CUWSS v1.0 Student Guide - Vol2

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CUWSS
Conducting Cisco
Unified Wireless
Site Survey
Volume 2
Version 1.0
Student Guide
Text Part Number: 97-2789-01

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Student Guide © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Table of Contents
Volume 2
Conduct the Site Survey 3-1
Overview 3-1
Module Objectives 3-1
Producing a Predictive Site Survey 3-3
Overview 3-3
Objectives 3-3
Creating Maps 3-4
Cisco WCS Planning Mode 3-12
Summary 3-17
Conducting a Layer 1 Site Survey 3-19
Overview 3-19
Objectives 3-19
Cisco Spectrum Expert 3-20
Understanding Decibels 3-22
FFT, FFT Plots, and Spectrograms 3-25
Spectrum Expert Charts 3-38
Tools and Settings 3-47
Monitoring 3-51
Indentifying Interference and Interference Sources 3-63
Setting Up Cisco Spectrum Expert 3-71
Locate Interferers 3-77
Summary 3-87
Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Data 3-89
Overview 3-89
Objectives 3-89
Attenuation Characteristics of Building Materials 3-90
Best Practices for a Data Site Survey 3-95
Create a Data Site Survey Project 3-105
The Navigation Bar 3-106
Settings Tab 3-121
Color Tab 3-125
802.11 Tab 3-126
Configuring Authentication Mechanism 3-127
Scan Tab 3-128
Configure AirMagnet Survey PRO 3-131
Conduct the Survey 3-137
Merge and Display Data 3-146
Generate a Report 3-151
Summary 3-152
Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Voice Applications 3-153
Overview 3-153
Objectives 3-153
IEEE 802.11b/g/n and VoWLAN Deployments 3-154
IEEE 802.11a/n and VoWLAN Deployments 3-170
Summary 3-179
Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for 802.11n Clients 3-181
Overview 3-181
Objectives 3-181
Active Survey with Iperf 3-182
Iperf Download and Installation 3-183
Configuring AirMagnet for an Active Iperf Survey 3-185
Three Types of Surveys Using 802.11n Access Points 3-189
Summary 3-190
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Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Location 3-191

Overview 3-191
Objectives 3-191
Minimum Signal Level Thresholds 3-192
Access Point Placement 3-193
Access Point Separation 3-194
Location, Voice, and Data Coexistence 3-197
Summary 3-199
Module Summary 3-201
Module Self-Check 3-203
Module Self-Check Answer Key 3-206
AP and Controller Density and Licensing 4-1
Overview 4-1
Determining the Infrastructure Requirements for the WLAN 4-3
Overview 4-3
Objectives 4-3
Power Requirements 4-4
Evaluating the Current Network Infrastructure 4-11
Mounting Considerations 4-12
Adding Additional Access Points 4-20
Access Point Antenna Selection 4-20
Summary 4-24
Determining the WLAN Equipment and Licenses 4-25
Overview 4-25
Objectives 4-25
Controllers and Access Points 4-26
N + 1 Redundancy Design 4-32
N + N Redundancy Design 4-33
N + N + 1 Redundancy Design 4-34
Cisco WCS Licenses for Location Servers and the MSE 4-35
Supported Operating Systems 4-37
Summary 4-42
References 4-42
Module Summary 4-43
Assessment of the Deployment 5-1
Overview 5-1
Verifying RF Coverage 5-3
Overview 5-3
Objectives 5-3
RF Audit 5-4
Roaming Control 5-5
RRM Tuning 5-8
Network Appliance and Application Tuning 5-10
Verify the Applications 5-12
Summary 5-14
ii Conducting Cisco Unified Wireless Site Survey (CUWSS) v1.0 © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc.
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Verifying WLAN Readiness 5-15

Overview 5-15
Objectives 5-15
Cisco WCS Site Calibration 5-16
Cisco WCS Location Readiness Test 5-30
Cisco WCS Voice Readiness Test 5-32
Troubleshooting Voice RF Coverage Issues 5-33
Summary 5-34
Presenting an Installation Report 5-35
Overview 5-35
Objectives 5-35
Preparing an Installation Report 5-36
Presenting an Installation Report 5-44
Summary 5-45
Module Summary 5-47
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conducting Cisco Unified Wireless Site Survey (CUWSS) v1.0 iii
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iv Conducting Cisco Unified Wireless Site Survey (CUWSS) v1.0 © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc.
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Module 3
Conduct the Site Survey
Overview
Depending on the type of wireless service that you plan to offer on a WLAN, the design of the
wireless service can vary considerably. Placement of the wireless service and access point
density differ, depending on data, voice, and location-based services. Lower power is generally
used to support voice- and location-based services, as well as Radio Resource Management
(RRM).
Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) can be used to do a predictive site survey to determine
access point density and placement for data, voice, and location-based services.
Before conducting a site survey of a facility, a Layer 1 sweep of the facility should be
performed with Cisco Spectrum Expert to identify and mitigate anything that would interfere
with the proposed WLAN access points and wireless clients.
Module Objectives
Upon completing this module, you will be able to perform a site survey for data, voice, and
location applications. This ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe the steps necessary to use the Cisco WCS planning mode tool to produce a
predictive site survey
Conduct a Layer 1 site survey using Cisco Spectrum Expert
Conduct a Layer 2 site survey for data applications using AirMagnet Survey PRO
Conduct a Layer 2 site survey for voice applications using AirMagnet Survey PRO
Conduct a Layer 2 site survey for IEEE 802.11n clients using AirMagnet Survey PRO
Conduct a Layer 2 site survey for location services using AirMagnet Survey PRO
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3-2 Conducting Cisco Unified Wireless Site Survey (CUWSS) v1.0 © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc.
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Lesson 1
Producing a Predictive Site

Survey
Overview
The Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) planning mode tool can predict the count and
placement of access points. To generate a proposal, a user enters the expected wireless client
user density and services to support data, voice, and location.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the steps necessary to use the Cisco
WCS planning mode tool to produce a predictive site survey. This ability includes being able to
meet these objectives:
Describe the process to create a map for a predictive site survey
Describe the process that the Cisco WCS planning mode tool uses to calculate access point
requirements
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Creating Maps
This topic describes the process to create a map for a predictive site survey. Maps are used in
Cisco WCS to give a visual representation of the Cisco Unified Wireless Networking
environment. The maps feature also helps with implementations and planning.
Monitor > Maps > New Campus > Go
© 2009 Cisco S yst ems, Inc . Al l rights reserved. CUWSS v1. 0—3-2
The campus map is used as a base for the rest of the maps. The campus is used to place
buildings and to define outside areas for wireless coverage. It allows administrators to select a
location based on a campus drill down to the building, and then to the floor area level.
The following steps describe the process to add a single campus to the Cisco WCS database:
Step 1 Save the map in PNG, JPG, JPEG, or GIF format.
Note The map can be any size because Cisco WCS automatically resizes the map to fit its
working areas.
Step 2 Browse to and import the map from anywhere in your file system.
Step 3 Choose Monitor > Maps to display the Maps page.
Step 4 From the drop-down menu, choose New Campus and click GO.
Step 5 On the Maps > New Campus page, enter the campus name and campus contact
name.
Step 6 Browse to and choose the image filename or computer-aided design (CAD) file
containing the map of the campus and click Open.
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Step 7 Check the Maintain Aspect Ratio check box to maintain the aspect ratio (ratio of
horizontal and vertical pixels) of the map image. Maintaining the aspect ratio
prevents visual distortion of the map.
Step 8 Enter the horizontal and vertical span of the map in feet.
Note The horizontal and vertical span should be larger than any building or floor plan to be added
to the campus.
Step 9 Click OK to add this campus map to the Cisco WCS database. Cisco WCS displays
the Maps page, which lists maps in the database, map types, and campus status.
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Monitor > Maps > New Campus > Go
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-3
Maps can start as either a campus or building, but only a campus will provide an outdoor
coverage area. A building can be added as a single entity or as part of a campus.
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Adding a New Building
Buildings can be created as standalone entities, or they can be added to a campus. If the
buildings are standalone, then outdoor areas cannot be created. Buildings are used to define
floor areas that are used to deploy access points.
To create a building, follow these steps:
Step 2 Click the desired campus name. Cisco WCS displays the Maps > Campus Name
page.
Step 3 From the drop-down menu, choose New Building and click GO.
Step 4 On the Campus Name > New Building page, enter the building information to create
a virtual building in which to organize related floor plan maps:
Name: The user-defined name of the building
Contact: User-defined contact name
Floors: The number of above-ground floors contained in the new building
Basements: The number of basements contained in the new building
Horizontal Span: Horizontal measurement (left to right) of the building
rectangle, in feet or meters
Vertical Span: Vertical measurement (up and down) of the building rectangle,
in feet or meters
Tip The horizontal and vertical span should be larger than or the same size as any floors that
you might add later. You can also use Ctrl-click to resize the bounding area in the upper left
corner of the campus map. As you change the size of the bounding area, the Horizontal
Span and Vertical Span parameters of the building change to match your actions.

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Step 5 Select Place to put the building on the campus map. Cisco WCS creates a building
rectangle scaled to the size of the campus map.
Step 6 Click the building rectangle and drag it to the desired position on the campus map.
Note After adding a new building, you can move it from one campus to another without having to
re-create it.
Step 7 Click Save to save this building and its campus location to the database. Cisco WCS
saves the building name in the building rectangle on the campus map.
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Adding a New Floor
Floor areas are where administrators can get a view of the wireless environment and track
device location, as well as to see trouble with the network. After you add a building to a
campus map, you can add individual floor plan and basement maps to the building. Follow
these steps to add floor plans to a campus building:
Step 1 Save your floor plan maps in PNG, JPG, or GIF format.
Note The maps can be any size because Cisco WCS automatically resizes the maps to fit the
workspace.
Step 2 Browse to and import the floor plan maps from anywhere in your file system. You
can also import CAD image files DXF and DWG.
Note An imported AutoCAD file can become blurred when you zoom. Without the zoom, the
clarity is about the same as the original AutoCAD file. Make sure all relevant sections are
clearly visible in the original AutoCAD file (DWG or DXF) and then import the AutoCAD file
into PNG or GIF format rather than JPEG or JPG.
Step 4 Click the desired campus name. Cisco WCS displays the Maps > Campus Name
page.
Step 5 Move your cursor over the name within an existing building rectangle to highlight it.
Step 6 On the Building Name > New Floor Area page, add the following parameters:
Floor Area Name: User-defined floor area or basement name.
Contact: User-defined contact name.

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Floor: Choose the floor or basement number.

Floor Type (RF Model): The options are: Cubes and Walled Offices, Drywall
Office Only, or any other user-defined RF model.
Floor Height (feet or meters): Enter the ceiling height of the floor.
Image File: Name of the file containing the floor map.
Step 7 Check the Image File check box; then browse to and choose the desired floor or
basement image filename and click Open.
Step 8 Click Next.
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Monitor > Maps > Building > New Floor >

Area > Go > Next
Note When you choose the floor or basement image filename, Cisco WCS displays the image in
the building-sized grid.
If you imported a CAD file, you are directed to the image conversion page.
Note The length of time for the conversion varies and depends on the file size, file detail, and
number of layers in the file.
Step 9 Either leave the Maintain Aspect Ratio check box checked to preserve the original
image aspect ratio, or uncheck the check box to change the image aspect ratio.
Step 10 Enter an approximate floor or basement horizontal span and vertical span (width and
depth on the map) in feet.
Note The horizontal and vertical span should be smaller than or the same size as the building
horizontal span and vertical span in the Cisco WCS database.
Step 11 If desired, click Place to locate the floor or basement image on the building grid.
Tip You can use Ctrl-click to resize the image within the building-sized grid.
Step 12 Click OK to save this floor plan to the database. Cisco WCS displays the floor plan
image on the Maps > Building Name page.

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Cisco WCS Planning Mode

This topic describes how to use the Cisco WCS planning mode tool to calculate access point
requirements. The Cisco WCS planning mode tool enables you to calculate the number of
access points that are required to cover an area, by placing fictitious access points on a map and
viewing the coverage area.
Cisco WCS Planning Mode

Calculate the recommended number and location of lightweight
access points.
Criteria:
– Traffic type active on the network:
Data
Voice
Location services
All of the above
– Number of the following:
Active users
Users per square footage
Note: Walls are not used or accounted for in planning mode
calculations.
Based on the throughput specified for each protocol (IEEE 802.11a/n or IEEE 802.11b/g/n), the
planning mode tool calculates the total number of access points required to provide optimum
coverage in your network. You can calculate the recommended number and location of access
points based on the following criteria:
Traffic type active on the network: data, voice traffic, or both
Location accuracy requirements
Number of active users
Number of users per square footage
Note Walls are not used or accounted for in planning mode calculations.
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Planning Mode
To calculate the recommended number and placement of access points for a given deployment,
follow these steps:
Step 1 Choose Monitor > Maps.
Step 2 Click the appropriate location link from the list that appears.
Step 3 Choose Planning Mode from the drop-down menu (top-right) and click GO. A
blank floor map appears.

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Add Access Points
Step 4 Click Add APs.
Step 5 In the page that appears, drag the dashed-line rectangle over the map location for
which you want to calculate the recommended access points.
Note Adjust the size or placement of the rectangle by selecting the edge of the rectangle and
holding down the Ctrl key. Move the mouse as necessary to outline the targeted location.
Step 6 Select Automatic from the Add APs drop-down menu.
Step 7 Select the AP Type and the appropriate antenna and protocol for that access point.
Step 8 Select the target throughput for the access point.
Step 9 Check the boxes next to the services that will be used on the floor. Options are
Data/Coverage (default), Voice, and Location.
Note You must select at least one service or an error occurs.
Note If you check the Advanced Options check box, two additional access point planning options
appear: Demand and Override Coverage per AP. Additionally, a Safety Margin parameter
appears for the Data/Coverage and Voice service options.
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Advanced Options and Safety Margins

Select the desired option to qualify relative signal strength requirements
for data and voice services in the access point calculation.
– Options are: Aggressive, Safe, Very Safe, and 7920-enabled.
Select Aggressive to require minimal signal strength requirements in the
calculation and Very Safe to request the highest signal strength.
The safety margins for each option are as follows:
– Aggressive: Minimum (-3 dBm)
– Safe: Medium (0 dBm)
– Very Safe: Maximum (+3 dBm)
These can be applied for data only, data and voice only, or voice only.
Select Demand if you want to use the total number of users or user ratio
per access point as a basis for the access point calculation.
If you check the Advanced Options check box, you can select the desired safety margin of the
signal strength threshold for data.
There are three safety margins:

Aggressive: –3 dBm
Safe: 0 dBm
Very Safe: +3 dBm
If voice traffic is transmitted on the WLAN, select one of the following:

Aggressive: Minimum (–78 dBm [802.11a/b/g/n])
Safe: Medium (–75 dBm [802.11a/b/g/n])
Very Safe: Maximum (–72 dBm [802.11a/b/g/n])
7920_enabled: (–72 dBm [802.11a/n]; –67 dBm [802.11b/g/n])
Demand: Select if you want to use the total number of users or user ratio per access point
as a basis for the access point calculation.

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Calculate Access Points
Step 10 Click Calculate, to obtain the recommended number of access points, given the
selected services and parameters.
Note Recommended calculations assume the need for consistently strong signals unless adjusted
downward by the safety margin advanced option. In some cases, the recommended number
of access points is higher than what is required.
Step 11 Click Apply to generate a map that shows proposed deployment of the
recommended access points in the selected area based on the selected services and
parameters.
Step 12 From the heat map, choose Generate Proposal. The Generate Proposal feature
allows you to create a Cisco Unified Wireless Networking proposal, using the
information gathered from the map and planning tool. It will give information on
how the planning was done and which mode was used. It also prints out the heat
map so that the coverage can be seen and verified. The proposal allows
administrators to present a proposal easily without having to do a large amount of
manual drawing and editing.
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Summary
This topic summarizes the key points that were discussed in this lesson.
Summary
Campuses, buildings, and floor plans can be entered into the
Cisco WCS database.
The planning mode tool can generate a proposal to display textual
and graphical recommendations for access point count and
placement.

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Lesson 2
Conducting a Layer 1 Site

Survey
Overview
Cisco Spectrum Expert monitors the RF spectrum used by a variety of wireless network and
communications technologies, such as Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) WLANs. Cisco Spectrum Expert
consists of a hardware-based Spectrum Sensor card and GUI-based software installed on a
workstation, which provides complete visibility of the RF environment in which wireless
network technologies operate.
Cisco Spectrum Expert can identify almost all sources of RF activity in the unlicensed 2.4-GHz
and 5-GHz bands. A variety of RF devices that can cause interference include cordless phones
and headsets, Bluetooth devices, and microwave ovens. Based on this data, network engineers
can take steps to increase network performance and security in the face of interferers, network
congestion, and security attacks.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to conduct a Layer 1 site survey using Cisco
Spectrum Expert. This ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Introduce Cisco Spectrum Expert for Wi-Fi
Describe the relationship between decibel and the power measured in milliwatts and watts
Describe FFT, FFT plots, and spectrograms
Describe Cisco Spectrum Expert charts
Describe the different settings and tools available in the Cisco Spectrum Expert product
Identify interference and interference sources using Cisco Spectrum Expert
Describe the necessary steps to set up Cisco Spectrum Expert
Describe how to locate interference sources using Cisco Spectrum Expert
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Cisco Spectrum Expert

This topic introduces Cisco Spectrum Expert for Wi-Fi. Cisco Spectrum Expert addresses the
problem of RF interference in wireless networks. With Cisco Spectrum Expert, you can detect,
classify, locate, and mitigate sources of wireless interference to optimize network performance
for mobility applications.
What Is Cisco Spectrum Expert?

It is a hardware- and software-based spectrum analyzer
solution.
It shows all spectral activity in the frequency domain, not just
Wi-Fi-based transmitters.
Each sensor contains a powerful spectrum-analyzer on a chip
(SAgE).
Spectrum Expert software analyzes data from the sensor card
and provides a GUI-based view of the network and RF activity.
It provides a real-time assessment of the W i-Fi physical layer,
Layer 1.
Cisco Spectrum Expert Wi-Fi is the first solution in the industry that allows for comprehensive
visibility at the RF physical layer, that is, the RF spectrum, which is the actual backbone of any
Wi-Fi deployment. Similar to the application of a traditional cable tester, Cisco Spectrum
Expert Wi-Fi not only allows you to test the viability of your wireless network but also gives
you insight into what is actually going on in the spectrum. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network
supports real-time spectrum intelligence for Wi-Fi networks. This solution detects, classifies,
and locates devices causing RF interference in the unlicensed 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. For
this solution, the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) works in conjunction with Cisco
Spectrum Expert Wi-Fi to provide visibility into non-Wi-Fi interference sources that may cause
wireless performance degradation. When the source of the interference is determined, you can
remove, move, shield, adjust, or replace the interference source.
Cisco introduced RF spectrum intelligence capabilities with Cisco Unified Wireless Network
Software Release 4.1. Additional enhancements are delivered in Cisco Unified Wireless
Network Software Release 4.2. To implement the full Cisco Spectrum Intelligence solution,
organizations must be running Cisco WCS Software Release 4.2 or later and add a Cisco WCS
Spectrum Intelligence license and one or more Cisco Spectrum Expert Wi-Fi sensors, Software
Release 3.2 and later. A Cisco WCS Spectrum Intelligence license is required to operate Cisco
Spectrum Expert Wi-Fi with Cisco WCS.
Cisco Spectrum Expert is a combination of both hardware and software. Cisco Spectrum Expert
is delivered as hardware in a PC card (CardBus) form factor and is a software install.
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You can take advantage of Cisco Spectrum Expert by simply putting the card in your PC-
compatible laptop PC card slot and running the Cisco Spectrum Expert management console
software.
The Cisco Spectrum Expert consists of two primary components:

Sensor card: The Sensor cards provide the hardware foundations for Cisco Spectrum
Intelligence. Each Sensor card incorporates Spectrum Analysis Engine (SAgE) ASIC, a
powerful spectrum-analyzer-on-a-chip. SAgE provides better visibility into the RF
spectrum and can easily identify and detect sources of wireless interference.
Cisco Spectrum Expert software: The Cisco Spectrum Expert software analyzes data
from the Sensor card and provides a GUI-based view of network and RF activity.
With Cisco Spectrum Expert, the Sensor card and application are integrated into one
convenient platform. You can use the application device finder mode to observe how the signal
strength from an interferer varies as you move about the enterprise. This makes it possible to
quickly pinpoint the location of the interfering device.
As a first step in the spectrum analysis process, the ambient RF environment must be scanned
and analyzed to determine the sources of RF activity in the neighborhood of the network,
especially causes of interference or other problems.

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Understanding Decibels
This topic describes the relationship between decibel (dB) and the power measured in
milliwatts and watts.
Understanding dB
dBm is a measure of
absolute power output.
Formula:
– dBm = 10 * log(10) = 10
(Power in milliwatts)
An increase of 10 dBm
means 10 times the output
power.
Example:
– 0 dBm = 1 mW
– 10 dBm = 10 mW
– 20 dBm = 100 mW
– 30 dBm = 1 W
The decibel measures the power of a signal as a function of its ratio to another standardized
value. The abbreviation for decibel is often combined with other abbreviations in order to
represent the values that are compared.
Here are two examples:

dBm: dBm represents the power level compared to one milliwatt (mW).
dBw: dBw represents the power level compared to one watt (W).
You can calculate the power in decibels from this formula:
Power (in dB) = 10 * log(10) = 10 (signal/reference)
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Understanding dB (Cont.)
dB is a relative power
measurement; 1 meter
distance results in a
40 dB loss.
Every 2x increase in
distance = 10 dB loss
indoor (6 dB loss outdoor)
Example (indoor):
– 2 meters = 50 dB loss
This list defines the terms in the formula:

log10 is logarithm base 10.
Signal is the power of the signal (for example, 50 mW).
Reference is the reference power (for example, 1 mW).
Here is an example. If you want to calculate the power in decibels of 50 mW, apply the formula
as follows:
Power (in decibels) = 10 * log10 (50/1) = 10 * log10 (50) = 10 * 1.7 = 17 dBm

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How to Use dBm and dB

802.11 devices typically operate well at receive strengths down to
–85 dBm.
Received strength depends on these factors:
– Output power of transmitter
– Distance from receiver
Example:
– Access point transmits at 20 dBm.
– Station is 32 meters from access point.
– Received signal is as follows:
+20 dBm output power, –90 dB loss = –70 dBm received
power
Because decibels are ratios that compare two power levels, use simple math to manipulate the
ratios for the design and assembly of networks. For example, you can apply this basic rule to
calculate logarithms of large numbers:
log10 (A*B) = log10(A) + log10(B)
Using the formula, you can calculate the power of 50 mW in decibels as follows:
Power (in dB) = 10 * log10 (50) = 10 * log10 (5 * 10) = (10 * log10 (5)) +
(10 * log10 (10)) = 7 + 10 = 17 dBm
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FFT, FFT Plots, and Spectrograms

This topic describes fast Fourier transform (FFT), FFT plots, and spectrograms. The spectrum
plots use graphical displays to provide detailed, low-level views of the RF spectrum. This topic
describes the information displayed in each plot, including the Swept Spectrogram, which can
be used to obtain a more fine-grained view of spectrum activity.
What Is an FFT?
A fast Fourier transform is an efficient algorithm to compute the discrete
Fourier transform.
Fast Fourier transform is characterized as follows:
– Named after Joseph Fourier
– An integral transform that re-expresses a function in terms of
sinusoidal basis functions
– For example: Sum or integral of sinusoidal functions multiplied by
some coefficients ("amplitudes")
Fourier transforms have many scientific applications. In signal processing
and related fields, the Fourier transform is typically thought
of as decomposing a signal into its component frequencies and their
amplitudes.
DFT is a form of Fourier transform suitable for use in computer-based
computations.
FFT is an efficient algorithm to compute the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and its inverse.
FFTs are of great importance to a wide variety of applications, from digital signal processing to
solving partial differential equations to algorithms for quickly multiplying large integers.
Discrete Fourier transform, occasionally called the finite Fourier transform, is a transform for
Fourier analysis of finite-domain discrete-time signals. It is widely employed in signal
processing and related fields to analyze the frequencies contained in a sampled signal, to solve
partial differential equations, and to perform other operations such as convolutions. The DFT
can be computed efficiently in practice using an FFT algorithm.
Because FFT algorithms are so commonly employed to compute the DFT, the two terms are
often used interchangeably in colloquial settings, although there is a clear distinction: DFT
refers to a mathematical transformation, regardless of how it is computed, while FFT refers to
any one of several efficient algorithms for the DFT. This distinction is further blurred, however,
by the synonym finite Fourier transform for the DFT, which apparently predates the term fast
Fourier transform.

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Time Domain vs. Frequency Domain

The “Frequency Domain” is the inverse
of the time domain.
A time domain graph shows how a signal
changes over time.
A frequency domain graph shows how much of
the signal lies within each given frequency band
over a range of frequencies.
Represents one pure tone or one pure color.
Continuous in time.
Highly simplified—no signals are this pure.
Transforms into a signal at one discrete
frequency.
Instantaneous in frequency.
Time domain is a term used to describe the analysis of mathematical functions, or physical
signals, with respect to time. In the time domain, the signal or function value is known at
various discrete time points, or for all real numbers in the case of continuous time. An
oscilloscope is a tool commonly used to visualize real-world signals in the time domain.
Frequency domain is a term used to describe the analysis of mathematical functions or signals
with respect to frequency.
A time domain graph shows how a signal changes over time, whereas a frequency domain
graph shows how much of the signal lies within each given frequency band over a range of
frequencies. A frequency domain representation can also include information on the phase shift
that must be applied to each sinusoid in order to be able to recombine the frequency
components to recover the original time signal.
The frequency domain relates to the Fourier transform or Fourier series by decomposing a
function into an infinite or finite number of frequencies. This is based on the concept of Fourier
series, that any waveform can be expressed as a sum of sinusoids, sometimes an infinite
number.
A spectrum analyzer is the tool commonly used to visualize real-world signals in the frequency
domain.
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FFT Plots
Based on SAgE hardware
Comparable to what you see on a real-time spectrum analyzer
– x-axis is frequency
– y-axis is power in dBm
Trace types:
– Real-time FFT: Average Power, Max Power, Max Hold (software derived)
– FFT Duty Cycle: Separate plot type because y-axis is not dBm
What are FFT plots good for?
– Seeing overall spectrum activity (average power, duty cycle)
– Seeing frequency hoppers (maximum power)
– Seeing intermittent signals (maximum hold)
What are the limitations?
– Resolution bandwidth fixed at 160 KHz
– Cannot see very narrow signals
FFT plots are based on SAgE hardware. Raw spectrum data is collected on the SAgE chip
inside the sensor, and statistical analysis is performed directly onboard by the SAgE hardware.
This enables very fast analysis of large quantities of spectrum data, but with the limitation that
the parameters of the analysis are hard-coded into the design of the SAgE chip.

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Example of Real-Time FFT Plot
Devices
Max Hold
Max Power
Average Power
A Real-Time FFT plot displays RF power as a function of frequency, a Fourier transform of the
RF spectrum. The data is direct data from SAgE. The plot can provide three different views: the
average power (Avg) read during the most recent measurement interval; the maximum power
(Max); or the maximum power detected at any time since the plot began running (Max Hold).
You can also display the integrated channel power for each RF channel in Real-Time FFT plots
on a trace-by-trace basis by clicking the Channels On radio button in the Control Panel and
using the Show Power drop-down box to select which channel trace should display the
Integrated Channel Power.
The example shows the following:

Max power on the channel at the time of sweep
Average power on the channel at the time of sweep
— By hovering the mouse over the channel you can see what devices have been
detected on the channel
Max Hold gives you a reading of the maximum amount of power used on the channel during
the trace.
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Example of FFT Duty Cycle Plot
100% Busy
45% Busy
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1. 0—3-10
The FFT Duty Cycle plot displays the percentage of the time that the ambient RF signal is 20
dB above the noise floor. This is represented on a per-frequency bin basis. The FFT Duty Cycle
plot includes all RF energy, both from 802.11 devices and interferers.

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FFT Plot Controls

Frequency selection
– Center Frequency/Span
– Start Frequency/Stop Frequency
– 802.11 channel
Band selection
– 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
The plot Control Panel lets you fine-tune the data presented by the plots. Each plot has its own
plot-appropriate controls. However, many of these controls are common to more than one plot.
Several plots provide measurements of RF power (average power, maximum power, and so on)
as a function of frequency. The RF frequencies are presented as a range across the horizontal
axis. Frequency settings enable you to establish the range of the x-axis. Even for the time-based
plots, however, you can set the band or channel that Spectrum Expert will monitor.
You can select the frequency to be monitored based on a center frequency and span, start or
stop frequency, or based on specific channels. Use the Band/Channel drop-down menu to select
a particular band or channel to monitor.
Once you have made a selection, the console automatically fills in default values for the center
frequency and span, or the start and stop frequency. However, you can edit these default values.
If you change the default center frequency and frequency span, or the start and stop
frequencies, you may no longer be plotting entirely in-channel or in-band. However, Spectrum
Expert will not permit you to set frequencies that are outside the hardware capabilities of the
sensor technology. In this sense, the technology is error-proof.
You can change the bands available, that is, the bands shown on the Frequency menus, by
changing the Monitored Bands settings by navigating to Tools > Settings > Monitored > Bands.
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FFT Plot Controls (Cont.)

Amplitude
– Reference Level: Sets top power
level of plot
– Vertical Scale: How many dB per
block
– Auto Scale: Automatically adjusts
reference and scale
Channels
– Marks where 802.11 channels start
and stop
Show Devices
– Displays devices affecting channel
on mouse-over
Amplitude settings enable you to set the scale for the vertical axis. The exact measurements
will depend on the type of measurement being made. For example, RF power measurements are
in decibels compared to 1 mW (dBm), while duty cycle measurements are in percentages
(because the duty cycle is typically defined as the percentage of time an RF signal is above
some threshold value, or the percentage of time an RF signal is detected from a network device
or interferer). The Amplitude settings include the following choices:
Reference Level refers to the value at the top of the vertical axis.
Vertical Scale refers to the change in value represented by each tic-mark on the vertical
axis.
If you select Auto Scale, the application automatically selects the optimum calibration for
the vertical scale, based on recent power measurements.
You can turn the display On or Off using the Channels radio buttons. The channels shown will
be the channels appropriate for the band that you are currently monitoring, taking into account
any Regulatory Domains you have selected under Channel Settings. The On and Off radio
buttons allow you to enable or disable the display of devices associated with each channel as
you pass your mouse over the frequency trace in a plot.

