HP MSM317 Deployment Manual page 9

Figure 7: The faceplate of the MSM317 helps to prevent the antenna from being blocked behind a wall or enclosure and keep
the unit from overheating. The trim panel is vented to allow airflow..
The following figures are WLAN coverage maps created using HP RF Planner software for two
different room types. These maps reveal available signal strength in dBm at various points in
the rooms.
Figure 8 shows an actual configuration of two typical rooms in a luxury hotel. The map is overlaid
with the anticipated RF coverage pattern, and an MSM317 is deployed in each room (A).
The area of each room is 34 square meters (that is, within the 40 square meter guideline for
successful deployment).
The signal strength in the sleeping and living areas (B) is excellent, as is the delineation of coverage
between the rooms. Signal strength at the periphery of the coverage area, and in particular in the
bathrooms (C), has diminished to the point that higher-speed connections would be difficult
to maintain.
The primary contributor to signal degradation in the bathroom is room construction, as the interior of
the room is lined with granite tiles. The coverage characteristics could easily have been improved by
moving the MSM317 to a more central position on the same wall. In this case, however, room décor
and colocation with other in-room services was traded off against improved coverage in the
bathroom, and deployment was continued at the planned location.
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