Using 3600 with WSSI for site survey

[chris_gla]

Anyone know if the full functionality of the Wireless Security and Spectrum Intelligence module is supported in autonomous mode for site survey use, or is a WSC required?

I'm wondering whether we need to invest in more survey/ spectrum analysis kit or could just use a 3602e with WSSI and the inbuilt Spectrum Expert?

Any news on when the WSSI will be out in the UK?

[Scott Fella]

The WSSI requires a WLC. I don't know of any dates for the UK. Might want to reach out to your Cisco SE as they should know.

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[chris_gla]

thnks Scott- pity as I know the client would love 3600's and I try to survey using end product wherre possible. Seems a real oversight if you can't use spoectrum analysis in site survey mode!

[Scott Fella]

Well many of the feature like CleanAir, etc is only available when the access point is connected to a WLC. An autonomous image in general is really a basic AP with no WLC feature available. If you look at it this way... What's the difference or configuration difference between an autonomous 3600 and a 1142? Really no difference at all.

For a site survey, I still like using a 3rd party utility like AirMagnet as there is really no need to try to substitute that for a site survey for spectrum analysis.

Just my 2 cents on this.

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[Leo Laohoo]

I still like using a 3rd party utility like AirMagnet as there is really no need to try to substitute that for a site survey for spectrum analysis.

Shhhhh ... Don't let George see you mentioning the A-word. 

http://www.metageek.net/forums/showthread.php?3412-Top-Wireless-WiFi-Site-Survey-Software

[George Stefanick]

Lol since my post I was directly contacted by our friends at AM and they have made good on their promise. The later code seems to less blue screen. I'm a fan again ;)

Spectrum MetaGeek rocks! Contact Trent at MetaGeek if you have any question. Great fella to work with .. You can learn more about their product. Google Wireless Field Day MetaGeek ..

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[chris_gla]

thanks for the replies

We're probably going for AirMagnet with Survey/ Planner and Spectrum XT and Fluke AME spectrum sensor probes.

The reason I wanted to be clear on what the 3600 done was the fact that even with Fluke it looks like we will need to use the remote sensors for some spectrum work as the USB stick has limitations due to the environments we survey:-

1)     Hazardous area (equipment which could create a spark is a bad idea!). We can run survey on an ATEX laptop, but not Spectrum XT. We can make the Fluke probes suitable for the hazardous area- but that costs and we'll need to do the same for the 3600's later anyway.

2)     If it was just simple noise/ spectrum check we could probably get away with using a gas detector with a normal laptop and Spectrum XT or one of the WiSpy apps- but the locations mean there's a reasonable chance there will be intermittent industrial and/ or radar noise. For this I'd plan to leave AME sensors running extended spectrum check just to be sure (hence the thought if AME spectrum sensor could be 3600 with Cleanair and WSSI)

I seen that comparison you linked to, I've looked at most of them and AirMagnet and Ekahau are the only suites I'm left considering (pity as any Metageek option makes AirMagnet pricing look ridiculous) . The "native Cisco" option was a long shot.

Airmagnet is difficult to justify as it's so much more expensive- I think for internal use it's possibly worth more but for my customer base- large industrial or external mainly- I'm not so sure. Ekahau seems to have a growing number of fans.

I tried Tamograph but it didn't get by the predicitve stage...

What matters to me is importing the site plans, Google earth and maps, worrying about what multipathing is going on. Getting a good plan using predictive to minimise the time needed onsite for active and passive surveys.