--- title: "Wi-Fi Design: Increasing Access Point Density" description: Too few Wi-Fi access points? Learn the survey grades, why a survey alone won't fix low AP density, and how predictive design adds APs the right way. image: https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/AP%20Density/Increasing%20AP%20Density%20-%20Instagram.jpg --- [![IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png?width=200&height=59&name=IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png "IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)")](https://iptel.com.au) - [Home](https://iptel.com.au/) - [Solutions](https://iptel.com.au/solutions) Technologies - [Cisco Access Manager](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-access-manager) - [Cisco Catalyst Center](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-catalyst-center) - [Cisco Meraki](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-meraki) - [Cisco SDA Fabric](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-sda-fabric) - [Cisco Spaces](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-spaces) - 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[Request a Quote](https://iptel.com.au/request-a-quote) - [Managed Services](https://iptel.com.au/managed-services-enquiry) Case Studies - [DP World Video](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Case%20Studies/DP%20World_Case_Study.mp4) - [DP World](https://blog.iptel.com.au/dp-world-case-study) - [Backup Assure](https://blog.iptel.com.au/backup-assure-a-disaster-recovery-case-study) [Contact Us](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## Wi-Fi Design: Increasing Access Point Density Feb 23, 2026 One of the most common issues we see when fixing poorly performing Wi-Fi networks is simply a lack of access points (APs). In this blog, we'll explain the Wi-Fi survey grades, why a survey alone won't fix a low-density network, and how we add APs the right way. ![Wi-Fi heatmap showing access point density across a floor plan](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/AP%20Density/Increasing%20AP%20Density.jpg?width=2240&height=1260&name=Increasing%20AP%20Density.jpg) --- **Need a First AP Count?** Our free [Wi-Fi Access Point Estimator](https://iptel.com.au/resources/wifi-access-point-estimator?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=weekly-cro&utm_content=ap-density-top) gives you a starting number for your floor area. Then read on for how to add access points the right way. ## Survey Grades: How Dense Does Your Wi-Fi Need to Be? [![Wi-Fi Design and the Cinema Story](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/Wi-Fi%20and%20the%20Cinema%20Story/Wi-Fi%20and%20the%20Cinema%20Story%20(Instagram).gif?width=173&height=173&name=Wi-Fi%20and%20the%20Cinema%20Story%20(Instagram).gif)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-and-the-cinema-story)AP density is set by what the network has to support. A few APs give you coverage in spots; more APs, placed evenly, let devices roam, carry voice and even be located. We describe this as a grade, and each step up the scale needs more APs, closer together. When we start on an existing site, the APs are usually at one of two lower grades: **Hotspot grade:** it only works in specific spots, you can't roam, and devices drop out when you try. **Data grade:** laptops work anywhere and phones in most spots, but roaming isn't reliable. The job is usually to lift the network to one of the two higher grades: **Voice grade:** supports Wi-Fi calling and low-powered devices, which can roam reliably. **RTLS grade:** the highest grade, with enough APs to triangulate a device's location. We took a look at the theory behind adding APs in the [Wi-Fi Design and the Cinema Story](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-and-the-cinema-story) blog, if you want a background read. If you're starting from scratch, our [guide to how many access points you need](https://blog.iptel.com.au/how-many-wi-fi-access-points-do-i-need) includes a free estimator. Related reading - [Wi-Fi Access Points: How Many Do I Need?](https://blog.iptel.com.au/how-many-wi-fi-access-points-do-i-need) - [Wi-Fi Design and the Cinema Story](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-and-the-cinema-story) --- ## Uneven Coverage: Why AP Placement Matters as Much as AP Count ![Wi-Fi heatmap with unevenly spaced access points](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20images%20-%20re-sized/ap_dense1.png?width=173&height=107&name=ap_dense1.png)Overall AP count is only half the picture. The other half is how evenly the APs are spaced, because devices roam between neighbours and suffer wherever the gaps