Site Survey Fundamentals

Chapter 9

What is a Site Survey?

An RF site survey is a map to successfully implementing a wireless network. A site survey is the most important step in implementing any wireless network.

Preparing for a Site Survey

Facilities Analysis Purpose & Business Requirements Bandwidth & Roaming Requirements Available Resources Existing Networks Area Usage & Towers

Facility Analysis
What kind of facility is it? Consider the obvious differences that would exist in conducting a site survey of a small office with versus performing a site survey of a large office.

Existing Networks
Is there already a network (wired or wireless) in place?

Area Usage & Towers

Is the wireless LAN going to be used indoors, outdoors, or both?

Purpose & Business Requirements

What is the purpose of the wireless LAN? What are the business requirements?

Bandwidth & Roaming Requirements

What bandwidth and roaming requirements are there?

5.5 Mbps data rate

Roaming Requirements
How many users are typically in a given area? What type of applications will be used over the wireless LAN? Are there any non-typical times in which network needs may change for a particular area? What mobility or roaming coverage is necessary?

Available Resources
What are the available resources? Are facility blueprints available (electronic or printed)? Are there any previous site survey reports available? Is a facilities escort or security badge required? Is physical access to wiring closets and the roof available if needed?

Security Requirements
What level of network security is necessary? What corporate policies are in place regarding wireless LAN security implementation and management?

Preparation Checklist
Building blueprints Previous wireless LAN site survey documentation Current network diagram A meeting with the network administrator, the building manager, the security officer. Access to all areas of the facility to be affected by the wireless LAN Access to wiring closets Access to roof (if outdoor antennas are anticipated) Future construction plans, if available.

Site Survey Equipment

Access Point PC Card and Utilities Laptops & PDAs Paper Outdoor Surveys Spectrum Analyzer Network Analyzer Site Survey Kit Checklist

Access Point
Used during a site survey should have variable output power and external antenna connectors. The variable output power feature allows for easy sizing of coverage cells during the site survey.

PC Card and Utilities

Signal strength (measured in dBm) Noise floor (measured in dBm) Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (measured in dB) Link speed

Laptops & PDAs

A laptop computer or PDA unit is used by the site surveyor for checking for signal strength and coverage while roaming around the facility.

Paper
Both the surveyor and the network designer should make hard copy (paper) documentation of all findings in great detail for future reference.

Outdoor Surveys
Outdoor site surveys will take more time, effort, and equipment than will indoor surveys

Spectrum Analyzer

Network Analyzer
Pick up any packets being transmitted by wireless LANs and will provide detailed information on channels in use, distance, and signal strength.

Site Survey Kit Checklist

Laptop and/or PDA included site survey utility software Wireless PC card with driver & utility software Access points or bridges as needed Battery pack & DC-to-AC converter Clipboard, pen, pencils, notebook paper, grid paper, & hi-liter Blueprints & network diagrams Indoor & outdoor antennas Cables & connectors Binoculars and two-way radios Umbrella and/or rain suit Specialized software or hardware such as a spectrum analyzer or sniffer Tools, double-sided tape, and other items for temporary hardware mountings Secure & padded equipment case for housing computers, tools, secure documents during the survey and travel to and from the survey site

Conducting a Site Survey

Indoor Surveys Outdoor Surveys

RF Information Gathering
Range & coverage patterns Data rate boundaries Documentation Throughput tests & capacity planning Interference sources Wired data connectivity & AC powerc requirements Outdoor antenna placement Spot checks

Range and Coverage Patterns

Marked up floor plan

Data Rate Boundaries

Interference Sources
Are there any existing wireless LANs in use in or near the facility? Are there any plans for future wireless LAN installations other than the one in question?
If this is a multitenant building, are there any other organizations within the building that have wireless LANs or sources of RF? Are any other organizations planning wireless LAN implementations?

Interference Sources
Are there any other common sources of RF interference in the 2.4 GHz band in use in the facility? In case 802.11a networks are to be installed, are there any RF sources in the 5 GHz range?

Obstacle-Induced Signal Loss

Spot Checks
Coverage in perimeter areas Overlapping coverage for seamless roaming Co-channel and adjacent channel interference in all areas

Site Survey Reporting

Report Format Purpose and Business Requirements Methodology RF Coverage Areas Throughput Interference Problem Areas Drawings Hardware placement & configuration information