Predictive RF CAD Modeling

Predictive RF CAD Modeling
and Simulation
[Services Provided PRIOR To 2020]

"Virtual Site Survey" Predictive WiFi Design - A Historical Perspective

What is a Predictive RF CAD Design?
A Predictive RF CAD Design is created using specialized software that allows an RF-accurate, 3-dimensional model of a building to be created and then the RF propagation characteristics of radio equipment can be predicted. Predictive RF CAD Design was a predominant component of large-scale WiFi projects in the early years of 802.11 deployment. Since roughly 2015 the necessity of creating a virtual design has greatly diminished in the marketplace. Because current WiFi network systems demand maximum capacity and throughput the general density of access points is much higher than it was years ago and, as such, the need to perform predictive CAD modeling to critical, in-depth analysis of optimal locations is lessened.

Prior to 2020, Connect802 Corporation was a leader in the creation of Predictive RF CAD designs. This service is no longer offered by Maui Communications Networks, the evolution of the Connect802 organization. The current best-practice alternative is to create a Non-CAD RF Design. Non-CAD Design services are available from Maui Communications Networks LLC.


A Historical Perspective on Predictive RF CAD Modeling and Simulation
A predictive site survey, often referred to as a virtual site survey, uses predictive site survey software tools to develop a wireless network design. The computer-aided-design (CAD) predictive modeling software uses the building material construction to calculate RF propagation characteristics to provide a reliable predictive wireless network design plan for your site or facility. While a predictive site survey may be quicker than a physical site survey it's often a similar amount of time from project start to report delivery (and sometimes more costly) than a physical, on-site WiFi site survey. This is the result of the need to spend a non-trivial amount of time obtaining and assessing AutoCAD or other building floorplans to be sure that the predictive WiFi design software is properly configured. A predictive, virtual site survey WLAN design is only as good as the data that's provided by the wireless RF design engineer who's using the CAD software. Predictive designs are, however, very efficient for predicting channel assignments (to avoid channel overlap and co-channel interference problems), AP power settings (to develop an effective coverage cell map and support proper roaming) and to address project requirements where numerous buildings and floor are in-scope.

A predictive wireless survey allows a wireless survey of a building or area to be performed, and a wireless design with installation plans to be created, by using scaled plans of the area that requires WiFi coverage. Specialized WiFi virtual site survey, RF predictive CAD modeling and simulation software is used that allows building plans to be imported, obstructions (such as walls) to be added to the plans and 'virtual' APs to be added to the plan. 

Connect802 provided virtual site survey, predictive RF CAD design services beginning in 2003. Predictive RF CAD modeling programs allow a WLAN design engineer to define in-scope coverage areas and test various AP placements in the virtual WiFi design which allows coverage down to the minimum usable RF signal level. Inasmuch as this type of design (where minimum bit-rate is provided at the edges of a coverage zone) is not suited for contemporary WiFi systems (which demand maximum bit-rate and capacity) the use of predictive RF CAD design has faded in the marketplace.

Ways In Which Predictive Wireless Design Software Was Applied Prior To 2020
There are several software tools that are well known in the world of predictive RF CAD modeling and simulation for wireless network design. Of the virtual site survey software tools, Wireless Valley LAN Planner and Wireless Valley Enterprise Planner, were the first well known predictive WLAN design software products, making their way into the market early in 2000. Wireless Valley became the market leader, competing against Ekahau and AirMagnet LANPlanner. Wireless Valley LAN Planner was purchased by Motorola, lost its momentum in the marketplace, and is now only a piece of 802.11 wireless design engineering history.

Using predictive wireless design software, a virtual, or predictive, survey would allow the designer to predict the propagation and coverage of an 802.11a/b/g or 802.11n WiFi wireless network. The predictive design software simulates propagation throughout a facility based on known building material characteristics. The predictive RF CAD modeling and design process starts with the import of a floor plan as an AutoCAD .dwg drawing file or an image file (JPEG, BMP), PDF, or DXF file. The drawing is then populated with material data identifying walls, interior obstructions (such as desks, furniture, file cabinets, etc.), elevator shafts, brick, cinderblock, or poured concrete walls, etc. The material data provides the known attenuation characteristics of that particular material of construction. After the drawing is fully defined, the virtual access points (APs) are placed on the drawing in the desired locations. The simulation is then run, and the expected propagation at the desired power level can be observed with a graph "heatmap" presentation. 

Examples of Predictive RF CAD Modeling and Simulation Software for Virtual Site Surveys
From 2000 to 2010 the virtual site survey software market expanded to include predictive wifi design CAD modeling software with a number of products becoming available including (in alphabetical order):

AeroHive WiFi Planner Software
This planner was a free, web-based planning tool with Google Maps integration that will generate PDF reports showing AP locations, AP inventory, RF settings and heatmaps to help plan, configure and deploy an AeroHive WiFi network.
AirMagnet SurveyPro and AirMagnet Planner
AirMagnet Planner was a wireless network planning tool that accounts for building materials, obstructions, access point configurations, antenna patterns and a host of other variables to provide a reliable predictive map of Wi-Fi signal and performance, before the network is built or even the physical building is constructed. The solution without rolling out any APs physically, offered superior predictive modeling to determine ideal quantity, placement and configuration of 802.11a/b/g and 802.11n APs for optimal security, performance and compliance.

Ekahau SiteSurvey Pro with Ekahau Planner Software
This complete toolkit from Ekahau was used for performing site surveys, designing, analyzing, optimizing, and troubleshooting WiFi networks. The planner features showed you where to place and how to configure access points. This predictive RF CAD system predicted network coverage and capacity in a 3-dimensional representation of a building. It calculated multi-floor and floor-to-floor coverage and directly converted AutoCAD drawing file layers into walls with the correct RF attenuation. Ekahau SiteSurvey Pro was used for outdoor planning and for urban areas. The Ekahau Planner software suggests AP placement and channel settings automatically. 

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Aruba Networks Predictive Access Point Design Services
Used specifically for Aruba Networks access point equipment, this was a professional services offering from Hewlett Packard focused exclusively on Aurba Networks customers and available only through Aruba Networks. 

Huawei WLAN Design Software
Huawei, an international, multi-technology company has a WLAN planning tool for the virtual design of WiFi networks. This software planning tool is designed to automatically design a network by calculating the number of APs and their placement based on specified application and user requirements. 

NetSpot WiFi Planner Software
This software is a planning tool to estimate the number of access points needed and the correct placement for them. NetSpot will map the effective placement of the APs based on the size of the coverage area, AP models, and other factors. It allows you to click-and-drag to reposition access points and assess coverage. 

TamoSoft TamoGraph WiFi Planner Software
There are three types of surveys that could be performed in TamoGraph: passive, active, and predictive (the latter is technically not a survey; rather, it’s virtual modeling). During a passive survey, the application collects the most comprehensive data on the RF environment: information on access points and their characteristics, signal strength, noise level, interference, etc. This is the default and most important survey type that we recommend to conduct for every project. If you need more insight into the real-world performance of your WLAN, TamoGraph can also perform an active survey. During active surveys your Wi-Fi adapter connects to the wireless network(s) of your choice and the application generates network traffic to measure actual throughput rates and a few other metrics. In addition to the surveys based on actual on-site measurements, TamoGraph can be used for planning WLANs that have not been deployed yet. This is called “RF predictive modeling” or “RF planning”, because Wi-Fi characteristics are predicted for the virtual environment model created by the user. The virtual model includes walls and other obstructions, as well as virtual APs placed by the user. In other words, it is a computer simulation. No on-site measurements are conducted.
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