The Different types of Wireless Site Surveys

There are several types of surveys on wireless sites and it is important to know which type you are looking for before purchasing the wrong type of service. Some wireless surveys can be performed remotely using floor plans and thermal mapping software, while other on-site surveys require an on-site presence and several hours to complete. There are studies on the site that will produce a bill of materials only for a WiFi distribution, while more advanced site studies will provide a series of cabling and installation works, as well as a level of commitment for ongoing management and maintenance.

Let's compare two of the most common types of surveys on wireless sites: predictive and active.

Predictive surveys on wireless sites

In a predictive survey on the site, a company will collect floor plans of your space. They should also ask you questions about how you plan to use your WiFi and what your general needs are. Using the information provided, the wireless site survey company will suggest an access point model. This model will be used to create a heat map of your location. The heatmap will include the recommended placement of equipment and a visual representation of how the wireless signal will spread in your environment.

A predictive Site Survey Cost is generally provided for free. It really is more of a sales tool than anything else. Many network equipment distributors will offer a free predictive survey to help you reach an agreement. It can help transform a simple transaction into a more personalized customer experience. Since a survey on the predictive site is generally free, some sacrifices are made in terms of quality and accuracy. In most cases, when deploying more than 3 wireless access points, predictive site detection is not enough. Elements such as positioning of the access point, coverage of the wireless signal and network performance are generally estimated and may require slight, even drastic changes, to better align with the environment and needs.

Surveys active on the wireless site

If accuracy is the goal, then an active survey on the site is the way to go. An active survey on the wireless site will require a visit to the site. Usually, it can take a few hours to a few days, depending on the size of the place. An active site survey can be performed in a new environment without wireless equipment installed. An investigation can also be carried out in a place where a WiFi system already exists but must be repaired or configured correctly. The final report will offer an extremely accurate plan for equipment placement, wireless signal coverage, network performance, cabling, and installation.

As in a predictive survey on the site, a floor plan must be shared and the general needs of WiFi must be discussed. Here the similarities end. A wireless engineer downloads the floor plans into his site survey software and places a single access point in space. The engineer then begins to traverse the space and measures the signal strength of the access point. The site detection software will also measure external Wi-Fi interference from nearby wireless networks to allow the wireless technician to provide recommendations for channel selection and other configurations.

The man-hours participating in an active survey on the site is not limited to the time spent on the site. Engineers spend several hours after the words draw the walls of other structures on the floor plans provided to provide an even more accurate representation of the propagation of the wireless signal in space. Stairs, elevator shafts, windows, and walls will all have a negative impact on the wireless signal. Wall building materials will also have its effect. For example, the drywall will not be as bad for wireless radio signals as concrete.

How much does a survey on the wireless site cost?

The value you get from a survey on a WiFi site is clear enough, but when it comes to presenting the need to your company's CFO, the technical requirements must translate into some sort of figure. A predictive survey on the site should always be offered for free. Since it is more of a sales tool than a personalized report, the wireless site survey company should provide it for free. If you are asked to pay for such a relationship, this should be a big red flag for the company you work with and you should start exploring other options.

How Much does a survey Cost is a little more difficult to determine. There are so many different variables that could affect prices. A good range of costs for a survey on a wireless site is between $ 2,000 and $ 10,000 per survey. However, here are some factors that will influence the cost of the survey on the wireless site:

• Square feet area of ​​the study area
• Support requirements for specific WiFi applications
• Ceiling height and lift requirements
• Plan creation requirements
• The physical location of the detection environment
• WiFi hardware requirements
• The time needed to participate in the survey on the site
• Report turnaround requirements
• Customer-specific requirements, such as the need to conduct the survey outside of business hours or to complete it quickly