By providing the customer with a detailed site survey report, an IT manager
can turn specific installation portions over to a local contractor. The
contractor can install any cabling needed to provide WLAN devices connectivity
to the network. Contractors need a site survey that provides detailed
information about where the APs are to be located, how they will be mounted,
how they will be connected to the network, and where any cabling or power may
need to be installed. At the same time, preparations can be made on the
customer’s network for the upcoming installation.
Try to identify
potential problems up front and discuss how these issues will be handled. This
discovery can potentially save a lot of time and trouble during the
installation. By addressing potential problems and being proactive instead of
reactive, the site survey engineer is viewed as a strong and reliable source
during installation. A good survey usually begins with a pre-survey checklist,
as shown in Figure
.
After the
customer has decided to have a site survey done, a pre-site survey form must be
completed. The pre-site survey form will determine what type of survey will be
conducted, how many days it will take, what equipment will be needed, and what
questions need to be asked during the walkthrough. A pre-site survey form is an
introduction to the customer’s facility. At this point, it is important to
gather as much information as possible.