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Markers
Useful for obtaining exact
measurements
Can move X-position of marker with
mouse
Y-position follows current selected
trace value
Use Peak Search to control marker
Single marker mode:
– Reads out X, Y values for position
of marker
Marker delta mode:
– Reads out X, Y difference
between two markers
A marker is a small icon on the plot that rides the graph at a particular point along the x-axis, in
other words, at a particular frequency. The marker moves up and down according to the
movement of the graph at that fixed point. There is a peak search function for setting the
marker. The value can be manually input, which is useful for placing a marker on the plot
where an interferer is being reported. This helps to see the waveform.
The fields in the window are as follows:

On / Off: Indicates whether the marker is on or off, that is, whether it is in use.
Type: A Single marker is just that, one marker that rides the trace. If you select Delta, you
will initially still see a single marker on the plot. However, with a quick “mouse hand,” you
can grab the marker with your mouse cursor (click and hold on the marker), and slide the
marker to a second location on the plot. You now have two markers riding the trace, so that
you can see the difference in behavior between two different frequencies.
Value: Indicates the point along the x-axis (the frequency or time axis) where the marker
should ride the plot.
Trace: For plots that allow more than one trace, use the drop-down menu to select which
of the traces that the marker will ride.
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Swept Spectrogram
Same data as Real-Time FFT and Duty Cycle
Shows data over time
x-axis is frequency
y-axis is time (in sweeps)
– Newest data at the bottom of the graph
Color intensity indicates power level
(or duty cycle)
Useful for getting a visual understanding of
what is going on in the spectrum over time
– Good for seeing frequency hoppers
– Frequency shifts
– Intermittent
Displays different modes
– Maximum
– Average
– Duty Cycle
The Swept Spectrogram is a different presentation of the data shown in the Real Time FFT and
FFT Duty Cycle plots. Each colored horizontal line in the Swept Spectrogram plot displays the
RF power or duty cycle as a function of frequency, as measured over the time of one sweep in
time (typically one second). The power or duty cycle values in each sweep are mapped to a
range of colors and displayed in a scrolling or waterfall display. This allows you to observe the
FFT signals over historical time and easily see signals with shifting frequencies and various
durations.

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Example of Swept Spectrogram—Max
Higher Power
Bursting over
Time
Constant Power
Little to No
Activity
The Swept Spectrogram plot uses colors to represent RF power levels. The Color Scale options
enable you to map the highest color and lowest color to specific power levels. In this example,
the color blue has been mapped to –108 dBm, while red has been mapped to –62 dBm. Values
below the minimum value (–110 dBm, in this case) are automatically mapped to purple, while
values above the maximum value (–30 dBm here) are automatically mapped to white.
For the Swept Spectrogram, the color scale is only visible when there is enough room to display
it on screen. Depending on how many plots you have open, and on your display monitor
resolution, you may need to close some plots to see the color scale.
Auto Scale chooses appropriate upper and lower values based on recent power measurements.
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Power vs. Frequency

Based on software display analysis
Similar to output from a traditional Spectrum Analyzer
Based on a single snapshot of data (unlike FFT plots)
Resolution bandwidth adjustable down to 10 KHz
Trace types:
– Normal: Single measurement
– Average: Averaged over time
– Max Hold: Highest value seen over time
What it is good for:
– Seeing narrow-band devices
– Averaging data over long times
Limitations:
– Hard to catch devices that are intermittent transmitters
The Power vs. Frequency plot is also, in essence, a Fourier transform of the RF spectrum,
showing the amount of RF power detected at various frequencies. The difference between the
Power vs. Frequency plot and the Real-Time FFT plot is that the Power vs. Frequency plot is
generated based on an analysis of SAgE data. This means that data can be aggregated and
combined in various ways that are not possible with direct SAgE data, the basis for the Real-
Time FFT plot. The software-based Power vs. Frequency calculations generate only one FFT
per second. That one FFT is shown in the Power vs. Frequency plot (which is updated once per
second, to reflect the new FFT).

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Example of Power vs. Frequency Plot
Max hold trace
Normal trace
You can use the Power vs. Frequency plot to display the integrated channel power for each RF
channel in Real-Time FFT plots on a trace-by-trace basis by clicking the Channels On radio
button in the Control Panel and using the Show Power drop-down list to select which channel
trace should display the Integrated Channel Power.
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Power vs. Time

Based on software DSP analysis
Similar to output from a traditional Spectrum Analyzer (zero span mode)
X-axis is time, Y-axis is power
Can select center frequency and resolution bandwidth
– RBW up to 20 MHz
– Accurate channel power measurement
Sweep Time (how much data to capture):
– 10 microseconds to 10 milliseconds
Trigger types: When to start the capture
– Free Run – Take arbitrary snapshots
– Single – Trigger one time on an energy burst
– Continuous – Trigger repeatedly on energy bursts
Threshold – How much power to trigger
Delay – How much data to show before/after trigger event
What it is good for:
– Capturing the power profile of a specific burst (example packet)
– Accurately measuring channel power
The Power vs. Time plot displays RF power as a function of time. The time scales involved are
very brief microseconds or milliseconds, so the plot is mainly used to observe RF pulse
activity.
Example of Power vs. Time Plot
The Power vs. Time plot displays RF power as a function of time. The time scales involved are
very brief microseconds or milliseconds, so the plot is mainly used to observe RF pulse
activity.

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Spectrum Expert Charts

This topic describes Cisco Spectrum Expert charts. The Cisco Spectrum Expert uses bar, line,
and pie charts to provide broad summary information about activity in the RF spectrum. This
topic explains the kinds of information displayed in each chart.
Spectrum Expert Charts

Coordinate three types of information in various views
– Classified Devices
– Channel Utilization
– Channel Power
Displayed for current intervals or over historic ranges
Chart data differs slightly from Real-Time FFT, data is updated at 20
second intervals directly from the sensor
Time based charts use direct updates for time periods < eight hours
For time periods >= eight hours, the application averages the data over
15 minute intervals. Maximum, Average, and Minimum values are then
available as options for the chart.
Charts are intended to provide an overall analysis of the environment,
real-time tracking should be done in the FFTs.
The Spectrum Expert spectrum charts use bar, line, and pie charts to provide broad summary
information about activity in the RF spectrum. Like the spectrum plots, the spectrum charts are
based on data from the SAgE chip embedded in the sensor.
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Spectrum Expert Charts (Cont.)

Default charts are included
in the AQ tab, others can Add Chart Active Devices
be added by right clicking Devices Vs. Channel
anywhere in the spectrum Devices Vs. Time
tab and selecting the Channel Utilization
menu
Channel Utilization Vs. Time
Up to nine plots and charts Interference power
can be configured per
SNR
spectrum tab
Spectrum View offers seven different types of charts, as follows:

Active Devices
Devices vs. Channels
Devices vs. Time
Channel Utilization
Channel Utilization vs. Time
Interference Power
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

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Spectrum Expert Charts (Cont.)

Active devices
– Pie chart of all active devices in the spectrum
Chart options in the Control Panel allow for band selection as well
as a channel range to be displayed.
The Active Devices shown in a pie chart drawn from the data represents the percentages owned
by each RF source. You can select which channel or band to monitor.
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The Devices vs. Channel stacked chart displays the number of devices per channel and
frequency band. In addition, each device is represented by a unique color and is displayed per
channel.
A legend showing the devices and their associated colors is located at the top of the screen.
Consequently, each colored section of the graphed bars map to the device legend.
The height of the bar shows the maximum power of all interference signals. Each color
segment shows the contribution of a specific device type to the maximum power.
In the figure, channel 2 only identifies one device, which is a cordless phone shown in the color
orange. Moreover, channel 1 shows two different types of devices, each identified with its
unique color. You can select which frequency bands or channels will be monitored.

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The Device vs. Time line chart displays the number of devices detected at different times. You
can select the time interval of interest (ranging from 10 minutes up to 24 hours), the channel or
band to monitor, and the types of devices which will be tracked on the plot.
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The Channel Utilization bar chart displays RF duty cycle as a function of channel activity. You
can select which frequency bands or channels will be plotted. Devices and other sources of
interference are displayed by name for quick and easy identification. This Channel Utilization
chart identifies RF emitters in various ranges. A stacked chart displays RF duty cycle as a
function of channel.
On the Channel Utilization charts, the colored bars indicate the power level for each channel.
Each interfering device is represented by a different color. A legend showing the devices and
their associated colors is located at the top of the screen. Consequently, each colored section of
the graphed bars map to the device legend.
The height of the bar shows the maximum power of all interference signals. Each color
segment shows the contribution of a specific device type to the maximum power.
The Channel Utilization window provides these key points:

You can configure warnings and critical thresholds by navigating to Settings > Alerts.
It is useful for an overall evaluation of spectrum bandwidth.
Utilization is calculated from the duty cycle, therefore the chart is not real-time.

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The Channel Utilization vs. Time line chart displays RF duty cycle as a function of time. You
can select the time interval of interest (ranging from ten minutes up to 24 hours), and the
channel or band to monitor. For longer time intervals, you can also select how data is
aggregated, that is, you can track the average duty cycle, the maximum duty cycle, or the
minimum duty cycle.
The Channel Utilization vs. Time window provides these key points:
You can select up to four channels.
You can select warning and critical thresholds by navigating to Tools > Settings.
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The Interference Power stacked chart shows the power for each selected channel. The height of
the bar shows the maximum power of all interference signals. Each bar consists of several lines
representing the signal strength of a specific device type. The receive signal strength of the
strongest In-Network Wi-Fi access point on each channel is shown by a + (plus) sign. The
Wi-Fi noise floor is represented by a horizontal line across the grid background.
The x-axis shows the channels, and the y-axis shows the signal strength (from –100 dBm to 0
dBm). The height of the bar indicates the cumulative power (in dBm) for all devices in this
category that affect a given channel.
You can view channel and power information as follows:

Place the mouse to hover over a stacked bar to view pop-up information about the channel,
maximum power, and the signal strength of each interfering device. Or, place the mouse to
hover over a + sign to view pop-up information about the channel and the signal strength of
the strongest in-network Wi-Fi access point.
Right-click either a stacked bar or + sign to view the same pop-up menu available on the
Devices vs. Channel chart.

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The SNR chart displays the signal-to-noise ratio for each channel having access points. SNR is
the ratio of a given transmitted signal to the background noise on the channel.
The x-axis shows the channels and the y-axis shows the SNR power level (from –50 dB to 50
dB). The height of the bar above or depth of the bar below the 0 dB line indicates the SNR (in
dB) for a given channel.
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Tools and Settings

This topic describes the different settings and tools available in the Cisco Spectrum Expert
product. The Cisco Spectrum Expert has many tools and settings.
The Tools menu provides access to the Settings dialog.
The Sensors and Antennas menu offers the following options:

Sensors and Antennas
Console Settings
Band and Channel Settings
Alert Settings
Cisco WCS Settings
To modify which Spectrum Sensor or antennas are used by Cisco Spectrum Expert, navigate to
Tools > Settings.
The Sensor Setup panel should be displayed by default. If it is not, select Sensors and
Antennas on the toolbar at the left.
Select the Sensor card and antenna combination from these choices:
Sensor Card with Internal Antenna: Tells the application to use data from the internal
Sensor card. Also tells the Sensor to use its internal antenna.
Sensor Card with External Antenna: Tells the application to use data from the internal
Sensor card. Also tells the Sensor to use its external antenna.

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The key points include the following:

Sensors and antennas
— Allow selection of internal or external antenna
— Control a hardware switch
— If external antenna attached, but internal selected, then internal will be used
An external antenna should always be used.
— Better gain
— Better separation from the noisy laptop
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The Console Settings enable you to fine-tune how the Cisco Spectrum Expert console displays
data. Navigate to Tools > Settings. From the toolbar on the left, select Console Settings.
You can change the following settings:

Spectrum View Configuration for Playback: Choose to load the spectrum views from
the capture file, or retain your settings for viewing the capture file.
Date Formats Used Throughout the Application: Select from the drop-down menu.
Instant Replay: Check the check box and the number of minutes (1 to 60) that you want
available for use as an instant replay.
Default AP Category: In-Network or Unknown.
— Select the category that you want all APs to be initialized in by default.
— Reading the help file on this is highly recommended.
— For most applications, the default of In-Network will be used.
Plot’s Background Color: Choose Black or White as the background color.
Choose OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog box. You can also apply your
changes and leave the dialog box open for further work.

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You can select band and channel settings by Regulatory Domain, or define the bands and
channels individually by selecting the User Defined option. Follow these steps to configure the
bands and channels that Cisco Spectrum Expert software will monitor and report on:
Step 1 Navigate to Tools > Settings.
Step 2 From the tool bar on the left, select Band and Channel Settings.
Step 3 From the Regulatory Domain pane, in the drop-down menu, select the regulatory
domain to monitor. The options are as follows:
For Wi-Fi, the options include: Americas/Australia; Europe, Middle East, and
Africa (EMEA); Asia/Pacific; Japan; All Wi-Fi Channels.
For Wi-Fi, it is further possible to select the Wi-Fi standard to be covered
(802.11a, 802.11b/g, or both), using the check boxes.
The single regulatory domain pick will apply to both Wi-Fi standards.
Note The controls in the Monitored Bands and Channels pane also display the bands and
channels that will be monitored when a Regulatory Domain is picked.
Step 4 Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog box. You can also click
Apply to apply your changes, while leaving the dialog box open for further work.
Note Regulatory Domains are subject to change without notice.
To use the User Defined option to select the bands and channels, follow these steps:
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Step 2 From the tool bar on the left, select Band and Channel Settings.
Step 3 From the Regulatory Domain pane drop-down menu, choose the User Defined
option.
Step 4 When you choose User Defined, the individual band and channel monitoring check
boxes are enabled and you can select the bands and corresponding channels to
monitor.
Step 5 Select one or more of the available bands from the Monitored Bands and Channels
control pane.
Step 6 Select one or more of the available channels check boxes for each band selected.
Step 7 Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog box. You can also click
Apply to apply your changes, while leaving the dialog box open for further work.
Monitoring
The Sensor card is capable of monitoring up to 1 GHz of RF bandwidth at a time. In practice,
however, monitoring this much of the spectrum results in some performance issues for Cisco
Spectrum Expert software.
The Band and Channel settings enable you to determine how much bandwidth is actually
monitored by the Sensor card. Monitoring only the bandwidth you need to monitor rather than
trying to have the Sensor card scan its full potential range will result in more effective system
performance.
If you change the settings for monitored bands and channels, the Cisco Spectrum Expert
software automatically restarts, clearing all internal buffers. The display does not close down,
but you lose any data currently shown on the spectrum plots, Channel Summary, Devices View,
and so on.
The bands and channels that you define determine which bands and channels are available for
selection on the spectrum plots. If you select two bands that are adjacent or which overlap (for
example, 5.47 to 5.725 GHz, and 5.725 to 5.850 GHz), Cisco Spectrum Expert software will
automatically consolidate the two bands into one band.
You can select one or more of the bands, such as the 2.4- to 2.5-GHz band and the 5.15- to
5.35-GHz band (for Wi-Fi). Selecting all or most of the bands shown may result in reduced
performance or data quality. Select only those bands that are essential for your current
monitoring and testing needs.

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The Settings - Alerts window is used to configure security and performance alerts, and consists
of three tabs:
Active Devices: This tab is used to enable or disable a security alert for an interferer type
or category. Security alerts can be enabled or disabled for one, multiple, or all interferer
categories.
Spectrum: This tab is use to enable or disable alerts.
Channel Summary: This tab is used to enable or disable alerts for channel devices being
displayed on the Channel Summary view.
The Spectrum tab controls these thresholds that are visible in charts:
Channel Utilization
Interferers Channel Utilization
SNR
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To enable alerts for active devices, follow these steps:
Step 1 Select the Active Devices tab.
Step 2 Check the Enable Performance Alerts check box.

Step 3 Check Alert only if In-Network Wi-Fi AP exists check box.
Step 4 Check Enable Security Alerts check box.
Step 5 In the Category pane, check one or multiple device categories for performance
monitoring and alerts.
Note The default settings are Jammers and Wi-Fi ad hocs boxes checked.
When the Enable Performance Alerts and the Alert only if In-Network Wi-Fi AP Exists check
boxes are checked on the Active Devices tab, and at least one In-Network Wi-Fi AP is present
on the same channel as the interferer, all active interferers display with or without a security
alert icon in the Active Device pane.
If the interferer duty cycle is greater than 50 percent (default critical threshold value), the
device displays in red. If the total duty cycle is greater than 25 percent (default warning
threshold value) but less than 50 percent, the device displays in yellow.

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Cisco WCS SNMP Trap Settings

Cisco Spectrum Expert is now
interoperable with Cisco WCS for:
– Alerts of interfering devices
Filtering available for
device type
– Transmission of spectrum data
Filtering available for channel
utilization and interference
The Cisco WCS Settings window is used to enable and configure the filters and threshold levels
that will trigger the sending of Cisco Spectrum Expert software data to the designated Cisco
WCS IP address. The window consists of these four tabs:
Basic Settings
Filters
Security
Advanced
The Basic Settings tab has two primary functions. One function is to enable Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) traps or Cisco WCS functions. The other function is to identify
the designated IP address of the remote computer where Cisco Spectrum Expert software data
will be sent. The functions are supported by these two areas on the Basic Settings tab:
Send Spectrum Data to a Remote Computer: The Send Spectrum Data to a Remote
Computer area contains two check boxes:
— A check box labeled Enable SNMP Traps for Interfering Devices, to enable the
SNMP trap function
— A check box labeled Enable Cisco WCS Transmission of Spectrum Data, to enable
the Cisco WCS function and the IP Address and Computer Name fields.
IP Address or Computer Name of the Remote Computer: The IP Address or Computer
Name of the Remote Computer area provides IP Address and Computer Name fields to
identify the target system for either the SNMP traps or Cisco WCS transmission of Cisco
Spectrum Expert software data.
The Filters tab provides these four selectable channel-affecting criteria that an interferer must
meet to trigger sending a trap:
Active Channel Filter: Is there an active In-Network Wi-Fi access point on at least one of
the affected channels? The default state is Disabled.
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Interference Channel Utilization Filter: Does an affected channel have an interferer

utilizing more than the user set channel utilization percentage? The default state is Enabled
and the default threshold value is 10 percent.
Interference Power Filter: Does an affected channel have cumulative power of all
interference devices at a power level within or exceeding a user-set level in decibel
referenced to 1 milliwatt (dBm)? The default state is Enabled. The default value for the
range is 16 dB and the exceeding default value is –70 dBm.
Interferer Type: Are there specific interferer device types that you want to include in the
data sent to Cisco WCS? The type of interferer is selected from a list. Check Box, when
checked, enables the scrollable list of device check boxes for inclusion in the data sent to
Cisco WCS. The default setting is Disabled.
All threshold values are editable, meaning that they can be changed to reflect differing criteria.
The Security tab provides the ability to enable security measures, using certificates, for
communications between Cisco Spectrum Expert software and a Cisco WCS. Several
selectable security-level configurations are available to provide lower or higher security levels
for the remote and local computers engaged in a Cisco WCS connection.
There are two certificate options available for a remote computer, or server, and two certificate
options available for a local computer. You can define the combination of certificate criteria
required in order to authorize a Cisco WCS connection. The selectable certificate-based
security options are as follows:
Remote Computer Authorization for Cisco WCS Connections includes these options:
— Allow Self-Signed Certificate for Remote Server (lower security level)
— Require CA-Signed Certificate from Remote Server (higher security level)
Identifying This Computer for Cisco WCS Connections includes these options:
— Present Self-Signed Certificate for this Computer (lower security level)
— Present the Following CA-Signed Certificate for this Computer (higher security
level)
There are two fields available for identifying the specific certificate authority (CA) certificate
to be used if the CA-signed option is selected for either the remote or local computer.
The Action If Certificate Information Is Not Valid drop-down menu provides selectable actions
to be taken upon receipt of invalid certificate information.
The Advanced tab provides an additional user-defined setting for SNMP and four user-defined
Cisco WCS communication polling settings in two areas on the tab. SNMP and Cisco WCS
Communication protocols function independently and can operate simultaneously. The settings
are as follows:
Advanced Settings for SNMP: Displays the SNMP Trap Destination Port number. The
state is dimmed, which means that the SNMP port cannot be changed.
Advanced Settings for Cisco WCS Communication: The Advanced Settings for Cisco
WCS Communication provides four user-defined settings for Cisco WCS Communication
parameters. The default state is Enabled and is disabled by deselecting the Enable Cisco
WCS Transmission of Spectrum Data check box on the Basic Settings tab. The definable
parameters are as follows:
— Transmit Devices Information Every ___ Seconds. The default value is 10 seconds.

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— Limit the Number of Device Update Records to a Maximum of ___ per

Transmission. The default value is 15 per transmission.
— Consider a Cisco WCS To Be Temporarily Unavailable After ___ Unsuccessful
Attempts. The default value is 10 unsuccessful connection attempts.
— Attempt Reconnection to an Unavailable Server Every ___ Minutes. The default
value is 10 minutes.
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Export Data Feature
Right-click and
click Export Data
The Export Data feature provides additional functionality to all Cisco Spectrum plots and
charts, as well as to the devices listed in the Active Devices tree. The Export Data feature
allows you to export device information to a file for future analysis. This option can be
accessed by right clicking on a device name, on any plot or chart, or anywhere in the display
pane to display a pop-up menu.
When Export Selected Data is selected, a window appears providing a default file name and
Save In location (Spectrum Captures folder). The window also allows user selection of the file
name and Save In location.

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Spectrum Plot and Chart Viewing

Controls
Each plot or chart has a set of icons in the upper-right
corner.
Pause is very useful for stopping the display temporarily to
make measurements or screen shots.
Context-sensitive help is always available with the F1 key
as well as the “?” icon.
Any plot or chart can be zoomed to full screen either by
double-clicking the header or selecting the magnifying
glass icon.
– Hint: This will dramatically increase the number of
sweeps available in a spectrogram display.
The “X” icon allows you to close the plot or chart.
The viewing controls toolbar is found at the top right of each plot or chart, and consists of these
clickable icons:
Pause (||): Used to temporarily cease or suspend activity in order to make measurements or
screen shots
Help (?): Provides additional help
Magnifier: Used to zoom to full screen
X: Closes the plot or chart
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Instant Replay
FIFO buffer accessible from
the recording tool panel
Buffer length is configurable
from 1 to 60 minutes in Tools
> Settings > Console
Configuration settings located
at Tools > Settings > Console
Default is 1 minute
The Instant Replay feature allows you to review the most recent spectrum information up to the
past 60 minutes, without having to record it in a Cisco Spectrum Capture (CCF) file, and play it
back as if it were being viewed live for the first time, without interrupting receipt of current
spectrum information. Spectrum information viewed as an Instant Replay may then be saved as
a CCF file to share information about the spectrum.
Choose Tools > Settings > Console Settings to display the Instant Replay settings options.
Detailed instructions on Instant Replay Settings, Initiating an Instant Replay, and Converting an
Instant Replay to a CCF file can be found in the online help.
Check the Enable Instant Replay of the Last ___ Minutes check box to enable the Instant
Replay function, and enter the length of the Instant Replay (range 1 to 60 minutes).

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Spectrum Recording
Default file name is
date.time.capture
Stop conditions are
– Manual: Stop manually
– Time Elapsed: <= 1000
minutes
– Size Reached: <= 512 MB
Recording size on disk:
– 6 MB per hour or per band
– 2.4 to 2.5 GHz +
– 5.15 to 5.35 GHz +
– 5.725 to 5.850 GHz = 18 MB
per hour
CCF files will compress 7–8 to 1
The CCF files are subject to a size limitation of 512 MB. You should estimate CCF file size
growth at a rate of 6 MB per hour or per band selected when considering the 512-MB size
limitation.
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Playback
Play capture file does not require the Spectrum Sensor to be
installed.
Go Live is only operable if there is a Spectrum Sensor installed
in the playback host.
Local time is that of the recording Spectrum Expert Console.
You can save spectrum scans and play them back for future analysis. Detailed instructions on
recording and playback can be found in the online help. The controls are as follows:
Open: Opens a previously captured CCF file for playback. You can also navigate to File >
Open Capture File. Use the Open Capture File dialog box to select the recording.
Record: Opens a dialog box where you can define the name and file location of a CCF file.
The recording begins automatically when you close the dialog box. You can also initiate
the record operation by navigating to File > Record Capture File.
Play Capture File Once or Repeat: After you open a CCF file, select Play Capture File
Once or Repeat to play to the end of the recording and stop, or play to the end and restart
the playback.
Stop Record/Playback: Stops the recording process, and stops the in-progress playback of
a CCF file.
Go Live: Returns you to live mode. Any playback or recording that was in progress is
halted.
Pause Playback: Freezes the playback.

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Playback (Cont.)
You can view capture file
properties for additional
information about a capture file:
– Time zone
– Start and end times
– Sensor serial number
– Monitored bands
Navigate to Help > Capture File
Properties to display
The Instant Replay feature allows you to review the most recent spectrum information and play
it back, as if it were being viewed live for the first time, without interruption by the current
Live Capture session. Capture File Properties provides file properties information about the
selected capture file.
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Indentifying Interference and Interference

Sources
This topic identifies interference and interference sources using Cisco Spectrum Expert. Cisco
Spectrum Expert can identify the types of devices that are producing RF interference. An
interferer is any non-network RF device that broadcasts in the same frequency bands as
network devices and can cause disruption to your network.
Interference Basics and Devices

Two places to view:
Active Devices: Shows summary of current active devices
Devices tab: Provides detail and historical events
The Active Devices menu normally displays to the left of the Cisco Spectrum Expert window.
In the Active Devices pane, you can see access points, ad hocs, and interfering devices, if these
devices (access points and interferers) are currently live (transmitting). It uses a tree structure to
organize access points, ad hocs, and different types of interfering devices.

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Active Devices
Right-click to lock device into
device finder
Choose W hat is This Device?
for more detailed information:
– Presents all that is known
about the device
– Presents a list of known
devices that the classifier
detects
To view the Active Devices menu, navigate to View > Active Devices.
If you double-click a device, a dialog box will appear that provides more detail on the device,
including a picture of a typical device that matches the RF signature. (You can also right-click
the device and select What Is This Device?)
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Example of Bluetooth
See more hops

in Max Hold
See hops in Max
In the figure, the Real-Time FFT window shows significant energy spanning several channels.
Using the Max Hold feature allows you to view more hops. Bluetooth is a frequency-hopping
protocol that covers the entire 2.4-GHz band.
Bluetooth version 2 seeks to avoid crowded channels and avoids an active Wi-Fi channel.
Devices such as retail bar code scanners can be very loud. In most cases, the power can be
adjusted and still meet the needs of the application with good results. In all cases, Bluetooth
adds noise and reduces the SNR of the environment. Many Bluetooth devices, or one very loud
Bluetooth device, will negatively impact the wireless network.

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Jammer
Constant flat signal RF jammer, complete

seen in Average/Max spectrum impacted at
–50 dBm
In this example of a jammer, the Real-Time FFT window shows a constant flat signal across
several channels. Jammer devices are outlawed in the United States but are widely available on
the Internet. Jammers can kill a single channel or knock out a whole band. They are excellent
for denial of service (DoS) attacks.
The jammer captured in the figure is battery operated and covers 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz. It is
sold on the Internet to prevent snooping or as an anti-spy device to be used to defeat listening
devices and cameras. It is technically illegal, but anyone with a credit card can buy one from
the Internet. The battery lasts for 45 minutes and the device is effective in a 70-meter radius.
Imagine what would happen to your network if someone dropped a jammer device into a flower
planter in your lobby. The network would receive only noise in a 70-meter radius around the
flower planter.
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Example of Microwave Oven
Loud moving signal as

seen in Max. Drifts in
frequency
Microwave ovens definitely interfere with Wi-Fi networks. The interference is short-lived but
can be very complete. In this example, the Real-Time FFT window shows significant energy
centered on channels 6 and 11, but spanning several channels.
Microwaves typically impact channels 6 to 11, but mostly channel 11. This display shows
interference with a wide bandwidth generated by microwaves from an older microwave oven.
Newer microwave ovens tend to have narrower bandwidth. Microwave ovens are prevalent in
healthcare facilities. In many cases, older microwave ovens can be damaged and emit unhealthy
levels of emissions. Leakage can be caused by a broken microwave oven door, or simply by the
seal being damaged or dirty.

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Cordless 2.4-GHz Phone
Channel 1 not usable

due to constant signal
from phone
In this example of an older cordless phone with auto-scan operation, which allows you to select
different channels to avoid interference, the Real-Time FFT window in Max shows a constant
signal. The manufacturer of this cordless phone wants to avoid interference, such as your
network, so that the call is good. When this phone is in use, channel 1 becomes unavailable for
Wi-Fi users.
It is important to educate the manufacturer of your cordless phone so that they understand the
impact of the phone on your network.
Cordless phones that can cause interference to Wi-Fi are sold in the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands.
Best practices would be to remove these devices in a dual-band environment and replace them
with cordless phones that use Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), which
run in the 1.9-GHz band, or ensure that the cordless phones being used are in a different band
than the Wi-Fi band.
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Example of Wireless Video Camera
Camera On
Camera Off
In this example of a wireless video camera, the Real-Time FFT window shows significant
energy on channel 1. The signal is constant, therefore channel 1 is no longer usable for Wi-Fi
users.

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Co-Channel and Adjacent Channel

Interference
CCI comes from another access point located on the same
channel, for example:
– Access point next door
– Neighboring cell
With Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
(CSMA/CA), 802.11 devices effectively share the capacity of the
channel
ACI comes from an access point on an overlapping channel, for
example:
– One access point on channel 1, another access point on
channel 2
– Worse than CCI
Co-channel interference (CCI) is crosstalk from two different radio transmitters using the same
frequency channel. Poor planning of frequencies can cause CCI.
Adjacent channel interference (ACI), although rare, can cause worse problems than CCI. As an
example, interference is detected while surveying an arena. A spectrum analyzer feature in a
wireless card helps to locate the source. The turnstiles have IEEE 802.11b radios installed in
them and work wirelessly to transfer ticket information. Each door is on a separate channel.
Door 1 is on channel 1, door 2 is on channel 2, door 3 is on channel 3, and so on. Whoever
installed the turnstiles with the embedded Cisco Aironet radios did not understand the proper
deployment design for three nonoverlapping channels (1, 6, and 11) in the 2.4-GHz band,
which caused extreme ACI interference.
Wireless 802.11 WLANs use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
(CSMA/CA). CSMA/CA is a modification of pure Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA).
Collision avoidance is used to improve the performance of CSMA by attempting to reduce
“greed” on the channel. If the channel is sensed busy before transmission, then the transmission
is deferred for a “random” interval to reduce the probability of collisions on the channel.
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Setting Up Cisco Spectrum Expert

This topic describes the necessary steps to set up Cisco Spectrum Expert. Before performing a
Layer 1 sweep of the facility, Cisco Spectrum Expert must be configured.
Cisco Spectrum Expert Setup

1. Install the Cisco Spectrum Expert
software before you install the
Spectrum Expert hardware
(CardBus sensor)
2. Attach the external omnidirectional
antenna
3. Insert the CardBus sensor into your PC
4. Start Cisco Spectrum Expert
Ci sco Spectrum Expert ™
Complete the following steps to set up Cisco Spectrum Expert.

Step 1 Install Cisco Spectrum Expert software before you install the Cisco hardware
(CardBus sensor).
Step 2 Attach the external omnidirectional antenna.

Step 3 Insert the CardBus sensor into your PC.
Step 4 Start Spectrum Expert.

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Cisco Spectrum Expert Setup (Cont.)
Step 6
Step 8
Step 7
Step 6 Check the Sensor Card with Internal Antenna radio button.
Step 7 Click Apply.

Step 8 Click the Band and Channel Settings icon.
Note When you perform Step 8, you will be prompted to save your settings. Save your settings.
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Step 9
Step 11 Step 10
Step 9 Choose the appropriate Regulatory Domain from the drop-down menu and check the
radio channels check boxes that you want to monitor (802.11b/g or 802.11a).
Step 10 Click Apply to save your changes.

Step 11 Click OK.

