This document provides guidelines for designing a high-performance wireless network. It discusses considerations for coverage needs, device capacity, security requirements, and wired network infrastructure. It recommends using dual-band concurrent access points, overlapping coverage of 2-3 APs in high-density areas, and load balancing clients across APs. Wired network upgrades, active site surveys, and testing deployments are also advised.

1. Linee guida per il disegno di una rete
Wireless a elevate prestazioni
Formazione Online
Andrea Rossi – System Engineer
andrea.rossi@netgear.com

2. 2
Product Portfolio
Storage
Security Switching
Wireless
Business

3. Know Your Deployments
3
Coverage Limited Capacity Limited

4. Considerations
+ How many Wireless Devices will want connectivity to the WLAN?
+ Where will these devices be and what area does it need to cover?
+ What applications would you like to use over the WLAN?
+ Would guest access or multiple groups be a requirement?
+ How is the current wired network constructed? 100mb? Gigabit?
Fibre / Copper?
+ What levels of Security are needed?
+ What about future expansion? Other types of devices?
+ Would the system be used for VoIP calls?
+ Is there a requirement for external coverage?

5. What is considered High Density?
+ Large number of people in a small confined area
+ High demand of application access on Wireless
+ General Rule of Thumb:
•More than 20 active users in the proximity of coverage of
single AP (500 – 1000 ft2)
5

6. How much throughput your AP support?
 300 Mbps * 2 = 600 Mbps (dual band 2x2 AP)
 30 users
 600 Mbps / 30 = 20 Mbps
6
We support 20 Mbps per user !!
Common Sizing Mistake

7. Better Rule of Thumb Design of High Density
7
For 25 Active Clients: Avg of 2 – 3 Mbps / client
Start Impact After
600 Mbps Packet and protocol overhead (-50%) 300 Mbps
300 Mbps Slow or ‘far-away’ clients (-50%)
!! 1 Mbps client takes 100x more airtime to transmit 1 frame vs. a
100 Mbps client (.11a/b/g clients or clients at the edge of cell)
150 Mbps
150 Mbps Uneven distribution of 2.4/5 clients (-50%) 75 Mbps
75 Mbps Control traffic (-25%)
Multicast, control, probe, etc. generally at 1 Mbps rate
50 Mbps
50 Mbps Others
Inherent co-channel and adjacent channel interference, bad
behavior clients, network re-transmissions

8. What is the typical bandwidth needed per
application?
8

9. Video Throughput
9
Typical rule of thumb: 1 to 3 Mbps

10. Parameters for Capacity Based Networks
+ # of users in a specific area covered by single AP
+ # of Wi-Fi devices per person
+ % of users that are expected to be active
+ Types of applications and throughputs needed
+ Mix of applications
+ Type of clients in the network (2.4 vs. 5 GHz)
+ Legacy vs. .11n clients
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11. Parameters for Coverage Based Networks
+ Floor plan
+ Types of constructions and obstructions
•concrete, brick, drywalls, elevator shafts
+ Types of deployment
•Offices, cubicle, warehouse, single room motels/hotels
+ Height of floor
•10 feet/3 meter (offices), 20 feet/6 meter (warehouse), 30 feet/9 meter (gym)
+ # of floors
+ Exclusion area
+ High density / Low density separations
+ Important coverage areas
•CEO office, guests/publicity areas
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12. High Density Recommendation (1)
(start with AirPlanner and Identify High Density areas)
12
High Density Area

13. High Density Recommendation (2)
(Dual Band Concurrent Access Points)
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YES
WNDAP360
WNDAP350
WNDAP660
NO
WNAP210
WN370
WNAP320
WNDAP620
Enable both 2.4 + 5 GHz Radios

14. High Density Recommendation (3)
(Design overlap with 2-3 AP connectivity)
14
HD Area with 3 AP Coverage

15. High Density Recommendation (4)
Load Balancing to meet excess load
Set the max client for each radio at 25
Set the minimum RSSI threshold to connect at 40 (-73 dBm)

16. High Density Recommendation (5)
turn down power, not up
+ Often mistake is turn up AP power, but that will cause co-
channel and adjacent channel interference
+ Turning 2.4 GHz output power to ½ or ¼ and 5 GHz
output power to ½ and add more AP is better solution
16

