WiFi Site Surveys, Analysis, Troubleshooting
Our team of Wireless experts in Perth will help you visualise, manage, troubleshoot, audit, plan, and deploy your wireless networks.
Types of Wireless Survey
Passive WiFi Survey
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Conducted on an existing site to collect information about signals at each location
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Should be performed periodically after the site is built
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Typical report contains information on APs and their characteristics, signal strength, signal-to-noise ratios, and interference
Active WiFi Survey
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Conducted during network operation to measure signal strength, thoroughput & packet loss
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Should be performed when investigating performance problems
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Typical report contains include signal strength, throughput, round-trip time, packet loss and retransmission rate throughout the area where the signal is used
Predictive WiFi Survey
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Conducted for new sites to determine the best placement of AP's for optimal performance
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Should be performed before any equipment or furniture is moved into a new space.
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Typical report contains virtual APs that can be placed automatically or manually
Case Study
First Call IT was commissioned to carry out a WLAN site survey for the head office of a large mining corporation in Perth. The site is mostly an open space with several meeting rooms. The WLAN site survey was to be planned, measured and implemented throughout the whole area on a total of 14 floors with very different needs from meeting rooms to common areas. The aim was to provide seamless and area-wide WLAN coverage at all stations, including elevator cabs.
FAQ
What is the need for Wireless Site Survey?
In a Wireless network, many issues can arise which can prevent the radio frequency (RF) signal from reaching all parts of the facility. where these issues occur. A site survey helps define the contours of RF coverage in a particular facility. .
A site survey that determines the RF coverage area in a facility also helps to choose the number of Wireless devices that a firm needs to meet its business requirements.
What does the client need to provide for a wiFi Survey?
- A meeting to discuss the intended use and application for the wireless network including discussing the environment the wireless network will operate in.
Floor plans of the facility(s) or campus maps - Access to the facility or campus with a point of contact or escort to provide access to locked or gated areas.
What are the results of a Wireless site survey?
A proper site survey provides detailed information that addresses coverage, interference sources, equipment placement, power considerations and wiring requirements. The site survey documentation serves as a guide for network design and for the installation and verification of the Wireless communication infrastructure.
How much does it cost?
It all depends on the size of your site and the number of AP’s installed. A complete survey has three components:
- Conducting the Survey
- Collating and Creating Reports
- Providing Recommendations
Is a physical site survey better than a predictive site survey?
A physical site survey is more accurate because you’re evaluating a live environment vs. virtual environment. But it’s not always necessary. If your building environment has a lot of interference (hospital or manufacturing for example) or you want to support latency sensitive applications like Voice over WLAN then you need a site survey.
How is a wireless site survey performed?
A physical site survey is performed by walking the intended location and using site survey tools to measure the RF from an access point set up specifically for the survey. The access point will be moved to several locations intended to have coverage and the measurements taken there as well. After all measurements have been taken the site survey tool will provide an overall view of RF performance in the environment.