User's Guide

AirTight Management Console Configuration
101
Default RF Propagation Settings contains the following options:

Default Antenna Gain Values: Antenna gain is a characteristic of an antenna used for transmitting or
receiving signal, defined as gain in power when signal is received (or transmitted) using the antenna.
Note: If better antennas are used, you should increase the gain.

Transmitter Losses: Select the transmitter signal loss value suited to your environment.
 If your environment has metal or concrete walls, select a higher signal value.
 If your environment has large spaces where the signal can propagate without much
obstruction, select a lower signal loss value
When a device transmits, some loss in power occurs due to antenna connectors, electromagnetic,
and environmental factors. This loss might be different in different frequency bands. You can also
specify the approximate loss in each band.

Signal Decay Values: Signal propagation depends heavily on environment. The obstacles present in
environment might impede signal propagation, limiting its range. It is very difficult to accurately model
signal propagation in all kinds of environment, but by fine-tuning the following four constants, you can
more or less characterize your environment for signal propagation.
Note: The system uses the first set of parameters when the Planner file is imported; the second set for
blank, gif, or jpeg files.

Minimum and Maximum Signal Decay Constants specify the range for the decay exponent, that is, the
exponent at which signal decays with distance. Signal Decay Slope (Beta) and Signal Decay
Inflection (Alpha) control how the decay exponent changes from its minimum value to maximum
value.

For Nodes with imported AirTight Planner file you can specify the following:
 Minimum Signal Decay Constant
 Maximum Signal Decay Constant
 Signal Decay Slope (Beta)
 Signal Decay Inflection (Alpha)
 For Nodes with GIF, JPEG or Blank layou, you can specify the following:
 Minimum Signal Decay Constant
 Maximum Signal Decay Constant
 Signal Decay Slope (Beta)
 Signal Decay Inflection (Alpha)
Note: Planner models most significant objects; therefore Maximum Signal Decay Constant should be
close to 2.0.
To configure RF propagation, do the following.
1.
Go to Configuration>System Settings>Advanced Settings>RF Propagation.
2. Specify the default sensor, AP, and Client antenna gain values.
Field Description
Sensor Antenna Gain (db)
gain of antenna attached to the sensor
AP Antenna Gain (db)
gain of antenna attached to the AP
Client Antenna Gain (db)
gain of antenna attached to the client
3. Select the transmitter signal loss value suited to your environment.
4. Specify the loss at Source for 802.11a Transmitter (db)
5. Specify the loss at Source for 802.11b/g Transmitter (db)