In today's rapidly evolving landscape, the significance of reliable and efficient wireless networks has never been more pronounced. As our reliance on wireless devices continues to soar, it becomes imperative for organizations to establish a meticulously crafted and fine-tuned wireless network infrastructure.
Enter Ekahau, a leading provider of wireless network design and analysis software. Ekahau provides organizations with a comprehensive solution for wireless site surveys, enabling administrators to design, optimize, and troubleshoot their wireless networks with ease.
One of the key benefits of Ekahau is its ability to perform both active and passive site surveys. Active site surveys involve the use of specialized equipment to map the wireless network, while passive site surveys collect data from existing wireless devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. This data is used to map the wireless network, identify areas where the network may be weak, and take steps to improve the network's performance.
Another benefit of Ekahau is its speed. The software is designed to be user-friendly and easy to use, allowing administrators to quickly and efficiently survey the site. This can save organizations time and money compared to traditional site surveys, which can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment.
Ekahau also provides organizations with detailed and accurate analysis of their wireless network. The software produces heat maps, signal strength maps, and other visual representations of the network, making it easy for administrators to identify areas where the network may be weak and take steps to improve its performance.
Recently, Orion US Wireless team completed a passive wireless site survey using Ekahau site survey pro in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. The project involved surveying approximately 99,429 sq ft of office and warehouse. A comprehensive report was provided with findings and remediation.
During the analysis of the survey data, the RF engineer found the following issue onsite:
a. RSSI from Access Points.
b. Channel Interference and Signal Strength Hole in 2.4GHz
c. Channel Interference and Signal Strength Hole in 5 GHz
d. The Site currently uses 7 SSIDs
Remediation
The above issues can be remediated by optimizing the configuration of the RF Profile on the Meraki Dashboard. RF Profiles provide more control over radio settings for APs. More information on RF Profile configuration can be found here.
We recommend performing an AP on the Stick site survey of the whole site following Cisco best practices using internal and external APs with appropriate antennae. This eliminates guesswork and provides almost 100% accurate wireless coverage.
Cisco Meraki's best practice design recommends the maximum recommended number of SSID to be 3. If needed this can be increased to 5. Any more than 5 SSIDs create substantial airtime overhead from management frames.
Cisco Meraki's best practices can be found here:
The details of the surveys are below.
Site type: Office Area and Warehouse
Area: 104,416 sq ft
Maximum Height: 20 ft
Survey type: Post Wireless Site Survey
Coverage: 2.4 GHz and 5GHz
| 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz | |
| Signal Strength | -65 dBm | -65 dBm |
| Secondary signal strength | -68 dBm | -68 dBm |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 25 dB | 25 dB |
|
Data rate
|
12 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
The image below shows the Signal Coverage for 2.4 and 5 GHz onsite – Red area shows major coverage gaps/holes.
5 GHz - Signal Coverage
2.4 GHz - Signal Coverage
Please get in touch with the experts at Orion US today.
Image Source: Canva