17. High Density Recommendation (6)
Upgrade wired network
L3 L2 AP
1G links1G or 10GMultiple 10 or
100 Mbps

18. High Density Design Recommendations
+ Start with AirMagnet planner and identify locations of High
Density
+ Always spec’d AP with dual band concurrent radios
•YES: WNDAP350/360/660
•AVOID: WNAP210/320/620/WN370
+ Always enable both radios
+ Design Wi-Fi where all clients can reach 2-3 AP’s
+ Load balancing to spread out traffic to less loaded AP’s
+ Upgrade wired network to support higher throughput AP’s
+ Explore to use bonded 40 MHz channels in 5 GHz where
appropriate
+ Actual stress test prior to live deployment

19. Why Basic Survey?
+ Gain Visibility of site and gain clearer idea of requirement.
+ Understand the environment and how RF performs / check
interference.
+ Understand the Network background, and provide
opportunities to supply other technologies (Security/
Switching / POE / Storage).

20. &
Types of Wireless Site Surveys
Three main types of surveys
Passive Active Predictive
Listen for
Signal strength
Noise Level
Not associated
Associate to AP
Round trip time
Throughput
Packet loss
Simulated
Modeling
RF attenuation
Wall construct
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21. &
Onsite evaluation
Plan your visit…
Tools 1st 30 minutes Timing
PC
Camera/phone
WiSpy
AirMagnet
InSSIDer
RF Spectrum
Floor map
Visual check
Requirement synch
Test locations
PoE !!
Single floor (hours)
Multi floors (days)
Multi bldgs (week)
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22. &
Conduct Tests
Active
Survey
AP Location
Associate to
AP
Walk around
Record
Key
Parameters
Record
boundaries
New
Location
Passive
Survey
Interferers,
Other AP’s,
Channels
Throughput (Mbps)
Round trip time (msec)
Packet loss
Signal strength (dBm)
Signal to noise (dBm)
Background noise (dBm)
22

23. PROJECT ANALISYS
PROJECT
DEFINITION
EXPANSION
Where NETGEAR can help
23

24. 24
Product Portfolio
Storage
Security Switching
Wireless
Business

25. WNAP210
WNAP320
WNDAP350
WNDAP360
WN370
a/b/g/n(2x)
Multi-BSSID
Controller
Managed
Performance
WNDAP620
WNDAP660
450 Mbps
3x3 802.11n
Advanced Security
Controller
Managed
Premium
WN203
WN604
WAC120
Simple installation
Basic security
Standalone
SOHO
Access Point Diversity
25
Explore Controller
Compatibility
WND930
300 Mbps
2x2 802.11n
Advanced Security
Controller
Managed
Outdoor

26. Why a Wireless Controller?
26
Helps speed up
deployment:
• Easy User Interface -
hiding sophisticated
algorithms
• Integrated planning
tools: Predicted
coverage per building
/ floor
Helps stay connected:
• Seamless L2/L3 fast
roaming
• Automatic load
balancing and RF
planning, incl.
advanced QoS / Rate
limiting
Helps enforce
comprehensive
security:
• RADIUS, Active
Directory
authentication
• VLANs compliance,
internal / external AAA
server
• Captive portal and
Guest access
management

27. Wireless Controller Solution Scalability
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Up to 2500 devices Up to 6000 devices 15000+ devices

28. Wireless Controller / Management
Solution
ProSAFE Wireless
Controller
• Secure, enterprise class control
• Scale from 20 to 150 AP’s
• Stack 3 Controllers to support
upwards of 3000 devices
• Full mobility / roaming support
• Guest Captive Portal
• Stack for redundancy / resiliency
• 10 AP incremental license
WC7520

29. Advanced, performance based wireless
management
• Secure, enterprise class control
• Scale from 2 - 50 APs per
controller
• Stack 3 Controllers to support
upwards of 6000 devices
• Stack for redundancy / resiliency
• 802.11ac ready
• Premium 11n AP support
• 10 AP incremental license
ProSAFE WC7600
Product Detail

30. Advanced, performance and high density
based wireless management
• Secure, enterprise class control
• Scale from 2 - 300 APs per
controller
• Stack 3 Controllers to support
upwards of 18000 devices
• Stack for redundancy / resiliency
• 802.11ac ready
• Premium 11n AP support
ProSAFE WC9500