Wireless site survey

1. Wireless site survey

2. Session Objectives • What is site surveying? • Identify the importance of site surveying • Identify items a wireless site survey should disclose • Identify the site surveying tools • Site surveying methods • How different vendor equipment impacts site surveying • How different technologies impacts site surveying

3. What is a Wireless Site Survey? • A series of procedures using specific wireless equipment to identify proper wireless coverage in a given area for a wireless local area network. • Identify any interference sources • either work around the interference • propose eliminating the interference • Identify the need for specific antenna usage and its characteristics • Identify the dB gain of the antenna • Identify the directional properties • Identify throughput requirements based on users and equipment to determine access point placement • Identify type of wireless devices to be used and types of applications to be used • Idendify maximum number of devices/users

4. Importance of Wireless Site Surveying • Without a site survey, everyone assumes wireless coverage is complete and adequate when in fact the opposite is normally true because: • Wireless interference may occur without knowing where or why within the wireless coverage area • Wireless security is often overlooked and radio frequency spillage occurs in unwanted areas like public streets or other buildings • Inadequate coverage occurs without knowing the proper number of access points and antennas required for a given coverage area • Lack of wireless coverage testing results in coverage gaps where no coverage exists • Depending on the antenna placement and environment, multipath distortion will cause too many null zones where no coverage exists. • With site surveying, one can guarantee the coverage

5. A Site Survey Should... • Disclose problem (radio interference) areas • Identify the technology needed for a given coverage area • Identify the equipment that can and cannot work with existing WLAN technology • Determine the total number of access points and antennas needed • Identify the type of access points • Identify the type of antennas • Identify the need for any antenna accessories • Identify the need for any security issues

6. The Need for Site Surveying • Before a company decides on a wireless network or a wireless site survey, they need to be able to answer a wireless questionnaire that includes the following: • How many users? • What type of wireless devices? • What type of applications are being used on these devices? • What type of throughput is required? • How many wireless sites? • What are the characteristics and dimensions of the sites? • Do the sites include multiple floors of coverage? • After these and other questions are answered, a site survey can be scheduled with the proper equipment for specific dates

7. Site Surveying • There are many tools that can be used for a site survey. • These tools are discussed later. • Bring only the tools that are right specifically site • survey job based on customer needs. • An analysis of the survey sites must be done to determine if additional equipment is needed i.e., lift bucket for high ceilings

8. Site Survey Tools • Access points • Antennas • Client devices • Test software • Power source • Mounting hardware • Digital Camera • Accessories • Site survey plan • Floor layouts

9. Site Surveying Methodology • In site surveying, there are many different site surveying methods and everyone has their own unique method in determine wireless coverage. • The most popular of these methods are: • "Outside-In" method • This method assumes an omni-directional antenna is used • "T" method • This method assumes a directional antenna is used • "3-D" method • This method assumes coverage is provided on more than just one floor of a multi-floor building