A Perspective OnOn-Site Survey Methodology
On-Site Analysis Of 802.11 RF Signal Propagation and Signal CoverageAlthough on-site services that were offered through Connect802 Corporation prior to 2020 are no longer available
we felt it was valuable to leave this information on-line as a reference. Please contact Maui Communications Networks if you have any questions.
we felt it was valuable to leave this information on-line as a reference. Please contact Maui Communications Networks if you have any questions.
What was the Connect802 On-Site Survey WiFi Signal Analysis methodology?
Connect802 provided three core on-site 802.11 WiFi site survey and performance analysis services:
- 802.11 WiFi Site Survey and Network Assessment
- Post-Installation Coverage and Performance Verification
- Coverage Gap Analysis and Remediation Planning
All of these services were based on RF signal strength, signal quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and coverage cell overlap determined through the use of RF measurement tools. In most cases a signal coverage "heatmap" was generated which presented a visual depiction of the strength, quality, SNR, and coverage cell shapes in the environment.
How did Connect802 confirm proper WLAN operation?
Through measuring and mapping the RF environment at a site the Connect802 engineering team was able to plot actual end-user network performance in terms of connection speed, throughput and packet statistics. The end result was a complete WiFi heat map or “weather map” of all critical RF and end-user performance metrics helping clients deploy the network correctly the first time and prevent costly rework & IT complaints.
How long does it take to perform a typical 802.11 WiFi site survey?
In general, an on-site RF engineer should be able to map the RF characteristics of roughly 100,000 to 200,000 square feet of indoor office, hospital, apartment building, school, and other similar spaces in one day, depending on specific site characteristics, work restrictions, or other services being performed (RF Spectrum Analysis, Physical Site Assessment, etc.).
Considering The Benefits Of An 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Engagement
List of Services
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Establish Realistic and Practical SpecificationsList Item 3
One of the biggest challenges facing wireless network engineers, IT staff, and technology decision makers is making sense of the sometimes confusing array of marketing literature that describes 802.11 WiFi equipment and systems.
Itʻs critical to establish the target design specifications and acceptable RF signal coverage as well as the capacity and throughput requirements, here are some things to consider:
- The 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n frequency band has, effectively, three channels (versus a total of 25 channels in the 5 GHz spectrum; not all of which may be usable). This means that coverage cells using the same channel will often overlap ("co-channel interference") in 2.4 GHz resulting in throughput degradation.
- 802.11n and 802.11ac provide various performance advantages over the older 802.11b/g however you won't ever see the maximum specified data rates available in any practical, real-world environment. In fact, capacity and throughput may be significantly less than the maximum "theoretical" throughput and capacity offerd by the 802.11 standard.
- The 802.11 device driver and operating system software in end-user devices may vary in the way a device interoperates in the wireless LAN system. Devices can operate poorly or "lock up" due to software or TCP/IP issues even in a network that has no issues with the RF signal or the access point's ability to operate normally.
Today, the Maui Communications Networks team can work closely with you to consider these, and other, possible areas of concern as you create a new 802.11 WLAN design, upgrade an existing wireless network system, or troubleshoot and remediate a problem situation.
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Understand End-User Expectations and RequirementsList Item 1
Almost all commercial-grade, corporate-level 802.11 WiFi networks being installed today are based on aggressive design specifications. This is because the typical end-user community expects high throughput, high quality WiFi wireless network connectivity.
There are realities underlying end-user expectations that should be considered when establishing design constraints for an 802.11 WLAN. Some of these are:
- Throughput Requirements - How fast must a user's data stream be based on the applications they're using?
- Offered Load - How much data do the users try to push into the air as opposed to how much they are actually able to push into the air)
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Recognize That WiFi Is Only Part Of The PuzzleList Item 2
There are significant considerations for success that go beyond just RF engineering and proper WiFi design. Your 802.11 WiFi wireless LAN depends on the Ethernet and TCP/IP connectivity back to the core router in order to function. Protocols like DNS, DHCP, RADIUS, and ARP all have to work properly in order for a WLAN to work properly. It's critical that the team responsible for the wired Ethernet configuration understand what's expected from the WLAN access points and client devices.