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From the Cisco
Spectrum menu,
choose your views. Step 12
Choices:
– Real Time FFT
– FFT Duty Cycle
– Swept
Spectrogram
– Interference
Power
Step 12 From the Cisco Spectrum menu, choose your views. The choices shown include the
following:
Interference Power
Real Time FFT
Swept Spectrum
FFT Duty Cycle
The following views are available for selection:

Plots:
— Real Time FFT
— FFT Duty Cycle
— Swept Spectrum
— Power vs. Frequency
— Power vs. Time
Charts:
— Active Devices
— Devices vs. Channel
— Devices vs. Time
— Channel Utilization
— Channel Utilization vs. Time
— Interference Power
— SNR
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Devices
By selecting the Devices tab, you can see all detected

devices.
To see Wi-Fi devices, you must have a Wi-Fi card
running in passive mode.
An 802.11 a/b/g/n internal PCI card is recommended.
The Devices view shows detailed statistics for each device, including currently active and
historical devices. Devices listed here include network devices and interferers. You can access
this view by selecting the Devices tab. The data in the Devices view is organized in tabular
form. The following list of fields is provisional and subject to change:
Device Name: The name of the interfering device.
Network ID: Network address for this device, if available (for example, the Basic Service
Set Identifier [BSSID] for an 802.11 device, or the piconet address for Bluetooth devices).
Device ID: The device address for the device, if available. Examples would be the MAC
address for 802.11 access points, the device address for Bluetooth devices, and so on.
Discovery Time: When the device was first detected.
On Time: Amount of time that the device has been on since it was detected.
Channels Affected: Channels affected by transmissions from this device.
Duty Cycle: Measured duty cycle for this device.
Signal Strength: Average received signal strength (log average) for pulses from the
device.
Avg Pulse Duration: Average pulse duration for pulses received from this device.
Details: Miscellaneous device-dependent details are reported here. For example, for 802.11
access points, such details may include Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) information,
supported rates, protocols, and so on.

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Collect Data
The primary goal of the site survey is to determine which channels or bands are acceptable for
network deployment. The survey can also suggest the number of network devices that may
need to be purchased and deployed. This is particularly crucial for those networks, such as Wi-
Fi networks, in which you have a choice of the type of network equipment to purchase
(802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g).
The site survey entails physically moving your PC with Cisco Spectrum Expert software
throughout the network space, monitoring changes in the readings as you go. You should walk
around the perimeter of each office, and perhaps up and down and side-to-side through the
center of each office. In a hallway or corridor, it may be sufficient to roll the laptop down the
center of the hallway.
The more fine-grained your site survey, the more accurate the information you will obtain.
Taking measurements in four corners of a large space, and at the center of that same space, is
generally not sufficient.
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Locate Interferers
The Devices view shows detailed statistics for each device, including currently active and
historical devices. This topic shows you how to locate interference sources using Cisco
Spectrum Expert.
Locating Devices with Device Finder
The black box around

one of the bars on the
meter indicates the
strongest signal that
has been detected.
An increase in signal strength is

an indication that you are moving
closer to the device.
To use the Device Finder, complete these steps:
Step 1 In Devices view, or on the Active Devices menu, select the device you wish to
locate. Then right-click the device name and click Find This Device on the pop-up
menu.
Step 2 The device is now listed in the Device Finder.
Step 3 The Signal Strength History graph shows a moving plot of the signal strength. (The
plot does not automatically reset if the signal is lost.) This plot makes it easy to
visualize when you are walking towards or walking away from the source of the
signal. The Rx Signal Strength meter provides a real-time indicator of the signal
strength from a device and is an additional tool in determining whether you are
“getting warmer” or “getting colder” in terms of tracking down the interfering
device. At moments, you will record a signal of special interest; the signal may
suddenly peak or drop off, or you may be systematically recording the signal at
carefully planned locations.
Step 4 To maintain a record of the signal of interest, click Record Signal, or press the
Spacebar. Cisco Spectrum Expert records the current signal strength and the time in
the Measurement Log. For a description, Spectrum Expert uses the device name as a
default value.
Step 5 Type in a description of where the measurement was taken. Click Enter to confirm
your description.

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Step 6 You can also edit the location information in the Measurement Log at a later time.
Simply double-click the description and then key in your new description; then click
Enter. Press Esc to cancel any changes you are making.
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Additional Device Finder Features
The Device Finder has these additional features and capabilities:

Stop Finding: You can stop tracking the interferer by clicking Stop Finding. You should
do this after you have found the interferer, to reduce the drain on system processing
resources.
Reset Signal Averaging: If you click Reset Signal Averaging, Spectrum Expert no longer
uses prior signal values to calculate the average signal strength. Instead, Spectrum Expert
only calculates average signal strength from that point on. If you are moving around, or
changing the orientation of a directional antenna, this command will cause the signal
averaging measurement to restart, so you will not display data that may be representative of
the prior position or orientation. Filtering is applied to provide accurate measurements,
which can help Cisco Spectrum Expert to respond more quickly and not be biased from
prior measurements.
Clear Signal Strength History: Click Clear over the receive (Rx) Signal Strength History
plot to clear the plot.
Clear Measurement Log: You can clear the Measurement Log of all data by clicking
Clear Log above the log.
Delete A Single Log Entry: You can also delete an individual row from the Measurement
Log. Simply select the entry, and then press the Del key on your keyboard. Then click Yes
in the confirmation dialog box.
Reset Maximum Signal Strength: If you click Reset Max, Cisco Spectrum Expert deletes
the current value for the maximum signal strength. Cisco Spectrum Expert then determines
the maximum interferer signal strength measured from that time.

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Divide-and-Conquer Search Strategy
To minimize your effort and maximize your chances of locating the interferer, you should use a
divide-and-conquer search strategy (also known as rectangular bisection). The figures illustrate
the strategy, first with the omnidirectional antenna, and then using the directional antenna. To
use this process, you will greatly benefit from using a physical map of your network space.
Note It is possible to hit a blind spot when using Device Finder. In such a location, typically a
corner in a large building, you may not get any measurements. If you spend more than 30
seconds at one spot without getting an updated device reading, you should move away from
that spot and try a different location.
Follow these steps to use the divide-and-conquer search strategy:

Step 1 Go to each of the four corners of the office space and measure the signal strength
from the interfering device of interest. Take note of which corner of the office yields
the highest signal strength. (A printed map of your office space can be helpful for
jotting down data.)
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Reset Signal Averaging
Step 2 Each time you move the Spectrum Expert system to a new location, click Reset
Signal Averaging on the Device Finder. Then, at each test location, wait for the
confidence level to settle to a small value, ideally less than ±3 dBm, but certainly
less than ±5 dBm, before recording the signal strength.

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Repeat the Process
Step 3 In the corner which has the largest signal strength, map out a rectangular sub-search
area comprising one quarter of the total office space.
Repeat the Process (Cont.)
Step 4 Repeat this process as necessary to localize your measurement.
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Final Stage
Step 5 By repeating this process, you will be able to home in on the location of the
interfering device.

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Directional Antenna
The advantage of using the directional antenna is that you can save yourself a substantial
amount of walking, because four measurements at a time can be made from one central
location. Follow these steps to use the directional antenna in the divide-and-conquer search
strategy:
Step 1 Once again, assuming a rectangular office space, take your Spectrum Expert PC to
the center of the office space. Use the directional antenna, with Device Finder, to
determine the signal strength coming from your interferer, as measured in each of
four directions. For each measurement, the antenna should be pointed towards each
of the four corners of the office.
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Repeat the Process
Step 2 Once again, for the corner that has the largest signal strength, map out a rectangular
sub-search area comprising one quarter of the total office space. Again, you only
need to make measurements from one spot, pointing the antenna in four different
directions.
Repeat the Process (Cont.)
Step 3 Repeat, again making measurements in the quadrant with the highest power reading.

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Final Stage
Step 4 Once again, you will learn from experience whether the final measurements are best
made by a continued process of rectangular bisection, or whether the final
measurements should be made on a systematic grid of a local area.
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Summary
Summary
Cisco Spectrum Expert can identify interference by non-Wi-Fi
devices in the 2.4- and 5-GHz spectrum.
0 dBm is equal to 1 mW.
Cisco Spectrum Expert software analyzes data from the sensor
card and provides a GUI-based view of the network and RF
activity.
There are five FFT plots and seven charts to choose from, with a
Devices page to analyze interference issues.
Cisco Spectrum Expert can identify non-802.11 devices such as
cordless phones and microwave ovens.
The Device Finder feature in Cisco Spectrum Expert helps
physically locate interfering devices.
An omnidirectional antenna and a directional antenna are
available for use with the Cisco Spectrum Expert sensor card.

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Lesson 3

Survey for Data
Overview
A site survey for data applications should be based on the average and peak number of users
that will use the WLAN. The accepted throughput per user and the coverage is seamless. With
IEEE 802.11n technology, data rates of up to 300 Mb/s can be generated across the WLAN.
Newer data-only WLANs with 802.11n clients and Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series or Cisco
Aironet 1140 Series Access Points can take full advantage of the higher speeds that can be built
into a WLAN.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to conduct a Layer 2 site survey for data
applications using AirMagnet Survey PRO. This ability includes being able to meet these
objectives:
Describe signal attenuation as the signal passes through different objects
Identify site survey best practices for a data site survey
Describe how to create a data site survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO
Describe how to configure AirMagnet Survey PRO
Describe how to conduct a data site survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO
Describe how to merge and display data collected during the active and passive survey
Describe how to generate reports using the reports feature in AirMagnet Survey PRO
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Attenuation Characteristics of Building Materials

This topic describes signal attenuation as the signal passes through different objects. Signal
attenuation or signal loss occurs even as the signal passes through air. The loss of signal
strength is more pronounced as the signal passes through different objects.
Signal Attenuation
Object in Signal Path Signal Attenuation Through Object

Plasterboard wall 3 dB
Glass wall with metal frame 6 dB
Cinderblock wall 4 dB
Office window 3 dB
Metal door 6 dB
Metal door in brick wall 12 dB
Human body 3 dB
There is no way of determining the distance that an RF signal will travel

without conducting a survey.
Signal attenuation or signal loss occurs even as the signal passes through air. The loss of signal
strength is more pronounced as the signal passes through different objects. A transmit power of
20 mW is equivalent to 13 dBm. If the transmitted power at the entry point of a plasterboard
wall is at 13 dBm, the signal strength will be reduced to 10 dBm when exiting that wall. The
table in the figure shows the likely loss in signal strength caused by various types of objects.
Each site surveyed will have different levels of multipath distortion, signal loss, and signal
noise. Hospitals are typically the most challenging environment to survey due to high multipath
distortion, signal loss, and signal noise. Hospitals take longer to survey, require a denser
population of access points, and require higher performance standards. Manufacturing and shop
floors are the next hardest to survey. These sites generally have metal siding and many metal
objects on the floor, resulting in reflected signals that re-create multipath distortion. Office
buildings and hospitality sites generally have high signal attenuation but a lesser degree of
multipath distortion.
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Construction Methods and Materials

Examples of materials that affect RF coverage:
– Metal film on glass
– Leaded glass
– Steel-studded walls
– Cement floors and walls with steel reinforcement
– Foil-backed insulation
– Stairwells and elevator shafts
– Plumbing pipes and fixtures
– Air conditioning and heating ducts
Many aspects of building construction are unknown or hidden from the site survey, so you
might have to acquire that information from other sources, such as architectural drawings.
Some examples of typical construction methods and materials that affect the range and
coverage area of access points include metal film on glass, leaded glass, steel-studded walls,
cement floors, walls with steel reinforcement, foil-backed insulation, stairwells, elevator shafts,
plumbing pipes and fixtures, and many others.

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Inventory
Various types of inventory can affect RF range, such as these
examples:
– Printer paper
– Cardboard boxes
– Pet food
– Paint
– Petroleum products
– Engine parts
Levels of inventory
– A warehouse with 50 percent of inventory has a very different
RF footprint than a warehouse at 100 percent of inventory.
Different types of inventory affect RF range, particularly inventory with high steel or water
content. Printer paper, cardboard boxes, pet food, paint, petroleum products, and engine parts
are just a few examples.
It is important that the engineer perform the site survey at peak inventory levels or at times of
highest activity. A warehouse at 50 percent stocking level has a different RF footprint than the
same warehouse at 100 percent.
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Activity Level
Conduct survey during peak density of users.
If this is not possible, be sure to tweak installation as needed
during peak user density.
Additional signals from users cause more contention, more null
points.
Multipath, while good for 802.11n, is not good for 802.11 Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) users.
Use diversity antennas.
An office area at night (without people) will have a different RF footprint than the same area
full of people during the day. Although many parts of the site survey can be conducted without
full occupation of the area, it is essential to conduct the site survey verification and tweak key
values during a time when the location is occupied.
The higher the utilization requirements and the higher the density of users, the more important
it is to have a well-designed diversity solution. When more users are present, more signals are
received on each user device. Additional signals cause more contention, more null points, and
more multipath distortion. Diversity on the access point helps to minimize these conditions.
802.11n multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology makes use of multipath by

combining information from all signals received, thereby increasing throughput. This is known
as maximal ratio combining (MRC), where multiple received signals are combined to more
accurately reconstruct the transmitted signal.

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Multifloor Buildings
Keep in mind the following guidelines when conducting a site
survey for a typical office building:
– Elevator shafts block and reflect RF signals.
– Supply rooms with inventory absorb RF signals.
– Interior offices with hard walls absorb RF signals.
– Break rooms (kitchens) may produce 2.4-GHz interference
through the use of microwave ovens.
– Test labs may produce 2.4- or 5-GHz interference, creating
multipath distortion and RF shadows.
– Cubicles tend to absorb and block signals.
– Conference rooms have high-utilization requirements and
require a greater number of access points.
Keep in mind the following guidelines when conducting a site survey for a typical office
building:
Elevator shafts block and reflect RF signals.
Supply rooms with inventory absorb RF signals.
Interior offices with hard walls absorb RF signals.
Break rooms (kitchens) may produce 2.4-GHz interference through the use of microwave
ovens.
Test labs may produce 2.4- or 5-GHz interference and create multipath distortion and RF
shadows.
Cubicles absorb and block signals.
Conference rooms have high-utilization requirements and require a greater number of
access points.
Take extra care when surveying multifloor facilities. Access points on different floors can
interfere with each other as easily as access points located on the same floor. It is possible to
use this behavior to your advantage during a survey. A high-gain antenna placed near a ceiling
in a multifloor facility can easily provide coverage to the floor above as well as to the floor
below. Be careful not to overlap channels between access points on different floors or access
points on the same floor.
In multi-tenant buildings, there might be security concerns that require the use of lower
transmission powers and lower-gain antennas to keep signals out of neighboring rooms or
offices.
If auto-Radio Resource Management (RRM) is used for a data-only WLAN, you should survey
at half power or less to ensure that the RRM can perform coverage hole mitigation.
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Best Practices for a Data Site Survey

This topic identifies best practices for a data site survey. Data-only deployments do not require
a large amount of overlap because 802.11 clients respond to a lower signal from a nearby
access point by stepping down their rate and taking a longer time to transmit.
Best Practices for a Data-Only Site

Survey
For 802.11a/b/g/n networks.
Identify clients to be supported on 802.11a/b/g/n networks.
If there are no 802.11 clients, turn off 1- and 2-Mb/s data rates.
If there are no 802.11b clients, turn off all 802.11b data rates.
If there are 802.11b clients, turn off data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, 6, and
9 Mb/s.
Reduce output power to 25 mW maximum on the access point.
Ensure that clients use DTPC.
Clients learn the data rates that are configured on the access point during the association
process to the access points. It is expected that once a client is associated to an access point, it
will only use the rates enabled on the access point. This is good news because it gives you, as
the designer, the ability to control this factor. For example, a cell that has both an 802.11b
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) and 802.11g (orthogonal frequency-division
multiplexing [OFDM]) support requirement may have a maximum cell throughput of 13 Mb/s.
A cell that is only 802.11g OFDM or 802.11a OFDM may have a maximum cell throughput of
25 Mb/s.
In dense client deployments, the data rates configured on the access point must be managed for
best RF channel efficiencies. If the 802.11 data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mb/s are not needed
for client support, those rates should be disabled. If there is a need to support 802.11b, then
enable only 11 Mb/s. For an 802.11g/a high-density design, it is recommended that you set 12
Mb/s as the minimum data rate. The lowest configured required rate is the rate that beacons will
be sent. Clients will tend to gravitate over time to this rate as well. The slower the data rate, the
higher the channel usage will be. Slower rates require more time in the channel to transmit.
You should reduce the power during the survey to a maximum of 20 mW to ensure that RRM
works properly once it is deployed.

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Dynamic Transmit Power Control (DTPC) is a configuration option on the autonomous access
points and is standardized on the lightweight access points. The purpose of DTPC is to balance
the transmit power of a client radio with the transmit power of an access point to which the
client is associated. The DTPC is used to inform a client radio of a suggested transmit power
level. Both the 2.4- and 5-GHz radios of the access point advertise a transmit power value in
the 802.11 beacon and probe responses. Generally, the advertised transmit power is the current
transmit power of the access point radio.
Most current laptops have radio technology that automatically takes advantage of DTPC. It is a
recommended best practice to have DTPC as a requirement on the client side. By instructing
the client what power level to use, you maximize the connection while minimizing the co-
interference potential and maximize the battery life of portable client devices. There is no good
reason to have a client transmit at 30 mW when the access point is transmitting at 5 mW. In an
environment where there are a high number of client devices in a small coverage area, high
transmit powers work against channel efficiencies. Higher power increases the collision domain
of channels. Increasing the collision domain increases co-channel interference and decreases
channel efficiency.
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Best Practices for a Data-Only Site

Survey (Cont.)
Use nonoverlapping channels, three available for 2.4-GHz and 23
available in the 5-GHz spectrum.
High-density data deployments should use the 5-GHz spectrum
due to increased channels available.
10 to 15 percent cell overlap.
Aggregate channel capacity is the relative amount of floor space versus the number of users to
be covered. The more channels that you can plan within a small area, the better the results will
be.
For instance, the 2.4-GHz spectrum has only three nonoverlapping channels (1, 6, and 11). If
those three channels need to support 802.11b and 802.11g clients in a channel shared floor
space, the aggregated channel bandwidth would be no more that 39 Mb/s. That is, 13 Mb/s for
each of the three channels. Putting six access points (two on each of the three channels) in the
same shared floor space would not double the aggregated bandwidth in the floor space. In fact,
it may reduce the total throughput in the floor space because of co-channel interference. There
are some advantages to having more than one access point on a channel, for instance, the
clients can load-balance between access points. Also, in a highly utilized channel, there will be
much backoff time due to channel busies. The added access points provide extra packet
buffering and reduce the overall number of packet retries, which will increase the channel
utilization further and make the problem worse. If you are adding access points that can hear
each other in a channel, you will need to carefully manage co-channel interference using other
aspects of the design, such as overall cell size and overlap.
Using 5 GHz in a dense deployment is highly advisable. The advantages to this are a higher
channel throughput with 23 channels available. An auditorium could use one access point for
each 802.11a/n channel without having to do a managed design around co-channel interference.
Using 5 GHz in the auditorium could have 325 Mb/s of throughput.
Any energy in the WLAN spectrum that is not decodable as an 802.11 radio is considered
noise. The ambient noise floor will differ on every site but will always be present. Electrical
components have an internal noise, known as thermal noise, that will be present even in a quiet
RF environment. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the ratio (actually the delta) of signal
(802.11 radio) to noise (anything that is not an 802.11 radio signal). The SNR is expressed as a
value in decibels (dB).
The lower the SNR in an environment, the slower the resulting supportable data rate will be.

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The noise level affects the ability of a Wi-Fi radio to hear and decode the signal. Wi-Fi radios
are rated for sensitivity (a value in dBm), which is the minimum amount of signal required for
reliable operation at a given data rate. Lower data rates are more tolerant to noise and require
less SNR, but there is a tradeoff. The lower data rates also reduce the efficiency of the entire
WLAN. In order for an 802.11 WLAN to operate, there needs to be a margin of clean spectrum
between the energy level of the ambient noise floor and the received signal levels.
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Cell Coverage Limitations: Parameters

to Watch
Minimum SNR
– Provides a level of good signal over noise floor
Minimum signal strength
– Watch for:
Consistent values
Minimum values
Rapid fluctuations (indicates multipath distortion)
Noise floor
– Higher noise floor will affect minimum signal strength
Packet counts, lost packets
Use packet sizes similar to those for the applications that have the
largest packet size.
When performing the survey, you must set parameters and thresholds to identify where the cell
edge should be placed. In order to do this correctly, you must watch several key items.
Many surveys use only signal strength, but using this alone is not enough. You should also
watch the noise floor and the ratio between the signal and noise. Also, when possible, you
should watch packet transfer performance (packet count) or ping times for packets moving
between access points and clients.

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Received Signal Strength Indication

Best indicator of wireless performance
Can be measured by various devices
– Cisco Aironet Site Survey Utility
– AirMagnet Survey or AirMagnet Survey PRO
– Client utilities
Measured in dBm
– Usable range typically from –60 to –80 dBm
–55 dBm or greater is exceptional signal strength
–85 dBm is poor signal strength and association is unlikely
-–65 dBm for highest data rate supported (recommended)
© 2009 Cisco S yst ems, Inc . Al l rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-10
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the best indicator for wireless performance.
RSSI can be measured by various devices including:

Cisco Aironet Site Survey Utility
AirMagnet Survey or AirMagnet Survey PRO
Client utilities
RSSI is measured in dBm. The usable range is typically from -60 to -80 dBm.
Anything greater than –55 dBm is considered exceptional signal strength; anything less than
–85 dBm is poor signal strength and association is unlikely. The recommended range for the
highest data rate supported is –65 dBm.
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Recommended Parameters for 2.4-GHz

Data Networks
Recommended
Recommended
Rx Signal-to- Minimum
Data Rate Rx Threshold Minimum Rx
Noise Ratio Signal-to-Noise
Threshold
Ratio
54 -71 -61 25 35
48 -72 -62 22 31
36 -73 -63 18 28
24 -77 -67 12 22
12/11 -82 -72 10 20
6/5.5 -89 -79 8 18
2 -91 -81 6 16
1 -94 -84 4 14
Minimum packet performance should be greater than 90 percent successful

packet transfer (10 percent packet error rate [PER]).
The table in the figure indicates specifications for the Cisco Aironet 802.11g radio parameters.
The Cisco Aironet 802.11b radio specifications at data rates of 1, 2, 5.5 , and 11 Mb/s are
nearly identical to the 802.11g radio, so either radio may be used when surveying at 802.11b
data rates.
The values vary for different data rates, and the data rate at which the engineer is surveying
needs to be noted for minimum performance.
The minimum receive (Rx) threshold indicates the absolute minimum that the receiver can hear
and still properly decode the packet. This value needs padding to compensate for variations in
transmitters, receivers, and environment. A typical padding of 10 dB is sufficient. The
recommended minimum Rx threshold indicates the value that you should watch for to indicate
the edge of reliable coverage.
The SNR rating indicates the minimum ratio between the noise floor and the desired signal
level for proper reception of information.
The recommended SNR value provides a 10-dB padding to compensate for variations. Both
values should be monitored for minimum values. As the noise floor changes, this change can
affect the minimum signal strength that is needed. At the same time, the packet performance
should be monitored to provide a minimum of 90 percent successful packet transfer.

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Recommended Parameters for 2.4-GHz

802.11n Data Networks, Channel Width 20 MHz
Rx Signal-to-
Data Rate Rx Threshold
Noise Ratio
144.4 -64 29
130.0 -65 28
115.6 -66 27
86.7 -70 23
57.8 -74 19
43.3 -77 16
28.9 -79 14
14.4 -82 11

packet transfer (10 percent PER).
In the figure, the 802.11n data rate and Rx threshold s were obtained from AirMagnet Survey
PRO. The 20-MHz chart can be used for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
The 2.4-GHz, 40-MHz channel is not recommended because there are only three
nonoverlapping channels.
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Recommended Parameters for 5-GHz

Data Networks
Rx Signal-to- Recommended
Recommended
Noise Ratio Minimum
Data Rate Rx Threshold Minimum Rx
Signal-to-Noise
Threshold
Ratio
54 -68 -58 20 30
48 -71 -61 17 27
36 -73 -63 14 24
24 -77 -67 12 22
12 -82 -72 7 17
6 -85 -75 5 15

The method of measuring the cell edges at 5 GHz is very similar to the 2.4-GHz
recommendations. The values will vary slightly and the receivers are different.
Similarly to 2.4-GHz data networks, 10-dB padding is also included.

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Recommended Parameters for 5-GHz

802.11n, Channel Width 40 MHz
Rx Signal-to-
Data Rate Rx Threshold
Noise Ratio
300.0 -61 32
270.0 -62 31
240.0 -63 30
180.0 -67 26
120.0 -71 22
90.0 -74 19
60.0 -76 17
30.0 -79 14

In the figure, the 802.11n data rate and Rx threshold s were obtained from AirMagnet Survey
PRO. The 40-MHz chart can be used for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
The 2.4-GHz, 40-MHz channel is not recommended or supported by Cisco because there are
only three nonoverlapping channels.
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Create a Data Site Survey Project

This topic describes how to create a data site survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO. To create an
indoor site survey project, import a site map and specify some physical properties of the site.
Survey Screen UI Components

Map Media Menu
Window Type Bar
Tool
Bar
Project
Window
Refresh
Legend
Navigation
Data Bar
Window
To launch AirMagnet Survey PRO, navigate to Start > All Programs > AirMagnet Survey >
Survey. When prompted to load a prepared image to learn how to use Survey, click Yes or No.
The Survey user interface components include the following:

Project Window: Shows the components of the current project in separate folders. Its
contents vary, depending on the screen selected. The options apply only to the Survey,
Display, and MultiFloor screens.
Data Window: Provides controls for performing site surveys or data analyses. The Survey
screen shows real-time RF data as it is captured during a survey; the Display screen shows
the channel and Service Set Identifier (SSID) structure of the RF environment based on
collected data and an overview of the site map.
Map Window: Displays the floor map of the current project, along with data you choose to
display.
Navigation Bar: Allows you to navigate to different screens of the application.
Menu Bar: Contains three menu groups: File, View, and Help. The content of the File and
View menus varies, depending on the screen that you choose.
Toolbar: Contains all the tools that AirMagnet Survey offers. The tools on the Toolbar
vary, depending on the screen that you choose.
Legend: Allows you to use various color schemes or patterns to tailor the graphical display
and analysis of survey results.
Media Type: This button is available only on the Survey and Display screens.

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Survey screen: Allows you to choose the media type (for example, 802.11 a/b/g, FCC 4.9,
promiscuous mode) by which data will be collected.
Display screen: Reflects the media type of the data displayed on the screen.
Refresh button: Allows you to update the data display on the screen .
The Navigation Bar
The navigation bar serves as a launching pad for the various screens and utilities that
AirMagnet Survey offers. It allows you to navigate through the major user interfaces of the
program when you click the button. However, the options on the navigation bar vary,
depending on the version of the software (PRO versus Standard). The figure shows the Survey
PRO navigation bar, which includes these utilities:
Planner: Opens AirMagnet Planner, which allows you to diagram your site before
deployment in order to determine optimal base station configuration.
Survey: Opens the Survey screen, which allows you to perform site surveys to collect RF
data on a WLAN site. By default, AirMagnet Survey opens in the Survey screen.
Display: Opens the Display screen, where you can view and analyze RF data collected
during site surveys.
Simulation: Allows you to conduct data simulation on signal coverage.
AirWISE: Allows you to access advice on access point deployment based on RF data
collected during site surveys.
Multi View: Allows you to display and analyze RF data collected from sites with multiple
floors so that you can visualize the interrelationship among the access points across the
floors.
Reports: Opens the Reports screen, which allows you to generate reports based on the
selected survey data.
Tools: Opens the Tools screen, which allows you to perform some basic troubleshooting
using the built-in active tools.
Calculator: Opens the Calculator screen, which allows you to calculate various parameters
crucial for WLAN deployment.
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New Project Wizard

Enter:
Project Name
Project Directory
Click Next
To create a new Survey project for an indoor site survey, follow these steps:
Step 1 From the toolbar, select the Project Wizard icon or from the Main Menu, navigate to
File > New Project.
Step 2 In the Specify Project Name text box, enter a unique name for the new project.
Step 3 To save the project to the default location, click Next. The New Project Wizard
screen refreshes.

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New Project Wizard (Cont.)

Import floor plan image
If known, enter floor
plan dimensions
If not known, use the
calibration tool later
(recommended)
Click Next
Step 4 Click Import Indoor Floor Plan Image to locate and import the site map of the
location where surveys will be conducted.
Step 5 For Unit of Measurement, choose Feet or Meters in the drop-down menu.
Step 6 For Floor Plan Dimensions, enter the width and length of the site map.
Note Dimension refers to the entire area covered by the site map. It may or may not be the same
as the dimension of the facility that resides on the site. If you are not sure of the exact width
or length, you may enter the approximate values and then let AirMagnet Survey recalibrate
the values for you later.
Step 7 Click Next. The New Project Wizard screen refreshes.
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Select your survey
environment
Enter your Signal
propagation assessment
(default recommended)
Enter AP default power
Click Next
Step 8 For Survey Environment, enable an option that resembles the site environment
where the survey is to be conducted.
Step 9 For Signal Propagation Assessment, do nothing (normally), because AirMagnet

Survey can automatically assign the value according to the site environment that you
choose.
Note AirMagnet Survey assigns the Signal Propagation Assessment value based on the estimate
of the distance that RF signals could travel in each of these typical site environments.
Normally, it is recommended that the user accept the default value that the program assigns.
However, if you want to set a value of your own, you should be aware that the value you
enter will affect the way the program interpolates site data.
Step 10 For AP Default Power, do nothing (normally).
Note If you know the value of the access point power, enter it now. The value will be used when
conducting data simulation.
Step 11 Click Next. The New Project Wizard screen refreshes.

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Enter any
descriptive text
Click Finish
Step 12 In the Enter Descriptive Text field, type a brief description of the project. This field
is optional.
Step 13 Click Finish. The newly created Survey project will automatically appear in the
project window, and the site map will be displayed in the map window.
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Project Created
You can create as many projects as needed by following the same procedure. By default, a new
project will automatically open on the Survey screen as soon as it is created.
Recalibrate Map
Select the
calibration tool
Take a known
measurement of
the floor. Click
Recalibrate
Click OK
To calibrate the floor plan, use a measuring wheel to measure the distance in one of the rooms.
Then using the Calibration Tool, you can calibrate your floor plan. This will calibrate the floor
plan to the actual size if it was unknown before.

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Survey Screen UI Components

Map Media Menu
Window Type Bar
Tool
Bar
Project
Window
Refresh
Legend
Data
Window Navigation Bar
The Survey screen is used for conducting WLAN site surveys, which are used for collecting RF
data in the airwaves over the site. After a Survey project is created, it will be automatically
opened on the Display screen. The same thing happens when you open a Survey project that
you have created earlier.
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Select Media
802.11a
80211g
802.11ag
FCC 4.9
On the top of the Survey screen is the media type button, which shows a drop-down menu
when you mouse over it. It allows you to choose the media type by which the data are
transmitted in the airwaves. It offers the following options:
802.11a: Selecting 802.11a allows the wireless network card to scan data from 802.11a
access points only. 802.11a access points use RF channels 36 and above.
802.11g: Selecting 802.11g allows the wireless network card to scan data from 802.11b/g
access points. 802.11g access points use RF channels 1 through 14.
802.11a/g: Selecting 802.11a/g allows the wireless network card to scan data from
802.11a/b/g access points.
4.9 GHz: The FCC 4.9-GHz band is solely used for US Public Safety. This mode will only
work with a TRENDnet wireless adapter.
A/P Mode: Associated promiscuous mode works only with supported Intel wireless cards.
This mode allows your network card to recognize all network traffic that it comes in
contact with.
Note Although AirMagnet Survey supports all these Wi-Fi standards, it is highly recommended
that you choose a media type before you start on a site survey. This will enable you to
concentrate your individual surveys on access points using a specific type of media.

