Setting Up A Wireless Network - Matrix Fitness PCTV Service Manual

2.2 SEttING UP A WIRELESS NEtWoRK

oVERVIEW: there are 4 basic steps required to design a wireless network. they are:
1.
Identifying areas that need coverage and estimating the number of APs needed.
a. Wireless coverage only needs to be provided in areas where cardio machines (equipment) need to have a wireless connection. If there
are spaces in the facility that don't have cardio machines, there is no need to install access points in that area.
b. Once the areas needing coverage have been identified, calculate the minimum number of access points (APs) needed to support
the equipment. This number is only a starting point; additional access points will be required depending on the physical distribution of the
equipment and the RF challenges presented by the environment.
c. The next step in designing a network is to determine the distance from the AP that each piece of equipment will be placed. Equipment
cannot be placed further than 50 feet away from any given access point. This limitation is a best case scenario and only applies to equipment
that has direct line of sight to the access point. If there are walls, floors, lighting fixtures, windows, or other obstructions that block the line
of sight to the access point, the maximum distance the equipment can be from the access point is reduced significantly and will need to be
determined with empirical testing. For each group of equipment, stand in the center of the group and measure the distance to the furthest piece
of equipment. If this distance is greater than 50 feet, an additional AP is needed to cover this group of equipment. If equipment is installed on
different floors, additional APs should be used to cover the floors separately.
d. Ceiling height also affects wireless coverage. Do not mount APs to ceilings that are higher than 25' or there will not be sufficient
coverage to the equipment. If the facility's ceilings are higher than 25', consider mounting the AP on a nearby wall (illustrated later in this
document).
e. Understand and plan around interference. There are two main types of interference a facility needs to be concerned about.
- The first is physical interference. Physical objects that block line of sight to the access point will interfere with the signal. This includes
walls, windows, pillars, shelving, lighting, air ducting, etc. Try to pick mounting locations that allow for clear line of sight to the equipment. It
may be necessary to use a drop pole to lower the AP below these types of obstructions.
- The second type of interference is electrical and magnetic interference. This includes other wireless and radio frequency devices,
such as neighboring access points, cordless phones, baby monitors, and two-way radios. It also includes other devices that emit EMI
(electromagnetic interference), such as microwaves, high voltage power lines, electrical distribution boxes, fluorescent lighting ballasts,
generators, and any other electrical devices that turns currents on and off at high speeds. Avoid running network cable and mounting APs near
these sources of interference.
f. Once all of the above factors have been taken into consideration, the number of access points needed should be able to be identified, as
well as the locations that they should be mounted.
2.
Once it is determined where the APs are going to be mounted, determine where the remaining network equipment will be housed. This
is often in a secure closet or communications room. Once this area is identified, plan out the cable runs. Each AP will need a "home run"
back to this closet. Network cables cannot be split or tapped; each run must connect only to a single AP. Measure the distance from the
communications closet to each access point mounting location. This distance cannot be longer than 90 meters (300'). If the distance exceeds
this limit, an IDF (intermediary distribution frame) will need to be installed which houses an additional network switch to act as a repeater for the
signal. Once all the runs are planned out, pull, terminate, and test all of the cable runs to the AP mounting locations.
3.
Once cable has been pulled, the access points are ready to be mounted. The following section covers the propagation patterns of the APs
and the appropriate ways to mount them.
Both the MR12 and the MR24 have virtually identical coverage patterns. The coverage patterns are shown below and on the next page.
NEtWoRK CoNFIGURAtIoN & SEtUP
5