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Application
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Wireless LANs (WLANs) are installed within various environments
(indoor, office building, university campus,library, ...) to provide
high data rate connections to mobile terminals. Different standards are
defined in the 2.4 GHz (IEEE 802.11b, 802.11g) and 5 GHz bands (IEEE
802.11a, HIPERLAN/2) enabling Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).
Due to the low number of available frequency channels Wireless LAN
systems are interference limited. Therefore the deployment of access
points must be handled with care. Either time-consuming measurement
campaigns or highly accurate propagation models can be used for the
planning and installation of these systems. WinProp offers fast and
accurate propagation models integrated in an user-friendly GUI
application.
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Wireless Standards
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The following standards are pre-defined:
- IEEE 802.11a
- IEEE 802.11b
- IEEE 802.11g
- IEEE 802.11n
Further
standards (incl. modifications of predefined standards) and frequency
bands can be defined by the user.
Besides the below listed outputs WinProp can also predict the max.
achievable data
rate for each location in the prediction area (see figure on the
right).This helps to optimze W-LAN networks for max. throughput.
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Network Planning
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By defining multiple access points the coverage area can be computed
for each access point individually as well as for the whole area. Based
on the predictions of the received
power (or path loss) for each access point different radio network
planning outputs are calculated which allow the user to analyze the
WLAN performance (see the following figures):
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Cell Area
Assignment of MS locations to AP
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Best Server Area
Assignment of MS locations to carriers
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Maximum Received Rx Power
Max. power which can be received
by a mobile station in downlink
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SNIR (Signal to Noise & Interference
Ratio)
Signal relative to noise and interference (on same carrier)
Output only for carriers assigned in best server map
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Network Optimization
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In order to refine the WLAN configuration an auto optimization module is also included
in WinProp. This module automatically selects the best locations for
the installation of access points out of a predefined set of possible
locations for access points. To describe the requirements of the
deployed network, a priority map may be used. Therefore the
optimization modules can consider location dependent traffic, if the
users are not homogenously distributed in the scenario. So hot spots
can be modeled and considered during the optimization process.
Further information about the Auto-Optimizer can be found here.
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Winprop
supports all sub-standards of IEEE 802.11 (a/b/g) as well as air
interfaces like HIPERLAN/2
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Some
examples for commercial
W-LAN
planning with WinProp
are
presented here.
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If
the W-LAN network is planned with WinProp, you get the coverage
where you actually need it and you do not get coverage where you want
to avoid it.
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Building
Databases
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Building databases are the basis for the coverage and interference
analysis, i.e. for the planning of the WLAN system. For most WLAN
planning tools, the handling of the building data is the most critical
part. If the effort to define the scenario (building database) is too
high, it makes no sense to plan the WLAN with a software tool.
To accelerate the definition of building databases, AWE Communications
offers WallMan to make
the handling of building databases as simple as possible.
The user can enter the building database (walls, windows, doors,...) in
an innovative way - even in buildings with multiple floors. Either via converting CAD files or with
scanned maps used as background image.
(A short guide how to generate building databases with WallMan is
available here). |
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Path
Loss
Analysis
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With ProMan the prediction of the path loss for
the whole area inside the building (multi-floor buildings are
supported) is possible for each access point individually.
Highly accurate deterministic prediction models provide a detailed
analysis of the mobile radio channel. They consider the building
structure as well as the material properties of the different objects
(walls, doors, windows, ...).
Due to acceleration techniques these models require only a short
computation time which allows the design of a WLAN network within
a few minutes.
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