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Survey Screen File Menu
After the media type is chosen, you need to choose one of the following from the Survey screen
File menu:
New Project: Opens the New Project Wizard window, where you can create a new Survey
project. It works in the same way as Project Wizard on the toolbar.
Open: Opens an existing Survey project. It works in the same way as Open Project on the
toolbar.
Save: Saves changes made to the current project. It works in the same way as Save on the
toolbar.
Close Project: Closes the current project.
Configure: Opens the Survey Configuration dialog box, where you can configure the
following parameters on AirMagnet Survey: Settings, Color, 802.11, Scan, MapPoint.
Print: Opens the Print dialog box, where you can print the current project.
Print Preview: Allows you to preview what is going to be printed.
Print Setup: Opens the Print Setup dialog box, where you can choose paper options.
Recent Projects: This section lists the most recently opened Survey projects.
Exit: Allows you to exit from AirMagnet Survey.
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Survey Screen View Menu
The Survey screen View file menu includes the following options:
Zoom In: Enlarges the view of the current floor map in the map window. It works in the
same way as Zoom In on the toolbar.
Zoom Out: Reduces the view of current floor map in the map window. It works in the
same way as Zoom Out on the toolbar.
Zoom to Fit: Fits the current floor map to the map window. It works in the way as Zoom
Fit on the toolbar.
Zoom to Actual Size: Fits the current floor map to its actual print scale. It works in the
same way as Zoom to Actual Size on the toolbar.
Set Zoom: Opens the Set Zoom dialog box, where you can specify the specific ratio at
which the view of the map can be increased.
Project Properties: Opens the Project Properties window, where you can adjust the
physical properties of the floor map of the survey site.
AP/Path Name Font: Opens the Font window, where you can modify the font properties
of APs and survey paths on the floor map.
Show Rules: Allows you to show or hide the rulers along the edge of the map window.
Show Grids: Allows you to show or hide grids in the map window.
Show Toolbar: Allows you to show or hide the Toolbar.
Show Legend: Allows you to show or hide the Legend.
Copy: Allows you to copy what is in the map window and paste it into any application that
supports copy-and-paste.

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Survey Screen Toolbar
Project Wizard GPS or Manual Mode
Open Project Save

Configuration Measure Mode
Start Survey Stop
Pause Survey Retract

Zoom In Zoom Out
Zoom Fit Survey Zoom
The Survey screen toolbar includes the following options:

Project Wizard: Opens the New Project Wizard, where you can create a new Survey
project.
Open Project: Opens an existing Survey (.svp) file.
Configuration: Opens the Survey Configuration window.
GPS or Manual Mode: Allows you to switch between GPS-aided survey and regular
survey.
Save: Saves changes that you have made.
Measure Mode: Allows you to recalibrate site dimensions to suit your location.
Start Survey: Starts a new survey.
Stop Survey: Ends the current survey.
Pause: Stops the survey momentarily.
Retract: Erases unwanted survey paths for the current survey, one step backward at each
click. Choosing another data point on the site map will resume the survey.
Zoom In: Enlarges the view of the site map.
Zoom Out: Reduces the view of the site map.
Zoom Fit: Fits the site map to the Map window.
Survey Zoom: Covers the screen with the Map window.
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Survey Screen Project Window

Displays the following:
Site map
Active survey paths
Passive survey paths
Access points
The Project window displays all the components of the current projects. Its contents vary
slightly depending on the screen option that is being used.
The Survey screen Project window contains the following components:

Site Map: Contains all the site maps for the Survey project. To choose a site map, put a
check mark in the check box in front of the map file. The selected map will be displayed in
the Map window. By default, a site map is automatically selected and displayed when a
new project is created, or when an existing project is opened.
Survey Path: Contains all the survey paths recorded during a site survey. You can have as
many survey paths in the folder as you recorded, and you can display as many of them as
necessary. To display a survey path, check the check box in front of the survey path file.
AP: Contains all the access points against which active surveys are conducted. You can
have as many access points as recorded and display as many of them as necessary. To
display an access point, put a check mark in the check box in front of the access point file.
Note By right-clicking on the Survey screen Project window, you can delete or check or uncheck
all.

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Active Survey Screen Data Window
Active or
Passive (Selectable)
AP or SSID AP Name or MAC
(Selectable) Address (Selectable)
Associated
AP Status
Signal, Noise, Packet Size (Selectable)

and Signal-to- Delay in ms (Selectable)
Noise Display
Packet Status
The Active Survey data window includes the following parameters:

Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID): The name and MAC address of the associated
access point
SSID: The name of the network to which the associated access point belongs
Speed: The rates (Mb/s) at which packets are transmitted
Channel: The radio channel that the access point uses to send and receive RF signals
Signal: The signal strength for the received packets; the higher the value, the stronger the
signal
Noise: The level of background radio frequency energy in the 2.4- or 5-GHz band; the
lower the value, the less the noise
S/N: The signal-to-noise ratio; compares the signal data to the amount of ambient noise
Packet Size: The size of the packet transmitted in bytes
Delay: The delay in milliseconds between successive transmissions
Roaming Option: Allows you to set the roaming criteria for the survey
Bytes: The number of bytes (of data) transmitted per second
Packets/s: The number of packets (of data) transmitted per second
Lost: The percentage and number of packets that were not transmitted successfully from
the access point
Retry: The percentage and number of packets that were resent if an acknowledgment
(ACK) was not returned by the access point
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Passive Survey Data Window

The Survey data window in
passive mode displays the
following:
Channel
MAC address or name of access
point
Signal strength
Noise
SNR
SSID (if known)
Current access point count
Max displayed access points
The passive Survey data window includes the following parameters:

Channel: The RF channel all access points are using as captured by the wireless network
card
MAC Address: The MAC addresses of all the access points
Signal Strength: The signal strength of all received packets
Noise Level: The level of background RF energy in the 2.4- or 5-GHz band; the lower the
value, the less the noise
Signal/Noise Ratio: The difference between signal strength and noise level
SSID: The name of the network to which an access point belongs
Current AP Count: The number of access points detected
Max Displayed APs: The number of rows that the table will display

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Survey Screen Map Window
The figure shows the Map window on the Survey screen, with a site map in it. A map will
appear in the Map window only when it is selected (checked) in the Project window.
Otherwise, the screen will be blank. By default, a site map will automatically open in the Map
window when you open a Survey project. Before starting a site survey, it is important to make
sure that the project or site map matches the location to be surveyed.
After a survey is started, information such as access point locations, survey paths, and data
collection points may also appear on the map.
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Survey Configuration
Survey Configuration screen
Settings
Color
802.11
Scan
MapPoint (For outdoor
surveys)
Your survey results are affected by AirMagnet Survey settings. Therefore, it is highly
recommended that you configure the parameters in a way that allows you to achieve what you
intend to accomplish. The configuration of AirMagnet Survey is conducted in the Survey
Configuration window, which can be accessed through one of following:
From the Main Menu, navigate to File > Configure.
From the Toolbar, choose the hammer icon.
The figure shows the Survey Configuration screen, which contains five tabs across the top of
the screen, each representing a specific task for configuring the application.
Settings Tab
The options on the Settings tab define the way that data is collected during a survey. The
Settings tab includes the following parameters:
Ignore APs Whose Max Discovered Signal Strength Is Less Than: Specify a threshold
value for access point signal strength. Access points whose signal strength falls below that
value will be ignored. The value of signal strength ranges from 0 (strongest) to -100
(weakest).
Hide Ignored Access Point: If enabled, access points whose maximum signal strength
falls below the threshold will not be shown in the Channel/SSID Tree in the Display screen.
Auto Logging Data Period: Enter a value in seconds. This allows you to set the automatic
data sampling interval. The default value is once per second.
Beep When Logging Data: If selected, AirMagnet Survey will beep each time that it logs
data. It serves as an indicator that Survey is working properly. The frequency of the
beeping depends on the data sampling interval.

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Auto Sampling Through Path: If selected, AirMagnet Survey will automatically mark
data sampling points on the site map, which are represented by the red dots along the
survey path. The data sampling interval will be determined by the value specified in Auto
Logging Data Period.
Sampling On Click Only: If selected, AirMagnet Survey will sample data only when you
choose the site map.
Auto Position APS with Signal Strength Greater Than: If you choose this option, you
may also need to set a signal strength value in the space below. AirMagnet Survey will
automatically place the access points that meet your specification in their optimal locations
on the site map.
Prompt for Refresh After AP Location Change: If enabled, AirMagnet Survey will
prompt you to refresh the screen each time that you reposition an access point.
Enable Survey Range Indicator: If enabled, AirMagnet Survey will automatically mark
the survey data sampling range (radius) as you choose the site map.
Enable GPS Port: If enabled, the Configure button will be enabled so that you can
configure Global Positioning System (GPS) settings.
Ch Interference Setting: Opens the Interference dialog box, where you can configure the
minimum values of access point signals that the program will take into account when
calculating signal interference and noise.
Data Proc Option: Opens the Data Processing Option dialog box, where you can
customize the resolution that the program uses to process data. This feature is used for
processing data on the Display screen.
Spectrum Analyzer: Choosing this button will open the Spectrum Analyzer dialog box,
where you can choose to show or hide the Spectrum Analyzer window, which, if enabled,
will appear below the Map window on the Survey and Display screens.
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Channel Interference
Default settings for
interfered and interfering
are -67 and -87
Parameter adjustable
The definitions of signal interference and noise are rather subjective. They may vary from
person to person, depending on perception and level of tolerance. For instance, –67 dBm or –87
dBm may be considered as interference or noise by one person but be considered acceptable by
another.
The Ch Interference Setting button allows you to specify the minimum value that the program
should consider as interference or noise when calculating these parameters. Once specified, any
signal from an adjacent access point that falls below the value will not be considered as
interference or noise by the program.

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Signal to Speed Mapping Table
Clicking the Speed Map button brings up the Signal To Speed Mapping Table, which allows
users to specify speed transmission information for the card in use. This is important for speed
data calculated for passive or virtual surveys.
The values displayed in the speed mapping table relate to the minimum signal strength required
in order to transmit data at a given speed. For example, the default value for transmitting at 6
Mb/s for 802.11g traffic is –86 dBm.
Note The default values provided in the table are based on Receive Radio sensitivity values for
most wireless cards. You should only modify values that do not match those of the wireless
adapter in use.
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Configuring Legend Color Screen

The Color tab allows you
to choose how colors are
displayed.
Color Tab
This feature allows you to set and change the color scheme on the Legend, which will affect the
color scheme displayed in the Map window on the screen. The Color tab includes the following
parameters:
Color Scheme: Choose one of the color schemes. Each radio button represents a color
scheme, which affects the overall color scheme of the Legend. Your selection will be
automatically reflected on the Legend after you click OK.
Outline Color: Change any of the color values (Red, Green, Blue), or click Choose Color
to choose a color from the Color box. This option affects the color of the border around
areas (for example, cells) covered by different access points.
Automatic Contrast Adjustment: If selected, AirMagnet Survey will automatically adjust
the color contrast as you drag the color box up or down the Legend.
Granular Color Bar Selection: If selected, AirMagnet Survey will change the color shade
one grade at a time as you drag the color box up or down the Legend.

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Configuring 802.11 Parameters

The 802.11 tab lets you configure
for a select network SSID.
When you configure for a select
SSID, all the parameters on this
tab will be applied to the wireless
network card, including security.
802.11 Tab
Depending on the security mechanism of the WLAN, you may be asked to provide the network
security settings (for example, Wired Equivalent Privacy [WEP], Lightweight Extensible
Authentication Protocol [LEAP]) in order to collect data on a specific access point that you are
associating with while conducting an active survey. In this situation, no site survey can be
conducted unless you provide the correct security settings of the access point.
The 802.11 tab includes the following parameters:

SSID: Choose ANY (default) if you do not have a specific SSID to associate with. Choose
an SSID if you want to associate with that SSID. When the active tools, such as DHCP or
ping, try to associate with a specific access point within a given SSID, all the parameters
configured in this screen for this SSID will be applied to the wireless network card.
Network Type: Choose either Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc.
TX Rate: Choose the transmission rate that AirMagnet Survey will use.
Channel: Choose a channel. This option will be available only when Ad-Hoc network type
is selected.
Packet Retries: Choose a maximum number of transmission retries at the 802.11 protocol
level.
RTS Threshold: Choose a threshold of packet length to trigger the use of the 802.11
Ready to Send/Clear to Send (RTS/CTS) mechanism.
Frag. Threshold: Choose an 802.11 frame fragmentation threshold.
Power Save Mode: Choose Active or Power Save (mode).
Preamble Mode: Choose Long or Short (802.11 preamble mode).
Auth. Algorithm: Choose Open or Shared Key (authentication).
Country: Specify the country where the survey is conducted.
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Delete: Click Delete to remove the SSID.

Default: Click Default to restore the configuration to factory default.
Authentication: Opens the Wireless Authentication dialog.
Advanced: Opens the Advanced Driver Settings dialog box, where you can configure
LEAP and 802.11a regulatory domain.
Calibration: Opens the RF Calibration dialog box to allow you to calibrate the SSID.
Configuring Authentication Mechanism

Some WLANs may require authentication if you want to use your AirMagnet Survey to
conduct an active survey on the network. AirMagnet Survey provides the following
authentication options:
WEP
LEAP
Host-based EAP
Wi-Fi Protected Access pre-shared key (WPA PSK)

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Channel Scan
For AirMagnet to collect data on
a channel, ensure that channel is
enabled in the Scan tab.
You can set the following:
– Enable All
– Clear All
– Reset
– Select Country Code Channels
– Extended
– Scan Time
Scan Tab
Configuring channel scan settings allows you to specify the channels that you want the wireless
network card to scan and to set the scan frequency.
In order for AirMagnet Survey to record data from the channels of interest, make sure that you
have the scan feature enabled for those channels using this screen. A common reason that no
data are recorded for a specific channel is the fact that the scan feature is not enabled on that
channel.
The Survey Scan tab includes the following parameters:

Enable All: Enables all channels, if you want to scan all channels
Clear All: Disables all channels
Reset: Resets to factory default settings
Scan Time: Sets the scan interval time
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Extended Channel Scanning Settings for

802.11a
You have the option to scan extended channels that are
not normally used but may be used by hackers to attack
the network.
Extended channels refer to the 802.11a channels not normally used by most businesses or
countries. You can scan only the standard country channels by clicking the Select Country
Code Channels button. However, since hackers and outside sources may not always choose to
attack from the usual channels, you may scan the extended ones that are normally unused by
clicking the Extended button.
You may configure as many channels as you desire for 802.11a scanning. Survey will include
the channels you choose here in its scanning process along with the standard channels. Further,
you can use the tools at the bottom of the dialog box to customize how Survey scans the
channels that you do not check.
During a normal scan, Survey will scan the standard channels and the extended channels that
you choose. It will then scan a number of the 802.11a channels that you do not have selected,
which you can control using the Scan Time and Scan Window options at the bottom. Scan time
refers to the amount of time spent on the scan, and the window is the number of channels
scanned at a time. After your specified window of channels has been scanned, Survey will
rescan the standard channels and then continue with the extended channels.

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Conducting a Site Survey with AirMagnet
Open Project
To create an indoor site survey project, import a site map and specify some physical properties
of the site. To conduct a preinstallation site survey, complete the following steps:
Step 1 Go to the site with a PC that is loaded with the following:

AirMagnet Survey or Survey PRO (Recommended).
A wireless network card (inserted in the wireless network card slot).
A Survey project. It is recommended that you have the Survey projects created
ahead of time so that you can make sure that the site map is accurate and is of
good resolution.
Step 2 Upon arrival at the survey site, place the access point at one of the possible
mounting locations.
Step 3 Start AirMagnet Survey by navigating to Start > All Programs > AirMagnet Survey
> Survey. This will launch AirMagnet Survey.
Step 4 Choose Open Project from the toolbar. Then find and open the Survey project file
(.svp) of interest. The selected project file appears in the Project window and the site
map will display in the Map window.
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Configure AirMagnet Survey PRO

This topic describes how to configure AirMagnet Survey PRO. Your survey results are affected
by the AirMagnet Survey settings. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you configure the
application parameters in a way that allows you to achieve what you intend to accomplish.
Configuring AirMagnet Survey PRO

Select Media Type
Choose the hammer to configure
SSID and the power settings.
To configure AirMagnet Survey PRO, follow these steps:

Step 1 If the project has more than one site map, choose the map that you want to display in
the Map window (if it is not already opened).
Step 2 Choose the media type tab and then select a media type from the drop-down menu.
Step 3 Choose the hammer in the toolbar to get to the configuration menu.

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Configuring AirMagnet Survey PRO (Cont.)
Select the SSID of the survey access point.
Click Advanced to set the wireless adapter

power setting to match the survey access point.
Step 4 Select the 802.11 tab.
Step 5 From the drop-down menu, choose the SSID of the access point with which you are
performing the site survey.
Step 6 Click the Advanced button.
Step 7 In the Advanced Driver Settings dialog box, choose the matching power setting that
you have set on the access point.
Note Depending on the client, the power settings may not always match. Try to set them as close
as possible.
Step 8 Click Apply.
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Configuring AirMagnet Survey PRO

(Cont.)
Select Channel Width
Highest 802.11n speeds
achieved using channel
bonding (40-MHz
channels)
For 802.11n surveys, the highest throughput is achieved by using channel bonding (combining
two channels). You must set this on both the client and the access point to enable it.
To select 40-MHz channels, follow these steps:

Step 1 Select the Settings tab.
Step 2 Check the PHY Data Rate Map check box.
Step 3 Select the 802.11n tab.

Step 4 From the Channel Width drop-down menu, select 40 MHz.
Step 5 Click OK.
Step 6 Click OK.

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Access Point Setup Example

Express Setup page:
– Host Name: survey1
– Static IP address: 192.168.1.100
– Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
– Role in Radio Network: Access Point
SSID Manager page under Security tab:
– SSID: survey1
– Interface SSID to be applied: Radio1-802.11n 5 GHz
– Client Authentication Settings: Open Authentication
The figure shows an access point setup as an example of Cisco IOS GUI.
The Express Setup page includes these parameters:

Host Name: survey1
Static IP address: 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Role in Radio Network: Access Point
The SSID Manager page (under the Security tab) includes these parameters:
SSID: survey1
Interface SSID to be applied: Radio1-802.11n 5 GHz
Client Authentication Settings: Open Authentication
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Access Point Setup Example (Cont.)

Secure username and password for access point (recommended)
Encryption (optional, but recommended)
Radio interface page
Select Radio1-802.11n 5 GHz
Select Settings tab
– Enable radio
– Role in Radio Network: access point
– Data Rates: Disable all data rates under 24.0 Mb/s
– Require 24.0 Mb/s
– OFDM Transmitter Power (dBm): 11
– Client Power (dBm): –11
– Default Radio Channel: 161 - 5805
– Set Channel Width to Above 40 MHz
Access Point Secure User Name and Password (Recommended): This will keep any
pranksters from taking control of your survey access point while you are conducting your
survey.
Encryption (Optional but Recommended): Encryption will more than likely be applied
to the WLAN. AirMagnet supports the following authentication and encryption types:
— Authentication
LEAP
Host-based EAP
WPA PSK
— Encryption
WEP
WPA Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)
Note 802.11n security is WPA2 only, which is currently not supported by AirMagnet, so encryption
is not enabled for 802.11n surveys.
Radio Interface page includes the following:

— Enable Radio
— Role in Radio Network: Access point
— Data Rates: Disable all data rates under 24.0 Mb/s
— Require 24.0 Mb/s
— OFDM Transmitter Power (dBm): 11
— Client Power (dBm): 11

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— Default Radio Channel: 161 - 5805 GHz

— Set Channel Width to above 40 MHz
— All other settings for this page should be left at default
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Conduct the Survey

This topic describes how to conduct a data site survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO. AirMagnet
Survey PRO can be operated in two survey modes: active and passive. They are used for
different purposes.
Conducting a Site Survey with AirMagnet

Perform two types of surveys:
– Pre- and post-installation, also termed audit or verification
of pre-installation survey
Three survey modes:
– Active: Used to send data and retrieve data from the access
point recording signal levels, retries, lost packets, and so on
– Active with Iperf for greenfield survey:
Two modes of operation:
– AP mode: For surveying a single access point
– SSID mode: For surveying a network of access points
– Passive: Used to capture all 802.11 traffic in an environment,
normally not SSID-specific
AirMagnet Survey can be used for both pre- and postinstallation WLAN surveys to collect RF
data on the site. The surveys can be performed without having access points permanently
installed in their locations. In addition, there is no need to adjust channels from the access
points prior to a survey because AirMagnet Survey allows you to do channel separation when
analyzing the data in the Display screen, where you can change channel allocation when a
suitable channel combination is identified through channel simulation. This saves both time and
resources that would otherwise be required for a conventional site survey.
AirMagnet Survey can be operated in three survey modes: active, active with Iperf for
greenfield survey, and passive. They are used for different purposes.
In an active survey mode, the wireless network card actively associates itself with the selected
access point or SSID, sending and receiving RF packets to and from the access point or SSID.
Selecting a specific access point will let the wireless network card associate only with that
access point, whereas selecting an SSID will let it associate with the access point that has the
strongest RF signal within the SSID group.

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Active with Iperf survey mode allows AirMagnet Survey PRO to sync with an Iperf server to
test throughput on the uplink and downlink. These up and down data rates are displayed in the
data window when the survey is active.
In a passive survey mode, the wireless network card does not associate itself with any particular
access point or SSID. Instead, it simply listens to the RF data moving through the site, detecting
and recording all RF signals and noises in the environment. By default, AirMagnet Survey
opens in the active survey mode when it is operated in Survey screen.
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Overview for Conducting Preinstallation

Site Surveys
Select placement of the first access point.
Watch your signal level and try to find the cell edge for the data
rate that you are surveying for.
Walk the coverage area clockwise for one survey capture and
counter-clockwise for the second survey capture.
Save the survey data at the end of each survey.
Continue adding access points as needed until the floor or facility
is covered with 10 to 15 percent overlap.
Preinstallation survey procedures can be summarized as follows:

Determine the possible locations where an access point should be placed.
Place the access point in the most desirable location, and conduct as many active surveys as
needed to ensure that the access point intended coverage area is fully covered by the
surveys. Save the survey data at the end of each survey; you may end up having several
active survey data files for the access point at one location.
Repeat until the facility is covered.
Remember to save the survey data at the end of each survey.

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Overview for Conducting Preinstallation

Site Surveys (Cont.)
Conduct one passive survey of the floor or facility with the SSID
set to Any.
After you have completed coverage of the floor or facility, merge
the survey data.
Merge the survey data by access point.
– Then merge the merged access point data files.
– Finally, merge the merged access point data file with the
passive survey data file.
After you have completed the survey, review the data for proper
placement of additional access points to fill in any null areas.
Conduct one passive survey with the SSID set to Any, and save the survey data.
Switch AirMagnet Survey to the Display screen, and merge all the active and passive
survey data files.
Note For better results, it is recommend that (1) you merge the active survey data files collected
at each location first, (2) then merge the merged active survey data files from all locations,
(3) and then merge the passive survey data file with the merged active survey data file that
included active survey data from all locations. This will provide you with the most
comprehensive RF data about the access point and the site environment.
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Conducting an Active Survey
Complete the following steps to conduct an active survey:
Step 1 From the Data window, check the Active (AP association) check box. From the
drop-down menu on the left, choose AP. Choose a specific AP from the drop-down
menu.
Step 2 Click the green arrow in the top right toolbar to begin the survey. A message box
pops up prompting you to specify the location of the access point.
Note This message box appears only when you are associating with a specific access point when
performing an active survey.
Step 3 Click Yes. An AP icon showing the name of the selected access point appears in the
Map window.

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Conducting an Active Survey (Cont.)
Choose the AP icon and drag

the AP to the location that
corresponds to its location on
the site. Then choose the
green arrow in the top right
tool bar to start surveying the
access point coverage area.
Step 4 Choose the AP icon, hold down the mouse button, and drag the access point to the
location that corresponds to its location on the site.
Step 5 Click the green arrow in the top right toolbar again. The survey resumes.
Step 6 If you need to take a break, click Pause. To restart the survey, select the next data
point.
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Step 7 Start walking around the intended coverage area for the access point and a little
beyond with your laptop. When you turn and move in a different direction, move the
survey guide to that point on the map and left-click.
Step 8 Click the round, red button to stop the survey after you have collected enough data
points. A window appears prompting you to save the survey data.
Step 9 Highlight the default name of the survey and type a unique name over it.
Step 10 Click OK. The newly recorded survey data will appear under Survey Path in the
project window.
Note The blue dotted line on the site map represents the survey path covered by a survey. The
blue dots indicate the data logging points that can be configured using File > Configure >
Settings, whereas the red dots indicate the place you choose on the site map.
Step 11 Place the same access point at the other potential locations, and repeat the steps to
complete as many active surveys as needed.

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Conducting a Passive Survey
Choose Passive Survey in the

drop-down list and the SSID of
ANY. Click the green arrow in
the upper left toolbar and re-
walk the survey area.
To perform a passive survey, complete these steps:
Step 1 From the Data window, choose Passive Survey from the Survey Type drop-down
list to perform a passive survey.
Note For best results, it is recommended leaving the SSID field to ANY while performing a
passive survey. This will enable you to collect comprehensive RF signal data from the site
environment.
Step 2 Take your laptop with you and conduct the passive survey around the perimeter of
the site, using the same techniques as described for the active surveys.
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Conducting a Passive Survey (Cont.)
Step 3 Click the red button in the top right toolbar when you have collected enough data.
Step 4 Save the survey data when prompted. Use a unique file name.

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Merge and Display Data

This topic describes how to merge and display data collected during the active and passive
survey. Each survey data file contains all the RF data recorded during a survey.
Display Data
Processing Data Merging Active and Passive Data
Each survey data file contains all the RF data recorded during a survey. By default, no survey
data will be displayed in the Map window when you switch to the Display screen. You need to
choose a survey data file to display it. Complete the following steps to display the data:
Choose the radio button in front of the data file. The Loading Data File window appears,
showing the various components of the file as they are being loaded. The data will be mapped
out in the Map window after the file is loaded. The time it takes to open a data file depends on
the size of the file. Some survey data files (for example, passive surveys) may take significantly
longer to load, mainly because of the enormous amount of data contained in those files.
Note For better results, it is recommend that (1) you merge the active survey data files collected
at each location, (2) then merge the merged active survey data files from all locations, (3)
and then merge the passive survey data file with the merged active survey data file that
included active survey data from all locations. This will provide you with the most
comprehensive RF data about the access point and the site environment.
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AP1 (Signal)
Place additional
access points
here and adjust
power to fill in
weak areas.
This figure illustrates the signal coverage area. The bottom left and top corners will need to
have additional access points added to fill in for the areas that have low signals. Adding an
access point to the conference room on the bottom left corner and adjusting the power to
stabilize that area of the building for a proper signal level is recommended.
AP Data Merge (Noise)
In this example, the noise recorded during the active surveys is low, which is good.

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AP Data Merge (SNR)
In this example, the SNR view looks similar to the signal view.
AP Data Rate (Speed)
The overall speed looks good. There are only a couple of spots where the speed is at 54 Mb/s,
shown in green. Access points 1 and 4 were surveyed with 20-MHz wide channels whereas
access points 2 and 3 were surveyed with 40-MHz wide channels. This is why the left side of
the building is at the higher data rates.
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AP Data Merge (Retry Rate)
Many retries at
802.11n
speeds
This example shows excessive retries. This might be common to 802.11n because of the
excessive speeds in play.
AP1 and AP 4 (Packet Loss Rate)
AP1 AP4
In this example, AP1 indicates that packets were lost, whereas AP 4 indicates that there were
no packets lost.

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Active and Passive Merged Files (Signal)
This is an example of the overall view of AP1 and AP4 active and passive surveys merged.
Also shown are the survey paths.
The access point settings included:
AP 1 2 3 4
Channel 165 161 153 40
Channel Width 20 MHz 40 MHz 40 MHz 20 MHz
dBm 11 5 11 5
Power 12 mW 3 mW 12 mW 3 mW
Client Power 20 mW 5 mW 20 mW 5 mW
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Generate a Report
This topic describes how to generate reports using the reports feature in AirMagnet Survey
PRO. AirMagnet Survey PRO can automatically convert any survey data shown on the Display
screen into a variety of data reports, which can be viewed, printed, or distributed from the
Reports screen.
Survey Reports
These reports are available:

Overall Coverage Report by Channel: Contains data about the overall RF signal
coverage on the selected channel
Overall Coverage Report by SSID: Contains data about the overall RF signal coverage of
the selected SSID
Overall Coverage Report by AP: Contains data about the overall RF signal coverage of
the selected access point
Per Channel Report: Contains signal data of the selected channel
Per SSID Report: Contains signal data of the selected SSID
Per AP Report: Contains signal data of the selected access point
Channel Interference Report: Contains data about the channel interference
AP Interference Report: Contains data about the interference between the access points
AirWISE Report: Shows data relating to the AirWISE screen
Spectrum Analyzer Report: Shows reports on Spectrum Analyzer data

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Summary
Summary
Different construction materials have different effects on RF
propagation.
The WLAN should be tested at peak user density.
The usable signal range is typically from –60 to –80 dBm.
To start an AirMagnet Survey project, you need a digital floor
plan of the facility.
AirMagnet Survey PRO can perform pre-site surveys and
postinstallation site surveys.
Higher data rates can be achieved by using channel bonding
(40-MHz wide channels).
AirMagnet Survey PRO has report generation capabilities.
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Lesson 4

Survey for Voice Applications
Overview
Before deploying the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 7921G or Cisco Unified Wireless IP
Phone 7925G into a production environment, a site survey must be completed. During the site
survey, the RF spectrum is analyzed to determine which channels are usable in the desired band
(2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). Typically, there is less interference in the 5-GHz band as well as more
nonoverlapping channels, so 5 GHz is the preferred band for operation. The site survey will
include heat maps showing the intended coverage plan for the location. The site survey will
also determine which access point platform type, antenna type, and access point configuration
(channel and transmit power) to use at the location.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to conduct a Layer 2 site survey for voice
applications using AirMagnet Survey PRO. This ability includes being able to meet these
objectives:
Describe the RF recommendations for a VoWLAN site survey for 2.4-GHz phones
Describe the RF recommendations for a VoWLAN site survey with 5-GHz phones
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IEEE 802.11b/g/n and VoWLAN Deployments

This topic describes the RF recommendations for a VoWLAN site survey for 2.4-GHz phones.
With the introduction of voice to a predominantly wireless data network, the methodology of
site surveys needs to be altered. Surveying for wireless voice coverage requires more effort and
time than for data-only coverage at the same site. A voice survey requires planning of coverage
plus the planning of capacity.
2.4-GHz Surveys for Voice

Data rates:
– Disable rates under 12 Mb/s
– If no 802.11b clients, disable data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9,
and 11 Mb/s.
Basic (required ) data rate is 12 Mb/s
– If 802.11b clients exist, disable data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, 6,
and 9 Mb/s.
Basic (required ) data rate is 11 Mb/s
– Set only the lowest data rate as the single basic rate for
multicast traffic.
– Capacity and throughput are reduced when lower rates
are enabled.
You should disable rates below 12 Mb/s for IEEE 802.11b/g deployments, in which capacity
and range are factored in for best results. If 802.11b clients are not allowed in the WLAN, you
should disable data rates of 1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mb/s. When 802.11b clients exist in the wireless
network, an 802.11b rate must be enabled and only an 802.11b rate can be configured as a basic
rate. In this case, you should enable the data rates 11 Mb/s and higher. The table shows the
recommended data rate configuration.
802.11 Mode Basic (Mandatory) Data Supported (Optional) Disabled Data

Rates Data Rates Rates
802.11b 11 Mb/s None 1, 2, and 5.5 Mb/s
802.11g 12 Mb/s 18 to 54 Mb/s 6 an 9 Mb/s
802.11b/g 11 Mb/s 12 to 54 Mb/s 1, 2, and 5.5 Mb/s
Note Some environments may require that you enable a lower rate due to use of legacy clients,
environmental factors, or maximum range as required. Set only the lowest data rate enabled
as the single basic rate. Multicast packets will be sent at the highest basic data rate enabled.
Note that capacity and throughput are reduced when lower rates are enabled.
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2.4-GHz Surveys for Voice (Cont.)

