SonicWALL SonicPoint-N Dual-Band Getting Started Manual page 35

Site Survey and Planning
The site survey is an important final step before actual
implementation begins. The next few paragraphs are meant as
a short review of the site survey and planning concepts covered
earlier in this book. For a full overview of site survey and
planning, refer to the SonicWALL Secure Wireless Integrated
Solutions Guide. A free copy of this document is available for a
limited time for all registered SonicPoint users.
Site Survey - Conduct a full site-walk with a wireless spectrum
scanner in all areas in which SonicPoints will be deployed; note
any existing AP's and the channels on which they are
broadcasting. SonicWALL currently recommends using Fluke
or AirMagnet products to conduct full site surveys. You may
also wish to try out NetStumbler or MiniStumbler, which are free
site surveying tools.
Cabling - When planning, make sure you note the distance of
cable runs from where the SonicPoint will be mounted. This
must be 100 meters or less. If you are not using PoE switches,
you will also need to account for the power adapter or PoE
injector for the SonicPoints.
Page 35 Best Practices
Signal Control - Be careful broadcasting your wireless signal
into areas that you do not control. Check for areas where
unauthorized people might be able to access the signal and
tune the SonicPoints accordingly.
Bandwidth and Connectivity - Plan for up to 15 to 20 users for
each SonicPoint. For roaming users, plan to tune the power on
each SonicPoint so that the signal overlap is minimal. Multiple
SonicPoints broadcasting the same SSID in areas with
significant overlap can cause ongoing client connectivity issues.
Timed Use - Use the scheduling feature in SonicOS Enhanced
to shut down SonicPoints when not in use—it is recommended
that you do not operate your SonicPoints during non-business
hours (nights and weekends).