Theoretical Site Survey Tools
The most common of the theoretical tools comes from Wireless
Valley (http://www.wirelessvalley.com). Their overall survey package,
LANPlanner, combines the theoretical survey and the manual survey and has the
provides three different tools to assist in WLAN deployment:
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The Predictor tool
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The LAN Fielder tool
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The Optimatic tool
The Predictor tool enables you to visualize in full color the
theoretical performance of a wireless network, including estimated information
such as RSSI, S/N ratio, bit error rate, end-user throughput, and a full link budget and bill of
materials.
The LAN Fielder tool is used in conjunction with an actual
802.11a/b/g WLAN card, and is used to quickly verify and record network
performance statistics directly from the WLAN card. RSSI, throughput, packet
error rate, and even jitter and latency are a few of the parameters that LAN
Fielder can collect. It also can detect rogue APs.
The Optimatic tool enables you to use field measurement data
taken with LAN Fielder to optimize the wireless system predictions.
With tools such as LANPlanner, WLANs can be designed from an
engineer's desk. To confirm that you have the best possible network, however, it
is vital to use the LAN Fielder tool to verify coverage and make changes as
necessary.
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