Call capacity
– 802.11a and 802.11g can support up to 27 bidirectional RTP
streams at 24 Mb/s.
– 13 bidirectional RTP streams can be supported at 6 Mb/s.
– The number of calls depends on the data rate and channel
utilization.
– Using U-APSD instead of PS-Poll provides higher capacity.
You should design the network to accommodate the desired call capacity.
The access point can support up to 27 bidirectional Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP)
streams for both 802.11a and 802.11g at a data rate of 24 Mb/s or greater. To achieve this
capacity, you must use unscheduled automatic power-save delivery (U-APSD) and have
minimal WLAN background traffic and RF utilization.
The number of calls may vary depending on the data rate, initial channel utilization, and the
environment. At 6 Mb/s, the access point can support up to 13 bidirectional RTP streams.
Using U-APSD instead of power save poll (PS-Poll) provides higher call capacity because U-
APSD is more efficient and has limited management overhead.

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DTPC
– If using autonomous APs, set the client power to 20 mW or 25 mW and the AP
Tx power to the power nearest to 20 mW or 25 mW. Do not default settings to
max on AP or DTPC will not function.
– If using lightweight APs, set the AP Tx power to the power nearest to 20 mW
or 25 mW.
– In the beacons and probe responses, the autonomous APs advertise the Tx
power set in the client Tx power field.
– In the beacons and probe responses, the lightweight APs advertise the current
Tx power of the AP.
– To minimize the chance of one-way audio at an RF level, try to maintain a
balance in signal levels between the AP and phone.
– By default, the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone uses Tx power advertised in
the beacons and probe responses.
Cisco recommends using Dynamic Transmit Power Control (DTPC) for all clients. Many
clients, such as Vocera and Ploycom SpectraLink, do not use DTPC. In such a case Cisco
recommends using a power level between 20 and 25 milliwatt (mW) on the access point and
having the client devices configured to a matching power level, or a slightly higher power level
if there is no matching power level. Therefore, if the access point is set to 25 mW and the client
does not have a 25-mW power level, set the client to 30 mW, which is the Cisco
recommendation for 2.4 GHz.
Most sites that have 5 GHz enabled are trying to use the access point to cover with 5 GHz the
same coverage as the 2.4-GHz coverage. Cisco recommends that the 5-GHz power level set on
the access point matches the highest power level of the phone client. In the case of the Cisco
Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921 and 7925, that power level will be 40 mW.
The 5-GHz Cisco phone has a receive sensitivity of 18 Mb/s that is equal to the receive
sensitivity of the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 792x at 11 Mb/s. The 5-GHz channels
typically have 5 dB or more lower noise floor, so the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is favorable.
The IEEE 802.11n access points from Cisco will improve the 5-GHz performance of the 5-GHz
side of the Unified Wireless IP Phones 792xx, making the coverage area on the 5-GHz side
even more likely to match that of 2.4-GHz 802.11b.
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Nonoverlapping channels
– Use channels 1, 6, and 11 (North America)
– Use channel 14 as a fourth nonoverlapping channel (Japan)
A total of 14 channels are defined in the 802.11b/g channel set. Each channel is 22-MHz wide,
but the channel separation is only 5 MHz. This leads to channel overlap, so that signals from
neighboring channels can interfere with each other.
In North America, channels 1, 6, and 11 are the three usable nonoverlapping channels for
access points and wireless endpoint devices. In Japan, the nonoverlapping usable channels for
802.11b are 1, 6, and 11. Channel 14 can be used as the fourth nonoverlapping channel.

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20 percent overlap per cell
– This ensures good handoff between access points on adjacent
channels.
Each cell in the network should overlap with the adjacent cells in order to facilitate
uninterrupted handoff as a client moves between cells, and to provide a minimum service even
in case of access point failure. When deploying phones in an 802.11b/g environment, you must
use nonoverlapping channels and allow at least 20 percent overlap between adjacent channels.
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Signal strength and
coverage
– –67 dBm cell
edges, 25 dB SNR
– Ensure PER no
higher than 1
percent
– Design WLAN for
24 Mb/s; 36 to 54
Mb/s can optionally
be enabled
– 19 dBm of
separation for
same channel cells
PER = packet error rate
At the edge of each voice cell, the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurement
should be –67 dBm or higher, and there should be a separation between adjacent access point
channels of –86 dBm if you are using a Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 7921G. The –67 dBm
threshold is a general recommendation for achieving a packet error of 1 percent, which requires
an SNR value of 25 dB (92-dBm noise level) with a –67 dBm signal being maintained.
When you survey a site without an installed 802.11 network, plan to use two or three access
points to measure cell coverage and cell overlap. The cell edge for the Cisco Unified Wireless
IP Phone 7921G at the 11-Mb/s data rate is –67 dBm. The signal strength at the edge of that
cell must be 19 dB weaker than the signal from the next cell on the same channel. That means
that at the –67 dBm edge of the cell, the next cell on the same channel should measure –86
dBm, as shown in the figure.
To achieve maximum capacity and throughput, the WLAN should be designed to 24 Mb/s.
Higher data rates (36 to 54 Mb/s) can optionally be enabled.
You should set the minimum data rate to 11 or 12 Mb/s for the 2.4-GHz band (dependent upon
802.11b client support policy) and 12 Mb/s for the 5-GHz band, which should also be the only
rate configured as a basic rate.

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Access Point Configuration

Security > SSID Manager
Enter SSID, enable Radio0-802.11N, 2.4GHz, Open Authentication, NO ADDITION
To configure the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point for a 2.4-GHz voice site survey,
follow these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Security > SSID Manager.

Step 2 In the Service Set Identifier (SSID) text box, enter the SSID.
Step 3 Check the Radio0-802.11N, 2.4GHz Interface check box.
Step 4 Ensure that Open Authentication with NO ADDITION is checked.

Step 5 Click Apply.
Step 6 Click OK.
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Access Point Configuration (Cont.)

Network Interfaces > Radio0-802.11N2.4 GHz > Settings
Enable Radio
Step 7 Navigate to Network Interfaces > Radio0-802.11N, 2.4 GHz > Settings. Click the
Enable radio button after Enable Radio to enable the radio interface.
Step 8 Click the Access Point radio button for the Role in Radio Network.
Step 9 In the Data Rates pane, click the Require radio button for 12.0Mb/sec.
Step 10 Click the Enable radio buttons for 18.0Mb/sec through 54.0Mb/sec.
Step 11 Disable the 1 through 11.0Mb/sec. by clicking the Disable radio buttons.
Step 12 Disable all the modulation coding scheme (MCS) Rates by clicking the Disable
radio buttons if you are surveying with an 802.11n-capable adapter.
Step 13 For both the Transmitter Power and Client Power, click the 14 dBm radio buttons.
Step 14 Select Channel 1, 6, or 11 from the DefaultRadio Channel drop-down menu.
Step 15 Select 20 MHz from the Channel Width drop-down menu.
Step 16 Click Apply.
Step 17 Click OK.

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AirMagnet Survey PRO Configuration

Create Project
Specify project name
Import floor plan
Select Open Space – Office Cubicles
Enter AP Tx power
Recalibrate floor plan
Select Survey from the Navigation bar
Select 2.4 GHz as the Media Type
Click file > configure > 802.11
Enter AP SSID
Select Short for Preamble Mode
To create a new project for an indoor site survey, follow these steps:
Step 1 From the toolbar, select the Project Wizard icon or from the Main Menu, choose
File > New Project.
Step 2 Choose Import Site Image to locate and import the site map of the location where
surveys will be conducted.
Step 3 For Survey Environment, check the Open Space – Office Cubicles check box.
Step 4 For AP Default Power, enter AP transmit (Tx) power.
Step 5 From the toolbar, select the protractor to recalibrate floor length and width.
Step 6 From the Navigation bar, select Survey.

Step 7 From the Media Type drop-down menu, select 2.4 GHz.
Step 8 Navigate to File > Configure and click the 802.11 tab.
Step 9 In the SSID text box, enter the access point SSID.
Step 10 From the Preamble Mode drop-down menu, select Short.
Step 11 Click OK.
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Place Access Point on Floor Plan
Click the Start Survey button

Select Active Survey
Select AP and your
AP from the
dropdown menu
Click Yes and place AP

icon where the survey AP
is located in the building
Step 12 From the Survey Type drop-down menu, select Active Survey.
Step 13 From the toolbar, click the green arrow to start the survey.
Step 14 When you are prompted to specify the access point location, click Yes and place the
access point on the floor where it actually exists.
Step 15 From the toolbar, click the green arrow to start the survey again. This time
AirMagnet will associate to the access point.

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2.4-GHz Survey for Voice
Watch for -67 cell edges

and an SNR of 25 or higher
Conduct a survey of the first cell. Watch the signal and SNR to find the edge of the cell. Keep
the cell edges at –67 dBm and the SNR should be 25 or better. When you find your cell edges,
you are ready to move the access point to the next location.
Save Your Data
Stop Survey button
Save AP survey
data with a unique
file name such as
“ActiveSurvey2.4
GHz Voice AP1”
When you are ready to stop the survey, click the arrow in the right tool bar. You will be
prompted to save the survey results for your first active survey. Active survey1 is the default
file name. Change this naming convention to something unique before saving.
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Change Channel on Access Point
Change channel on access point before surveying for the next

access point.
Before surveying for coverage of the next access point, be sure to change the access point
channel for the AP2 location. Access point 2 should be placed on channel 6 or 11 because
access point 1 is operating on channel 1.
Survey for Voice AP 2
Move the access

point to the next
location, then click
the green arrow to
start the survey.
Click the green arrow in the menu on the right to start the survey and move the access point to
the next chosen location.
Survey the next access point. Verify that you have at least 20 percent overlap with the first
access point location and that the cell edges and the SNR meet the recommended requirements.

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Save Data for AP2
When you have defined the cell coverage for AP2, stop the survey and save your data.
Remember to use a unique name to associate the saved file with AP2. Continue to map your
cell coverage area until the facility is covered. Remember to use nonoverlapping channels.
Check to ensure that each cell on the same channel has at least 19 dBm of signal separation.
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Passive Site Survey
When you have mapped out

access point coverage with active
site surveys, perform one passive
site survey per floor.
Save the passive survey.
Perform one passive site survey per floor. The passive site survey is to gain information about
the environment and other interference factors. Select Passive Survey from the Survey Type
drop-down menu. Select SSID and then select ANY. Walk the entire floor to collect the passive
survey data.
Click the arrow to stop the survey when you are finished walking the floor. Save the file with a
unique name.

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Merge Files
Merge active survey AP files first.
Merge merged active survey AP files next.
Merge merged active survey AP file with the passive survey AP
file last.
To merge the data files, first merge the active access point surveys. Next, merge the merged
active access point survey files. Finally, merge the merged active access point surveys with the
passive survey file. It is recommended that they are merged in this order for best results.
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Review Captured Data

Review captured
data for:
20 percent overlap
Data rate of 24 Mb/s
Co-channel
Interference
–67 dBm signal or
better
Extreme packet loss
19 dBm of signal
separation for same
channel access
points
Review the captured data to ensure that there is 20 percent cell overlap, the data rate is 24 Mb/s
or better, there is a minimum amount of co-channel interference, as well as signal levels of –67
dBm or better. Look for any extreme packet loss. The –67 dBm requirement is to minimize
packet loss. Additional access points may be required to meet the perimeter requirements.
These additional access points are unlikely to add capacity to the WLAN system (particularly
in the 2.4-GHz band), and the additional access points are unlikely to have great impact upon
the overall co-channel interference characteristics of the deployment. To avoid co-channel
interference, use a lower power, if necessary. Access points on the same channel should have at
least 19 dBm of signal separation. While this may not always be possible, that is the model that
has been set.

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IEEE 802.11a/n and VoWLAN Deployments

This topic describes the RF recommendations for a Voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) site survey
with 5-GHz phones. Although there are 23 nonoverlapping channels in the 5-GHz band, it is
generally recommended to use the lower four channels and upper four channels of the 5-GHz
spectrum as the base for VoWLAN, because they do not have Dynamic Frequency Selection
(DFS) and Transmit Power Control (TPC) requirements.
VoWLAN 5 GHz
When performing a site survey for voice in the 5-GHz bands,
some things do not change:
– –67 dBm cell edges
– 19 dBm signal separation for access points on the same
channel
– 24 Mb/s or higher data rates
– Disabled data rates for 802.11a: 6 and 9 Mb/s
– Basic (required) data rates: 12 Mb/s
– Supported data rates: 18 to 54 Mb/s
The general power levels and access point separation recommendations used for VoWLAN in
the 5-GHz implementation are the same as the 2.4-GHz implementation: a power level
boundary of –67 dBm and a separation between adjacent access point channels of –86 dBm.
Given the lower noise floor in the 5-GHz bands, the overlap recommendation may be reduced
to 15 percent. A 20 percent or higher overlap can still be used if desired. It provides a higher
availability design and takes into account that the use of the 5-GHz spectrum is increasing;
therefore, the noise floor can be expected to rise.
The range in the 5-GHz band is different from the range in the 2.4-GHz band. However, when
you use the recommended power levels and typical antennas, you obtain distances similar to
those used in the 2.4-GHz band. Therefore, the same access point locations and overlap have
been used for both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands. The primary difference between the two
deployments is the additional capacity available due to the additional nonoverlapping channels.
This difference is sufficient for the 5-GHz band to be recommended for VoWLAN
deployments.
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More Channels to Choose from, 23 in All

Channels that do not require IEEE 802.11h (DFS and TPC):
– UNII-1 (5.150 to 5.250 GHz) channels 36, 40, 44, and 48
– UNII-3 (5.725 to 5.825 GHz) channels 149, 153, 157, 161,
and ISM 165
Channels that do not require 802.11h (DFS and TPC):
– UNII -2 (5.250 to 5.350) channels 52, 56, 60, 64
– UNII -2 Extended (5.470 to 5.725 GHz) 100, 104, 108, 112,
116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, and 140
It is generally recommended to use the lower four channels and
upper four channels of the 5-GHz spectrum as the base for
VoWLAN.
– These channels do not have an 802.11h requirement.
There are different limitations imposed on each of the Unlicensed National Information
Infrastructure (UNII) bands. Depending on the band, restrictions include transmit power,
antenna gain, antenna styles, and usage. The UNII-1 band is designated for indoor operation,
and initially required devices to use permanently attached antennas. The UNII-2 band was
designated for indoor or outdoor operation, and permitted the use of external antennas. The
UNII-3 band, originally intended for outdoor bridge products that use external antennas, can
now be used for indoor or outdoor 802.11a WLANs as well. The channels in UNII-1 (5.150 to
5.250 GHz) are 36, 40, 44, and 48. The channels in UNII-2 (5.250 to 5.350 GHz) are 52, 56,
60, and 64 and require DFS and TPC. The channels in the new frequency range (5.470 to 5.725
GHz) are 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, and 140 and require DFS and TPC.
The channels in UNII-3 (5.725 to 5.825 GHz) are 149, 153, 157, 161, 165 and do not require
DFS and TPC. Not all channels in a given range can be used in all of the regulatory domains.
Although there are 23 nonoverlapping channels in the 5-GHz band, it is generally

recommended that you use the lower four channels and upper four channels of the 5-GHz
spectrum as the base for VoWLAN, because they do not have DFS and TPC requirements.
Then add to the base of eight channels by determining which other channels are unlikely to be
affected by DFS and TPC. The timing requirements of DFS and TPC can adversely affect
VoWLAN call quality. If your region or location is such that you are certain DFS and TPC will
not be triggered, the use of specific channels should not be an issue. If you are not certain, you
should investigate. The Cisco Spectrum Expert analyzer is a good tool for starting this
assessment to determine whether there are any 5-GHz signals in the area that would trigger
DFS and TCP. These channels must also be supported by the WLAN clients (data and
VoWLAN). It is simpler to stay with the eight non-DFS channels, but every additional channel
that can be safely deployed increases the capacity of the design. In addition to avoiding the
DFS and TPC channels, it is also recommended that adjacent channels be avoided in the access
point channel layout, to avoid interference from the sidebands in each channel. The channel
spacing and channel mask characteristics are such that the sidebands produced by an 802.11a
client might interfere with the adjacent channels. It is best to avoid this potential issue in the
access point layout.

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While the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921 and 7925 support all of the 23 North
American channels enabled on the current Cisco access points, many other clients do not
support all those channels. For instance, the Intel 4965 does not support all 23 North American
channels. It only supports 4 to 12 channels. So, if you enable channel 165 in the network, the
Intel client will not associate to an access point on that channel and will be in a coverage hole.
Before enabling all 802.11a channels, it must be determined which 802.11a channels are
supported by all 802.11a clients. Then set the access point and controllers to only enable the
channels supported by all the 802.11a clients.
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5-GHz Channel vs. Max Power

Max power of 14 dBm
– Channel 36
– Channel 40
– Channel 44
– Channel 48
Max power of 20 dBm
– Channel 149
– Channel 153
– Channel 157
– Channel 161
– Channel 165
Different RF channels have different maximum allowed power levels. In the UNII-1 band, the
FCC restricts the power level of an access point to 25 mW, and the UNII-3 band is restricted to
100 mW. If you plan to use Radio Resource Management (RRM), think about coverage hole
remediation. If you survey at full power and use RRM later, the correction will be limited to the
client. The access point will operate at full power just to maintain its coverage area.
The recommended power setting for access points when you design voice networks is 25 mW
(14 dBm). If you are using UNII-1 channels, 12 mW (11 dBm) would be more appropriate to
ensure that RRM still has the ability to boost power, if it becomes necessary.

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Access Point Configuration

Security > SSID Manager
Enter SSID, enable Radio1-802.11N, 5GHz, Open Authentication NO ADDITION
To configure the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point for a 5-GHz voice site survey, follow
these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Security > SSID Manager.

Step 2 In the SSID text box, enter the SSID.
Step 3 Check the Radio1-802.11N, 5GHz Interface check box.
Step 4 Ensure the Open Authentication with NO ADDITION is checked.

Step 5 Click Apply.
Step 6 Click OK.
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Access Point Configuration (Cont.)

Network Interfaces > Radio1-802.11N5 GHz > Settings
Enable Radio
Step 7 Navigate to Network Interfaces > Radio1-802.11N5GHz > Settings. Click the
Enable radio button after Enable Radio to enable the radio interface.
Step 8 Click the Access Point radio button for the Role in Radio Network.
Step 9 In the Data Rates pane, click the Require radio button for 12.0Mb/sec.
Step 10 Click the Disable radio buttons for 6.0 Mb/sec and 9.0 Mb/sec.
Step 11 Click the Enable radio buttons for 18.0Mb/sec through 54.0Mb/sec.
Step 12 Disable all the MCS Rates by clicking the Disable radio buttons if you are surveying
with an 802.11n-capable adapter.
Step 13 For both the Transmitter Power and Client Power, click the 14 dBm radio buttons if
you are using UNII-3 channels. If you are using UNII-1 or UNII-2 channels, click
11 dBm for both the Transmitter Power and Client Power.
Step 14 Select a channel (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, or 165) from the Default Radio
Channel drop-down menu.
Step 15 Select 20 MHz from the Channel Width drop-down menu.
Step 16 Click Apply.
Step 17 Click OK.

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AirMagnet Configuration for 5 GHz

1. Click the New Project Wizard icon
2. Specify project name
3. Import floor plan
4. Select Open Space –
Office Cubicles
5. Enter AP Tx power
6. Recalibrate floor plan
7. Select Survey from the navigation
bar
8. Select 5 GHz as the Media Type
9. Navigate to File > Configure > 802.11
10.Enter AP SSID
11.Select Short for Preamble
12.Set Tx Power to 20 mW
To create a new project for an indoor site survey, follow these steps:
Step 1 From the toolbar, click the Project Wizard icon or, from the Main Menu, navigate to
File > New Project.
Step 2 Choose Import Site Image to locate and import the site map of the location where
surveys will be conducted.
Step 3 For Survey Environment, check the Open Space – Office Cubicles check box.
Step 4 For AP Default Power, enter AP Tx power.
Step 5 From the toolbar, select the protractor to recalibrate floor length and width.
Step 6 From the Navigation bar, select Survey.

Step 7 From the Media Type drop-down menu, select 5 GHz.
Step 8 Navigate to File > Configure and then click the 802.11 tab.
Step 9 In the SSID text box, enter the access point SSID.
Step 10 From the Preamble Mode drop-down menu, select Short.
Step 11 Click the Advanced button to set the Tx Power to 20 mW.
Step 12 Click Apply and then click OK.
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Place AP on Floor Plan
Click the Start Survey button

Select Active
Survey
Select AP and your
AP from the
dropdown menu
Select Yes and place AP

icon where the survey AP
is located in the building
From the Survey Type drop-down menu, select Active Survey (AP association), select AP
from the drop-down menu and then select your access point. Click the green arrow to start the
survey. A dialog box appears and asks if you would like to specify the access point location.
Click Yes and place the access point icon where the survey AP is located in the building.
Start Survey of the First Access Point
Click the Start Survey

button
Survey for -67

Cell edges 25 SNR
Click the green arrow to start the survey. To find the boundary of the access point, watch your
signal level until it is at –67 dBm and the SNR stays above 25.

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5 GHz Voice Survey

When you find the –67 dBm cell edges, stop the survey.
Save the survey AP data with a unique file name.
Move the survey AP to the next location and repeat.
Do not forget to change the channel on the access point between
overlapping cells.
Cells should have a minimum of 20 percent overlap.
Continue until the area specified for coverage is covered.
Perform one passive survey per floor after all active surveys have
been completed.
Merge active AP survey results first, merge active merged AP
results next, and then merge merged active merged AP survey
results with the passive survey results.
Review the results.
When you find the –67 dBm cell edges, stop the survey. Save the survey data file with a unique
name. Move the survey access point to the next location. Change the access point channel to a
different nonoverlapping channel (you should not use adjacent nonoverlapping channels due to
side-band interference). Ensure that there is a 20-percent cell overlap. Continue surveying until
you have covered the facility or specified coverage area. Next, perform a final passive survey
for the floor. When all active surveys and passive surveys have been completed, merge files.
Merge the survey data files in this order:
Merge active AP survey files first. If you performed two or more active surveys for the
same AP, merge these files first.
Merge active AP merged survey files next.
Merge merged active merged AP survey file with passive survey file, for a final merged
file.
Review survey results for the entire floor or facility. You can also view results per active
survey or access point.
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Summary
Summary
When performing a site survey for voice at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, cell
edges should be –67 dBm.
Recommended overlap between AP cells is 20 percent for
VoWLAN networks.
Access points on the same channel should have at least 19 dBm
of signal separation.
There are more channels in the 5-GHz band than in the 2.4-GHz
band (23 in all), but all but nine channels are required to adhere
to DFS and TPC.
Because there are more channels in the 5-GHz band than in the
2.4-GHz band, the 5-GHz band is recommended for VoWLAN
networks, to cut down on co-channel interference.
VoWLAN networks will require more access points due to lower
transmit power (25 mW) and higher data rates (24 Mb/s).

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Lesson 5

Survey for 802.11n Clients
Overview
When surveying with IEEE 802.11n access points, there are three modes of surveys that you
can complete, depending on the type of client supported: greenfield mode, mixed mode, and
legacy mode. The greenfield mode is known as the high-throughput mode and is for all devices
that understand high-throughput mode (802.11n-capable). Mixed mode is a mixture of 802.11n-
capable clients and non-802.11n-capable clients. Legacy mode means that there are no clients
that understand 802.11n, just IEEE 802.11a/b/g.
When performing a survey in greenfield mode, an additional server is needed to run Iperf.
AirMagnet Survey PRO uses this server to measure the physical data rates to and from the
station (client).
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to conduct a Layer 2 site survey for 802.11n
clients using AirMagnet Survey PRO. This ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe the recommendations for surveying in greenfield mode using Iperf
Describe where to download Iperf, and how to install and configure it
Describe how to configure AirMagnet Survey PRO to perform an active Iperf survey
Describe three types of surveys used when performing a survey with an 802.11n access
point
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Active Survey with Iperf

This topic describes the recommendations for surveying in greenfield mode using Iperf.
AirMagnet provides the only survey solution that includes active site surveys and Iperf surveys
so that the performance of an 802.11n end user can be measured and mapped.
802.11n and Site Surveys

802.11n fundamentally changes WLAN survey methodology.
– MIMO and many other options are location-specific.
– Turns multipath into a “good thing.”
– End result: Signal strength is no longer an accurate predictor of
performance.
802.11n requires active surveying.
– AirMagnet provides the only active surveying in the industry.
– Latest release adds full Iperf functionality to actively test both
uplink and downlink performance:
Allows you to get information about real PHY data rates,
packet retries, and packet loss
Get uplink (station-to-AP) and downlink (AP-to-station)
information
802.11n performance will vary based on sender and receiver
AP-to-station could be very different from station-to-AP
MIMO = mul tipl e-input, multiple-o utput
When performing a survey for 802.11n, signal strength is not an accurate predictor of 802.11n
performance. Multipath can actually enhance performance with 802.11n clients.
With active surveys, you can obtain information about real physical data rates, packet losses,
and retries.
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Iperf Download and Installation

This topic describes where to download Iperf and how to install and configure it. Before any
configuration is done, you will need to download Iperf.
Installing Iperf Server

Navigate to http://www.noc.ucf.edu/Tools/Iperf/.
– For Windows, select Local Download: iperf.exe (iperf version
1.7.0 (13 Mar 2003) win32 threads)
– For other operating systems, select the appropriate download
link.
Enter or browse to the desired extraction location on the hard
drive and click Unzip to extract the files.
It is recommended that you create an Iperf folder in the root
directory to contain the files (such as C:\Iperf).
Iperf can be downloaded from the University of Central Florida at

http://www.noc.ucf.edu/Tools/Iperf/.
The file that you want to download is iperf.exe (Iperf version 1.7.0 dated 13 March 2003).
Versions for Windows, Sun Solaris, and Mac operating system X are available.
It is recommended that you create a folder called Iperf in the root directory. Unzip the iperf.exe
file and put it in the C:\Iperf folder.

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To Start Iperf Server

Choose Start > Run to open the Run dialog box.
Type ‘cmd’ and click OK to open the Windows command-line
interface.
Navigate to the Iperf folder (e.g., C:\Iperf) and type Iperf -p 5001
-s and press Enter.
A message appears describing the TCP port in use by the server.
To start the Iperf server, navigate to the Iperf folder and type Iperf –p 5001 –s (where -p is the
port and -s is server), then press Enter. AirMagnet uses port 5001 by default.
A message should appear indicating the TCP port that is in use by the server if the program
starts correctly.
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Configuring AirMagnet for an Active Iperf Survey

This topic describes how to configure AirMagnet Survey PRO to perform an active Iperf
survey. Configure the access point and client for 40-MHz wide channels to improve throughput
up to 300 Mb/s.
Active IPERF Survey Settings
To perform a greenfield (high throughput) survey (802.11n clients only), configure AirMagnet
to perform an active IPERF survey. Select Active IPERF Survey from the Survey Type drop-
down menu. Select an access point from the AP drop-down menu. Enter the IP address of the
Iperf server that is running an active session of Iperf.
Click the Go button from the top right tool bar.

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Data Rate on the Uplink and Downlink
While surveying, watch the following:

Uplink data rate
Downlink data rate
Signal strength
Noise
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
Percentage of packets lost
Percentage of packets retried
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Select 20 or 40 MHz for High Throughput

File > Configure > PHY Data Rate Map > 80211n Channel Width > 40 MHz
If you are using the 5-GHz band, you can use 40-MHz channels to increase throughput. This is
also known as 40-MHz high throughput. Channel bonding must be enabled on the client and
the access point for 40-MHz high throughput.

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AP 40-MHz Channels
Network Interfaces > Radio1-802.11N5GHz > Settings
Follow these steps to configure an access point to perform an active IPERF survey:
Step 1 Ensure that all modulation coding scheme (MCS) rates are enabled when surveying
for 802.11n clients.
Step 2 Turn power down to at least half of what the 802.11n client supports.
Step 3 Select a channel that the client understands from the DefaultRadio Channel drop-
down menu.
Note Remember, not all clients understand the UNII-2 extended channel set (for example, the
Intel 4965 AGN client).
Step 4 Select above or below 40 MHz from the Channel Width drop-down menu.
Step 5 Scroll down and click Apply to apply these settings.
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Three Types of Surveys Using 802.11n Access

Points
This topic describes three types of surveys used when performing a survey with an 802.11n
access point. The 802.11 access points can support all 802.11a/b/g/n clients.
Three Survey Modes

Greenfield mode
– 5-GHz, 40-MHz wide channels (channel bonding)
up to 300 Mb/s
– 2.4-GHz, 20-MHz wide channels up to 144.4 Mb/s
– All clients are 802.11n-capable
– High throughput format preamble
Mixed mode
– A mixture of 802.11a/b/g/n clients
(Throughput will suffer for 802.11n-capable clients)
Legacy mode
– Legacy clients only 802.11a/b/g; no 802.11n clients
– Throughput increased normally for 802.11a/b/g clients
Use the appropriate survey method for the client or clients supported:
Greenfield mode: This means no legacy 802.11 devices. All devices are 802.11n-capable.
This means if you have legacy 802.11 devices in the facility, they would have to be
removed. Otherwise, they cause interference, slowing down the 802.11n devices.
Mixed mode: Mixed mode supports both legacy devices 802.11a/b/g as well as 802.11n.
This mode uses both a high-throughput preamble and a legacy preamble.
Legacy mode: Support for 802.11a/b/g clients, no 802.11n clients. All the same features as
802.11a/b/g: Ready to Send/Clear to Send (RTS/CTS), CTS to Self, Direct Sequence
Spread Spectrum (DSSS), orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM).