are large. We aim to keep the existing AP locations where possible, while adding APs to reach the grade that was asked for. The heatmap here is a case in point. The APs aren't roughly evenly spaced, so as well as the overall density, you need to look at the density of APs relative to each other. The best way to make sure a design meets the requirement is a [Wi-Fi Predictive Design](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-predictive-design-wifi-heatmaps). It's also worth reading [Cheapest vs Best Value Wi-Fi Design](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cheapest-vs-best-value-wifi-design) before you choose a partner to help with this. Related reading - [Wi-Fi Predictive Design: Wi-Fi Heatmaps](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-predictive-design-wifi-heatmaps) - [Cheapest vs Best Value Wi-Fi Design](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cheapest-vs-best-value-wifi-design) --- ## Survey First? Why a Survey Alone Won't Fix Low AP Density A survey of a low-density network shows you its coverage with every AP running at high power. Coverage can look fine on the heatmap while devices still drop out. A post-deployment survey is not a design survey, so it can't tell you where new APs should go. We're often asked to survey a site and advise where to add the extra APs. Usually the network was installed on the [cheapest cost, not the best value](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cheapest-vs-best-value-wifi-design). Fewer APs look like a big upfront saving, but it's a poor way to save money: the network runs at high power, throughput and user experience suffer, and the fix costs more than designing it right in the first place. With [Transmit Power Control (Cisco)](https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-3/b_RRM_White_Paper/b_RRM_White_Paper_chapter_0101.html) running, sparse APs turn their power up to fill the gaps. So we survey, the APs are at 200mW, the coverage looks great, and devices are still dropping out. We see this all the time. There's a second catch. A coverage hole doesn't necessarily mean that's where the new AP belongs. When you add one, the APs around it adjust their power, so you have to think through the knock-on effects before you put anything on the ceiling. Related reading - [Wi-Fi Phone Dropouts](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-phone-dropouts) - [Wi-Fi Assurance Review](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-assurance-review) --- ## Predictive Design: How Do We Reliably Increase AP Density? [![What is EIRP: EIRP vs Transmit Power](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Images/3702i-5.png?width=173&height=140&name=3702i-5.png)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/what-is-eirp-eirp-vs-transmit-power)When AP density is low, we go back to first principles with a desktop predictive design. We model the site with the existing AP locations, then test where new APs should go. You keep the value in the existing cabling, and we add only the APs needed to reach the grade. If the density is already close to where it needs to be, a [Deployment Validation Survey](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wi-fi-surveys#Wi-Fi_Deployment_Validation_Survey) and a few added APs is a good way to go. That's just plugging a few coverage holes, so it only suits limited coverage issues. For a low-density site, it's too hit and miss. Using a predictive model may seem counterintuitive when APs are already installed, but it lets us test a range of AP placements quickly and pick the best one before anyone climbs a ladder. If you're struggling to get your Wi-Fi working at all, a [Wi-Fi Assurance Review](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-assurance-review) might be a better place to start, as it takes a 360-degree look at the network. Related reading - [Wi-Fi Predictive Design: Wi-Fi Heatmaps](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-predictive-design-wifi-heatmaps) - [What Is EIRP: EIRP vs Transmit Power](https://blog.iptel.com.au/what-is-eirp-eirp-vs-transmit-power) --- ## Onsite Surveys: Do You Still Need One? [![Wi-Fi AP-on-a-Stick pre-install survey rig](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/1532e.jpg?width=173&height=259&name=1532e.jpg)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wireless-pre-deployment-surveys)Yes, but used differently. Every desktop predictive design should be checked with an onsite AP-on-a-Stick (Pre-Deployment) Survey. It measures how much signal the walls actually absorb, which feeds back into the predictive model and makes it far more accurate. The design normally has two