tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post8935593966189948057..comments2024-03-25T23:51:47.067-05:00Comments on Revolution Wi-Fi: Tips for Accurate Wi-Fi Predictive Site SurveysAndrew von Nagyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12658799453646609565noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-59098856022064279182013-08-22T05:13:53.064-05:002013-08-22T05:13:53.064-05:00It (this post + your next!) makes me wonder whethe...It (this post + your next!) makes me wonder whether the CWDP course should go as far as recommending an agreed site survey methodology. It seems there are still many ways to approach the problem, and consensus as to what is *required*. <br />It has, for example, been suggested to me that predictive SNR is an essential element of a predictive survey (as you might do with Ekahau.) Not all tools offer this functionality and so although it's value is clear (since we are likely to survey when things are quiet) it's not always an option. <br /><br />This causes particular problems for me working in the public sector. If I nail down a specification to include this, then it's hard to get 3 CWNP qualified companies to provide quotes for a service which includes it!<br /><br />Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to blog this. Hopefully it'll reduce the number of installs like this one at a hotel I visited recently:- http://eljay.org.uk/wifi/?p=22Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09781002536512067265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-67247424452023547622013-08-21T15:39:34.737-05:002013-08-21T15:39:34.737-05:00One thing about predictive surveys I personally tr...One thing about predictive surveys I personally try to keep in mind and keep in mind for most surveys in general. Put yourself into the installers/cable guys shoes! Sometimes, you may not see that a certain area has a 20 ft ceiling or hard ceiling in certain areas, etc.,<br /><br />I try to take sometime to maybe review it with a facilities maintenance member as it could help cut costs for the customer as well as being nice to your preferred cabling vendor. Jonathan Finneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10556110943086192106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-20218676282690234272013-08-17T21:36:09.115-05:002013-08-17T21:36:09.115-05:00Hi Andrew, Keith,
The client device is the most i...Hi Andrew, Keith,<br /><br />The client device is the most important item in my view, how the customer experiences the <br />WiFi network (e.g. the hospitality sector moves from "nice to have wireless" to a "business critical" wireless environment as customers expect there is a wireless signal. <br /><br />The predictive site survey tools do not take the RF interference into account (unless by importing the data points of an active survey) and by doing site surveys using laptops (better antenna's, etc.) it does not show the reality of the mobile devices (like smartphones, tablets, etc.) it can have a difference of 10-20 dB !<br /><br />Like Keith mentioned often the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) is measured, but (the SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) is important, typically 20 dB to get good coverage.<br />(again hotels are a good example: minimize the number of APs, but having good coverage is challenging with foundation walls, fire-rated doors, long corridors, mirrors, neighbouring hotels with WiFi, etc. In Asia the cities are dense with millions of people living together and all WiFi channels are usually occupied and leaking into other buildings.<br /><br />I have not see site survey tools (yet) which use the smartphone as a mobile measurement tool(e.g. use AirMagnet SiteSurveyPro and use the mobile phone as the adapter to collect the RF information). Of course there are tools on Android, like AirMapper, Wolf WiFi Pro, WiFi analyser, etc. There are some vendors which use the radio statics of a VOIP phone to get real measurements.<br /><br />To add to the tool section:<br />In addition what we show in the CWNP (www.globeron.com/cwnp/training) classes in Asia:<br /><br />1. VisiWave (very easy to do a walk around and generate a PDF report)<br /> Usually good enough for a customer to show coloured graphs, quick and easy.<br /><br />2. Motorola cloud planner (web based planning), based on the AirDefense LiveRF module.<br /><br />3. Integration of Motorola LAN Planner (the old WirelessValley toolset)<br /> (or AirDefense Mobile on the laptop) with the Motorola AirDefense Services <br /> Platform (ADSP), this is very neat as when walls, etc. have been drawn or <br /> an AutoCAD drawing is used it automatically imports this "CAD" drawing<br /> into the LiveRF (Heatmap) management tool. It also shows comparison views<br /> for both APs or Sensors (for wireless security scanning) and it can do <br /> historical RF forensics (to go back in time to see how the RF changed <br /> over time) and showing live statistics.