{"id":108,"date":"2024-08-03T14:08:37","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T12:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.802punkt11.de\/?p=108"},"modified":"2026-08-01T14:19:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T12:19:03","slug":"performing-a-site-survey-with-ekahau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.802punkt11.de\/index.php\/2024\/08\/03\/performing-a-site-survey-with-ekahau\/","title":{"rendered":"Performing a site survey with Ekahau"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Designing a reliable Wi-Fi network is never just about placing access points on a floor plan. Real buildings introduce attenuation, reflections, interference, and user behavior that can only be understood through proper measurement, which is why site surveys remain one of the most important parts of professional WLAN design and validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ekahau has become one of the most widely used platforms for this task because it combines design validation, field measurement, and troubleshooting in a workflow that fits both pre-deployment and post-deployment projects. When paired with Sidekick 2, Ekahau becomes even more powerful by adding faster data capture, more consistent measurements, and integrated spectrum analysis across 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why site surveys matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A predictive design is a strong starting point, but it is still a model of reality rather than reality itself. Walls, shelving, glass, machinery, people, and neighboring RF sources can all influence signal propagation in ways that no design tool can fully guarantee without on-site validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why site surveys are essential throughout the WLAN lifecycle. They help validate new deployments, verify redesigns, troubleshoot performance problems, and confirm that a production network still meets the needs of users and applications as the environment changes over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role of Sidekick 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sidekick 2 is Ekahau\u2019s purpose-built Wi-Fi measurement device for professional surveys and validation. Ekahau states that it uses four tri-band Wi-Fi radios and supports measurements across 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz, allowing engineers to capture more data in less time with higher consistency than consumer-grade adapters typically provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That consistency matters because survey quality depends heavily on the quality of the data source. By standardizing how measurements are taken, Sidekick 2 reduces the uncertainty that often appears when using different laptop chipsets, uneven antenna designs, or inconsistent client hardware during field work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spectrum analysis with Sidekick 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most valuable features of Sidekick 2 is its built-in spectrum analyzer. Ekahau describes it as a high-resolution tri-band spectrum analyzer that can scan 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz and display RF interference in real time, which helps engineers identify non-Wi-Fi sources that ordinary Wi-Fi surveys may miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially important in environments where poor WLAN performance is not caused by Wi-Fi design alone. With spectrum analysis, Sidekick 2 can reveal interference from external RF sources, detect short-lived events, and provide visibility into the \u201cinvisible\u201d RF layer from 2,400 to 7,125 MHz, making it far more useful for troubleshooting than a signal-only workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survey types in Ekahau<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ekahau supports several survey approaches, each suited to a different phase of the project. In practice, the three most relevant workflows for many engineers are Just Go surveys, AP on a Stick surveys, and standard post-installation or \u201cnormal\u201d validation surveys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A normal survey is the classic validation method used when the WLAN is already installed. The engineer walks the environment, collects measurements, and checks whether the live deployment delivers the expected coverage, roaming behavior, and application support in the real production space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just Go surveys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just Go surveys are designed to simplify and accelerate field work. Ekahau\u2019s mobile survey workflow allows an engineer to connect a phone or tablet to Sidekick 2 and begin collecting survey data quickly, which makes the process much more approachable without giving up professional measurement quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This method is especially useful for fast validation passes, health checks, and environments where a lightweight workflow is more practical than a traditional laptop-based process. Because Sidekick 2 handles the measurement hardware, Just Go surveys can still produce accurate and repeatable data while keeping the survey experience simple and efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AP on a Stick surveys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An AP on a Stick survey, often abbreviated as APoS, is one of the best ways to validate a predictive design before permanent installation begins. In this method, a temporary access point is mounted at the planned installation height and moved through selected design locations so that Ekahau can measure how the WLAN is likely to perform in the actual environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach reduces deployment risk significantly because it tests the design with real RF behavior before cabling, mounting, and final commissioning are complete. It helps confirm AP count, placement, and cell overlap, and it often reveals problems early enough to avoid expensive post-installation rework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How APoS works in practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a typical APoS workflow, the survey engineer places the AP at one intended location, performs the measurement pass, and then moves the AP to the next planned position. Ekahau recommends keeping each temporary AP position aligned with the project map so that the resulting dataset matches the real-world test conditions and can be compared properly against the design intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sidekick 2 strengthens this process because it provides accurate, repeatable measurements while also offering spectrum visibility during the test. That means an engineer can evaluate not only whether the temporary AP placement delivers the expected coverage, but also whether hidden interference sources may distort performance in ways a pure predictive model would never reveal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best practices for accurate surveys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accurate surveys depend on discipline as much as on tools. Floor plans must be scaled correctly, walking pace should remain consistent, and the survey method should match the survey goal, whether that goal is design validation, troubleshooting, or health checking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For APoS work, the temporary AP should be positioned as closely as possible to its final installation height and location. For Sidekick 2-based projects, engineers should also take advantage of the built-in spectrum analyzer to look for non-Wi-Fi interference while surveying, especially in high-density offices, industrial spaces, healthcare environments, and other RF-complex sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing the right method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n