Overview; Site Survey - Cisco AIR-PCM340 Installation And Configuration Manual

Overview

Overview
Determining the network location of your wireless products can be influenced by a number of factors.
This section discusses those factors and provides guidelines and tools for achieving optimum placement.
The site survey test tools provided with the client utilities can help you to determine the best placement
for access points and workstations within your wireless network. Refer to the Cisco Aironet Access Point
Hardware Installation Guide for additional information on the placement of access points.

Site Survey

Because of differences in component configuration, placement, and physical environment, every
network application is a unique installation. Before installing the system, you should perform a site
survey to determine the optimum utilization of networking components and to maximize range,
coverage, and network performance.
Consider the following operating and environmental conditions when performing a site survey:
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Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Adapters Installation and Configuration Guide for Mac OS
E-2
Data rates – Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data bit rates. The maximum radio
range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate. A decrease in receiver threshold sensitivity occurs
as the radio data increases.
Antenna type and placement – Proper antenna configuration is a critical factor in maximizing
radio range. As a general rule, range increases in proportion to antenna height.
Physical environment – Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled areas.
Also, the less cluttered the work environment, the greater the range.
Obstructions – A physical obstruction such as metal shelving or a steel pillar can hinder
performance of the client adapter. Avoid locating the workstation in a location where there is a metal
barrier between the sending and receiving antennas.
Building materials – Radio penetration is greatly influenced by the building material used in
construction. For example, drywall construction allows greater range than concrete blocks. Metal or
steel construction is a barrier to radio signals.
Appendix E Positioning Wireless Devices
OL-1377-01