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Summary
Summary
With 802.11n, signal strength is no longer an accurate predictor
of performance, and 802.11n performance will vary based on the
sender and receiver.
When surveying for 802.11n, an Iperf server is used with
AirMagnet Survey PRO to measure uplink and downlink data
rates.
When using the 5-GHz band for 802.11n, channel bonding can
be turned on to increase throughput.
There are three survey modes: greenfield mode, mixed mode,
and legacy mode.
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Lesson 6

Survey for Location
Overview
A location site survey requires a different access point placement strategy. Access points
should be placed in such a way that they surround the devices that they are tracking. You need
a minimum of three access points, but four or more are recommended for good results. Normal
access point separation is no more than 70 feet (21 meters).
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to conduct a Layer 2 site survey for location
services using AirMagnet Survey PRO. This ability includes being able to meet these
objectives:
Describe the minimum signal level thresholds for location-aware WLAN design
Describe access point placement for location-aware WLAN design
Describe access point separation recommendations for location-aware WLAN design
Describe recommendations for a voice, data, and location-aware WLAN design
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Minimum Signal Level Thresholds

This topic describes the minimum signal level thresholds for location-aware WLAN design.
Location-aware devices must have a minimum signal level of –75 dBm.
Location Minimum Signal Thresholds

For mobile devices to be tracked
properly, you need the following:
– A minimum of three access
points (four or more preferred)
– –75 dBm RSSI for any device
being tracked
During the site survey, if it is
supporting location services, it
must ensure that survey client
does not exceed –72 dBm RSSI
on the access point.
For mobile devices to be tracked properly, a minimum of three access points (with four or more
preferred for better accuracy and precision) should be detecting and reporting the Received
Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of any client station, asset tag, or rogue device being tracked.
This detected signal strength level should be –75 dBm or better.
During the site survey, if it is supporting location-based services only (no data or voice), you
must ensure that the surveyed client does not exceed –72 dBm RSSI on the access point. This
will give you a 3-dB buffer from –75 dBm.
If you are surveying to add location-based services to an existing network, the following
techniques can be used to verify the client signal strength:
View detected RSSI for the client or asset tag using the show client detail <mac address>
or show rfid detail <mac address> controller command-line interface (CLI) command.
Using the location debug in Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS).
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Access Point Placement

This topic describes access point placement for a location-aware WLAN design. Proper
placement of access points is one of several best practices that should be adhered to in order to
unleash the full performance potential of the location-aware Cisco Unified Wireless Network.
Access Point Placement

Access points should surround the perimeter of the building as well as
the interior of the building.
When possible, mount antennas so that they have an unobstructed 360-
degree view.
Access points supporting location-based services should surround the perimeter of a building as
well as the interior, to track devices within the facility. When possible, mount antennas so that
they have an unobstructed 360- degree view of the surrounding area.
Designs that use only clustered or straight-line access point placement should be augmented or
redesigned in favor of those that combine center access point placement with perimeter and
corner placement.

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Access Point Separation

This topic describes access point separation recommendations for location-aware WLAN
design. The distance between deployed access points can impact location performance as well
as the performance of co-resident voice and data applications.
Access Point Separation

Generally, access point separation for location should be between
40 and 70 feet (12 and 21 meters).
– Access points should not be too close (28 feet [9 meters] or less).
– Inter-access point placement may be closer than 40 feet due to
environments where high path loss is present.
Antenna heights should not exceed 20 feet (6 meters). Cisco WCS
considers the floor location ready if the following criteria is met:
– At least four access points are deployed on the floor.
– At least one access point is found to reside in each quadrant
surrounding the point in question.
– At least one access point residing in each of at least three
of the surrounding quadrants is located within 70 feet of the
point in question.
In general, most indoor location tracking deployments with access point antennas installed at
heights of between ten and twenty feet can be well served with an inter-access point spacing of
between 40 and 70 feet (12 and 21 meters). In some cases, however, inter-access point spacing
below 40 feet may be necessary to satisfy the requirements of some applications for high signal
strength thresholds, especially in environments where high path loss is present.
Cisco WCS considers the floor location ready if the following criteria is met:
At least four access points are deployed on the floor.
At least one access point is found to reside in each quadrant surrounding the point in
question.
At least one access point residing in each of at least three of the surrounding quadrants is
located within 70 feet of the point in question.
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Antennas
Third-party antennas are not supported for:
– Cisco WCS
– Location appliance
Third-party antennas are not used for:
– Heat map coverage
– Location tracking for:
Tags
Clients
Rogues
Cisco antennas are preloaded in Cisco WCS so that gain,
direction, and antenna height can be managed.
When engineering an in-building WLAN solution, varying facility sizes, construction materials,
and interior divisions can all raise concerns that must be considered during the design and
deployment.
In the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, antennas available from Cisco are preconfigured in
Cisco WCS and available for assignment to access points via the drop-down menus found by
navigating to Monitor > Maps > Position APs. Selecting a Cisco antenna from this list
automatically defines the gain and propagation patterns of the antenna to Cisco WCS and the
location appliance, which helps facilitate optimal localization of tracked devices.
In some specialized cases however, there may be reasons to consider the use of third-party
antennas that are not found on the Cisco WCS antenna list. These reasons may include the
following:
Retrofit of a preexisting installation: If a preexisting standalone network is being
upgraded to the controller-based solution, or if a preexisting installation is being upgraded,
a large install base of third-party antennas is already deployed. Depending on their physical
condition and their regulatory approval status for use with the latest IEEE 802.11
technologies, you may want to consider redeployment.
Specific Product Requirements: In some cases, a specific physical or electrical
requirement of the design might dictate the use of a niche third-party antenna not contained
on the Cisco WCS-supported list. For example, a fashion retailer may require the use of a
zero-footprint antenna or an antenna available in a specific shape or color to augment the
decor of a “Fifth Avenue” flagship retail location. Or an electronics manufacturing facility
requires a directional antenna with a unique (and very specific) coverage pattern or
polarization to better cover a specific area of the plant floor, while minimizing interference
with sensitive equipment in a particular location.

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Cisco WCS allows for antenna gain to be specified for antennas that are not on the drop-down
list of standard antennas. This can be performed using the Other antenna option.
Custom azimuth and elevation propagation patterns for Other third-party antennas cannot be
defined in either Cisco WCS or the location appliance. Because of this, access points that are
defined as being equipped with third-party antennas will not be included in coverage heat maps
and will not participate in client, tag, or rogue on-demand location tracking.
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Location, Voice, and Data Coexistence

This topic describes recommendations for a voice, data, and location-aware WLAN design.
Location-based services can coexist with voice and data services if designed properly.
Location, Voice, and Data Coexistence

Use Cisco Aironet 1250 or 1240 Series dual-band access points.
Design the voice WLAN on the 5-GHz band to support Cisco
Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921G and 7925G handsets and
high-speed client devices.
Design the 2.4-GHz band for legacy voice and data devices as
well as active RFID asset tags that are compatible with Cisco
Compatible Extensions.
–67 dBm cell edges.
Reduced power radios to match coverage area for both 802.11b/g
and 802.11a.
Reduced power allows RRM capabilities.
Survey for VoWLAN and then add any additional access points as
monitoring access points to fill in for location services.
By using the Cisco Aironet 1250 or 1240 Series Access Points, you can accommodate 802.11a,
802.11b/g, or 802.11n devices with a full realm of services.
Design the WLAN to support Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921G and 7925G with high-
speed clients on the 5-GHz (802.11a) WLAN. The 2.4-GHz (802.11b/g) operation is also
supported, but due to the substantially reduced overall capacity on 802.11b/g brought about by
the existence of only three noninterfering channels, its use is restricted to legacy data and voice
devices, as well as active radio frequency identification (RFID) asset tags that are in
compliance with Cisco Compatible Extensions for Wi-Fi tags specification. Legacy data
devices would include devices that are unable to migrate to 802.11a for reasons such as that the
client hardware device is no longer being offered for sale, battery life concerns, and so on.
Voice design models require –67 dBm cell edges for both 802.11a/n and 802.11b/g/n. Power
should be reduced to incorporate equal cell size for both 802.11a/n and 802.11b/g/n. Cell
overlap should be 20 percent for 802.11b/g/n cells and 15 to 20 percent for 802.11a/n cells.
Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921G and 7925G handsets have a maximum power of 40
mW. To ensure that Radio Resource Management (RRM) works correctly, the access point
transmit power should be 25 mW or less. The RRM can be used to dynamically control access
point transmit power based on real-time WLAN conditions. Under normal circumstances, the
transmit power is maintained across all access points to maintain capacity and reduce
interference.
If a failed access point is detected, the transmit power can be automatically increased on
surrounding access points to fill the gap created by the loss in coverage.

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If a coverage hole occurs, RRM can use any remaining transmit power reserve on surrounding
access points to raise the adjacent coverage levels and address the coverage hole until it can be
investigated and resolved.
When the voice survey is complete, additional monitoring access points can be added to fill in
corners and perimeter areas of the floor to ensure that the floor is location-ready.
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Summary
Summary
Tracked devices should have a signal level of –75 dBm or
greater.
Access points deployed to perform location-based services
should surround the device that it is to locate or track.
Generally, access point separation for location services should be
between 40 and 70 feet.

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Module Summary
This topic summarizes the key points that were discussed in this module.
Module Summary
Planning mode can predict access point count and placement,
which is dependent on the data entered about the services
supported.
Cisco Spectrum Expert can identify interference by non-Wi-Fi
devices in the 2.4- and 5-GHz spectrum.
AirMagnet Survey PRO can perform pre-site surveys and post-
installation site surveys.
The 5-GHz band is recommended for VoWLAN networks to cut
down on co-channel interference because there are more
channels in the 5-GHz band than in the 2.4-GHz band.
Generally, the access point separation for location-based services
should be between 40 and 70 feet.
Predictive site surveys can be performed with the planning mode tool available in the Cisco
Wireless Control System (WCS). By importing a floor map of the facility and entering criteria
such as which wireless services will be supported (data, voice, location-based services), which
access point is used, and the client density and throughput desired, Cisco WCS can take these
values and generate an access point count, placement, and proposal report for the floor of the
facility.
Before performing an active site survey for RF propagation and access point placement, a
Layer 1 sweep should be performed with Cisco Spectrum Expert to ensure that the facility is
free of other devices in the 2.4- and 5-GHz radio spectrum. Cisco Spectrum Expert has the
capability to identify Bluetooth devices, cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless video
cameras, and so on. Cisco Spectrum Expert can also identify RF jammers. If any of these
devices are present at the facility, the Cisco Spectrum Expert Find utility can help locate these
devices so that they may either be removed or replaced.
After a Layer 1 sweep with Cisco Spectrum Expert has been performed, a Layer 2 site survey
can be performed with AirMagnet Survey PRO to determine the access point placement and
coverage. AirMagnet Survey PRO has the capability of doing pre-site surveys (before the
install) and post-site surveys (after the install), also known as an audit, to ensure adequate
coverage. AirMagnet Survey PRO has the capability of providing much detailed survey
information, such as Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),
packet retries, and packet loss. When performing a site survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO, at
least one active survey of each access point should be completed (two are recommended).
When all active access point site surveys are completed, a passive site survey of the floor
should be completed. These files should then be merged and results reviewed to ensure that the
design criteria for the WLAN is met.

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Module Self-Check
Use the questions here to review what you learned in this module. The correct answers and
solutions are found in the Module Self-Check Answer Key.
Q1) Which of the following formats is not accepted for map import by Cisco WCS?
(Source: Producing a Predictive Site Survey)
A) PNG
B) BMP
C) JPG
D) GIF
Q2) Which of the following represents a safety margin of safe? (Source: Producing a
Predictive Site Survey)
A) 0 dBm
B) –3 dBm
C) +3 dBm
D) + 2 dBm
Q3) 0 dBm is equal to _____ in milliwatts. (Source: Conducting a Layer 1 Site Survey)
Q4) Cisco Spectrum Expert can display _____ different plots. (Source: Conducting a Layer
1 Site Survey)
Q5) How often are charts updated by the sensor? (Source: Conducting a Layer 1 Site
Survey)
A) every 10 seconds
B) every 20 seconds
C) every 30 seconds
D) every 60 seconds
Q6) What is the maximum size of a spectrum recording .capture file? (Source: Conducting
a Layer 1 Site Survey)
A) 512 MB
B) 1024 MB
C) 1 GB
D) size limit can be set up to 2 GB
Q7) Co-channel interference is worse than adjacent channel interference. (Source:
Conducting a Layer 1 Site Survey)
A) true
B) false
Q8) Which tool does Cisco Spectrum Expert use to locate devices? (Source: Conducting a
Layer 1 Site Survey)

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Q9) A warehouse stocked at 50 percent has a very different RF footprint than the same
warehouse at an inventory level of 100 percent. (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site
Survey for Data)
A) true
B) false
Q10) What are the two types of surveys that can be performed with AirMagnet Survey Pro?
(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Data)
Q11) When performing an active survey with AirMagnet, what is the default logging data
period? (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Data)
A) one second
B) two seconds
C) three seconds
D) four seconds
Q12) Cisco Aironet access points use short preamble.(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site
Survey for Data)
A) true
B) false
Q13) What can be achieved when using 40-MHz wide channels while performing a
802.11a/n data survey in the 5-GHz band? (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey
for Data)
Q14) When performing a data site survey, you should survey with _____ percent overlap.
(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Data)
Q15) How many different types of reports can AirMagnet Survey PRO generate? (Source:
Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Data)
A) eight
B) nine
C) ten
D) eleven
Q16) What is the recommended cell overlap when performing a 2.4-GHz site survey for
voice? (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Voice Applications)
A) 10 to 15 percent
B) 15 percent
C) 15 to 20 percent
D) 20 percent
Q17) At 24 Mb/s, 802.11a and 802.11g can support up to _____ bidirectional RTP streams.
(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Voice Applications)
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Q18) When performing a voice site survey, what is the minimum recommended SNR?
(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Voice Applications)
A) 24 dB
B) 25 dB
C) 26 dB
D) 27 dB
Q19) For any device being tracked, what is the minimum receive signal level recommended?
(Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Location)
Q20) Access points should be placed in the corners of a building when supporting location-
based services. (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Location)
A) true
B) false
Q21) When location-based services are to be supported on the WLAN, the antenna height
should not exceed how many feet? (Source: Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for
Location)
A) 10 feet
B) 20 feet
C) 30 feet
D) 40 feet

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Module Self-Check Answer Key

Q1) B
Q2) A
Q3) one
Q4) five
Q5) B
Q6) A
Q7) B
Q8) Device Finder
Q9) A
Q10) active and passive
Q11) A
Q12) A
Q13) higher data rates
Q14) 10 to 15 percent
Q15) C
Q16) D
Q17) 27
Q18) B
Q19) –72 dBm
Q20) A
Q21) B
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Module 4
AP and Controller Density and

Licensing
Overview
This module describes infrastructure requirements, equipment, and licensing.
Module Objectives
Upon completing this module, you will be able to determine the placement of the access points
for data, voice, and location applications, as well as controller placement and redundancy. This
ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Determine the infrastructure requirements for the WLAN
Determine the number of access points, controllers, location appliances, and Cisco Wireless
Control System licenses needed for the WLAN
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Lesson 1
Determining the Infrastructure

Requirements for the WLAN
Overview
This lesson describes WLAN power requirements, network access requirements, access point
mounting requirements, and recommendations for adding access points to an existing WLAN to
support voice-based or location-based services.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to determine the infrastructure requirements for
the WLAN. This ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe the power requirements for a WLAN deployment
Describe the current network infrastructure
Describe access point mounting considerations for a WLAN deployment
Describe the recommendations for adding additional access points to the WLAN
deployment for voice or location-based services
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Power Requirements
When deploying a WLAN, it is important to understand the various power options supported by
Cisco access points, including Power over Ethernet (PoE) and IEEE 802.3af. Each access point
has its own combination of power options and requirements. This topic describes the power
requirements for a WLAN deployment
Power over Ethernet

IEEE 802.3af standardized PoE
Cisco prestandard PoE
Cisco enhanced PoE for 56-VDC power
Power sources
– Cisco switches
– Power injectors
PoE is the technology by which the LAN switching infrastructure provides power over a copper
Ethernet cable to an endpoint (powered device). This technology, once referred to as inline
power, was originally developed and first delivered by Cisco in 2000 to support emerging IP
telephony deployments. IP telephones, like desktop PBX phones, need power for their
operation and PoE enables scalable and manageable power delivery and simplifies deployments
of IP telephony. As wireless networking emerged, PoE was also used to power these devices to
allow for deployments in locations where local power access did not exist. While IP telephones
and wireless access points are the most intuitive uses for PoE, the advent of 802.3af
standardization of PoE opens the door to a new generation of networked devices such as video
cameras, point-of-sale devices, security access control (card scanners), building automation,
industrial automation, and so on.
Cisco offers a comprehensive range of 802.3af-based PoE support across its Cisco Catalyst
intelligent switching portfolio with both 10/100/1000 and 10/100 PoE LAN connections,
including a new 96-port 10/100 PoE module for the Catalyst 6500 Series Switches. Cisco
recently introduced 802.3af-compliant PoE products that support the prestandard PoE
implementation and are backwards-compatible with existing end devices from Cisco, such as IP
phones and wireless access points. Additionally, Catalyst intelligent switches deliver intelligent
power management capabilities beyond the optional IEEE power classification feature to
enable granular, optimized, and scalable power delivery for more efficient power management
and prioritization of power delivery.
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PoE promises to create a new world of networked appliances by providing power as well as
data connectivity over existing Ethernet cables.
The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point requires more power than allowed by the 802.3af
standard. Certain Cisco Ethernet switches are capable of providing the greater amount of power
and can fully power the Aironet 1250 Series Access Point with the RM1252 radio module
installed. If an Ethernet switch with PoE is not being used, the power injector can be used for
power.
The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point power injector combines 56-VDC power supplied
by the external power supply with the data signal, sending both to the access point. The power
injector provides up to 30 watts over the unused wire pairs of a Category 5 Ethernet cable,
supplying enough power for a distance of 328 feet (100 meters).
A Category 5 Ethernet cable connects the power injector to a 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch,
hub, or network, and another cable carries power and data to the access point or bridge Ethernet
port. The power injector power supply connects to a wall outlet or power strip. The power
injector can be mounted on most horizontal and vertical surfaces. However, they must not be
stacked on top of each other.
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. AP and Controller Density and Licensing 4-5
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Power Options
IEEE 802.3af inline power: Power injector required:
– Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series – Cisco Aironet 1300 Series
– Cisco Aironet 1140AG Series – Cisco Aironet 1400 Series
– Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series Local power module:
Cisco prestandard inline power: – Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series
– Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series – Cisco Aironet 1140AG Series
– Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series – Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series
– Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series
Cisco enhanced inline power 56
VDC
– Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series
The table lists the power requirements of Cisco Aironet access points and bridges.
Access Points and Bridges Power Source
Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point Inline power (Cisco enhanced 56 VDC)
Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series Access Point Inline power support (Cisco prestandard and 802.3af)
Cisco Aironet 1140AG Series Access Point Inline power support (802.3af)
Cisco Aironet 1300 Series Outdoor Access Inline power support (Cisco prestandard). Requires
Point/Bridge power injector LR2 style with two F connectors.
Cisco Aironet 1400 Series Outdoor Bridge Inline power support (Cisco prestandard). Requires
power injector LR style with two F connectors.
Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Lightweight Outdoor Inline power support: Requires Cisco Aironet 1500
Mesh Access Point Series power injector and Cisco Aironet 1500 Series
outdoor Ethernet cable.
AC power: Cisco Aironet 1500 Series streetlight power

tap.
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Power Injectors
Power injector
– Cisco prestandard PoE
– Cisco Aironet 1140AG, 1130AG, and
1240AG Series Access Points
– New design provides enhanced
cable and device organization
Power injector media converter
– Fiber uplink
– Ideal for factories, warehouses, and
other large facilities with few wiring
closets
– Support for alternative DC power
source
– Certified for UL 2043 for installation in
environmental air spaces
The single-port Cisco Aironet Power Injectors combine 48-VDC power with the data signal,
sending both to the access point or bridge. The AIR-PWRINJ3 power injector for Cisco Aironet
1130AG, 1140AG, and 1240AG Series Access Points works with the power supply provided
with the access point.
The Cisco Aironet Power Injector Media Converter (AIR-PWRINJ-FIB) converts fiber media
to Category 5 media and combines the resulting data signal with power for delivery to the
access point or bridge. The Aironet Power Injector Media Converter accepts 48-VDC power
from either the barrel connector of the local power supply or an alternative 48-VDC power
source. When powered by an alternate 48-VDC power source using the provided power supply
pigtail, the Aironet Power Injector Media Converter is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2043-
certified and suitable for installation in environmental air spaces. The local power supply is
provided with the Cisco Aironet 1130AG, 1140AG, and 1240AG Series Access Points.
The AIR-PWRINJ-1000AF provides 802.13af inline PoE. It accepts 100–240 VAC and outputs
48 VDC.
The AIR-PWRINJ1500 power injector converts AC power into DC power and sends it along
with the Ethernet signal to the access point. It is designed to be used with the Cisco Aironet
1500 Series Outdoor Ethernet Cable (AIR-ETH1500-150) to power the Cisco Aironet 1500
Series Lightweight Outdoor Mesh Access Point. Do not use any power injector other than the
one specified to power the Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Mesh Access Point. The power injector is
not 802.3af because of power requirements.
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Aironet 1250 Series Access Point Power

Options
Power Injector Switch (with or Without Inline Power)
– AIR-PWRINJ4
– 56 VDC
Cisco-supplied DC power module
Switch with enhanced PoE
Power
Injector
Access Point
Power
Module
The Aironet 1250 Series Access Point can receive power locally from the 1250 DC power
module or from inline power using the Ethernet cable. The access point supports the 802.3af
inline power standard. Using the inline power, you do not need to run a power cord to the
access point because power is supplied over the Ethernet cable.
The access point supports the following power sources:

Cisco Aironet 1250 Series DC Power Module connected to the access point power
connector
— The 1250 DC power module should be plugged into a 100–240 VAC source
Inline power:
— Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Power Injector
— 802.3af power source
Note The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Power Injector is not suitable for operation in the
environmental air space of a building and should not be installed in these environments.
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Cisco Enhanced PoE-Capable Switches

Cisco Catalyst 3750-E Series Cisco Catalyst 3560-E Series
using 12.2(44)SE: using 12.2(44)SE:
– WS-C3750E-24PD-S – WS-C3560E-24PD-S
– WS-C3750E-24PD-E – WS-C3560E-24PD-E
– WS-C3750E-48PD-S – WS-C3560E-48PD-S
– WS-C3750E-48PD-E – WS-C3560E-48PD-E
– WS-C3750E-48PD-SF – WS-C3560E-48PD-SF
– WS-C3750E-48PD-EF – WS-C3560E-48PD-EF
The following switches can provide 802.3af PoE for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point when both radio modules are being used:
Cisco Catalyst 3750-E Series using 12.2 (44) SE:
— WS-C3750E-24PD-S
— WS-C3750E-24PD-E
— WS-C3750E-48PD-S
— WS-C3750E-48PD-E
— WS-C3750E-48PD-SF
— WS-C3750E-48PD-EF
Cisco Catalyst 3760-E Series using 12.2 (44) SE:
— WS-C3560E-24PD-S
— WS-C3560E-24PD-E
— WS-C3560E-48PD-S
— WS-C3560E-48PD-E
— WS-C3560E-48PD-SF
— WS-C3560E-48PD-EF
Cisco Catalyst 4000 Series Switches using 12.2(44)SG
Cisco Catalyst 4500-E Series linecards:
— WS-X4648-RJ45V-E
— WS-X4648-RJ45V+E
Cisco Catalyst 6000 Series using 12.2(33)SXH2
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Linecards:
— WS-X6148A-GE-45AF
— WS-X6148-GE-45AF
— WS-X6548-GE-45AF
— PoE daughter cards:
WS-F6K-48-AF
WS-F6K-GE48-AF
Note Some older switches and patch panels might not provide enough power to operate the
access point. At power-up, if the access point is unable to detect sufficient power, the
access point deactivates both radios to prevent an overcurrent condition, and the Status
LED displays a low power error (cycles blue, green, red, and off).
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Evaluating the Current Network Infrastructure

This topic describes the current network infrastructure. When designing a WLAN deployment,
knowledge of the existing network infrastructure can help determine where the access points
and controllers will be cabled into the existing wired network.
Where Will the Access Points Connect to

the Network?
Are access points being placed
within 328 feet of a wiring closet?
If APs are Cisco Aironet 1250AG
Series Access Points, are the
switches 10/100/1000BASE-TX
capable? 3750 Metro Series Switch
Will new switches need to be

added to support the installation?
How will the APs receive power?
– PoE-capable switch
3750G WLAN Controller
– Power injector
– Power module
Where will the controllers be
installed?
When performing a site survey, you need to know where the existing infrastructure is and
ensure that access point placement will not be impaired by cable lengths over 100 meters (328
feet) from their connection to the network.
A walk through the facility should be performed and the existing network evaluated to support
the access point and controller deployment. These are some of the questions that should be
answered.
If Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series Access Points are being deployed, will the network
switches need to be upgraded to Cisco enhanced PoE-supported switches?
Are there enough gigabit ports (10/100/1000BASE-TX) on the infrastructure switches to
support a Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series Access Point deployment?
If Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series Access Points are being deployed, will there be PoE
available from existing switches or will power injectors be used?
If power injectors are to be used, are there enough AC outlets available in the wiring
closets to support the number of access points being installed?
Where in the network will the controllers be placed?
Are gigabit switch ports available to connect the controllers to? The Cisco 4404 Series
Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) with four Gigabit Ethernet ports supports up to 100
access points with link aggregation enabled.
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Mounting Considerations
This topic describes access point mounting considerations for a WLAN deployment. The access
point ships with an attached mounting plate and mounting hardware.
1240AG Series Access Point Mounting

Mounting holes
Mounting solutions:
– Concrete
– Drywall
– I beam
– Ceiling
Secure the APs
Access point mounting varies with the type of access point, its use, and the specific solutions
that can be used in a particular environment. The access point can be mounted on any of the
following surfaces:
Horizontal or vertical flat surfaces, such as walls or ceilings
Suspended ceilings (above and below)
Caution The access point, antennas, and the power source (power injector or power module) are not
designed for outdoor use and must be located in an indoor environment.
The access point ships with a detachable mounting bracket and the necessary mounting
hardware. Because it is detachable, the mounting bracket can be used as a template to mark the
positions of the mounting holes for your installation. The engineer can install the mounting
bracket and attach the access point when ready. The figure shows the location of the mounting
holes on the bracket.
Note If you are mounting an access point with a 5-GHz radio in environmental air space, Cisco
recommends that you mount the access point horizontally with its antennas pointing down.
Doing so results in the access point complying with regulatory requirements for
environmental air space.
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Note When mounting the access point in the environmental air space of a building, use Ethernet
cable suitable for operation in such a space. Consult with Section 300-22(C) of the National
Electrical Code (NEC).
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Mounting on a Horizontal or Vertical

Surface
To mount an access point on a horizontal or vertical surface, follow these steps:
Step 1 Use the mounting bracket as a template to mark the locations of the four mounting
holes.
Step 2 Drill one of the following sized holes at the locations that you marked:
3/16 inch (4.7 mm) if you are using wall anchors
1/8 inch (6.3 mm) if you are not using wall anchors
Step 3 Install the anchors into the wall if you are using them.
Step 4 Secure the mounting bracket to the surface using the fasteners.
Note On a vertical surface, mount the bracket with its security hasp facing down.
Step 5 Attach the access point to the mounting bracket.
Note You can make the installation more secure by mounting it to a stud or major structural
member and using the appropriate fasteners.
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Mounting Below a Suspended Ceiling
To mount an access point on a suspended ceiling, follow these steps:
Step 1 Determine where to mount the access point.
Step 2 Attach two T-rail clips to the suspended-ceiling T-rail.

Step 3 Use the mounting bracket to adjust the distance between the T-rail clips so that they
align with the holes in the mounting bracket.
Step 4 Use a standard screwdriver to tighten the T-rail clip studs in place on the suspended-
ceiling T-rail. Do not over-tighten the clips.
Step 5 If you are using recessed ceiling tiles, install a plastic spacer on each T-rail clip stud.
The spacer legs should contact the suspended-ceiling T-rail.
Step 6 Attach the mounting bracket to the T-rail clips studs and loosely install a Keps nut
on each stud.
Step 7 Use a wrench or pliers to tighten the Keps nuts. Do not over-tighten.
Step 8 Attach the access point to the mounting bracket.
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Mounting Above a Suspended Ceiling
The access point mounting plate is designed to be integrated into the T-bar grid above the tiles
of a suspended ceiling. Using a T-bar box hanger and bracket mounting clip (not supplied) such
as the Erico Caddy Snap On Fixture/Box Hanger, orient the access point antenna just above the
top surface of a standard ceiling tile. You may need to modify a thicker tile to allow room for
the antenna.
Note Only the fiber-optic power injector (AIR-PWRINJ-FIB) has been tested to UL 2043 for
operation in the environmental air space of a building; no other power injectors or power
modules have been tested to UL 2043 and they should not be placed in an environmental air
space, such as above suspended ceilings.
The bracket mounting clip requires the use of two mounting clip holes on the mounting plate.
Follow these steps to mount the access point above a suspended ceiling:
Step 1 Insert the tab of the bracket mounting clip into the large hole on the access point
mounting plate.
Step 2 Place the clip over the T-bar box hanger and secure it to the access point mounting
plate with the 1/4-20 fastener (supplied with the T-bar hanger).
Step 3 Determine the location in the ceiling where you will mount the access point and
remove an adjacent ceiling tile.
Step 4 Orient the access point 2-GHz and 5-GHz antennas so that they are pointing down
when mounted on the T-bar box hanger.
Step 5 Adjust the height of the T-bar box hanger to provide antenna clearance above the
ceiling tile using the height adjusting screws.
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Step 6 Attach the T-rail clips on each end of the T-bar box hanger to the ceiling grid T-
rails. Make sure the clips are securely attached to the T-rails.
Step 7 Connect a drop wire to a building structural element and through the hole provided
in the bracket mounting clip. This additional support is required in order to comply
with the U.S. NEC.
Step 8 Attach the access point to the mounting plate.
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Attaching the Access Point to the

Mounting Bracket
If your mounting plate has the cable security bracket, follow these steps:
Step 1 Connect the Ethernet cable to the access point Ethernet port.
Step 2 If not using on-line power, connect the power cable of the power module to the
access point 48-VDC connector.
Step 3 Carefully feed the Ethernet and power cables through the cable notch on the cable
security bracket and slide the cables to the right or left to secure the cables.
Note If your access point is connected to Ethernet inline power, do not connect the local power
module to the access point. Using two power sources on the access point might cause the
access point to shut down to protect internal components and might cause the switch to shut
down the port to which the access point is connected. If your access point shuts down, you
must remove all power and reconnect only a single power source.
Step 4 Line up the four keyhole clips on the mounting plate with the large ends of the
keyhole-shaped holes on the access point.
Note The keyhole clips on each side of the mounting plate are offset and can only be positioned
in one direction onto the access point.
Step 5 Insert the mounting plate clips into the keyhole-shaped holes on the access point.
Step 6 Slide the access point towards the cable security bracket end of the mounting bracket
while exerting slight pressure to force the access point and mounting plate together.
You will hear a slight click when the locking detents contact the access point and
lock it into place.
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Step 7 Attach and adjust the antennas or antenna cables to the access point antenna
connectors.
Note The 5-GHz antennas and antenna cables have a blue dot or blue label. Connect only
antennas or antenna cables with blue dots or labels to the access point 5-GHz antenna
connector.
If your mounting plate does not have the cable security bracket, follow these steps:
Step 1 Connect a Category 5 Ethernet cable to the access point Ethernet port.
Step 2 If using local power, insert the power cable of the power module into the access
point 48-VDC power port.
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Adding Additional Access Points

This topic describes the recommendations for adding additional access points to the WLAN
deployment for voice or location-based services. For optimum operation, a Cisco Unified
Wireless IP Phone 7921G requires a signal level of –67 dBm or higher when using 2.4-GHz
(802.11b and 802.11g) and the 5-GHz (802.11a), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 25 dB. In
addition, maintain a packet error rate (PER) of no higher than 1 percent.
Adding Voice to a Data WLAN

Determine if your WLAN is voice-
ready
20 percent overlap, –67 dBm cell edges
are needed to support voice.
Use Cisco WCS to conduct a voice
readiness test.
Use the Cisco WCS planning tool to
determine if you have the AP density to
support a VoWLAN.
If adding antennae, use diversity ceiling
mount antennas.
To achieve maximum capacity and throughput, the WLAN should be designed to 24 Mb/s.
Higher data rates (36 to 54 Mb/s) can optionally be enabled.
It is recommended that you set the minimum data rate to 11 Mb/s for 2.4 GHz and 6 Mb/s for 5
GHz, which should also be the only rate configured as a basic rate.
Adding capacity to the network is accomplished by using more access points on

nonoverlapping channels. In the 2.4-GHz band, there are three nonoverlapping channels.
However, on the 5-GHz (802.11a) band, all 23 channels (depending on geographic area) are
nonoverlapping channels, which results in increased network capacity and the ability to deploy
without interference from adjacent cells.
If you have Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS), you can run a voice readiness test. If it
fails, use the Cisco WCS planning tool to see how many access points are needed to get the
WLAN voice ready.
Access Point Antenna Selection

Cisco recommends a diversity ceiling-mount antenna for voice applications. Ceiling-mounted
antennas offer a quick and easy installation.
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More importantly, they place the radiating portion of the antenna in open space, which allows
the most efficient signal propagation and reception. Cisco recommends that all antennas be
placed one to two wavelengths from highly reflective surfaces such as metal. The 2.4-GHz
wave is 4.92 inches (12.5 cm) and the 5-GHz wave is 2.36 inches (6 cm). The separation of one
or more wavelengths between the antenna and reflective surfaces allows the access point radio
a better opportunity to receive a transmission, and reduces the creation of nulls when the radio
transmits. Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), used by IEEE 802.11g and
802.11a, helps to mitigate problems with reflections, nulls, and multipath; however, good
antenna placement and the use of appropriate antenna types provide a superior solution. The
ceiling tile itself is a good absorber of signals transmitted into the area above the ceiling and
reflected back into the coverage area.
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Adding Location Services to your WLAN

Monitoring APs will need to be
added
Enable LOMM on 2.4-GHz APs
Inspect location readiness with
Cisco WCS
Using the monitor mode APs
can help location
implementations
After implementation, calibration
function available within Cisco
WCS should be utilized to
ensure higher location accuracy
To optimize the monitoring and location calculation of radio frequency identification (RFID)
tags, you can enable location optimized monitor mode (LOMM) on up to four channels within
the 2.4-GHz band of an 802.11b/g access point radio. This feature allows you to scan only the
channels on which tags are usually programmed to operate, such as channels 1, 6, and 11.
To configure LOMM on the access point, follow these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Wireless > Access Points > All APs to open the All APs page.
Step 2 Click the name of the access point for which you want to configure monitor mode.
The Details page appears.
Step 3 From the AP Mode drop-down menu, choose Monitor.

