Indoor Antenna Vs Outdoor Antenna: Which to Choose?

With the variety of antennas available on the market, it can be challenging to decide which one to choose for your specific purpose. Especially if you don't know the difference between indoor and outdoor antennas. In this blog, we will discuss indoor antenna vs outdoor antenna to make your decision easier on which to choose. Let's get started!

What is an Indoor Antenna?

An indoor antenna, as you can tell by its name, is made for indoor usage. It is a compact antenna designed to be used inside a building. It is best suited to facilitate signals in the areas where it can be placed near a window for easy installation and the convenience of the user. The examples of the indoor antenna are loop antennas, smart antennas, paddle antennas, and others. These wireless solutions are generally less expensive and compact. They are not designed for outdoor purposes, so they lack waterproofing.

Many industries utilize indoor antennas for various purposes, as they help many enterprises in building communication through mobile phones or televisions. They are used in vending machines and kiosks for magnetic card reading to facilitate payment with credit cards. These antennas are also used in smart cities to power smart lighting and other applications.

What is an Outdoor Antenna?

On the other hand, an outdoor antenna is an antenna that is mounted outside. They are often seen on the rooftops to receive weaker signals that can be blocked by buildings. The examples of the outdoor antenna are the Yagi Uda antenna, the parabolic dish antenna, the LPDA antenna, and others. These antennas are weather-resistant to withstand wind, sun, and rain. They are designed to provide better signal reception over longer distances. Outdoor antennas are generally more expensive, and they need expert-guided installation to perform optimally.

Outdoor antennas are used for a wide range of purposes. They are used for maintaining public safety for emergency services like police and fire departments. These are seen in transportation, especially trains and subways. Many notable industries in the Internet of Things (IoT) use them to get enhanced wireless connectivity.

The Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor Antennas

As we have discussed about antennas, now will mentioned the difference indoor and outdoor antennas basis on their key features. Therefore, you can choose the right one according to your unique requirements:

Device Compatibility

One of the most important considerations is device compatibility. An Indoor antenna is best compatible with devices that are also designed for indoor usage. For example, wifi routers and GPS systems. Some indoor antennas are also designed to work with devices that can handle dual-band signals. These antennas are ideal for close-range reception and are easy to set up.

An Outdoor antenna is compatible with the devices that have external antenna ports, such as industrial access points and cellular modems. These antennas are designed for specific frequencies like 4 LTE and 5 GHz. They are best for long-range signal reception and are more durable.

Frequency

An Indoor antenna varies on the basis of its frequency. They can be utilized as both a VHF antenna and a UHF antenna. But they are limited to the indoor environment, and signals can be weak because of the blockages from the walls and electronics. The type of indoor antenna will decide its frequency, many being less effective on certain bands compared to the outdoor antennas.

An outdoor antenna can capture higher bands of frequencies, including UHF and VHF, because of its placement and size. They offer superior reception because they are placed in the open. A well-placed outdoor VHF antenna or UHF antenna can handle better frequencies than an indoor antenna.

Gain

A low gain is usually sufficient for the indoor antennas because they are designed to provide signals in low coverage, like in the home or office. To cover a small area, many of the indoor antennas are omnidirectional. These omnidirectional antennas have lower gain, and they facilitate signals in all directions.

Outdoor antennas have a higher gain value as they are designed to capture the signals from longer distances. To achieve this, most of them are directional antennas that provide signals in a specified direction.

Durability and Weather Resistance

Indoor antennas are not made to resist different weather conditions, so they can't handle the physical stresses of wind, sun, and rain. They are lightweight and are not made up of UV-resistant or corrosion-resistant materials. If they are placed outside, they will degrade rapidly and will not be as durable as when they are kept indoors. For example indoor digital TV antenna.

Outdoor antennas are designed to handle the harsh weather conditions, and they can function well in rain, sun, and wind. They are generally made up of fiberglass and stainless steel to resist vibration and impact. Outdoor antennas have a higher lifespan with occasional maintenance. For example outdoor TV antenna.

Installation

Indoor antennas are simple to install inside the building. They are ideally installed near the window and as high as possible to receive the smooth signals. Indoor antennas are widely seen in urban areas where signals are stronger and the outdoor installation is not feasible. They are well-suited for many purposes, like retail, logistics, healthcare tracking, and more.

Outdoor antennas are difficult to install and usually need expert assistance. They are installed outside on the rooftop, mast, or attic. These are best suited for the areas where a stronger and more reliable signal is needed, like radar systems, radio astronomy, large-scale wifi, and more.

Winding Up

All in all, you need to consider various factors before making your choice for the right antenna. Both the indoor antenna and outdoor antenna are essential in different settings to ensure smooth signals and better wireless connectivity. The former is designed for use within four walls, while the latter is made for installation out in the open. You should select the right antenna on the basis of your unique set of needs. If you want to go for custom antenna designing, then it's best that you reach out to an custom antenna manufacturer around you.