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How to conduct a site survey
- Thread starter RookThis
- Start date
mrdenny
Programmer
- May 27, 2002
- 11,595
To do a full spectrum wireless site survey you need a wireless spectrum analyzer. You'll want to do a full 360 degree scan in both horizontal and vertical alignment across the full spectrum that your devices can support.
Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005)
--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)
![[noevil]](/data/assets/smilies/noevil.gif "[noevil] [noevil]")
Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005)
--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)
A spectrum analyzer is indeed one part, but there are more things you need to address also.
1. Has a site survey ever conducted before? There might be valuable information you can find in previous surveys.
2. What existing wireless equipment (if any)is currently onsite and/or installed? If there is any installed, what problems are (if any) are being experienced.
3. How many users are expected to use the WLAN?
4. Are there any known sources of RF in the facility or around the facility?
5. Are there any known RF dead zones?
6. What applications will be used across the WLAN? (trust me, this one is important).
7. What types of wireless client devices will be used?
8. Locate areas where PoE (power over ethernet) might be needed, and mark them on your survey.
9. Will this WLAN be serving only indoor clients or indoor and outdoor.
10. What other businesses in the area are using WLAN's? Interview them, you might find priceless information concerning "hidden" sources of RF interference in the area based on their findings/issues in the past.
11. Try and locate any blueprints, floorplans, and or topology maps of the site.
12. Budget time to address compliance/stipulations such as HIPPA, SOX, etc.
Keep in mind that the spectrum analyzer will show you a lot of the questions addressed above, but don't forget that there might be wireless LAN's or equipment in the area that's only used on occassion (like once or month or so). So if you perform a specturm analysis when said equipment is not in use, or not on site, you won't always get the entire story, which is why previous site surveys, and interviews with surrounding businesses/residents can be crucial. And remember, always get a good handle on what the business requirements are (even if it's your own), you don't want to waste money on equipment and labor that you'll never use. There's more things to consider that will be specific to your individual survey, but these things are just some best practices and things I do every single time.
CISSP,ISC2 Affiliate & Instructor, MCT, MCSE2K/2K3, MCSA, CEH, Security+, Network+, CTT+, A+
1. Has a site survey ever conducted before? There might be valuable information you can find in previous surveys.
2. What existing wireless equipment (if any)is currently onsite and/or installed? If there is any installed, what problems are (if any) are being experienced.
3. How many users are expected to use the WLAN?
4. Are there any known sources of RF in the facility or around the facility?
5. Are there any known RF dead zones?
6. What applications will be used across the WLAN? (trust me, this one is important).
7. What types of wireless client devices will be used?
8. Locate areas where PoE (power over ethernet) might be needed, and mark them on your survey.
9. Will this WLAN be serving only indoor clients or indoor and outdoor.
10. What other businesses in the area are using WLAN's? Interview them, you might find priceless information concerning "hidden" sources of RF interference in the area based on their findings/issues in the past.
11. Try and locate any blueprints, floorplans, and or topology maps of the site.
12. Budget time to address compliance/stipulations such as HIPPA, SOX, etc.
Keep in mind that the spectrum analyzer will show you a lot of the questions addressed above, but don't forget that there might be wireless LAN's or equipment in the area that's only used on occassion (like once or month or so). So if you perform a specturm analysis when said equipment is not in use, or not on site, you won't always get the entire story, which is why previous site surveys, and interviews with surrounding businesses/residents can be crucial. And remember, always get a good handle on what the business requirements are (even if it's your own), you don't want to waste money on equipment and labor that you'll never use. There's more things to consider that will be specific to your individual survey, but these things are just some best practices and things I do every single time.
CISSP,ISC2 Affiliate & Instructor, MCT, MCSE2K/2K3, MCSA, CEH, Security+, Network+, CTT+, A+
All of the above very valid, but if you are still looking to go ahead I can recommend Airopeek as an excellent WLAN analysis tool.
CISSP, CEH, CEI, MCT, MCDBA, MCSE 2K3, CTT+, ECSA, Security+
CISSP, CEH, CEI, MCT, MCDBA, MCSE 2K3, CTT+, ECSA, Security+
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