Step 4 Click Apply to commit your changes.
Step 5 Click OK when warned that the access point will be rebooted.
Step 6 Click Save Configuration to save your changes.
Step 7 Navigate to Wireless > Access Points > Radios > 802.11b/g/n to open the
802.11b/g/n Radios page.
Step 8 Position the mouse over the blue drop-down arrow for the desired access point and
click Configure. The 802.11b/g/n Cisco APs > Configure page appears.
Step 9 To disable the access point radio, choose Disable from the Admin Status drop-down
list and click Apply.
Step 10 To enable LOMM on the radio, choose Enable from the LOMM Enable drop-down
list.
Step 11 From the four Channel drop-down lists, choose the channels on which you want to
monitor RFID tags.
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Note You must configure at least one channel on which the tags will be monitored.
Step 12 Click Apply to commit your changes.
Step 14 To re-enable the access point radio, choose Enable from the Admin Status drop-
down list and click Apply.
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Summary
Summary
Cisco access points accept different types of PoE. Not all Cisco
access points accept 802.3af.
Existing network infrastructure should be inspected to see if
infrastructure upgrades are required to support the proposed
WLAN.
Cisco Aironet access points come with mounting hardware.
Additional access points may be needed to support VoWLAN or
location-based services.
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Lesson 2
Determining the WLAN

Equipment and Licenses
Overview
This lesson describes access point and controller density and redundancy for a WLAN. The
lesson also describes density and licensing for the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS), Cisco
3300 Series Mobility Services Engine (MSE), and the location server.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to determine the number of access points,
controllers, location appliances, and Cisco WCS licenses needed for the WLAN. This ability
includes being able to meet these objectives:
Determine the number of access points and controllers needed for a WLAN deployment
Determine the Cisco WCS licenses and number of location servers or MSE needed for a
WLAN deployment
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Controllers and Access Points

This topic describes the number of access points and controllers needed for a WLAN
deployment. With the Cisco WCS database, you can add maps and view your managed system on
realistic campus, building, and floor map maps.
Access Point Density

802.11a/b/g/n client density
Typically 15 to 25 users per radio
Depends on WLAN services
supported and the number of
wireless users that will access the
network
Data-only WLANs require density based on the number of users and expected throughput. If you
plan to add voice, you will need to increase the number of access points. When surveying any
network, the first priority is to determine the user needs. For a WLAN, this includes defining the
coverage area and what the customer needs. You need to determine whether users need specialty
devices on the WLAN, such as bar code readers, wireless IP phones, or wireless printers, and the
minimum speeds or bandwidth that users require. You need to determine how many users will be
in a given area. For the average office application, you can get reasonable performance with 15 to
25 users per access point when using 802.11 data rates. For an application such as bar code
reading, the number of users can increase considerably and this may require using IEEE 802.11g
to increase data rates.
If the need exists to effectively support 802.11a and 802.11g users, especially when there are
many active users, you should consider a dual-mode access point. Dual-mode access points
provide separate 802.11a and 802.11g radios in the access points that are set to different,
nonoverlapping RF channels.
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A significant advantage of 802.11a is that it offers very high capacity compared to the other
standards, and it operates in the 5-GHz band, which is mostly free from sources of RF
interference. The 5-GHz spectrum provides the most flexible method of high bandwidth design
because there are 21 channels available in the 5-GHz spectrum. These channels do not have
frequency overlap as is the case with the 2.4-GHz spectrum. Therefore 21 access points could
share the same floor space and not interfere with each other or with the clients associated to them
when in 5-GHz 802.11a mode. Microwave ovens and Bluetooth devices operate in the 2.4-GHz
band. However, the disadvantage of 802.11a is that the standard has limited regulatory
acceptance around the world. The IEEE working group is actively working on 802.11n, but it has
not been ratified. However, products based on the draft version of the standard are already being
sold.
The 802.11a standard will be the basis of the next generation of WLANs, with data rates well
above 100 Mb/s and providing both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radio modules. The 5-GHz 802.11n
wide channel mode (40 MHz) provides for nine nonoverlapping channels. When standard 20
MHz wide channels in the 5-GHz 802.11n band are used, there are 21 nonoverlapping channels
like 802.11a. The 802.11n specification raises expectations of improved cell throughput,
capacity, and coverage, but an 802.11b client is still an 802.11b client, even when a client is
associated to an 802.11n-enabled access point. The 802.11b client still has a maximum data rate
of 11 Mb/s per second and a maximum throughput of 7.1 Mb/s. The coverage of the access point
may be improved by the increased receiver sensitivity and increased transmit power, but the
improvement is likely to be no more than ten percent.
Cisco Aironet 1130AG and 1240AG Series Access Points are dual-mode access points. With dual
802.11a and 802.11g radios, the access point provides up to 108 Mb/s of capacity in a single
device. The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet, which was
specifically engineered to support the power, throughput, and 802.11n.
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Access Point Density with Location

Design and deployment considerations should be followed as a
starting point
Adherence to an inter-access point separation of 40 to 70 feet
Proper placement of access points is critical if the system is expected to fully deliver on its
performance potential. In many office WLANs, access points are distributed throughout interior
spaces, providing more than adequate coverage to surrounding work areas. These locations are
usually selected on the basis of coverage, WLAN bandwidth, channel reuse, cell-to-cell overlap,
security, aesthetics, and deployment feasibility. In a location-aware WLAN design, however,
access points must not be located based solely on these criteria but must strike a balance between
these criteria and location placement requirements. Although there is no single rule that
consistently yields the proper access point density for every environment, the signal threshold
and placement suggestions made in the Wi-Fi Location-Based Services 4.1 Design Guide by
Cisco should be considered. Design and deployment considerations should be followed as a
starting point of any location-aware design. Among these recommendations is the adherence to
an inter-access point separation of between 40 to 70 feet.
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Access Point Density by Data Rate

Supported
By increasing the access point count and lowering the power, you can improve throughput for
users. The type of services offered, such as VoWLAN and location-aware WLAN, will increase
the number of access points needed for these services to operate correctly.
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Access Point Density Generated by

Cisco WCS Planning Tool
The Cisco WCS Planning Mode window enables you to calculate the number of access points
required to cover an area by placing fictitious access points on a map and allowing you to view
the coverage area. Based on the throughput specified for each protocol (802.11a/n or
802.11b/g/n), planning mode calculates the total number of access points required to provide
optimum coverage in your network. You can calculate the recommended number and location of
access points based on the following criteria:
Traffic type active on the network: data or voice traffic or both
Location accuracy requirements
Number of active users
Number of users per square footage
The recommended number of access points given the selected services appears.
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Controller Access Point Density

Cisco 2106 WLC: 6 APs
Cisco 4402 WLC: 12, 25, 50 APs
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series WiSM: 300 APs
4404 Series controller
2100 Series Cisco Catalyst 6500

WLC Series WiSM
Several options of WLAN controllers are available, supporting as few as six access points to as
many as 300 access points.
The Cisco 2100 Series WLCs are designed for enterprise branches and small and medium-sized
businesses. The Cisco 2106 WLC supports up to six access points and comes with eight Ethernet
ports, two of which can provide power to Cisco access points. The Cisco 2112 WLC supports up
to 12 access points and comes with eight Ethernet ports, two of which can provide power to
access points. The Cisco 2125 WLC supports up to 25 access points and comes with eight
Ethernet ports, two of which can provide power to access points.
The Cisco 4400 Series WLC is available in two models: The Cisco 4402 WLC with two Gigabit
Ethernet ports, which comes in configurations that support 12, 25, and 50 access points, and the
Cisco 4404 WLC with four Gigabit Ethernet ports supports 100 access points.
As a member of the Cisco WLC family, the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Wireless Services Module
(WiSM) works in conjunction with Cisco access points and the Cisco WCS to support mission-
critical wireless data, voice, and video applications. As a key component of Cisco Unified
Wireless Network for the enterprise, and Cisco service mesh architecture for service providers,
the Cisco WiSM provides real-time communication between access points and other controllers
to deliver a secure, end-to-end wireless solution.
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N + 1 Redundancy Design
In the N + 1 redundancy configuration, one controller backs up n controllers.
Deterministic Redundancy Designs:

N+1
In this configuration, the redundant controller is placed in the network operations center (NOC)
or data center and acts as a backup for multiple controllers. Each access point is configured with
a primary controller and all access points point to the next single redundant controller as
secondary.
One issue with this design is that the redundant controller could become oversubscribed with
access points if there are multiple primary controller failures, which is usually unlikely. When a
controller reaches the maximum number of joined access points, it accepts no more Lightweight
Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) join requests. When the backup controller becomes
oversubscribed, some access points could be without a controller. When designing an N + 1
redundant solution, you should assess the risks of multiple controller failures and the
consequences of an oversubscribed backup controller.
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N + N Redundancy Design
In the N + N redundancy configuration, N controllers back up N controllers.

N+N
In the figure, there are two controllers. Some of the access points are configured with Controller-
A as its primary and Controller-B as secondary, while other access points are configured with
Controller-B as primary and Controller-A as secondary.
In this design, it is important to load-balance the access point capacity across both controllers. It
is also important to try to logically group access points on controllers to minimize inter-controller
roaming events. For example, if you are supporting a four-floor building with two redundant
controllers, you might configure the access points on floors one and two to use one controller as
primary and the access points on floors three and four to use the other controller as primary.
Note There should be enough access point and bandwidth capacity on each controller to handle a
failover situation.
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N + N + 1 Redundancy Design
In the N + N + 1 redundancy configuration, N controllers back up N controllers as secondary, and
one controller backs up all N controllers as tertiary.

N+N+1
In the figure, some of the access points are configured with Controller-A as primary and
Controller-B as secondary, and some of the access points are configured with Controller-B as
primary and Controller-A as secondary. All of the access points are configured to use the same
backup as tertiary. Typically, the primary and secondary controllers are placed at the network
distribution level and the tertiary controller is placed in an NOC or data center. Multiple
distribution blocks can be configured with the same tertiary controller.
When selecting a redundancy option, you should consider the risk of controller failure and the
service level agreement (SLA) required. The higher the SLA, the more robust a redundancy
scheme your designed solution should provide.
Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software Release 5.1 now allows for the plus one controller at
the NOC or data center to no longer have to be a member of the same mobility group. It can now
be referenced by its IP address versus being part of the same mobility group.
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Cisco WCS Licenses for Location Servers and the

MSE
This topic describes how to determine the Cisco WCS licenses and number of location servers or
MSE needed for a WLAN deployment. Cisco WCS base supports standard Cisco WCS
capabilities. Cisco WCS location includes all base features plus the ability to track a single Wi-Fi
device on demand or expand location capabilities by adding a Cisco Wireless Location Appliance
or the MSE with context-aware software, to simultaneously track multiple Wi-Fi devices.
Cisco WCS Access Point Density

High-end server
– Access points
Up to 3000 Cisco lightweight APs
1250 autonomous APs
– 750 controllers
– Intel Xeon Quad 3.16-GHz CPU with 8-GB RAM
– 200-GB HDD
80 GB minimum free disk space on the hard drive
Note: The free disk space listed is a minimum requirement but
may be different for your system, depending on the number of
backups.
The following requirements must be met for a high-end server:

Up to 3000 Cisco lightweight access points, 1250 autonomous access points, and 750 Cisco
controllers
Intel Xeon Quad 3.16-GHz CPU with 8-GB RAM
80 GB minimum free disk space on your hard drive
Note The free disk space listed is a minimum requirement but may be different for your system,
depending on the number of backups.
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Cisco WCS Access Point Density (Cont.)

Standard server
Access points
– Up to 2000 Cisco lightweight APs
– 1000 autonomous APs
450 controllers
Intel Dual Core 3.2-GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM
80-GB HDD
– 40 GB minimum free disk space on the hard drive
The following requirements must be met for a standard server.

Up to 2000 Cisco lightweight access points, 450 Cisco controllers, and 1000 autonomous
access points
Intel Dual Core 3.2-GHz CPU with 4-GB RAM
— 40-GB HDD
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Cisco WCS Access Point Density (Cont.)

Low-end server
Access points
– Up to 500 Cisco lightweight APs
– 200 autonomous APs
125 controllers
Intel 3.06-GHz CPU, 2 GB RAM
– 40-GB HDD
Operating systems supported
– Microsoft Windows 2003, SP 2, 32- and 64-bit
– Red Hat Linux Enterprise Server 5.0 or 5.1, 32- and 64-bit
The following requirements must be met for a low-end server.

Up to 500 Cisco lightweight access points, 200 autonomous access points, and 125 Cisco
controllers.
Intel 3.06-GHz CPU, 2-GB RAM
— 40-GB HDD
Supported Operating Systems

Depending on the number of access points supported, Cisco WCS has the following minimum
operating system requirements:
Microsoft Windows 2003, Service Pack 2, and Windows 2003 R2 with SP2, 32-bit
installations with all critical and security Windows updates installed
Microsoft Windows 2003, Service Pack 2, 64-bit installations not supported
Microsoft Windows 2003, 32-bit installations provide support for up to 64 GB of RAM if
Physical Address Extension (PAE) is enabled.
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Server 5.0 or 5.1, 32-bit installation operating system
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Server 5.0 or 5.1, 64-bit installation operating system is not
supported.
Windows 2003 and Red Hat Linux version support on VmWare ESX 3.0.1 version and later.
Individual operating systems running Cisco WCS in VmWare must follow the specifications for
the size of Cisco WCS that you intend to use.
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Mobility and Location Server Client

Density
AIR-MSE-3350-K9-Cisco 3350 MSE
Up to 18,000 clients and tags for contextual information
Cisco 2700 Series appliance
Up to 2500 clients and tags
The Cisco 3350 MSE hosts the Cisco context-aware software. Cisco Context-Aware Software
allows for the tracking of up to 18,000 clients and tags for contextual information. Separate
licensees are required for Context-Aware Software for clients and Context-Aware Software for
tags.
The location appliance tracks 802.11 devices directly from a WLAN infrastructure using
advanced RF fingerprinting technology. Additionally, the appliance records information so that
you can establish location trends and resolve problems regarding radio RF capacity.
By design, the location appliance is directly integrated into the WLAN infrastructure and is
configured through its command-line interface (CLI) and then managed through Cisco WCS. The
location appliance tracks the physical location of wireless devices using controllers and
controller-based access points. This appliance tracks any Wi-Fi device, including Wi-Fi clients,
standards-based Wi-Fi active RFID tags, rogue access points, and clients. It was designed with
the following requirements in mind:
Manageability: The same browser-based interface that is used for the Cisco WCS is also
used for the appliance. Moreover, the location appliance integrates directly into the WLAN
architecture, providing one unified network to manage instead of multiple disparate wireless
networks.
Scalability: The appliance was built to simultaneously track up to 2500 wireless devices.
Cisco WCS can manage multiple location appliances for greater scalability.
Security: The controller, Cisco WCS, and the location appliance were separated to deliver
the most secure architecture possible. The appliance records historical location information
that can be used for audit trails and regulatory compliance.
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Open and standards based: The appliance has a Simple Object Access Protocol/Extensible
Markup Language (SOAP/XML) application programming interface (API) that can be
integrated by partners with other business applications and can track any standards.
Easy deployment of business applications: The appliance can be integrated with new
business applications such as asset tracking, inventory management, location-based security,
or automated workflow management.
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Licensing
The following products require licensing
– Cisco WCS
Licenses are based on access point count
– Cisco 2700 Series Wireless Location Appliance
– Cisco 3550 Series Mobility Services Engine
Licenses are based on user count
Before you purchase a Cisco WCS license, determine if you will need a Base or Location license
and how many access points will need to be supported and licensed.
The two types of Cisco WCS support different feature levels:

Cisco WCS Base: Cisco WCS Base supports standard Cisco WCS capabilities, which
includes wireless client data access, rogue access point containment functions, Cisco WLAN
Solution monitoring and control, and client and rogue access point location to the nearest
access point.
Cisco WCS Location: Cisco WCS Location includes all the features present in the Cisco
WCS Base, plus the ability to track a single Wi-Fi device on demand or expand location
capabilities by adding a Cisco Wireless Location Appliance to simultaneously track up to
2500 Wi-Fi devices.
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Mobility Services Engine Licensing

AIR-CAS-3KC-K9: License for tracking 3000 client devices
AIR-CAS-6KC-K9: License for tracking 6000 client devices
AIR-CAS-12KC-K9: License for tracking 12,000 client devices
AIR-CAS-3KT-K9: License for tracking 3000 tag devices
AIR-CAS-6KT-K9: License for tracking 6000 tag devices
AIR-CAS-12KT-K9: License for tracking 12,000 tag devices
The Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Services Engine is an open platform that provides a new
approach for the delivery of mobility services to enable mobile business applications. A
combination of hardware and software, the MSE is an appliance-based solution that supports a
suite of software services to provide centralized and scalable service delivery. Cisco Mobility
Services are a set of value-added network services that consolidate intelligence from various
points in the network to enable and optimize the delivery of business mobility applications. The
Cisco Context-Aware Mobility Software is a mobility service and integrates with the Cisco
Unified Wireless Network to capture and integrate into business processes detailed contextual
information such as location, temperature, availability, and applications used.
The Cisco MSE hosts the Cisco Context-Aware Software. Cisco Context-Aware Software allows
for the tracking of up to 18,000 clients and tags for contextual information. Separate licenses are
required for Context-Aware Software for clients and Context-Aware Software for tags.
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Summary
Summary
Access point density is determined by number of users to be
supported and wireless services to be rendered. Controller
density is determined by access point count and redundancy
model chosen.
Client density and licensing for location or MSE are determined by
the number of clients and tags that are to be supported. Cisco
WCS licensing is determined by the number of access points
supported.
References
For additional information, refer to these resources:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Mobility/WiFiLBS-DG.html
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6305/products_data_sheet0900aecd804b4646.html
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Module Summary
Module Summary
Inline power for access points can be Cisco prestandard, IEEE 802.3af,
or Cisco Enhanced PoE, depending on access points deployed.
It is important that you validate existing network infrastructure for power
and switch port availability for access point and controller deployment.
Cisco APs are sold with mounting brackets that can be wall mounted
vertically or ceiling tile mounted horizontally.
If a WLAN is to be upgraded or implemented to support voice, ensure
that the –67 dBm cell radius and the 20 percent recommended cell
overlap is achieved. In addition, you should use the 802.11a network
rather than the 802.11g network for less noise and better separation of
channels.
Access point density is determined by the number of users and wireless
services to be supported.
Controller density is determined by access point count and redundancy
model chosen.
Client density and licensing for location and MSE is determined by the
number of supported clients and tags.
Cisco WCS licensing is determined by the number of supported access
points.
Different Cisco access points have different Power over Ethernet (PoE) requirements. Some
access points accept Cisco prestandard PoE, which means that the access point receives its
power from a Cisco inline-power-capable switch. The Cisco Aironet 1240AG and 1130AG
Series Access Points can be powered from either Cisco prestandard PoE or IEEE 802.3af PoE.
If you wish to power both radios on the Aironet 1250 Series Access Point, you will need a 56-
VDC power injector or switch from Cisco that is capable of providing the additional voltage
and amperage required. Cisco Enhanced PoE is available on some Cisco switches.
When overlaying a WLAN over an existing network infrastructure, you should check to see if
there is port availability on the existing network switches to accommodate the Cisco access
points and controllers. The Cisco 4400 and 4404 Series WLCs require Gigabit Ethernet
connections. The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Points need Gigabit Ethernet connections
as well. Adding Voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) to an existing data WLAN can be
difficult if the WLAN was not originally designed for voice. VoWLAN is more demanding and
less tolerant of dropped packets and latency. Lower power, higher data rates, and twenty
percent overlap are some of the recommendations.
Wireless client density and wireless applications drive network design for access point density.
Access point density and controller redundancy drive the design for the number of controllers
required for the WLAN. Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) licensing depends on the type
of network services currently running and the access point count.
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Module Self-Check
Q1) What wattage does Enhanced PoE supply to the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series AP?
(Source: Determining the Infrastructure Requirements for the WLAN)
A) 15.4 watts
B) 16.8 watts
C) 18.5 watts
D) 20.5 watts
Q2) What wattage does the Cisco Aironet 1242AG Series AP operate on? (Source:
Determining the Infrastructure Requirements for the WLAN)
A) 15.4 watts
B) 16.8 watts
C) 18.5 watts
D) 20.5 watts
Q3) What port speeds does Cisco Aironet 1250AG Series AP support? (Source:
Q4) Cell edges should be _____ dBm when designing the WLAN to support VoWLAN in
UNII-1 and UNII-3 bands. (Source: Determining the Infrastructure Requirements for
the WLAN)
Q5) What does LOMM stand for? (Source: Determining the Infrastructure Requirements
for the WLAN)
A) location optimized monitor mode
B) location optional monitor mode
C) location operational monitor mode
D) location optimum monitor mode
Q6) What is the recommended cell overlap when designing a WLAN for voice? (Source:
A) 10 percent
B) 15 percent
C) 20 percent
D) 25 percent
Q7) Cisco recommends using ceiling-mounted omnidirectional diversity antennas when
designing VoWLANs. (Source: Determining the Infrastructure Requirements for the
WLAN)
A) true
B) false
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Q8) How many access points can Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series WiSM support? (Source:
Determining the WLAN Equipment and Licenses)
A) 100
B) 150
C) 200
D) 300
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Q1) C
Q2) A
Q3) 10/100/1000
Q4) –67
Q5) A
Q6) C
Q7) A
Q8) D
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Module 5
Assessment of the
Deployment
Overview
When installation of the WLAN is completed, including IP addressing and configuration,
verification of coverage must be completed. If Voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) was
installed, then extensive testing must be completed to verify that VoWLAN services are
working properly. All services installed must be tested completely to ensure that they are
working properly. All installation devices, IP addressing, and network configurations should be
documented and included in an installation report.
Module Objectives
Upon completing this module, you will be able to assess the deployment of the WLAN. This
ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe the steps necessary to verify RF coverage of the deployment and make necessary
adjustments
Describe the steps necessary to use the Cisco WCS tools to verify the readiness of the
WLAN to support the desired applications
Describe the information needed in an installation report
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Lesson 1
Verifying RF Coverage
Overview
Before a WLAN can go live, you should perform an application verification. During this phase,
you complete final access point or antenna adjustments that are necessary to optimize the
WLAN. You should test applications such as location tracking and Voice over WLAN
(VoWLAN) to ensure that they are working properly.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the steps necessary to verify RF
coverage of a deployment and make necessary adjustments. This ability includes being able to
meet these objectives:
Describe how to perform an RF audit using AirMagnet Survey PRO
Describe how to tune the Radio Resource Management parameters for the deployed WLAN
Describe how to tune various network appliances deployed in the WLAN
Describe how to verify the applications using the local client
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RF Audit
This topic describes how to perform an RF audit using AirMagnet Survey PRO. Post-
installation surveys are conducted on existing WLAN sites. The goal is to validate or audit the
current WLAN deployment in order to enhance its security and performance. Unlike
preinstallation site surveys, postinstallation surveys focus more on the entire site environment.
Postinstallation Audit with AirMagnet

Conduct a passive survey of the entire
deployment area:
– Conduct a separate passive survey per
media type, IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b,
802.11g, 802.11n.
– Check for co-channel interference.
– Ensure that all access points installed
are working.
– Check to ensure you have adequate
signal levels as surveyed.
– Compare the coverage and data rates of
the postinstallation survey with the
survey that was performed prior to the
installation.
Post-installation survey procedures can be summarized as follows:

Conduct a passive survey of the entire deployed environment (divided into several shorter
surveys, if necessary) and compare the results to those generated during the planning stage
of the predeployment process.
Make any required adjustments that were not accounted for in the preinstallation portion in
order to make the network meet user and throughput requirements.
Conduct a separate passive site survey for each media type supported (IEEE 802.11a,
802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n). Check for co-channel interference by standing near an
access point on one channel and watch for other access points that are on the same channel.
Check to see if the signal level on other access points heard on the same channel is at least
19 dBm weaker than the access point that you are next to.
When you have completed the post-installation surveys, compare them to the surveys that
were performed prior to the installation. They should look nearly identical.
Check Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) to verify that all access points installed show
up in the access point list.
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Postinstallation Audit with AirMagnet

(Cont.)
Conduct an active survey with AirMagnet
Survey PRO:
– Perform a separate active survey by
media type.
– Survey by SSID to ensure that roaming is
taking place.
– Set roaming criteria.
– For 802.11n active surveys, use Iperf to
verify up and down link speeds.
Additional postinstallation survey procedures are as follows:

Conduct an active survey with AirMagnet Survey PRO in order to verify that there are no
gaps in the coverage area that were not discovered during the passive survey. This process
also allows you to verify that the real-world network traffic (for example, physical data
rate, packet loss or packet retry, uplink or downlink data) meets user requirements.
Perform a separate active site survey for each media type supported (802.11a, 802.11b,
802.11g, or 802.11n). Survey by Service Set Identifier (SSID) to ensure that smooth
roaming is taking place. Walk both sides of all access points to ensure that you stay
connected.
Roaming Control
The Roaming Option button in the top right of the active survey window allows you to control
the roaming status of your network adapter. It can help define precisely when your card will
roam, based on several different values. Click the Roaming Option button to open the Set
Roaming Criteria dialog box.
You may now adjust roaming values to determine when the adapter begins to roam. It is
important to note that this roaming configuration takes place within AirMagnet Survey; the
settings do not extend to your Windows network configuration.
Roaming will trigger when any one of these values is met. Configuring roaming based on
signal strength will cause your computer to roam when it reaches specific minimum signal
strength, whereas speed will cause it to roam once a minimum transmission speed is met. Max
retries refers to the number of times the computer has to re-send lost data to the access point.
The roaming control option will only work with the following wireless adapters:
3Com 802.11a/b/g Wireless PC Card (3CRPAG175 and 3CRPAG175B)
AirMagnet Trio 802.11a/b/g wireless adapter (NL-5354CB ARIES)
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Assessment of the Deployment 5-5

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Wireless CardBus Adapter Super A/G (NL-5354CB PLUS Aries2 and NL-5354 B PLUS
Aries2-F)
AirMagnet 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter
Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-AMG54 wireless adapter (For Japan only)
Cisco 802.11a/b/g Wireless Adapter AIR-CB21AG
Enterasys a/b/g RoamAbout CB-500AG
LANCOM Systems Airlancer 54-ag
Linksys Wireless A+G Notebook Adapter WPC55AG version 1.2 and 1.3
Netgear WAG511 802.11 a/b/g wireless adapter, WAG511v2 802.11 a/b/g, and WG511U
Double 108 Mb/s wireless adapter
Nortel Networks 802.11 a/b/g wireless adapter 2202
OQO Model O2 UMPC (Atheros tri-mode 802.11 a/b/g)
Proxim ORiNOCO 802.11 a/b/g ComboCard Gold (8480-XX) and ORiNOCO 802.11 b/g
PC Card Gold (8470-XX)
TRENDnet 802.11 a/g Wireless CardBus PC Card (TEW 501 PC)
Ubiquiti SRC 802.11 a/b/g MMCX adapter
For 802.11n media types, enable Iperf on a server and assign the IP address of the server in the
Iperf active survey window within AirMagnet Survey PRO. This will allow you to check the
uplink and downlink speeds when performing your active survey for 802.11n clients.
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Tips for Improved AirMagnet Survey

Accuracy
Focus on one band (2.4 or 5 GHz) at a time.
Plan the survey path ahead of time.
Be sure to survey from all areas of the network.
Moving too quickly can result in insufficient data.
Moving too slowly results in longer processing times due to an
excess of gathered information.
Active rather than passive surveys give a more comprehensive
perspective of real-world performance.
The following tips are intended as guidelines that can help enhance the general survey
procedures:
Focus on one band (2.4 or 5 GHz) at a time; attempting to do both may take less time, but
can cause gaps in the data.
Plan the survey path ahead of time in order to conduct the most complete survey in minimal
time.
Be sure to survey from all areas of the network; do not assume that coverage on one side of
the access points will be identical to coverage on the opposite side.
Moving too quickly can result in insufficient data collected; however, moving too slowly
results in longer processing times due to an excess of information.
Active surveys give a more comprehensive perspective of real-world performance than
passive surveys, and are therefore required for a complete survey process.

