The final product that will be produced is the site survey report. All of
the surveying work is meaningless without the site survey report. This is what
the customer is paying for. The report provides all the information that the
customer needs to begin the installation of the WLAN.
Be as Specific
as Possible in the Report
The person who writes the site survey report
will probably not perform the installation. Therefore, the report should be
clear, concise, and easy to understand. The report should protect both the
writer and the customer. In the event of a disagreement or problem, a good site
survey report can prove that the site survey was completed according to the
requirements of the customer at the time of the survey. When describing AP
locations, be as specific as possible. Use objects and identifiers to explain
exactly where the AP should be located. If the AP is located in an aisle,
specify which aisle, and the location of that area in the facility. Specify
exactly how the AP should be mounted.
The location of the antenna is
even more important than the AP location. Therefore, it is important to be as
specific as possible when describing where the antenna is to be located. For
example, instead of specifying an area as "on the wall above the
doorway," it is better to say "on the wall above the doorway, 0.6 m
(2 ft) left of EXIT sign".
Accurate Descriptions
The
site survey should describe how the antenna is to be oriented. If the antenna
is omnidirectional, mention that the antenna is to be mounted vertically, with
the cable at the top. Not all installers will be familiar with the equipment
and how it should be mounted. If the antenna is directional, describe the
direction in which the antenna should be orientated. For example, a patch
antenna might be described as "facing north" or "directed at the
nursing station at the end of the hall".
Describe the facility, its construction, its measurements, and its contents.
Discuss the tools that were used to conduct the survey and how the survey was
performed. Describe the settings that were used in the survey, to determine
data rates, channels, packet size, and thresholds. Describe the coverage for
each access point and detail the coverage in an included diagram.
Mark
the areas where the customer does not want coverage. If the customer later
claims to have requested coverage in one of these areas, this documentation can
prove that the SE was instructed not to survey those areas. The customer should
sign and return a copy of the report.
Add sections that discuss proper
mounting of the APs and antennas. Detail the specifications for providing power
to the APs and how the electrical workboxes should be mounted. Discuss the
proposed power and networking cabling runs, including where and how the runs
will attach to each system.
List the System Components
The site survey should list the
suggested network media type and connection components. List the WLAN
components that are proposed for installation. Discuss the network topology and
planned implementation of the WLAN topology.
Include a list of the parts
that will be needed. Include the total number of APs for the installation and
recommend that a spare be kept on hand in case of an emergency. List the total
number of antennas needed.
Include diagrams showing the facility, AP
locations, and proposed cable runs. Whenever possible, include photos. A photo
of the AP location or proposed antenna installation makes it very clear how and
where the equipment should be installed.
List the contacts for each of
the companies involved. These may include the manufacturer, reseller, customer,
and services companies. List names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers,
and e-mail addresses. The checklist in the activity can be used to keep track
of common project management issues and the responsibilities of the installer
and the customer during the installation process.