an omni antenna allows it to cover a broad area without requiring the technician to point the antenna towards a specific direction. This feature is advantageous in environments where multiple devices need to communicate with the same antenna, ensuring that all devices, regardless of their position, can establish a connection effectively.

In contrast, unidirectional antennas focus on transmitting and receiving signals primarily in one direction, while directional antennas are engineered to send and receive data over a narrower beam in a specific direction. Dipole antennas, while they can be bidirectional in nature, generally have their maximum gain in two opposite directions rather than the full 360 degrees. Thus, the omni antenna is the ideal choice when the goal is to maintain connectivity with multiple devices spread out in various directions.