Site Surveys & Deployment Strategies Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of a wireless site survey?

Answer: To determine signal strength and interference.

The primary purpose of a wireless site survey is to meticulously evaluate the radio frequency (RF) environment of a specific location. This involves measuring signal strength, identifying potential sources of interference, and mapping out areas of coverage and dead zones to ensure optimal access point placement and network performance.

Which type of site survey is performed before deploying a wireless network?

Answer: Predictive survey

A predictive site survey is performed before any access points are physically deployed. It utilizes software tools and floor plans to model the RF environment, estimate signal coverage, and determine optimal access point locations and configurations based on design requirements, thereby saving time and resources during the actual deployment phase.

What is the benefit of performing an active site survey?

Answer: It provides real-time performance data.

An active site survey involves deploying temporary access points and connecting a survey client to them to measure actual network performance. This process allows for the collection of real-time data on signal strength, data rates, throughput, and latency, providing a highly accurate assessment of how the network will perform in practice.

Which deployment strategy helps optimize coverage in a high-density wireless environment?

Answer: Using more access points with smaller coverage cells.

In high-density environments, deploying more access points with reduced transmit power creates smaller, overlapping coverage cells. This strategy allows for better client load balancing across multiple APs and minimizes co-channel interference by enabling more efficient channel reuse, thereby optimizing overall network capacity and performance.

What is co-channel interference in a wireless network?

Answer: Multiple access points using the same channel.

Co-channel interference occurs when two or more wireless access points or devices operating within the same geographical area attempt to transmit on the exact same radio frequency channel. This leads to signal collisions and retransmissions, significantly degrading network performance and throughput for all affected devices.

Which factor should be considered when deploying access points in an outdoor wireless network?

Answer: Weather conditions, power availability, and obstacles.

Outdoor wireless deployments face unique environmental challenges. Weather conditions (rain, snow, extreme temperatures) necessitate ruggedized equipment, while power availability can be limited, requiring careful planning for power over Ethernet (PoE) or alternative solutions. Physical obstacles like trees, buildings, and terrain can also block or reflect signals, demanding meticulous planning for line-of-sight and signal propagation.