Everything You Need to Know about Network Site Surveys

Looking for the best way to assure top level coverage and performance for your wireless network? The solution is the ability to fully comprehend the RF environment in which your network is deployed. A site survey delivers upfront planning and documentation, which will facilitate a smooth, and ultimately successful, network implementation.

What the Right Network Site Survey Can Do for Your Organization

The right network site survey is able to consolidate all of the high-level tools for planning, knowledgeable and experienced RF engineers, and onsite validation of software modeling. The inevitable results of a network site survey that is well-designed and well-executed are healthy network coverage, ample capacity for the various devices your network needs to be able to support, sufficient data rates for applications that are notoriously greedy when it comes to bandwidth, effortless roaming, improved Quality of Service (QoS) and much more.

Other Benefits of Wireless Site Surveys

Other benefits of site surveys include:

• Get accurate and timely information on the number of access points you need
• Get accurate and timely information on the best locations for those access points
• Get detailed coverage maps
• Get detailed data rates
• Identify what sources are causing network interference
• Determine where those interference sources are
• Identify and find those rogue access points that are so worrisome
• Be able to plan for additions to the physical infrastructure, such as a room addition, a new building, or even an entire new campus
• Offer outdoor coverage for workers, students, guests, and other situations
• Identify where the current gaps in your wireless network coverage lie so that you can remedy the situation
• Find and classify networks in the general vicinity, along with their channel usage, to alleviate any security issues or interference issues that could be hindering your network performance

The TTI Wireless Network Site Survey Solution

TTI’s process begins with floor plans or campus views, which are provided by you and imported directly into our planning software. Then the floor plans are enhanced with other information, such as the building materials used, for a more accurate propagation of the current wireless signal. Then the locations of all access points are optimized for the best possible coverage, as well as the most easily serviced configuration.

Next, TTI holds a planning session with the customer to further optimize the locations of the access points. Areas that might be of particular concern, such as places where there are unusually large numbers of users or a lot of bandwidth-heavy applications at work, will be identified and addressed. We discuss important issues like where and how to set up outdoor coverage. The process then gets into onsite validation with verification of predictive coverage and bandwidth.

Next, any sources of potential interference or causes for poor coverage are documented and plans are made to address these issues. A complete report is compiled, including predictive and onsite measurements. The reports can be used for grading your existing network infrastructure and performance, or for establishing a Bill of Materials to get ready to install an entirely new network. The reports are also useful for guiding a wiring crew to the locations where new access points need to be installed.

Contact us to get started on your network site survey today!