WLAN simulation and planning.

Business Case.

When rolling out a new WLAN infrastructure, many questions come up:

• Which access points are right for my environment?
• How many do I need?
• Where and how should these be placed?
• What features should I look for?

These are just some of the challenges that require a professional answer in order to successfully plan and implement a WLAN project. We’ll help you analyse your specific needs by conducting a virtual site-survey (simulation) in your environment: We place virtual access points in plans of your premises and use professional site-survey software to calculate the wireless needs of the area. We also take into account wall building material and other structural features of your building.

We’ll provide you with a multi-page report which points you in the right direction in terms of the type and number of access points you’ll need to procure. It’ll even show you the mounting points for the access points.

These types of simulations are generally used when planning a new building or simple/homogenous spaces. If your environment is complex, such as a high-rack facilities, an old building full of nooks and crannies, or halls with large machines, we recommend an on-site WLAN site-survey to take into account the actual conditions at your site. Our experts are happy to help you with this, too.

Added value.

Professional planning of your WLAN infrastructure resulting in precise information on how to implement the project. You’ll be able to tap into our technicians’ experience, ensuring planning security. This protects you against unnecessary investments such as retroactive enhancement of the installation by increasing the number of access points or subsequent cabling work which becomes necessary due to coverage gaps. A simulation also lets us plan and implement your WLAN project according to your needs.

This is a service for planning a new WLAN infrastructure. You will receive a simulated coverage including details of the mounting points of the access points you need in your environment.

The process in detail.

1. Once the order has been placed, we will arrange a personal meeting with one of our technical specialists in your region. Here, we take stock of the general conditions and record the circumstances specific to your environment. We will ask you a few questions, such as:

• Which and how many end devices should be connected to the WLAN?
• Which applications should communicate via the WLAN?
• Which areas of your building/premises should be covered?
• Are there any restrictions on the installation of the access points?
• Is there already an existing installation that needs to be expanded?
• Has a manufacturer and access point model already been selected?

2. Building plans (floor plans) provided by you form the basis for further planning.

3. We import these into our planning software and enrich them with additional information such as wall materials.

4. Based on the jointly developed requirements, suitable WLAN access point models are selected whose radio characteristics are used to simulate the environment.

5. The result is then evaluated and optimised with the experience of our specialists.

6. Finally, we will explain the results report for the simulated illumination to you step by step in a personal meeting. You will receive the document in PDF format. It contains

• The access point locations marked on your building plans, the expected signal strengths and information on signal-to-noise ratios, the expected data rate and a graphical representation of the radio cell overlaps.
• You also receive further information on relevant technical parameters.

Advanced version with assessment of the LAN infrastructure (complete package).

No wireless network without a backend network—so no WLAN without LAN. If you want to operate a WLAN infrastructure, a stable, reliable cabled network is a must.

In professional environments, access points are generally powered by LAN switches via Power over Ethernet (PoE). Modern LAN switches also supply sufficient transfer bandwidth for multi-gigabit-capable access points. It’s therefore highly recommended to take this into consideration when designing your WLAN. Opt for our advanced service and enjoy the following additional services:

• Survey of your existing LAN infrastructure ideally by you providing us with existing network plans or documentation. Alternatively, we can collect all of the data we need in an interview.
• Evaluation of all in-use components for compatibility with the planned WLAN (e.g. bandwidth, power supply capabilities, heat loss, installation depth, etc.)
• Optional drafting of recommendations to prepare your wired network to optimally support your WiFi installation.

The results are included in the WLAN report and presented in the final meeting.

Duty to provide.

The following preparatory work is required from you for the service described:

• Appointment of suitable contact persons to answer technical and organisational questions relating to the interview.
• Constructive co-operation in scheduling and conferences.
• Provision of high-quality digital building plans in DWG format, alternatively as a high-resolution PDF document.

Delimitations.

• The scope of services does not include a physical on-site measurement.
• We do not optimise or troubleshoot your existing WLAN infrastructure. We would be happy to advise you individually on this, as these services must be very specifically tailored to your situation.
• The consultations before and after the simulation are based on our service descriptions mentioned above and last approx. 30-60 minutes each. These take place exclusively remotely, i.e. not in a face-to-face meeting.
• The report does not represent a solution concept for your WLAN, but is the basis for the subsequent development of a solution design, in which architectural issues are also addressed.
• The result of the simulation is usually highly accurate, but some factors cannot be simulated and can lead to deviations during operation:

– Some specific on-site conditions may not be able to be precisely recorded using the building plan, such as sources of interference or stored materials in the illumination area.

– Determination of reflection, absorption, signal noise and attenuation.

– External WLAN installations that overlap with your WLAN.

– We provide the services in the basic package and complete package for environments up to approx. 8000 square metres and up to a number of 30 access points.

Physical illumination on site.

• We recommend an on-site physical survey if your WLAN infrastructure is used for business-critical applications. This is where the actual conditions are measured.
• In many cases, a physical post-site survey is useful after installation. This ensures that the planning is also valid in reality, especially in new buildings, for example, where prior measurement is not possible.