With much talk about small cells, a review of wireless LAN (WLAN) design is in order. This review is a basic design guide for WLAN coverage enhancement, the first of a multipart series on in-building wireless enhancement.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization that owns the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) term specifically defines Wi-Fi as any WLAN product based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 802.11 standard. Some folks think WiFi technology is not part of a “small cell”. However, one can argue that unless a wireless technology is part of a tower’s local infrastructure, it is considered a small cell. A WLAN design includes “small cells” of wireless access points (WAP) much like a cellular DAS. Even if a carrier adds “WiFi offloading” the WLAN is detached from the tower and hence could be described as a small cell.

The demands on WLANs for functionality and scalability are growing due to the rapid proliferation of new network devices and applications. The number of devices and connections per user is steadily increasing. It is common for most users today to not only have a primary computing device but also at least one other smart device. Wireless operators have worked hard to accommodate the increased demand for data services over wireless networks. They have been forced to consider alternative offload strategies, including wirelessly connecting electronic devices (Wi-Fi). Unfortunately, the majority of smartphones being introduced into the marketplace only support Wi-Fi at 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz), which is rapidly increasing pressure on Wi-Fi designers and administrators to design products for the smallest segment of bandwidth available. Many devices now include the 5 GHz band (vis-à-vis 802.11n). Administrators and IT Managers are finding themselves faced with the challenge of providing ever-increasing levels of WLAN service in areas where simple coverage is the singular design goal. While there have been great advances made in the speed and ease of implementation of Wi-Fi networks, the basic nature of radio frequency (RF) is generally unchanged. Increasing the number of users who can access the WLAN in a small physical space remains a challenge. The steps and process for a successful high user density WLAN design that can be proven, implemented, and maintained.

For More:  Freelance Cisco Wireless LAN Design Specialist

The general concepts underlying medium-density Wi-Fi design remain true for many environments. But it is important to note that the content and solutions presented here will not fit every WLAN design scenario. Rather, the intent of the design guide is to explain the challenges in WLAN design and to offer successful strategies so that engineers and administrators understand them and are able to articulate the impact of design decisions.