Airmagnet Planning Software vs. Traditional Survey with AP

[kobayashimaru08]

Greetings all - would like someone to share their experiences; Our company is considering some new purchases with regards to survey kits.  It has been suggested that we do not need a Survey AP for our kits, since Airmagnet planning software should tell us everything we need to know. Needless today, I am skeptical about depending soley on a predictive software to determine this.   Anyone have any thoughts or experiences they wish to share?  Thanks in advance   (note, we will be using this for both 802.11a for voice, as well as 802.11b/g surveying)

[blakekrone · Accepted solution]

Regardless of whether you use AirMagnet Planner or Ekahau they are not replacements for site surveying. The planners will give you an idea of what you should do, but do not replace a physical survey by any means. ANY time I see the word VOICE you HAVE to do a physical survey, and a proper one at that.

A bunch of us seasoned wireless engineers discuss this on a podcast episode over at the NSA Show.

http://nostringsattachedshow.com/2012/01/04/e01-rf-whisperer/

While I've used the planning tools a lot and can have it almost exact, you need to do a survey.

[kobayashimaru08]

Thanks and THANK YOU FOR THE LINK! I did not know about that site... and worth a big check out.  I would still like to hear from others though, just so I have a variety of responses that I can present to folks here.  Thank you again!

[Leo Laohoo]

When I started rolling out wireless back in 2009, the phrase "wireless site survey" was met with scepticism and disgust.  Now, it's a must.

Airmagnet is, in my humble opinion, is THE premier site survey tool.  I haven't had the chance or opportunity to use Ekihau.  The only downside with Airmagnet is that the application crashes alot.  Even though the client is freshly image and the application is running the latest version, it still crashes.  Doesn't matter if you are using your own client or you "incorporate" the Airmagnet planner to the Fluke Optiview tablet. 

[Leo Laohoo]

Feedback to my last post:

Someone from Fluke/Airmagnet was watching.  They got a Senior TAC Engineer to contact me and I'll be (happily) testing a work-around/engineering build for them.

Another thing:  When I say "crash", what I meant to say was that my Passive would stop refreshing or collecting data and iPerf would just flatline.  

Thanks for Fluke/Airmagnet for keeping an eye out.

[George Stefanick]

Oh Leo ... You're such a vendor HOG. Call it like you see it man...

AirMagnet crashes A LOT. and you KNOW IT, I've been working in WiFi since 1999 and was one of the first early adopters of AirMagnet. I am fed up with the blue screens. I can name 5 engineers and even point to a video *cough* where everyone who uses AM stated it crashes often and frequent. Also their lack of support when you have license issue only got worse when Fluke bought them.

I am becoming less and less a fan of AM. Have you done a GPS survey with AM recently ? I spent 3 hours getting it to work! And I am far from a NOOB.

I am testing Ekihau for the first time and I have to say what a night an day difference. Also beta testing their Andiod tablet software. Not trying to bash AM, they have issue and they ignore the fact their customers are having problems.

After my testing is complete and if all is well I will be moving all my survey gear to Ekihau. So far, I like what I see. It has yet to blue screen, WITHOUT a WORKAROUND.

[Leo Laohoo]

Oh Leo ... You're such a vendor HOG. Call it like you see it man...

LOL!

[blakekrone]

You all thought I was crazy on the podcast being the only Ekahau advocate and look how you've turned now!

excellent

[kobayashimaru08]

My oh my, how one little question caused all this stir LOL!  Well, I have forwarded comments on to project mangers and managers to make them aware of this... before someone writes the proverbial check.  I do not think it will sway them away from Air Magnet per se' as we need something 'yesterday' before yet another one of our kits falls apart. But at least this gives them foreknowledge to chat with our reps about.    Thank you very much for all this input... as always, a learning experience! 

[George Stefanick]

Hey Patrice -- I didnt know this was you.. You did the WCS write up a few months back, right?

[kobayashimaru08]

Guilty as charged!

[George Stefanick]

Well welcome back! Good to see ya!

[kobayashimaru08]

Thank you Sir! Sent you a PM re: Cisco Live, since it was off topic from this! 

[michaeldodd98]

We have used AM for a few years.  I cannot recommend it.  It blue screens too many times during a survey.  We survey Nuclear Powerplants around the world, and its a huge waste of time when it crashes.  We've got Union guys who just want to go home standing around while we reboot the machine for the third time in a day.  Its very unprofessional and everyone will begin to question your results. 

Unfortunatley we have spent $12,000 on it, not counting the new machine, (also freshly imaged, nothing else on it) so we're stuck with it.  Try something else, anything else.  AM is unstable.

[Leo Laohoo]

Hi Michael,

Fluke/AirMagnet is watching the Cisco Forum.  My previous post about AM crashing got a PM from their TAC team in the US.  They worked with me and created a TAC case which resulted in an "engineering release".

Let me know if Fluke/AirMagnet does not contact you by Monday.