AP installation help

[comsats]

guys i am really new to wireless and need some bas

ic setup help.....we have a office and we have recently purchased 4400 WLC and 1242AG

light weight access points.... now for AP to install (as our office is really big) what is the formula to calculate the number of AP's required in office so that we can have good coverge....

Thanks

[jbarger]

This is the trial and error method of installing access points.

I find that APs only have about 100' range indoors.  Download inssider (free program), install one access point.  You can see the signal level of your ssid with inssider.  Walk away from the access point, when the signal reaches -80db that is the range of the current access point.  Double that distance add another access point, this way you have -80 as your lowest signal.

If you plan to use "N" make sure you have the 5.8ghz radio enabled with bonding and beamforming.  Use 5.8ghz (instead of the 2.4) signal to determine coverage and the 2.4ghz will perform better so coverage will be good.  If you require "N" to perform really well use -75 at 5.8ghz as your guide to lowest allowed signal.

[Leo Laohoo]

As you have not yet installed anything, you are in a prime position to do this right.  I recommend you consider getting a Wireless Site Survey done.  The site survey will help you determine where to deploy your AP and how many to deploy.   An office using 1240 is an over-kill as the 1240 was designed specifically for deployment in wide-open spaces such as theatres, warehouse, hanger and such.  For an office environment, the 1130/1140 series is recommended.  Since you've already purchased it, it doesn't mean that it won't work.  It will and depending on how you've deployed it, it can sometimes be ugly to look at.  Another thing about this model is that it's so obvious that sometimes people will ask/complain about the risk(s) with radiation and cancer.

I was able to deploy 1130 in an office environment and in plain sight that no one ever noticed it.  When they saw me climbing up the ladder to do some maintenance a number of the smart a$s started asking about the risks of cancer due to radiation.

Just my humble opinion.