Wi-Fi at Work

As the workplace shifts from wired to wireless, what’s the secret to building a robust and secure enterprise Wi-Fi infrastructure? All Wi-Fi network planning should start with a wireless site analysis.

Whether you’re planning a new wireless network, expanding your current coverage, or upgrading an existing solution, putting the right metrics in place to measure your wireless needs is a crucial step in creating an infrastructure that works the way you want it to.

Without survey data, it’s easy to underestimate the wireless coverage you need, resulting in dead zones and poor network performance. Overestimating mobility requirements can be an even costlier mistake, since access points located too close to one another can inadvertently reduce performance.

This approach allows the enterprise to eliminate the guesswork potentially involved in designing a Wi-Fi network and helps you ensure a problem-free implementation. The data collected can improve network operations and drive down costs because you can gather information that reveals:

• The correct amount of coverage for your environment and usage requirements
• The ideal combination of access points and antennas for your needs
• Optimum locations for each access point to ensure maximum coverage and performance

Conduct a careful site analysis to get more performance out of your IT dollars and maximize the return on your wireless investment. PC Connection, Inc. offers Wireless Site Surveys that involve a combination of on-site testing and analysis backed by software simulation and report compilation.

• We conduct an on-site radio frequency propagation test that produces custom data specific to your building and infrastructure
• The testing will include a Wi-Fi study of 802.11a, 802.11b/g, or 802.11n signal propagation and interference analysis in all desired coverage areas
• We produce maps displaying the actual findings for signal strength, noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and channel interference
• Using the data collected, we create final recommendations for access point location, antenna type, channel allocations intensity, disk I/O, and CPU average use levels

Wireless Site Survey results provide all the information you need to ensure a successful wireless implementation. The detailed findings report delivered includes:

• Results of the radio frequency propagation testing, including Wi-Fi interference sources
• A network design drawing
• A Bill of Materials (BOM) for recommended wireless hardware, pictures of mounting locations, configurations, channel plans, integration plans, security needs, and data cabling requirements

Learn more about PC Connection Wireless Site Surveys, or fill out this information request form and a member of our team will be in touch with you to discuss how we can help you cost-effectively build a robust and secure enterprise Wi-Fi infrastructure. I’ll leave you with this last thought: assessing the security of your wireless infrastructure is equally as important to assessing its performance.