stages: the [Predictive Design](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wifi-predictive-design-wifi-heatmaps), then the [Pre-Deployment Survey](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wireless-pre-deployment-surveys). For a greenfield site, we bring a rig onsite with a battery-powered AP and measure with that. On an existing installation, we survey either side of the walls to confirm their attenuation. Either way, the onsite survey is what gives you an accurate picture of the site. Related reading - [Wi-Fi Surveys: An Overview of the Survey Types](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wi-fi-surveys) - [Wi-Fi Pre-Deployment Surveys](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wireless-pre-deployment-surveys) --- ## Increasing AP Density: FAQs ### How Do I Know if My Wi-Fi Has Too Few Access Points? The common signs are devices dropping out while you walk around, poor throughput even with strong signal bars, and phones failing calls between rooms. A survey that shows good coverage with every AP at high power is another clue: the network is shouting to cover the gaps. ### Can I Just Add APs Where the Survey Shows Coverage Holes? Only if the network is already close to the grade you need. Adding an AP changes the power of every AP around it, so on a low-density site a hole on the heatmap often isn't the best place for the new AP. A predictive design tests the options first. ### What Is the Difference Between Data Grade and Voice Grade Wi-Fi? Data grade supports laptops anywhere and phones in most places, but roaming isn't reliable. Voice grade adds enough APs, evenly spaced, for phones and low-powered devices to roam between them without dropping calls. ### How Do I Increase Access Point Density Without Starting Again? Start with a predictive design that keeps your existing AP locations, then check it with an onsite pre-deployment survey. That way you reuse the existing cabling and add only the APs needed to reach the grade you want. --- ## Increasing AP Density: Summary Fixing Wi-Fi should start with a [methodical review of the installation](https://blog.iptel.com.au/how-to-review-a-wifi-installation-part-1), and AP density is a big part of it. For a low-density network, a validation survey alone won't give you a magic answer. A blend of predictive design and onsite survey is what produces an optimised design, keeps your existing investment and gets devices roaming reliably. For more background, our [Top 8 Secrets to Great Wi-Fi](https://blog.iptel.com.au/top-8-secrets-to-great-wi-fi) and George Stefanick's [technical Wi-Fi tips](https://blog.iptel.com.au/30-technical-wifi-thoughts) are well worth a read. ### Need Help With Your Wi-Fi Access Point Density? Our [Wi-Fi survey and design team](https://iptel.com.au/services/wi-fi-surveys) can model your site and tell you exactly where extra APs belong. Our free [Wi-Fi access point estimator](https://iptel.com.au/resources/wifi-access-point-estimator?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=ap-density) gives you a quick first number. If a design review would be useful, [get in touch with the IPTel team](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) or email [sales@iptel.com.au](mailto:sales@iptel.com.au). #### Related Articles ###### [Ekahau Site Survey](https://blog.iptel.com.au/ekahau-site-survey) Sept 3, 2025 ###### [Wi-Fi Pre-Deployment Equipment](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wi-fi-pre-deployment-equipment) Dec 9, 2025 ###### [Wi-Fi Deployment](https://blog.iptel.com.au/wi-fi-deployment) July 21, 2026 Free tool ### How Many Wi-Fi Access Points Do You Need? Work out APs, PoE and switch ports floor by floor, using the same survey grades our Cisco wireless engineers design to. Takes under a minute. [Try the AP Estimator →](https://iptel.com.au/resources/wifi-access-point-estimator?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=ap-estimator) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark McSherry", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/author/mark-mcsherry" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-11T04:44:05.672Z", "datePublished" : "2026-02-23T05:55:29.000Z", "headline" : "Wi-Fi Design: Increasing Access Point Density", "image" : [ "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/AP%20Density/Increasing%20AP%20Density%20-%20Instagram.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/increasing-access-point-density", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/IPTel_Solutions_February2020%20-%20Header%20SiteMap/Images/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2.png" }, "name" : "IPTel Solutions Pty Ltd" } } ```