Wireless LAN Site Survey - 1

The main objectives of a wireless LAN site survey are to find areas of RF coverage and interference source as well as installation locations for hardware infrastructure devices such as access points, antennas and any other devices that will be used with the wireless LAN.

Knowing the expectation of the client or business in regard to the wireless LAN is a critical part of a successful Wireless LAN Site Surveys. To understand these client expectations, it is necessary to gather much information. The scope of the wireless LAN Site Surveys is dependent on many factors, some of which include:

• Size of physical location
• Intended use of the network
• Number of users
• Performance expectations

Size of Physical Location

Depending on the size of the physical location in which the wireless network will be installed, a complete wireless LAN site survey may not be necessary. For example, one sandwich shop is approximately 1,200 square fee, has seating for about 15 people. In this case, a single access point would be sufficient for the number of users who access the wireless network at any one time. Although a full-blown site survey determining areas of RF interference coverage and interference would more than likely not be required, it would still be beneficial to visit the location and determine the best place for the access point. In a situation like this, a site survey may be all that is necessary. This would include testing the are to determine the best RF channel to use as well as access point mounting, and connecting to the wired network for access to Internet. 

Intended use of the network

The intended use of this wireless network will consists of staying online and browsing the Internet or checking email. It is unlikely many users would be performing any high-end or bandwidth intensive application on this type of connection. 

Number of users

As the number of actual users grows, the need for additional access points will also increase.

Performance expectations

Keeping in mind that wireless networks are half-duplex and contention-based, many factors will affect the performance of a wireless LAN, including the number of users, types of applications used, location, and the number of infrastructure devices providing access.