Everywhere you turn the buzz is about wireless LANs. Companies are deploying them everywhere: from boardrooms to branch offices to warehouses. But it's important to remember that the technology is only as good as the original site survey.

Who Uses Wireless Services and Why:

For instance, one client who is a tool manufacturer said they wanted to add wireless in a company warehouse so they bought the equipment and went about setting it up. But they quickly found the high metal shelves caused severe interference - a problem that forced them to rethink their overall strategy.

A wireless site survey would have saved them the hassle. Conducting site surveys is our expertise and our service is not that difficult to utilize and worth the investmen.

The first thing we determine is how much signal noise you're going to encounter. If you're deploying 802.11b equipment, you obviously want to avoid microwave ovens, cordless phones and other devices that operate in the crowded 2.4 GHz frequency range. But you also need to think about physical obstacles such as shelves and even elevator shafts. We pay attention to everything, even wireless surveillance cameras and neighboring 802.11a/b networks.

Next you want to determine your access point layout. The site survey will help you determine where you need nodes to achieve the coverage desired, but you also have to take into account simple connectivity, both to the wired network and to power sources. Regarding the latter, some systems let you run power over Ethernet connections, which simplifies wiring requirements. Keep in mind that difficult situations might call for alternative tools. For example, rather than putting up unnecessary access points, you might be able to employ specialized antennas to cover greater spans. Once we've laid out your criteria and taken note of interference issues, physically map it all out and make several copies - one for contractors, one for the physical plant staff, one for your staff and one for safekeeping.

By taking these steps, chances are you'll have a more successful wireless experience than if you were to proceed ad hoc. Backtracking, after all, is always more difficult than preplanning and using the in-house expertise we have gathered over time.