Installation guide

56
Wi-Fi Location-Based Services—Design and Deployment Considerations
OL-11612-01
Deployment Best Practices
Figure 35 Location-Aware AP Placement Illustration
WCS version 4.0 now includes new location planning capabilities that are accessible via Monitor > Maps
> floormapname > Planning Mode. Whereas previous versions of the planning tool accounted for
coverage and capacity planning only, the new version allows for location, data, and voice planning as
well. This is a predictive planning tool that is used on a per-floor basis to provide automated design
guidance in terms of access point density and spacing. As a planning tool, it operates purely on a
hypothetical basis without the need to deploy any access points or clients, unlike the location readiness
or location inspector tools described later in this document. When planning for location service, the
planning tool uses the maximum inter-access point spacing criteria of 70 feet and suggests both
perimeter and interior staggered access point locations. Therefore, it is a good choice to use for initial
location planning guidance with perhaps some follow-up manual adjustments as outlined in preceding
sections. Guidance on how to use the planning tool can be found in the Cisco Location Appliance
Configuration Guide: Deployment Planning for Data, Voice and Location at the following URL:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6386/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a00806b5d
83.html#wp1050797.
When using the planning tool for location planning, keep in mind that it currently considers all floors as
closed polygons and aims for an accuracy target of 10 meters with 90 percent precision. More complex
designs containing interior voids (that is, a building with an interior atrium) really do not lend
themselves well to this tool and will likely require manual design. At the release of version 4.0.66.0 of
WCS, the planning tool assumes that access points are outfitted with omni-directional antennae.
As an example of planning tool use, Figure 36 contains the results of the floor plan in Figure 35 after
analysis and access point placement by the planning tool. Note that the planning tool results in Figure 36
include data, voice, and location coverage.