CWS Site Survey Fundamentals Questions and Answers

Question 1

A company is planning a Wi-Fi deployment in a new office building that is currently an empty shell with no physical infrastructure installed. They want to create an initial AP placement plan and get a budgetary quote for hardware. Which type of site survey is most appropriate at this stage?

Accepted Answer

Predictive survey

Answer

A predictive survey is the correct choice because it uses software to model the RF environment based on floor plans and building material properties. This allows for initial planning and estimation without needing physical access or active hardware, which is ideal for a building that is not yet built out.

Question 2

During a validation survey, a technician measures a consistent RSSI of -67 dBm in a conference room. The noise floor in the same area is measured at -92 dBm. What is the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for this location?

Accepted Answer

25 dB

Answer

The Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is calculated by subtracting the noise floor from the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI). In this case, the calculation is (-67 dBm) - (-92 dBm) = 25 dB. A higher SNR value indicates a cleaner, more reliable signal.

Question 3

A technician performing a site survey in an office breakroom notices significant, wideband RF interference across the entire 2.4 GHz band every day around lunchtime. This interference is not present on the 5 GHz band. Which of the following is the MOST likely source of this non-Wi-Fi interference?

Accepted Answer

Microwave oven

Answer

Microwave ovens are a well-known source of powerful, broadband interference in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. The timing of the interference around lunchtime is a strong indicator that this is the cause. Bluetooth is typically low-power and frequency-hopping, while adjacent and co-channel interference are Wi-Fi specific issues.

Question 4

A network engineer needs to troubleshoot a Wi-Fi performance issue in a manufacturing facility. It is suspected that machinery is emitting RF energy that disrupts the wireless network. What is the best tool to visualize ALL RF activity, including Wi-Fi and non-Wi-Fi sources, across the frequency spectrum?

Accepted Answer

A spectrum analyzer

Answer

A spectrum analyzer is specifically designed to measure and display the magnitude of RF energy across a range of frequencies. This allows it to visualize signals from both Wi-Fi (802.11) and non-Wi-Fi sources like machinery, providing a complete picture of the RF environment essential for troubleshooting interference.

Question 5

Before starting a physical walk-through with site survey software, what is the most critical first step to ensure the accuracy of the collected data points on the floor plan?

Accepted Answer

Calibrate the map by defining the distance between two known points.

Answer

Calibrating the map is a fundamental step that sets the scale of the floor plan within the survey software. By measuring a real-world distance (like a long hallway) and inputting that value between two points on the map, the software can accurately place the collected RF data. Without proper calibration, the resulting heatmaps will be distorted and useless for AP placement decisions.

CWS Exam Practice Test

CWS Exam Practice Test

CWS Site Survey Fundamentals Questions and Answers