How to Conduct Wireless Site Surveys from BROCENT ASIA's blog

The network team can avoid signal coverage problems by performing wireless site survey  at different stages of evaluating new spaces, setting up locations, and maintaining the network.

Wireless networks are more challenging than wired networks to design and maintain, but overall, the challenges remain the same. A wireless connection differs significantly when a desk or steel file cabinet is moved a few feet, but relocating either of these can alter the signal path and affect wireless performance.

Performing wireless surveys is an effective way of ensuring adequate coverage and performance. The following are three types of surveys needed for a thorough wireless site survey:

Predictive surveys

 If equipment or furniture is being moved into a new area, a predictive survey should be conducted. A software package that forecasts how wireless signals spread through a space predicts network coverage. It will be an exact set of schematics and information on the type of wireless equipment installed, including which standard will be deployed in the area.

Passive surveys 

Following the installation of equipment and network functionality, it should conduct passive surveys periodically. A passive survey entails a study of all signal sources at a site, including the installed network and signals generated by neighboring sites or other devices. 

Active surveys

Active surveys offer detailed measurements of the behaviors and signals of a particular sign or cluster of signs. Each AP involved in the study also generates an extensive measurement list. Measuring the strength, throughput, round-trip time, packet loss, and retransmission rate of a signal throughout its service area is one of these measurements.