<br /><br />4. Aruba Networks tool is "Visual RF", it can run stand-alone on a PC,<br /> or integrated in the WLAN Controller and integrated with Aruba AirWave NMS<br /> (module is called Visual RF) and can show live statistics.<br /><br />5. AirTight Networks has an RF Planning tool (and HP, because of the OEM relationship)<br /><br />6. Ruckus ZonePlanner toolset for RF planning.<br /><br /><br /><br />Ronald van Kleunen - CWNE #108.<br />Certified: <br />CISM #1117595, CISSP #99801, GIAC #1395658 (GCIH), BICSI #237560, <br />CWNE #108, CWNP #307052 (CWNT, Wireless#/CWTS, CWNA, CWSP, CWAP, CWDP, CWNE)<br />WLAN and AirDefense Solution Professional (Wireless Security Monitoring & Management)<br />AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer, SiteSurvey, Spectrum Certified Professional (SiteSurvey & Analysis)<br />ITILv2 and ITILv3 #819214, CSOEP #100600 (DataCentre, Infrastructure, Process, Management, Security)<br />IRCA ISO/IEC 20000 ITSM (IT Service Management) #01193718, <br />IRCA ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS (Security Management) #01193718<br />Member itSMF Thailand & Singapore and Member ISACA #697166Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01645286176936056847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-60071540412997034232013-08-17T14:13:42.975-05:002013-08-17T14:13:42.975-05:00Thanks for this article. It was nice to see that ...Thanks for this article. It was nice to see that the practices and techniques I use today are verified by my peers in the industry. I have been doing a massive amount of predictives the past few months as my company is expanding coverage throughout the enterprise. (over 500+ locations). I look forward to reading more of your posts.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13793073899218472644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-76776151721260885692013-08-17T13:44:00.610-05:002013-08-17T13:44:00.610-05:00Hi Keith,
I did include need to design for both ca...Hi Keith,<br />I did include need to design for both capacity and coverage, especially in the "Access Point Capacity" section where I mention the need to forecast client and application throughput for capacity as well as link to additional writing on the subject in my high-density design guide.<br /><br />As for actual on-site RF measurements and verification, I completely agree there! To put this post in context, it is only the first of several on Wi-Fi site surveying. I have already written and included on-site verification of the predictive survey in my draft post on pre-deployment site surveys since I feel like that topic is better discussed at that time. Stay tuned for that post - I plan on publishing it next week.<br /><br />I agree with all of the points in your comment. Perhaps this is just you on your proper design soapbox :) I fully understand where you're coming from, since bad designs are probably the worst problem we have in this industry! Let's both keep preaching it!<br /><br />Cheers,<br />AndrewAndrew von Nagyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12658799453646609565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-22753339233194959062013-08-17T10:03:10.864-05:002013-08-17T10:03:10.864-05:00I appreciate all the detail that you put into this...I appreciate all the detail that you put into this post and related posts. These are great points to keep in mind. Thanks for the effort and keep them coming. Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326603972508625058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1988432060681510848.post-48355089840882480582013-08-16T19:25:21.672-05:002013-08-16T19:25:21.672-05:00I would add the following:
To enhance accuracy of...I would add the following:<br /><br />To enhance accuracy of Predictive modeling, measure the RF attenuation characteristics on-site. Both horizontal and vertical. Note: there is usually a lot of consistency within structures built in the same decade, but not so between decades, so make multiple checks throughout the facilities. <br /><br />Predictive modeling should NOT stop when you have achieved coverage. Coverage is EASY. You should be designing to meet ALL design requirements. At least the following should all be considered:<br />- all the following for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz<br />- Primary RSSI<br />- Secondary RSSI (overlap - not in % but to meet mfg. specs)<br />- Co Channel Interference (this is the MOST IMPORTANT)<br />- Data Rates<br />- SNR <br />- Device per Radio target ratios<br />- High Density Areas<br />- etc.<br /><br />It is NOT just about getting coverage. <br /><br />Keith<br /><br /><br />Wireless LAN Professionals<br />keith@wlanpros.com <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01636199777737253499noreply@blogger.com