Affirmative YEStablet 7370 User Manual Download

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Survey

The Survey tab can assist you in conducting a site survey. Survey operates at the RF level and is used to
determine the best placement and coverage (overlap) for your network's infrastructure devices. During
a site survey, the current status of the network is read from the client adapter and displayed four times
per second so you can accurately gauge network performance. The feedback that you receive can help
you to eliminate areas of low RF signal levels that can result in a loss of connection between the client
adapter and its associated access point (or other infrastructure device).
Survey can be operated in two modes:

•

Passive

. This is the default site survey mode. It does not initiate any RF network traffic; it simply

listens to the traffic that the client adapter hears and displays the results. Follow the instructions in
the

"Using Passive Mode" section

to activate the passive mode.

•

Active

. This mode causes the client adapter to actively send or receive low-level RF packets to or

from its associated access point and provides information on the success rate. It also enables you to
set parameters governing how the site survey is performed (such as the data rate). Follow the
instructions in the

"Using Active Mode" section

to activate the active mode.

Guidelines

Keep the following guidelines in mind when preparing to perform a site survey:

•

Use the active mode when performing a site survey.

•

Perform the site survey when the RF link is functioning with all other systems and noise sources
operational.

•

Execute the site survey entirely from the YES

tablet

•

Conduct the site survey with all variables set to operational values.

•

Consider the following operating and environmental conditions when performing a site survey:

Data rates

- Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data bit rates. Therefore, the

maximum radio range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate, and a decrease in
receiver threshold sensitivity occurs as the radio data increases.

Antenna type and placement

- Proper antenna configuration is a critical factor in

maximizing radio range. As a general rule, range increases in proportion to antenna height.

Physical environment

- Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled

areas. Also, the less cluttered the work environment, the greater the range.

Obstructions

- A physical obstruction such as metal shelving or a steel pillar can hinder the

performance of wireless devices. Avoid placing these devices in a location where a metal
barrier is between the sending and receiving antennas.

Building materials

- Radio penetration is greatly influenced by the building material used

in construction. For example, drywall construction allows greater range than concrete
blocks, and metal or steel construction is a barrier to radio signals.

Using Passive Mode

This is the default site survey mode when you click on the

Survey

tab. It does not initiate any RF

network traffic; it simply listens to the traffic that the client adapter hears and displays the results. As
you move the YES

tablet

to various locations in your site, you will see the effect on the metrics

described in Table 5 change.