Site Surveys for Design and Verification: Real-world Tips
Author/Blog Contributor - Dilip Advani, Product Marketing Manager at AirMagnet
Date: October 10, 2011
Earlier this month, we presented a webinar with Jim Geier, Principal Consultant of Wireless-Nets, Ltd., on site surveys for design and verification. During his presentation, Jim walked through wireless site survey techniques and requirements and provided some great tips for use in the field. I've summarized a few of the points that were touched on during the webinar below. However, he gets into a lot of great technical detail, so, if you'd like to learn more and view the webinar in its entirety, you can download an archived copy of the webcast.
During the webinar, Jim focused on two of the critical times to perform a site survey: before installation of APs at the design phase and after installation of APs at the verification/validation stage. Obviously, performing a site survey before AP installation is critical in order to give your team the best chance at deploying a network that meets the required performance and security standards. Performing a site survey after installation is needed to verify your previous design and deployment decisions, including the optimal number of APs installed, locations and configurations. Of course, it is also important that you regularly verify and optimize your wireless network using site surveys, particularly with the introduction of any new users, new applications over the WLAN or the introduction of new technologies.
Jim provided some very helpful real-world tips for those preparing to perform a site survey - whether at an airport, a business, a hospital or anywhere else. While some may seem pretty simple, checking all of these things off your list before beginning a survey can make your life, and the lives of others involved, much easier. So, don't forget to:
- Coordinate with the facility manager: be sure to arrange access to all rooms, obtain escorts if needed (anywhere with security requirements) and give notice to company employees that there will be a survey taking place on the premises.
- Perform an initial walkthrough of the facility: verify/edit facility drawings, identify potential RF interferences, identify obstacles that might attenuate the signals, consider access point mounting possibilities and indentify the location of communications closets.
- Prepare facility diagrams: be sure to mark areas where the survey doesn't apply.
- Prepare tools: prepare your signal coverage and spectrum testers, be ready with extensions cord (or UPS), a cart, a ladder and any other equipment you think you might need.
- Plan your test during times when the wireless network is likely to be in use, when people are present in largest number, when RF interference and multipath are the strongest and when any construction projects are finalized.
- Consider throughput: it is essential to understand the type of performance that will be required for a given network. How many users require wireless service and what applications will they use? What are their throughput requirements?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There's more where this came from, so be sure to download the webinar for more technical detail and helpful hints for performing site surveys. There is also an extremely helpful white paper in our AirWISE library – "WLAN Design and Site Surveys" - that is available for download.
Dilip Advani is the Product Manager for the AirMagnet Mobile products. Prior to AirMagnet, he has worked as a technology reviewer for Network Computing magazine and as a Networking Engineer for Citibank India. He also holds the prestigious Certified Wireless Networking Expert certification (CWNE#43).