Client Density

[wynneit]

The general rule of thumb is 7-8 voice client per AP and 15 to 25 data clients.

Has anyone seen any documentation that explains this more fully

I have seen figures higher than this for pure 802.11g environments but cant recall where and does this still hold true for 802.11n.

Really after a good document that covers it

[jwadleigh]

Hi!

Well, as you said, this is just a 'rule of thumb'. There are no hard-and-fast answers concerning client density on AP's.

The truth is, an AP is much like a hub. It's a shared space.

The CSMA/CA algorithm used for collision avoidance limits effective throughput quite a bit when several clients are associated to a single AP. That, coupled with the fact that voice traffic is sensitive to changes in speed over time (jitter) as well as low bandwidth, limits the number of voice clients that can be associated to a given AP.

The rule of 7-8 voice clients is probably a good starting point. That should be appropriate for planning and budgeting purposes. Unfortunately, the only way to be sure whether it will give you the quality and connectivity you require is by having a site survey done, including tests specifically for VoIP over WiFi.

Hope this helps!

[wynneit]

Thanks J

I have heard that on 802.11g only you can support approx 12-14 voip clients. I am well aware of surveying having done many, its always difficult overselling competitors etc and explaining to the client. I was just hoping that there may be a document somewhere.