A Site Survey is a fundamental keystone to achieve good wireless performance. The Wireless network must be designed to minimize self interference and to accomodate the effects of external networks.
Capacity Planning… more than ever.
Just a few years ago, enterprise Wi-Fi networks were planned with coverage and perhaps interference in mind. The number of wireless devices and the amount of transmitted data was small and users could tolerate an imperfect Wi-Fi network. Today, 802.11 networks should be designed primarily for capacity.
The key drivers of improved network capacity and reliability are:
More devices are joining the network
End users and business-critical applications rely on a Wi-Fi network that works 24/7
The amount of data transmitted wirelessly has signficantly increased thanks to:
o Voice calls made over Wi-Fi
o HD video streaming over Wi-Fi
o File access and storage in the cloud
Thanks to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend, personal devices are allowed on enterprise networks
Capacity is typically a key parameter in offices, educations, stadiums etc…
Coverage Planning… Still in focus.
When it comes to production areas, warehouses etc. usually it’s a matter of coverage. Scanners, Terminals, PLC’s etc. often only uses a small amount of data but need a steady connection. Also these devices is more likely to use old technology, when it comes to WiFi and this often require a special configuration of the wireless network.
IoT is here and more and more devices need to communicate. WiFi is usually used in IoT devices and is a perfect example where coverage is essential.
Location Planning… Future is here.
Wireless networks offers a variety of features. For example location/tracking of devices, way-finding and asset management is some of the possibilities where WiFi can help.
Most important, when using these features is a wireless network installation that support location, according to physically installation of AP’s