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RRM Tuning
This topic describes how to tune Radio Resource Management (RRM) parameters for a
deployed WLAN. After setting up the WLAN network, you should always retest the site using
the selected channels and check for any interference. Keep in mind that the RRM algorithms
are logical and subject to the physical topology of the network.
Radio Resource Management Tuning

Many 5-GHz client adapters do not support all 23 channels
available.
Adjust designated channel assignment (DCA) for RRM on all
controllers to support only channels supported by wireless clients.
Failure to do so can cause client failure when channels not
supported by the wireless clients are used by the associated
access points.
While the new Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones 7921G and 7925 voice handsets support all of
the North American 5-GHz channels, not all wireless clients support all of these channels.
Many do not support the UNII-2 extended channels 100 through 140 (5.470 to 5.725 GHz).
Ensure that only channels enabled on the controller or access points are supported by all
wireless clients on the network. Failure to do so can cause coverage holes for clients that do not
support certain channels.
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Enabling and Disabling Channels for

RRM
Wireless > 802.11a/n
> RRM > DCA
Check or uncheck
channels supported
by wireless clients
802.11n operates on the same channel as 802.11a. For better compatibility with 802.11n clients,
you should stay on lower channels (UNII-1 band). Check the list of channels used in channel
allocation for access points from the designated channel assignment (DCA) menu by navigating
to Wireless > 802.11a/n > RRM > DCA on the controller. You can include or delete a channel
from the list.

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Network Appliance and Application Tuning

This topic describes how to tune various network appliances deployed in the WLAN. Network
appliances that are integrated into the WLAN and communicate with Cisco WCS, such as the
Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Services Engine (MSE) or location server, can be tuned so that
their refresh time and retry count are used to help limit the number of notifications that are
repeatedly generated for uncleared events.
Network Application Notification Tuning

The Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Services Engine or location server
refresh time and retry count notifications can be modified.
Modify notification parameters only if you expect the Cisco 3300
Series MSE or location server to send a large number of
notifications or if notifications are not being received.
For the MSE, the format for northbound notifications for tags to be
sent to a third party is available for developers at:
– http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/svcs/ps3034/ps5408/ps5
418/serv_home.html
To configure notification parameters, follow these steps:

Step 1 In Cisco WCS, navigate to Mobility > Mobility Service Engines.
Step 2 Click the name of the mobility services engine that you want to edit.
Step 3 From the Location menu on the left, select Notification Parameters from the
Advanced subheading to display the configuration options.
Step 4 Check the Enable Northbound Notifications check box to enable the function.
Step 5 Check the Tags check box to send tag notifications to third-party applications.
Step 6 Check the check box for each of the tag notification event types (chokepoints,
Telemetry, Emergency, Battery Level, and Vendor Data) that you want sent.
Step 7 Check the Include Location check box to send the tag location.
Note You can define which type of location information is sent for the tag. Options include
building; X, Y map coordinates; civic (address); city, state, or GEO (longitude, latitude).
Step 8 Enter the IP address and port for the system that is to receive the northbound
notifications.
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Step 9 Select the transport type from the drop-down menu.
Step 10 To modify the notification parameter settings, enter the new value in the appropriate
field in the Advanced section of the window. Definitions for each of the parameters
are listed in the table.
Notification Parameters
Parameter Description
Rate Limit Enter the rate, in milliseconds, at which the MSE will generate notifications. A
value of 0 (default) means that the MSE will generate event notifications as fast
as possible.
Queue Limit The event queue limit for sending notifications. The MSE will drop any event
above this limit. Default value is 500.
Retry Limit Enter the number of times to generate an event notification before the refresh
time expires. This value ensures, to some extent, that the events that the MSE
generated will eventually reach Cisco WCS. Default value is 1.
The MSE does not store events in its database.
Refresh Time Enter the wait time in minutes that must pass before an event notification is
resent. For example, suppose you enter 30 in this field. If a monitored element
goes out of a specified area, the MSE sends an event notification. Then, until the
event is cleared, the MSE resends an event notification every 30 minutes.
Notifications Dropped (Read only). The number of event notifications dropped from the queue since
startup.
Step 11 Click Save to store your updates in the Cisco WCS and MSE databases.

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Verify the Applications

This topic describes how to verify the applications using the local client. After conducting an
RF site survey and configuring the access point, verification tests should be run to ensure that
everything works as desired.
Verify Applications
Test all wireless applications, Layer 1 through Layer 7
– If handheld devices are to be used, turn them on and test.
– Mobile applications such as a respiratory care handheld
application should be tested in all areas where it is to be used.
– Perform load testing for client density.
– Go live with all wireless applications and test to ensure that
everything is working.
The network is not ready to go live until all applications have been tested on the wireless
network Layers 1 through 7. You should perform density testing and load testing. Iperf with
AirMagnet Survey PRO can be used to measure throughput to the client and from the client.
You should verify that mobile clients can roam without losing their session with the network
and that handoffs are smooth between access points.
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VoWLAN Verification Testing

Perform these tasks to verify wireless voice network operation.
Check that the wireless IP phones can do the following:
– Associate with all access points in the WLAN
– Authenticate with all access points in the WLAN
– Register with Cisco Unified Communications Manager
– Make stationary phone calls with good quality audio
– Make roaming phone calls with good quality audio and no
disconnections
– Place multiple calls, especially in areas designated for high-
density use
Before the initial deployment of wireless phones in the WLAN, you should perform a site
survey to verify that the access points provide adequate coverage and that wireless phones can
roam from one access point to another with no audio problems. After the initial deployment, it
is a good practice to perform site surveys at regular intervals to ensure continued coverage and
roaming.
From the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 7925G, you can use the Neighbor List utility or Site
Survey utility from the Settings > Status menu.
Perform these tasks to verify wireless voice network operation. Verify that the wireless IP
phones can do the following:
Associate with all access points in the WLAN
Authenticate with all access points in the WLAN
Register with Cisco Unified Communications Manager
Make stationary phone calls with good quality audio
Make roaming phone calls with good quality audio and no disconnections
Place multiple calls, especially in areas designated for high-density use

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Summary
Summary
Separate surveys should be done by media type supported
(802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n).
Only channels supported by wireless clients should be enabled on
the wireless network.
Notification parameters between Cisco WCS and the Cisco 3300
Series MSE or location appliance can be modified, if needed.
When the wireless installation is complete, all wireless devices
and applications must be tested to ensure they are working
properly.
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Lesson 2
Verifying WLAN Readiness
Overview
Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) has several tools for preparing a network with location
and Voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) services. You can calibrate floors for custom RF
modeling. You can run location and VoWLAN readiness tests to ensure that a floor area is
ready to support the services.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the steps necessary to use the Cisco
WCS tools to verify the readiness of the WLAN to support the desired applications. This ability
includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe how to perform a site calibration using Cisco WCS
Describe how to perform the Cisco WCS location readiness test
Describe how to perform the voice readiness test using Cisco WCS
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Cisco WCS Site Calibration

This topic describes how to perform a site calibration using Cisco WCS.
Calibration
If provided RF models do not sufficiently characterize the floor
layout, you can create a calibration model that is applied to the floor
and better represents the characteristics of that floor.
In environments in which many floors share common characteristics
(such as in a library), one calibration model can be created and then
applied to floors with the same physical layout and same
deployment.
If RF models that are provided do not sufficiently characterize a floor layout, you can create a
calibration model that is applied to the floor and better represents the characteristics of that
floor. In environments in which many floors share common characteristics (such as a library),
you can create one calibration model and apply it to floors with the same physical layout and
deployment.
The calibration models are used as RF overlays with measured RF signal characteristics that
can be applied to different floor areas. This enables the Cisco WLAN solution installation team
to lay out one floor in a multi-floor area, use the RF calibration tool to measure, save the RF
characteristics of that floor as a new calibration model, and apply that calibration model to all
the other floors that have the same physical layout.
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Data Collection
There are two methods of data collection:
– Data point collection
Calibration points are chosen and their coverage area is
calculated one location at a time.
This method is best suited for small, enclosed spaces such
as office cubicles, private offices, or conference rooms.
– Linear point collection
A series of linear paths are chosen and then calculated as
you traverse the path. This approach is generally faster
than the data point collection. You can also employ data
point collection to augment data collection for locations
missed by the linear paths.
This method is best suited for covering large open spaces
such as corridors, auditoriums, warehouses, or outdoor
areas.
You can collect data for a calibration using one of two methods:
Data point collection: Calibration points are chosen and their coverage area is calculated
one location at a time.
Linear point collection: A series of linear paths are chosen and then calculated as you
traverse the path. This approach is generally faster than the data point collection. You can
also employ data point collection to augment data collection for locations missed by the
linear paths.
Note A client device that supports both IEEE 802.11a/n and 802.11b/g/n radios is recommended
to expedite the calibration process for both spectrums. The client needs to be Cisco
Compatible Extension version 2 or later. It is recommend that the access point be set to a
channel and a power level that best represents the overall site design criteria. It is also
recommended that the client device used for the calibration be the model of the principle
application for the site.
If you are calibrating for 2.4 GHz and the site will not be using 802.11 and 802.11b data
rates, make sure that the access points have those rates disabled.

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Starting the Calibration
Enter the MAC address of the client

Select the building and floor area
Open a browser to the Cisco WCS server and follow these steps to perform the calibration
process:
Step 1 Navigate to Monitor > Maps and select RF Calibration Models from the drop-
down menu in the upper right. Click Go.
Step 2 Choose Create New Model from the drop-down menu in the upper right. Click Go.
Step 3 Assign a name to the model and then click OK.

Step 4 The new model appears along with the other RF calibration models, but its status is
listed as Not Yet Calibrated. To start the calibration process, select the hyperlink
associated with the new model name. A new window appears which indicates the
details of the new model. In the upper-right corner, choose Add Data Points from
the drop-down menu and click Go.
Step 5 If this process is being performed from a mobile device connected to the Cisco
centralized architecture through Cisco WCS, the MAC address field is automatically
populated with the address of the device. Otherwise, you can manually enter the
MAC address of the device being used to perform the calibration. MAC addresses
that are manually entered must be delimited with colons (such as
FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF).
Step 6 Choose the appropriate campus, building, and floor where the calibration is
performed. Click Next.
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Data Point Collection—Positioning the

Crosshairs
Adding data points

50 distinct locations
150 measurements must
be taken to complete the
calibration
If you want to do a point collection of data for the calibration, follow these steps:
Step 1 Choose Point from the Collection Method drop-down menu and check the Show
Data Points check box if not already checked. A calibration point pop-up displays
on the map.
Step 2 Position the tip of the calibration point pop-up at a data point (+) and click GO. A
panel appears showing the progress of the data collection.
Note Rotate the calibrating client laptop during data collection so that the client is heard evenly by
all access points in the vicinity.
Step 3 When the data collection is complete for a selected data point and the coverage area
is plotted on the map, move the calibration point pop-up to another data point and
click GO.
Note The coverage area plotted on the map is color-coded and corresponds with the specific
WLAN standard used to collect that data. Information on color-coding is provided in the
legend on the left side of the window. Additionally, the progress of the calibration process is
indicated by two status bars above the legend, one for 802.11a/n and one for 802.11b/g/n.
Note To delete data points for locations selected in error, click Delete and move the black square
that appears over the appropriate data points. Resize the square as necessary by pressing
Ctrl and moving the mouse.
Step 4 Repeat Steps 1, 2, and 3 until the calibrations status bar of the relevant spectrums
(802.11a/n or 802.11b/g/n) display as Done.

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Note The calibration status bar indicates data collection for the calibration as Done after date from
approximately 50 distinct locations and 150 measurements have been gathered. For every
location point saved in the calibration process, more than one data point is gathered. The
progress of the calibration process is indicated by two status bars above the legend, one for
802.11b/g/n and one for 802/11a/n.
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Linear Point Collection
Do not stop data collection until

you reach the end point, even if
the data collection bar indicates
completion.
If you want to do a linear collection of data for the calibration, follow these steps:
Step 1 Choose Linear from the Collection Method drop-down menu and check the Show
Data Points check box, if not already checked. A line appears on the map with both
Start and Finish pop-ups.
Step 2 Position the tip of the Start pop-up at the starting data point.
Step 3 Position the Finish pop-up at the ending data point.

Step 4 Position yourself with your laptop at the starting data point and click GO. Walk
steadily towards the end point along the defined path. A panel displays to show that
data collection is in process.
Note Do not stop data collection until you reach the end point even if the data collection bar
indicates completion.
Step 5 Press the space bar or Done on the data collection panel when you reach the end
point. The collection panel displays the number of samples taken before it closes to
reveal the map. The map displays all the coverage areas where data was collected.
Step 6 Repeat Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 until the status bar for the respective spectrum is filled in
(done).

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150 Data Points Later
Perform this process for each spectrum in which location services or Cisco Mobility Services
Engine (MSE) is required, until the calibration wizard shows that the process is complete. The
calibration wizard shows a complete calibration after approximately 50 distinct locations and
150 measurements have been gathered. For every location point saved in the calibration
process, more than one data point is gathered. Information on calibration status is provided in a
legend on the left side of the window. As data points are collected and areas of the map are
properly calibrated, coverage is indicated by colored areas that correspond with the specific
WLAN standard used to collect that data. The progress of the calibration process is indicated
by two status bars above the legend, one for 802.111/n and one for 802.11b/g/n progress.
Step 7 When the calibration is complete for each spectrum in which location services or
Cisco MSE is required, select the name of the calibration model at the top of the
window to return to the main screen for that model.
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Calibrate
When calibration is complete, click the Inspect Location Quality link.
Step 8 After all the raw data collection is performed, compile the model, and then Cisco
WCS and the location appliance use the data to understand RF attenuation
characteristics. To compute the collected data points, choose Calibrate from the
drop-down menu and click Go.
Step 9 Click the Inspection Location Quality link found under the Calibration Floors
heading. A color-coded map noting percentage of location errors appears.

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Inspect Location Quality
This figure is an example of a floor deployment in which the areas surrounding the access
points came out the best. Although the darkest green areas are towards the center of the figure,
notice that yellow and orange areas to the right are not as good.
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Edit Floor Area to Apply Calibration

Model
Step 10 To use the newly created calibration model, you must apply the model to the floor
on which it was created (and on any other floors with similar characteristics as well).
Navigate to Monitor > Maps and find the specific floor to which the model is
applied. At the floor map interface, choose Edit Floor Area from the drop-down
menu and click Go.

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Select Your RF Model
Step 11 From the Floor Type (RF Model) drop-down menu, choose the newly created
calibration model. Click OK to apply the model to the floor.
Note This process can be repeated for as many models and floors as needed. After a model is
applied to a floor, all location determination performed on that floor is done using the specific
collected attenuation data from the calibration model.
New Model Applied to Floor
When the new model is applied to the floor, you can locate a client on the heat map.
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Monitor > Clients > New Search > Go
To use Cisco WCS to find clients on your WLAN, follow these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Monitor > Clients and then to the Clients Summary page.
Step 2 The sidebar area enables you to select a new configuration panel under the menu
area that you have selected. You can make only one choice. The selector area
options vary based on the menu that you select, and include these options:
New Search: Opens the Search Clients window. Use the Search Clients window to
configure, run, and save searches.
Saved Searches: Lists the saved custom searches. To open a saved search, choose it from
the Saved Searches list.
Edit link: Opens the Edit Saved Searches window. You can delete saved searches in the
Edit Saved Searches window.
Step 3 In the sidebar, click New Search. The Search Clients window appears.
Step 4 Choose All Clients in the Search By drop-down menu and click GO. The related
search results window appears. The search results are listed.
Step 5 Click the username of the client that you want to locate. Cisco WCS displays the
corresponding Client Name page.
Note The Client Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) History, Client signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR) History, Bytes Sent and Received, and Packets Sent and Received reports are
displayed. You can specify graph view or table view by clicking the appropriate icon. If it is a
report where you can specify time period, enter both the start and end time or a specific time
period.

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Select Present Map (High Resolution) >

Go
Step 6 To find the client, choose one of these options from the Select a command drop-
down menu and click GO:
Recent Map (High Resolution): Finds the client without disassociating it.
Present Map (High Resolution): Disassociates the client and then finds it after
reassociation. When you choose this method, Cisco WCS displays a warning message and
asks you to confirm that you want to continue.
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Actual Location
Actual
Location
The illustration in the figure shows the location of access points in the corners of the floor plan.
The recommendation for increased location accuracy is to have access points located in corners
and along outside walls.
If you are using Cisco WCS Location, Cisco WCS compares the RSSI signal strength from two
or more access points to find the most probable location of the client and places a small laptop
icon at its most likely location. If you are using Cisco WCS Base, WCS relies on the RSSI
signal strength from the client and places a small laptop icon next to the access point that
receives the strongest RSSI signal from the client. The figure shows a heat map that includes a
client location.

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Cisco WCS Location Readiness Test

This topic describes how to perform the WCS location readiness test.
Monitor > Maps Building2 > First Floor
The Inspect Location Readiness feature is a distance-based predictive tool that can point out
problem areas with access point placement.
The Inspect Location Readiness tool does the following:

Displays areas that have the required access point coverage and will provide accurate
location results.
Takes into consideration the placement of each access point along with inter-access point
spacing.
Assumes that access points and controllers are known to Cisco WCS.
A point is defined as “location-ready” if the following is true:

At least four access points are deployed on the floor.
At least three access points are within 70 feet (21 meters) of the point-in-question.
At least one access point is found to be resident in each quadrant surrounding the point-in-
question.
To access the Inspect Location Readiness tool, follow these steps:

Step 1 Navigate to Monitor > Maps.
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Inspect Location Readiness
Step 2 Choose the applicable floor area name.
Step 3 From the Select a Command drop-down menu, click Inspect Location Readiness.
The following color schemes indicate whether or not the area is location-ready:
Green: Yes
Red: No
Areas within the access points are location-ready. Areas outside the rectangle of access points
are not location-ready.

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Cisco WCS Voice Readiness Test

This topic describes how to perform the voice readiness test using Cisco WCS. The Cisco WCS
Voice Readiness Tool (VRT) provides a visual indication of the RF coverage and provides an
assessment of the readiness of the deployment for VoWLAN.
Monitor > Maps Building2 > First Floor
The VoWLAN Voice Readiness Tool allows you to verify that the RF coverage is sufficient for
your voice needs. This tool verifies RSSI levels after access points have been installed.
To access the VoWLAN Readiness Tool, follow these steps:

Step 1 Navigate to Monitor > Maps.
Step 2 Choose the applicable floor area name.
Step 3 From the Select a Command drop-down menu, click Inspect VoWLAN Readiness.
Step 4 Choose the applicable Band, AP Transmit Power, and Client parameters from the
drop-down menus.
Note By default, the region map displays the region map for the 802.11b/g/n band for a Cisco
phone-based RSSI threshold. The new settings cannot be saved.
Step 5 Depending on the selected client, the RSSI values may not be editable.
Cisco Phone: RSSI values are not editable.
Custom: RSSI values are editable with the following ranges:
— Low threshold: –95 dBm to –45 dBm
— High threshold: –90 dBm to –40 dBm
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VoWLAN Readiness
Step 6 The following color schemes indicate whether or not the area is voice-ready:
Green: Yes
Yellow: Marginal
Red: No
Troubleshooting Voice RF Coverage Issues

Perform the following to troubleshoot voice RF coverage issues:
To prevent one-way audio problems because of the lack of proper radio coverage, set the
access point power levels to match the power levels of the VoWLAN client. To have radio
coverage from the VoWLAN client to the access point match coverage from the access
point to the VoWLAN client, the access point Tx power level cannot exceed the maximum
Tx power of the client.
To determine if the coverage area is going to have enough access points to support the
VoWLAN client, all of the access points must have a Tx power level that does not exceed
that of the client. The power levels supported by the client and access point may change by
the 5-GHz channel. Therefore, the readiness process should be based on a channel that will
be used by the site that has the lowest maximum Tx power.
Verify the green, yellow, and red regions of the RF environment. These indicators are
accurate whether the floor is calibrated or not, but floor calibration improves the accuracy
because it adds floor-level attenuation.

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Summary
Summary
If an RF model does not sufficiently characterize the floor, a
calibration procedure can be performed to create an RF model for
the floor.
To create an RF model, a minimum of 50 distinct locations and
150 measurements must be taken.
A location readiness test can be performed to see if a floor is
location-ready.
A VoWLAN readiness test can be performed to see if a floor is
ready to support voice services.
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Lesson 3
Presenting an Installation
Report
Overview
An installation report covers device installation configuration and addressing of the network
devices installed. The installation report also includes verification testing of the WLAN devices
and services running.
Objectives
Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the information needed in an
installation report. This ability includes being able to meet these objectives:
Describe the contents of an installation report
Describe the information given to the customer in an installation report
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Preparing an Installation Report

This topic describes the contents of an installation report. After completing an installation, do
not forget to carefully document what was done.
Installation Report Contents

When a wireless installation is complete, including testing and
turnup, an installation report should be generated containing the
following information:
– Map of cable drop locations with labeling scheme
– Cable scan results (pass or fail) which include:
Test of all pair combinations to 250 MHz for Category 5E
Measurement of near-end crosstalk
– 500 MHz for Category 6A
Test of attenuation
Test of return loss
Test of length of cable
Test of capacitance
– Printed cable scan certification results should be attached or inserted
into installation report
After access point placement has been determined, cable must be pulled to support the access
points. This requires the installation and termination of Category 5E or 6 cable with RJ-45
jacks or plugs attached to the cable, with T568B termination.
After you have finished installing the cable, it should be tested to ensure that it is terminated
properly and passes Electronic Industries Association (EIA), Telecommunications Industry
Association (TIA), Telecommunications System Bulletin (TSB) 67 and 95 standards. This is
commonly done with a Microtest PentaScanner. An injector is attached to one end of the cable
run and the scanner is attached to the other end of the cable run.
The test either passes or fails in the following areas:

Test of all pair combinations to 100 MHz for Category 5E
Test of all pair combinations to 250 MHz for Category 6
Measurement of near-end crosstalk
Measurement of attenuation
Test of return loss, resistance, and impedance
Test of length of cable (If the cable exceeds 100 meters, the test fails)
Test of capacitance and crosstalk
Performance of a wire map test to ensure that no pairs are crossed and that all pairs are
terminated correctly
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When the cable is certified, the results should be either inserted or attached to the installation
report.
Installation Report Contents (Cont.)

Installation inventory report which contains:
– Controllers with the following information:
Controller name
IP address
Location
Serial number
Model
Software version
Mobility group
Reachability status
Detailed information of all devices installed should be included in the installation report. For
controllers, the following information should be included in the report:
Controller name
IP address
Location
Serial number
Model
Software version
Mobility group
Reachability status

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Access points with the following information:
– IP address
– Model
– Software version
– Map location
– Controller name
– Primary controller
– Admin status
– AP mode
– 802.11a/n status
– 802.11b/g/n status
– Serial number
When access points are deployed, the following information should be included in the report:
IP address
Model
Software version
Map location
Controller name
Primary controller
Admin status
AP mode
802.11a/n status
802.11b/g/n status
Serial number
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Location or MSE servers with the following information:
– Model number
– Serial number
– IP addressing
– Software version
– Admin status
When location or Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE) servers are deployed, the following
information should be included in the report:
Model number
Serial number
IP address
Software version
Admin status

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Cisco WCS Combined Inventory Report

Reports > Inventory Reports > Combined Inventory Report
The Combined Inventory Report displays the combined output of
the following reports:
– Controllers
– Location servers
– Access points
Running this report is simple and generates data for the
installation report.
The Combined Inventory Report provides data on all deployed controllers, access points, and
location appliances. The data that is returned includes but is not limited to base radio MAC and
802.11a/n or b/g/n radio MAC.
To access the Combined Inventory Report, follow these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Reports > Inventory Reports.
Step 2 From the left menu, click Combined Inventory Report.
In the report window, saved reports are displayed in a table.
To create a new Combined Inventory Report, follow these steps:
Step 1 Navigate to Reports > Inventory Reports > Combined Inventory Report page >
Select a Command > New.
Step 2 Click GO.
Step 3 Specify a report title.
Step 4 Click the Schedule tab to complete the scheduling process.
Step 5 Click Save, Save and Run, Run Now, or Cancel.
You can manage saved reports using the Select a Command drop-down list.
To edit or run a saved report, click a report name under Report Title.
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A network diagram should be included, indicating a visual of
device connectivity.
A spreadsheet should be included indicating wiring closet and
switch port connectivity for all devices (controllers, access points,
and so on).
All wall plates and distribution points should be clearly labeled
and documented in the installation report.
How devices interconnect to the network is important to assist in troubleshooting. A network

diagram should clearly indicate a visual for device interconnectivity. A spreadsheet should be
included with the report indicating all device switch port connectivity as well as wall plate and
distribution point labeling for all interconnected devices on the network.

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Results of coverage audit
performed with AirMagnet
Survey PRO
– Results should be per media
installed (802.11a/b/g/n)
A final coverage check of the facility was performed with AirMagnet Survey PRO to ensure
that all signal levels are what they should be. The results should be added to the installation
report. This will indicate the health of the wireless network at the time of completion of the
project.

Results of location readiness test
This should represent that the floors are location-ready
If location services are part of the services offered, a location readiness test is run and floors are
calibrated, if required, to improve location accuracy. The results of the floor location readiness
test should be included in the installation report.
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Results of VoWLAN readiness test
– This should represent that the floors are voice-ready
If Voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) services are part of the services to be offered,
extensive testing is done to ensure that voice services are working properly. Test results should
be included in the installation report.

All network configurations for mobility and RF groups should be
documented and included in the installation report.
VLANs created for WLANs should be documented and included in
the installation report.
Soft copies of configurations for switches, routers, controllers, and
location appliances should be saved and included on a CD or
DVD and provided with the installation report.
Configurations for all WLAN network devices should be backed up and saved to disk. A CD-
ROM or DVD with configuration files should be included with the installation report.

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Presenting an Installation Report

This topic describes the information given to the customer in an installation report. After
adjustments to the design, based on the RF audit, it is now time to deploy the access point.
Documentation of the network “As Built and Configured” is critical to capture at this stage,
because RF environments tend to change over time.
Installation Report
Upon completion of the installation and coverage verification, an
installation report should be completed.
The report documents the installation and configuration of the
WLAN.
An installation report documents the installation and configuration of the WLAN. This
becomes a living document on how WLAN devices are configured. The document contains
information about the installation and WLAN configuration, including IP addressing.
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Summary
Summary
The site installation report should include cable test results.
All verification testing and results should be included in the
installation report.

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Module Summary
Module Summary
After the WLAN is installed, verification of RF coverage is
performed.
RRM tuning is performed to ensure that no channels are used on
the WLAN that are not supported by wireless clients.
When VoWLAN services are installed, verification testing with
voice handsets is performed to ensure that they operate properly.
A voice readiness test should be run on Cisco WCS.
When location-based services are installed, a location readiness
test should be run on Cisco WCS.
You should test accuracy of tags and clients with Cisco WCS; a
calibration of the floor may be needed to improve accuracy.
Upon completion of testing and tuning of a new WLAN
installation, an installation report should be completed, to be
delivered to the customer.
When the installation of a WLAN is complete, a thorough RF coverage check should be

performed to ensure that proper coverage and signal levels have been obtained. All services to
be supported should be tested on Layers 1 through 7. If Voice over Wireless LAN (VoWLAN)
services are to be supported, extensive call testing should be performed to ensure that all voice
operations are working properly. If location services are to be supported, accuracy testing of the
location of tags and clients should be checked to ensure that the location services operations are
performing as expected. A floor calibration may be required for better accuracy of location tags
and clients.
After the WLAN has been tested and tuned, and wireless applications are operating as
expected, an installation report should be completed and delivered to the customer. The
installation report should be very detailed and reflect all testing that was performed to insure
proper operation of all wireless services delivered.

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Module Self-Check
Q1) What utility can be used with AirMagnet Survey PRO to check 802.11n uplink and
downlink speeds? (Source: Verifying the RF Coverage)
A) Iperf
B) ADU
C) ACU
D) Spectrum Expert
Q2) When performing a site survey, each media (802.11a/b/g/n) should be surveyed
independently. (Source: Verifying the RF Coverage)
A) true
B) false
Q3) If a particular floor model does not seem to work well, what can be done to create
another model for the floor? (Source: Verifying WLAN Readiness)
Q4) When performing a calibration, what are the two ways to collect data? (Source:
Verifying WLAN Readiness)
Q5) A minimum of how many data points must be collected to perform a floor calibration?
(Source: Verifying WLAN Readiness)
A) 100
B) 125
C) 150
D) 175
Q6) The Cisco WCS VoWLAN location readiness test requires a minimum of how many
access points? (Source: Verifying WLAN Readiness)
A) three
B) four
C) five
D) six
Q7) A point is defined as location-ready if at least three access points are within 70 feet of
the point-in-question. (Source: Verifying WLAN Readiness)
A) true
B) false
Q8) What tool does Cisco WCS use to verify that the WLAN floor is ready to support
VoWLAN? (Source: Verifying WLAN Readiness)

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Q9) Data cable should be certified and the results should be included in the installation
report. (Source: Presenting an Installation Report)
A) true
B) false
Q10) Cisco WCS can perform an inventory report for which network devices? (Source:
Presenting an Installation Report)
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Q1) A
Q2) A
Q3) calibration
Q4) data point collection or linear point collection
Q5) C
Q6) B
Q7) A
Q8) voice readiness test
Q9) A
Q10) controllers, access points, and location servers

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Student Guide © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Conducting a Layer 2 Site Survey for Location 3-191

Verifying WLAN Readiness 5-15

Conduct the Site Survey

Producing a Predictive Site

Monitor > Maps > New Campus > Go

Step 1 Save the map in PNG, JPG, JPEG, or GIF format.

Step 3 Choose Monitor > Maps to display the Maps page.

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-5

Monitor > Maps > New Campus > Go

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-3

Adding a New Building

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-4

To create a building, follow these steps:

Step 1 Choose Monitor > Maps to display the Maps page.

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-7

Adding a New Floor

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-5

Step 3 Choose Monitor > Maps to display the Maps page.

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-9

 Floor: Choose the floor or basement number.

Step 8 Click Next.

Monitor > Maps > Building > New Floor >

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-6

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-11

Cisco WCS Planning Mode

Cisco WCS Planning Mode

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-8

Step 1 Choose Monitor > Maps.

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-13

Add Access Points

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-9

Step 4 Click Add APs.

Step 6 Select Automatic from the Add APs drop-down menu.

Note You must select at least one service or an error occurs.

Advanced Options and Safety Margins

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-10

There are three safety margins:

If voice traffic is transmitted on the WLAN, select one of the following:

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-15

Calculate Access Points

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-11

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-12

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-17

Conducting a Layer 1 Site

Cisco Spectrum Expert

What Is Cisco Spectrum Expert?

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-2

The Cisco Spectrum Expert consists of two primary components:

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. Conduct the Site Survey 3-21

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-3

Here are two examples:

You can calculate the power in decibels from this formula:

Power (in dB) = 10 * log(10) = 10 (signal/reference)

© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. CUWSS v1.0—3-4

Floor: Choose the floor or basement number.

Interference Channel Utilization Filter: Does an affected channel have an interferer