User's Manual

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What is a Site Survey?
A site survey is an in-depth examination and analysis of a proposed wireless LAN site. The purpose of a site
survey is to determine the number of access points needed, the types of antennas needed, and the best
placement for those access points and antennas.
Although the goal of a site survey is simple, the means of arriving at that goal are not. Some of the steps
involve taking measurements, but most involve experience, trial and error, and a little guesswork rather than
numbers and figures.
When to Perform a Site Survey
Intel® recommends that you perform a site survey prior to installing a wireless LAN. Site surveys are especially
important when:
● You are installing a new site — Evaluate the placement of the access points and antennas throughout
the proposed site.
● You are changing an existing site — When modifying or extending an existing network structure, re-
evaluate the placement of the access points and antennas. If you need a different level of coverage in
some areas, you may need to move, replace, or supplement access points and antennas.
● You are physically changing the site — Remodeling may introduce new sources of interference, such
as motors and metal structures within the coverage area of the access point, even if it does not directly
effect the sites where the access points are located.
Elements of an Effective Site Survey
An effective site survey requires four elements. Failure to commit the appropriate time, money, and energy to
accomplish a proper site survey in advance may result in greater expenditures of money and time later, when
problems arise that require repeated adjustments to the wireless configuration. The four elements of an
effective site survey are:
1. Examine the network usage problems solved by the wireless LAN.
How many clients need a wireless LAN connection? What areas of the site require wireless LAN
connectivity? How many hours each day is wireless LAN connectivity required? Which locations are
likely to generate the largest amount of data traffic? Where is future network expansion most likely?
2. Study blueprints of the proposed wireless LAN site.
A site blueprint provides a map of the site as well as the location of objects, such as walls, partitions,
and anything else that could affect the performance of a wireless LAN. Examining the site blueprint prior
to conducting the physical walk-through helps you identify areas in which wireless equipment is likely to
perform well and areas where it is not. Many obstructions are not readily visible and, in some cases, a
room originally built for a specific purpose, such as a radiology lab, might have been converted into
something completely different, such as a conference room. The blueprint may also show areas
proposed for future building expansion. To prepare for the next step of the site survey, mark possible
wireless device locations on the blueprint and refer to the marked blueprint during the physical walk-