In this blog, we’ll explore some of the equipment we use for a pre-deployment survey. This is typically the second stage of an RF design - the predictive survey first and the pre-deployment survey second.
Wi-Fi surveying is specialised work, requiring specialised equipment – let’s take a look at what we use in the field.
ASSOCIATED BLOGS:
- Wi-Fi Predictive Designs
- Wi-Fi Surveys: Overview guide to the various Wi-Fi surveys
- Wi-Fi 6E and 6GHz Explained
- Wi-Fi 6 vs 5G
Pre-Deployment Survey
We have other blogs covering the Pre-deployment survey in more detail, so this is just a quick bullet list below of why we use a pre-deployment survey:
.png?width=240&height=240&name=Wi-Fi%20Pre-Deployment%20Survey%20(Instagram).png)
- Wi-Fi design is a two-stage process: Wi-Fi Predictive Design and the Pre-deployment Survey
- The Pre-deployment survey is used to test the original design survey in the real world
- When we test, we confirm if the wall attenuation in the real world is the same as the model
- If the real world is different, we update our model so the predictive is more accurate by the inclusion of the real-world data
Following the three-stage process, or Predictive design, Pre-deployment survey and Deployment Validation survey, we have a very accurate process to deliver Wi-Fi that Works! (first time!).
ASSOCIATED BLOGS:
- Wi-Fi Surveys (Overview to the various types of RF Surveys)
- Wi-Fi Phone Dropouts
- RF Design Surveys
- Cheapest vs Best Value Design
The Wi-Fi Test Rig
The Wi-Fi test rig includes a battery-powered source, a small switch and a range of Access Points.
We have custom-built our rigs and have included a range of mounts to allow us to test with internal antennas APs, alongside patch antennas and other options.
It is much more efficient to be able to survey 2-3 AP locations at once, so for this reason, we have built a lot of these rigs and have them deployed with each of our teams in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Modern APs need to have more than just POE power to start up – if they don’t detect a switch, they don’t start properly – so we’ve included that in our rigs, alongside a range of different patch cords.
ASSOCIATED BLOGS:
The Tall Pole
For some types of survey, we need to get our access points to a much higher height:
For this, we have a specially built carbon fibre pole, imported from the UK. We have a number of these, so we are able to work on multiple sites at once.
The pole has a wide stable base and as you can probably see in the picture, the ability to increase its height.
Why do we need such a tall pole?
This allows us to position APs at height during the pre-deployment survey – the following are typical use cases in which we might need this:
- Stadiums
- Warehouses
- External coverage
- Industrial
Each of these use cases typically needs us to position an AP at a height much greater than our test rig allows.
The AP shown is one type we use (this is a Cisco 9104, or stadium antenna, as it’s otherwise known), but for use cases such as warehouses, a standard external AP variant and patch antenna are much more common.
ASSOCIATED BLOGS:
Ekahau Site Survey
There’s a wide range of equipment and manufacturers on the market that supply Wi-Fi design and test equipment..png?width=240&height=240&name=RF%20Tuning%20(Instagram%20Post).png)
We use Ekahau Pro, which allows us to design and onsite test with the same software. Taking accurate RF samples onsite is of key importance, so we use the Sidekick 2 for this purpose.
Prior to the introduction of custom test equipment, we used to have a range of antennas in our survey laptops, which all read slightly differently, and in Wi-Fi design, the variance can be enough to cause issues, so we use a custom piece of hardware to accurately record the site.
To make the equipment lighter for the engineers onsite, we use an iPad to undertake the site survey work – much lighter to carry around for an extended period.
Wi-Fi Pre-deployment Equipment: Summary
This blog was all about revealing how we undertake pre-deployment surveys – there’s a bit more to the preparation and delivery of these than maybe meets the eye on first look.
The Wi-Fi rigs and Ekahau software, and setup are a pretty standard part of the process.
The tall pole and a range of APs are a bit more custom – we hold an inventory of the equipment we need to survey, to ensure we get the best results possible from the visit to the site.
For the survey rigs, we use a custom designed and built setup, which meets our needs perfectly.
The range of equipment really matters when you're onsite, as we often need to test in specialist circumstances.
Hopefully this blog has given some insight into how we go about undertaking a pre-deployment survey.
ASSOCIATED BLOGS:
