LWAPP Site Survey methodology

Question

I have been doing site surveys the "old fashioned" way for quite some time.
I am interested in how the survey is performed utilizing the new lightweight AP's.
Mainly, how do you determine AP location if there is no way to configure the AP itself?
Do these surveys require the use of a Controller?
Can I still design the infrastructure to physically load balance the network or am I at the mercy of this little box?
Also, do I have any control over channel allocation? I don't like to put channel 11 near Microwave ovens if I can help it, but I would like to know that if any thing gets switched, is it going to be switched back?
Any links that would describe the "new" survey process would be very apprieciated.
Thanks-

Answer 1

I can confirm that when I asked the same question, no "survey mode" exists on the AIR-LAP1131AG or AIR-LAP1242AG.
That said, you can convert these APs to autonomous mode (there are a number of threads on this forum that discuss how to do this). After you are done with the site survey you can flip the APs back.
From the Cisco "Wireless Site Survey FAQ - Document ID: 68666"
"Q. Can I perform a site survey using Cisco Aironet 1131 and 1242 access points and then use the results to deploy an Airespace wireless solution?
A. Yes, you can do this as long as a proper site survey is conducted and the results yield an effective Wireless solution. In this case, you can use any site survey tool."
If you intend on carrying your RF settings manually once deployed using the WLC, you will need to refer to the following document which correlates autonomous power settings (in dB) to the WLC power setttings 1, 2, 3, etc.
Excerpt from WLC Configuration Guide v4.0:
"The transmit power level is assigned an integer value instead of a value in mW or dBm. The integer corresponds to a power level that varies depending on the regulatory domain in which the access points
are deployed. The number of available power levels varies based on the access point model. However, power level 1 is always the maximum power level allowed per country code setting, with each successive power level representing 50% of the previous power level. For example, 1 = maximum power level in a particular regulatory domain, 2 = 50% power, 3 = 25% power, 4 = 12.5% power, and so on.
Note: Refer to the hardware installation guide for your access point for the maximum transmit power levels supported per regulatory domain. Also, refer to the data sheet for your access point for the number of power levels supported."
Final thought: I have found that the AUTO RF tends to work better if you start out your APs with manual channel settings from your site survey and then release everything to AUTO RF at the same time. The automatic channel choices that the WLC comes up with are not optimal.
The steps to doing this are:
1) Changing the global AUTO RF setting to manual channel selection or ON DEMAND. Power setting can stay on automatic.
2) Change your APs to the manual settings from your survey.
3) Change the APs to automatic RF settings. (They will not change until AUTO RF channel selection is re-enabled.)
4) Re-enable AUTO RF channel selection.
This is not official from Cisco, simply based upon my own observations. However, my experience so far has been that the channel settings I pick tend to work better (I see higher power level settings on the APs since they have less co-channel interference) and WLC will continue to use the manual channel settings unless the some significant outside interference is encountered.
(please remember to rate helpful posts)
- John