Conducting Site Survey for Location Based Tracking...

zmann7 · ‎03-26-2008

Greetings,

Next week I'll be conducting a survey using a 1242 lightweight AP at a two story medical building. Does anybody have some white papers, articles, or advice on how to conduct for location?

I understand the triangulation aspect, and to line your outter walls with AP's, then fill in...

How does one know what Power level the controller will choose for the entire wireless system? Normally we survey at Half power, but obviously with location that is not where they will be at.

Does the RFID tag need to see 3 AP's at a -67 ish signal???

I will be showing the client two surveys, one for voice/data, and the other will show the additional AP's needed for location.

Thanks In Advance.

dennischolmes · ‎03-26-2008

Hey Zmann,

The more APs you have seeing an RFID tag the more accurate the actaul placement on the map. When doing a survey for RFID I like using -60 to -65 as the cell edges with at least a 20-30% overlap. I do this at 60% power and then let the RRM take control when actually deployed. Make sure to start at the perimeters first then work inward in a staggered over lap fashion. This is one of the few times I actually push for the use of Omnidirectional antennae in most cases. The reason for this is the aesthetics police usually enforce pretty policies in hospitals where this is usually deployed.

wififofum · ‎03-29-2008

I would also suggest deploying version 5.x of controller code so you can support Listening Only Monitor Mode APs. Otherwise the RSSI and AP density demands may create excessive co-channel interfence for data and other services like Vocera voice badges.

zmann7 · ‎03-31-2008

So when a AP is in "listening Only Monitor Mode" they are not powered up? Or their radio's are powered down?

Any link to this mode would be greatly appreciated.

dennischolmes · ‎03-31-2008

It is called monitor mode. See this link.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/wcs/5.0/configuration/guide/wcsAPcfg.html#wp1051294

The radios only receive data in this mode. They don't transmit.