Wireless Site survey tools and Software requirement

[ammar taha]

Dears, 

I have Cisco wireless site survey to distributed and selected Wireless AP on big building contain 20 floor, 

what are the prerequisites and is there any free tool from Cisco or third party software , that can help my to upload all building map to get accurate results,

AP model: 1602I-E-K9

Thanks in Advanced,

[Leo Laohoo]

what are the prerequisites and is there any free tool from Cisco or third party software , that can help my to upload all building map to get accurate results,

If you want the site survey done RIGHT and you have no idea/background on how to do so, I'd recommend you get someone to do it.  And if you want to learn, tag the guy and ask as many relevant questions as you can.

[George Stefanick]

The tools are only half the answer experience is the other half, especially if your design needs to support voice, location or high density. 

[George Stefanick · Accepted solution]

I'm a fan of AirMagnet site survey.

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

AirMagnet is also what we use:)  Free tool to survey properly... no way.  You need a tool that can capture the data when walking around the area.  This allows you to view the data afterwards if needed and to help understand the RF during the survey as it might differ in other areas and of course when the implementation is done.  This allows you to compare pre and post.  

Like Leo and George mentioned, learning how to survey through experience is step one.  if you have never done a pre survey and understand how your survey worked after the implementation or post survey, you will never know if you were doing things right in the first place.  I understand that everyone has to start somewhere, but its a big responsibility, especially if after the fact, coverage isn't what was expected.  AirMagnet and Ekahau have some training classes that can help, but practice makes perfect.  Experience is the key!

-Scott

[ammar taha]

Many thanks for your answer,

Do you have any like to download this tools  ?

Thanks 

[George Stefanick]

You can request a demo of AirMagnet. But it's not free. 

[ammar taha]

Is there any tools , I can used to do the site survey ?

Thanks, 

[Leo Laohoo]

Is there any tools , I can used to do the site survey ?

Won't make any difference what tool to use if you don't know the basics and requirement in wireless site survey.  As what George and Scott has mentioned, AirMagnet and Ekahau are the two largest and most popular wireless site survey programs in the market right now.  

However, there are a number of topic that won't be covered in AirMagnet and Ekahau computer-based-training or web training.  So getting the tools is half the "fun".  

Get someone to do it for you.  Tag along.  Ask a lot of relevant questions.  Observe what they do.  Observe the tools they are using and what info their eyes are focusing into. 

In some cases, when I do site survey, I only use a Cisco 7925G.  That's all I use.  So far my method, even though it is unorthodox, hasn't failed me one bit.   

[decarvalhosylvain]

Be carreful your computer don't have the same sensitivity then a cisco phone like 7925G, so if you want to implement Voice over IP with 7925G for example, make a survey with this