Importance of Site Survey for Wireless Networks -

Wikipedia describes a survey on the site as "an inspection of an area where work is offered, to gather information for a project or an estimate to perform the initial tasks necessary for an outdoor activity. You can determine an accurate location, access, better site orientation and obstacle location. The type of on-site research and best practices required depend on the nature of the project. "

Raise or not search, that's the question.

What is a Site Survey –

Survey of urban works.

Wireless networks and urban construction have in common the need to control costs and controlled work areas. In general, there are environmental and zoning laws for urban construction that must be observed. With that in mind, we can see an example of a project that continued without adequate research plans.

Establishment of a wireless network in urban areas.

This project involved a complex building that would connect to a parking lot approximately 300 feet away. The company's main data center was in the parking lot across the street and there was no cable or fiber on the floor; therefore, the wireless connection must be used. The link seemed to be a very simple point, since there was a visible line on the Site Audit with the naked eye.

Why do a site survey and spectrum analysis?

When the link did not appear, we were asked to assess the situation. We immediately request research and in situ analysis of the binding spectrum. The engineer looked at me confused and told me that none of this had been done. We informed you that before continuing, an on-site investigation and spectrum analysis was necessary to determine why the link did not appear, and then we were able to determine what had to be done to make the link work.

Wlan Site Survey Tools There appeared to be a lot of interference in the areas where the original links were established. The alignment of the antenna was, therefore, the determining factor in the success of the relationship. According to the rating scale, channel one or higher offered the best chances of success. However, durability overtime was another problem. To guarantee the durability of the link signal, the noise level had to be improved. It has been determined that this could be achieved through the use of high gain antennas. The original radios purchased for the link had internal antennas and therefore, the gain could not be easily changed.

Finally, we ended up protecting different radios that can use external antennas. We have also moved the main assembly point to an area of ​​the building with less radio interference in the 2.4 GHz band. I believe that it is always better to investigate installing any radio. This task will always guarantee success the first time and save time and money in the long run. Finally, the survey can be used as a baseline to start the troubleshooting process if a connection suddenly fails.

Necessary steps to search the site

The following can be used as a checklist for successful point site searches:

Line of sight

Make sure you have a clear line of sight between the two wireless antennas

Spectrum analysis

After establishing a clear line of sight, you must perform a spectrum analysis to determine if there is noise between the two locations and the (legal) antenna installation area.

Noise levels

Check the noise levels in the frequency range in which your antennas will operate. If the noise levels are too high, it may be necessary to change the type or location of one or both antennas

If you find that the noise level in both areas is too high, breaking the antenna height can help

Remember: unless you find a place where the noise level is below the maximum limit, it makes no sense to continue

Identify maximum noise levels.

A snapshot of the noise level in your spectrum analysis does not always show the entire image. Some teams generate more noise with higher levels of activity.

Antenna alignment

The two antennas must be perfectly aligned to obtain a good signal strength.

Signal strength

If you are not receiving enough signal strength, you may want to switch to a higher gain antenna.

Conclusion: on-site study is essential for the success of a project

The general assessment is that time and materials were lost, which would not be the case if proper preparation had been carried out before installing the link. Below is the actual installation of the building mount point with an external Cisco antenna. This link has been running for six months, with no reports of bandwidth or link loss.