Joe Bardwell, your engineering team partner at Maui Communications Networks, has extensive experience with router and switch configuration, VLAN implementation, firewall security, and the underlying Ethernet/TCP/IP protocols. Although direct, hands-on configuration support for the wired side of the network is not provided, we can interact effectively and intelligently with your IT staff to make sure everything is working properly.
Talk To The Experts At Maui Communications Networks When You Need Resources To Perform:
- Office Building 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Apartment Complex 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Hospital 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Research Lab 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Hospitality 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Resort 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Hotel 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Automotive Car Dealership 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Marina and Boat Yard 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Museum and Aquarium 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- School and University 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Warehouse 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Military Base 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
- Outdoor 802.11 WiFi Site Survey Services
Perspective On WiFi Site Survey Services
The term "Wireless Site Survey" embraces a broad range of RF signal measurement and analysis tasks and methodologies. Sometimes this is called an "RF Site Survey" or "WiFi Site Survey" and there are active and passive methods of performing the survey. In every case, some level of detail regarding required wireless coverage, specified data rates to meet requirements for network capacity, wireless security, weak coverage areas, roaming between access points, VoIP call quality, Quality of Service (QoS), are possible targeted metrics that are evaluated.
When you need to improve your 802.11 WiFi network performance, troubleshoot end-user complaints, or plan for network upgrades, one of the first steps to take is to perform a WiFi Site Survey. Once you locate the busiest channels, evaluate a signal coverage heatmap, and analyze noise and interference, you'll be able to get better WiFi through either an on-site active or passive WiFi Site Survey or through a virtual, predictive site survey for buildings that are not yet built or remodeling that's planned. Connect802 has partnered with leading 802.11 equipment manufacturers and site survey software vendors to bring a complete set of services and products for the assessment and remediation of WiFi network problems. In order to maximize performance and reduce WiFi problems you have to be proactive. After a new installation you'll also want a confirmation survey (a "Site Verification" survey) to validate the coverage and performance of your 802.11n, 802.11ac, or 802.11ax WiFi WLAN.
WiFi Network System Design and Implementation for Schools
Wireless best practices for schools focus on the fact that, unlike a corporate or hospitality WLAN, there may be 30 students in a dense environment (all in one classroom) that are actively using the school or university WiFi network simultaneously. The strength and quality of the WiFi needs to be optimized and a survey of the environment will help document and plan proper placement of WiFi access points for classroom coverage. Connect802's professional WiFi survey services assist in planning the right network design; a critical factor in deploying an optimal WiFi network in a school. Connect802 can also partner with your school district for multi-site deployment of cloud-based or local controller WiFi systems for centralized school district WiFi management, troubleshooting, and security. Connect802 has years of experience providing school WiFi solutions. Schools and universities that require WiFi coverage need high-speed, high-capacity 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax coverage for the innovative solutions that are available in the education market including: interactive whiteboards, accessing on-line videos, student use of handheld, mobile wireless devices, and wireless, server-based student management systems. Not all school or university campus WiFi solutions are the same but the all demand not only optimal WiFi coverage and performance, but optimal security, access control, and management. Connect802 can provide you with best-practices recommendations for your school WiFi network system design. When you're designing and building a campus WiFi WLAN you'll want to optimize your investment in WiFi access points and controller systems. Up-front planning helps ensure that end user requirements are met, security is maintained, and that a school district doesn't waste money. When you need 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax connectivity in the classroom, call Connect802 - "We've Got You Covered!"
