Enterprise Wi-Fi failures almost always trace back to a network designed without a proper site survey — access points placed by guesswork, interference not accounted for, capacity assumptions that collapsed under real user loads. A professional wireless site survey eliminates these problems before they happen.
What Is a Wireless Site Survey?
A wireless site survey is a systematic assessment of a physical environment to determine optimal access point placement, configuration, and density. It accounts for building materials, interference sources, user density, device types, and application requirements.
Types of Wireless Site Surveys
Predictive (Pre-Deployment) Survey
Using floor plans and building specs, engineers model the wireless environment in software like Ekahau AI Pro. This produces a coverage prediction before any hardware is installed — identifying problem areas and optimising AP placement without going on-site.
Passive Survey
The engineer walks the site capturing real RF data — signal strength, noise floor, channel utilisation — without connecting to any network. This reveals the existing RF environment including interference from neighbouring networks and non-Wi-Fi sources.
Active Survey
The engineer connects to the network and measures actual performance — throughput, roaming behaviour, latency, packet loss. Used to validate a newly installed network or diagnose problems in an existing one.
Why Ekahau Certification Matters
Ekahau is the industry-standard platform for professional wireless surveying. Ekahau ECSE-certified engineers have demonstrated proficiency in RF fundamentals, survey methodology, and Ekahau tooling. When evaluating providers, ask specifically whether their engineers hold Ekahau ECSE certification.
When You Need a Wireless Site Survey
- New office fit-out or building construction.
- Warehouse or logistics facility where voice-directed picking depends on reliable Wi-Fi.
- Healthcare environments where clinical devices require guaranteed coverage.
- Stadium, campus, or high-density venue deployments.
- Any site where a previous wireless installation is underperforming.