wireless: EQUIPMENT SELECTION FOR INDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKING

EQUIPMENT SELECTION FOR INDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKING

The equipment that you select for your broadband wireless wide-area network (WAN) plays a major role in the reliability, scalability, and profitability of your network. This presentation will helps you to evaluate and select your wireless network equipment. Before you embark on any equipment selection there is need for you to take time to review your wireless network needs.

OVERVIEW OF THE EQUIPMENT SELECTION PROCESS

2. ***Reviewing your wireless network needs*** • How many wireless end users do you want to serve? • What network architectural elements do you want your wireless network to include? • Do you need only point-to-point links or will deploy point-to-multipoint APs? • Do you need wireless backbone bandwidth? • What features will your wireless network need so that it can connect to your wired network? • Will you need routing or only bridging

RESEARCHING EQUIPMENT FEATURES

3. ***Researching equipment features*** After you have reviewed both the wireless network features and the wired features that you need, you are ready to begin researching specific wireless equipment features. Now that you know your network needs, you can begin listing wireless equipment that matches your needs. Advertising flyers and spec sheets do not lie about equipment performance, but they sometimes omits information that would reveal performance shortcomings. Evaluate equipment that offers the specific features that you need, such as distance and bandwidth capabilities.

VISITING DEPLOYMENT SITES

4. ***Visiting deployment sites*** After you might have researched into the equipment features, you will have more equipment vendors who can provide equipment that appears (at least on paper) to meet your wireless needs. It is appropriate and proper for you to ask the vendors to recommend one or two existing wireless networks that have deployed their equipment. Your visit will allow you to learn what features work especially well and what features do not work as expected.

TESTING WIRELSS EQUIPMENT

5. ***Testing wireless equipment*** When you have completed your site visits, there will probably be one or two vendors that you think would be good equipment providers. At this point, consider making a small equipment purchase consisting of either a pair of wireless units or AP and one CPE unit. Testing wireless equipment allows you to test the range, throughput, and reliability of the equipment in the presence of noise, interference, and weather.

MAKING PURCHASE DECISION

6. ***Making purchase decision*** Your testing should bring you to the point where you are most comfortable with the performance of one or two brands of wireless equipment. You can now make your purchase decision and be fairly confident that the equipment you buy will meet your performance expectations.

AP FEATURES

7. ***AP Features*** The list that follows describes some of the key decisions that you need to make as you select your AP equipment: • Frequency band – Your choice of frequency band is probably the most important equipment decision that you will make. Before making this decision, you should review the propagation characteristics of each band. You should also perform a wireless site survey to determine potential interference levels on the frequency band before you select equipment for that band. • Modulation type – Your choice of modulation type (DSSS, FHSS) is an important factor in the ultimate success of your network. Choose a modulation type that is compatible with the level and the type of interference in your coverage area. • Bandwidth management – A few APs contain a bandwidth management capability that allows you to set bandwidth for each end user link. If the AP that you choose does not include this feature, consider adding this capability with an external bandwidth manager.

WIRELESS NETWORK CARD DECISION

8. ***Wireless network card decision*** If you decide to deploy wireless 802.11b cards as the customer CPE, you must evaluate the following wireless card characteristics: • Transmitter – Wireless cards share these same characteristics. The key characteristic is transmitter power output. The ideal transmitter would have a power output of 100 to 200 mW with software – configurable power level. • Receiver characteristics – The better the receiver sensitivity (when combined with good selectivity), the better your wireless system performance will be. • External antenna connector – An antenna is the key element in any wireless system. A wireless card needs to have a connector that allows an external antenna to be attached.

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