As wireless networks become increasingly important in our daily lives, organizations are looking for efficient and effective methods to design and optimize their wireless networks. One such method is a passive site survey, and Ekahau Site Survey Pro is the ideal tool for performing these surveys.
Ekahau stands out as a top-notch provider of wireless network design and analysis software, offering organizations a complete solution for conducting wireless site surveys. A standout feature of Ekahau Site Survey for passive site surveys is its seamless ability to gather data passively, without causing any disruptions to the network's normal operations.
Passive site surveys are performed by collecting 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 Site Survey Pro 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.
Orion US wireless team completed a passive wireless site survey using Ekahau site survey pro in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. The project involved surveying approximately 400k sq ft of office and warehouse area. A comprehensive report was provided with findings and remediation after the completion of the wireless site survey.
During the analysis of the survey data, the RF engineer found the following issue onsite:
a. Channel Interference and Signal Strength Hole in 2.4GHz
b. Channel Interference and Signal Strength Hole in 5 GHz
c. The Site currently uses 7 SSIDs
d. Inappropriate use of the Access Points Model
e. Insufficient Access Points
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.
Effective management of Access Point power levels on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies is crucial for minimizing channel interference and resolving issues like hidden nodes and sticky clients. These challenges often arise in environments with multiple Access Points exhibiting similar RSSI levels.
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: 63831/66689 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.
2.4 GHz - Signal Coverage
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