WiFi for the Corporate Campus, Carpeted Office and Cubicle Space, and Business-focused Activities
When you need to figure out the WiFi coverage in an office you need professional WiFi site survey software tools and the expertise to use them and interpret the results. To meet the business needs at your site, a WiFi site survey is the starting point for professional services. A weak wireless signal ends up hindering business productivity and causes frustration in the end-user community. Connect802 provides professional WiFi site survey services across the country. Site Survey services in California may encounter different challenges than 802.11 surveys in Chicago, Philadelphia, or New York. A site survey in a dense, urban environment with high-rise construction shows different signal coverage patterns than those found when performing a WiFi site survey in Hawaii (except, perhaps, a survey in Honolulu) or in rural Maryland or Florida. Each location has different building construction characteristics and different reasons why WiFi communications could be disrupted in your office or on your corporate campus. You can greatly eliminate potential problems with office WiFi by performing a site survey.Connect802 brings enterprise grade WiFi site survey software tools to your business or office location and our expert RF engineering team identifies and documents signal coverage in offices, cubicles, break rooms, and meeting rooms.
Results of a Wireless Site Survey
Whether you're performing a Ruckus Wireless WiFi site survey, a Cisco site survey, a Meraki or Ubiquiti site survey, an Aruba Networks site survey, or any 802.11n, 802.11ac, or 802.11ax WiFi site survey - the types of results you obtain may expose poor design, weak coverage areas, or system misconfigurations. Configuring the 802.11 wireless data rates may be a critical requirement for tuning and optimizing the wireless network. Whether you're using Air Magnet, Ekahau, Cisco site survey tools, or other RF measurement software and site survey applications, you're going to be looking for the same set of problem areas. Careful planning is essential to avoid WiFi problems and have your wireless network perform in a manner that's consistent with the manufacturer's design and deployment best practices. You'll also find that there's commonality between vendors. Cisco's design and deployment best practices, Ruckus Wireless WiFi network design guidelines, Aruba Networks recommendations - they all are based on the need to optimize and enhance WiFi network capacity, performance, and security. It's significantly important that a thorough site be performed before, and after, deployment of any vendor's equipment. There are many tools available for performing a WiFi site survey. Some tools, like NetStumbler, are free. Tools like AirMagnet SurveyPRO and Ekahau Site Survey require an investment of both money and training time to learn how to most effectively use them. Some tools work in conjunction with switched networks or by integration with a wireless LAN controller.
The Connect802 On-Site WiFi Site Survey Process
When a Connect802 engineer performs an on-site WiFi Site Survey for your 802.11n, 802.11ac, or 802.11ax WLAN they use leading, best-practice wireless site survey software tools for collecting, visualizing, and analyzing 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi data. Connect802 is a resource for your 802.11 network design, network deployment and on-going support and our the use of professional RF site survey tools to facilitates the analysis and reporting of signal strength, noise and interference, channel allocation, data rates, etc. help assure correct network performance and coverage in environments like office buildings, schools, university classrooms and campus areas, airports, open spaces, apartment buildings, and all commercial and corporate sites.
To allow the Connect802 engineering team to develop an accurate, effective overall WiFi wireless network design, with optimal coverage, capacity, and throughput, it's first necessary to have a solid understanding of the radio frequency behavior on site. A wireless site survey is the way to gather this information, because it will reveal areas of channel interference and identify any dead zones and coverage gaps, helping you avoid problems as you build the network and prevent frustration and obstacles for network users. There are two initial objective that a wireless site survey will determine. There's always a fundamental question, particularly for challenging environments like WiFi in a manufacturing facility or warehouse, where you want to determine the feasibility of building a wireless network. In some cases a WiFi network isn't going to provide the connectivity and throughput that your user community will expect. Once you have established it's feasible, you’ll need to determine the best place for access points and other equipment such as antennas and cables. This is the wireless network design phase of a project. A site survey also helps you to determine what type of access point equipment you will need, which manufacturer's wireless network equipment will provide optimal, cost-effective coverage at your site, and where the access points will be installed. In addition, you'll want to evaluate how the access points are going to be mounted and cabled. A wireless site survey helps you to determine where the APs need to be located to avoid overlap or interference.
If your site is in a building with other organizations that have their own wireless networks, you will have to coordinate your AP channel configuration with the other visible APs that are transmitting signal into your space. You need to know about neighboring APs in order to deploy a wireless network that doesn’t overlap with others in your area, resulting in poor performance and end-user frustration.
