Step 2: Determining Deployment Strategy; Professional Site Survey - Alcatel OmniAccess Wireless System 2.1 Product Manual

Step 2: Determining Deployment Strategy

Depending on the customer and the deployment requirements determined in
Deployment Requirements, there are three strategies for designing and deploying an Alcatel wireless
network. The following table provides guidelines for which one is appropriate.
Deployment Option

Professional Site Survey

RF Prediction with
Optional Site Survey
Basic Guidelines with
Optional Site Survey
Professional Site Survey
Generally, the professional site survey involves temporarily placing one or more OmniAccess AP Access
Points and then measuring the resulting coverage(s). Based on the results of these measurements,
OmniAccess AP Access Points are relocated and/or reoriented to achieve complete coverage of the
target space without unnecessary coverage overlap or coverage holes between OmniAccess AP Access
Points. This approach is appropriate given the following deployment requirements:
•
Full Coverage with 0% coverage holes
•
The RF characteristics of the building vary throughout the coverage area
•
The building type is not typical (e.g. Arena, Convention Center, Stock Exchange)
During the Professional Site Survey, one or two APs are placed at or near one end of a building. Their
coverage is measured and the APs are relocated and reoriented as necessary to ensure that this end of
the building is completely covered. When measurements confirm that this is true, a second or third AP
is added so its coverage area somewhat overlaps the coverage area of the first AP(s). (Generally, 10 to
15 percent coverage overlap is considered appropriate.) Its coverage is measured to ensure that its
overlap with the first AP(s) is appropriate and to determine the coverage in the rest of the building. This
process continues, adding a third or fourth AP and so on. This process continues until all areas of the
building are covered.
The professional site survey allows the designer to provide full seamless coverage; however, the
OmniVista AirView Software ensures that the channel assignments and transmit power levels are
optimized for the Alcatel OmniAccess Wireless System coverage area, freeing the site survey profes-
sional from having to fine-tune these variables.
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90-100831-300 Rev 2Alcatel OmniAccess Wireless Access Point Quick Installation Guide
Deployment Requirements
This option should be considered when:
• Deployments require full coverage with 0% coverage holes.
• The RF characteristics of the building vary throughout the coverage
area.
• The building type is not typical or does not fit into one of the standard
configurations (e.g. Arena, Convention Center, Stock Exchange).
• The cost or logistics of running Ethernet cables is prohibitive.
This option should be considered when:
• The RF characteristics of the building vary throughout the coverage
area.
• The building type is not typical (e.g. Arena, Convention Center, Stock
Exchange).
• A Professional Site Survey is too costly, and a graphical coverage plot
is desired before deployment.
This option is adequate for 80% to 90% of deployments, and is suitable
when:
• The RF Characteristics are homogenous throughout the coverage area.
• The building type can be easily classified.
Professional Site Survey
Step 2: Determining Deployment Strategy
Step 2: Determining Deployment Strategy
Step 1: Determining
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