Wireless Access

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Access network design for branch, remote, outdoor, and campus locations with HPE Aruba Networking access points and mobility controllers.
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Can I show an outdoor antenna on a VisualRF indoor floor plan?

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  • 1.  Can I show an outdoor antenna on a VisualRF indoor floor plan?

    Posted Jul 17, 2015 10:29 AM

    I have an existing floor plan in VisualRF for one of my buildings which has one deployed AP-104 access point.  I am looking to extend wifi to the outdoor space at this location.

     

    I am planning to provision an AP-114 with an outdoor antenna.  I am able to add the AP-114 to the existing floor plan as a Planned Device but I do not see any way of showing an outdoor antenna.  I would like to see which antenna will give me the best coverage for this particular location.

     

    Is it possible to show an outdoor antenna (ANT-3x3 5005, 5010, 5712) in an existing VisualRF indoor floor plan?

     

    Thanks.



  • 2.  RE: Can I show an outdoor antenna on a VisualRF indoor floor plan?

    Posted Aug 04, 2015 11:18 AM
      |   view attached

    What I've done in these situations is place the AP outside the wall of the building, then edit the radio information based on the external antenna I am connecting.  On the screenshot the outdoor APs are AP3 & AP4, both of which ar AP-214's with AP-ANT-17 antennas.  Notice that I have the Beamwidth set to 120° on both radios, with the orientation set to 270° (pointing straight left on the side of the building).  I've also set the gain on both bands to the values on the ANT-17.

     

    While probably not perfect, it gives me an idea of what my coverage area looks like.



  • 3.  RE: Can I show an outdoor antenna on a VisualRF indoor floor plan?

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted Aug 04, 2015 12:01 PM

    Note that VisualRF has no logic to model outdoor antennas in free space, as the rf propagation model is built around indoor models. The best option is to use the 3D Outdoor Planner and Google Earth to model different antennas in the outdoor areas you are looking to provide coverage for. Note as well as part of that modeling that you need to account for the additional loss of the connectors/jumpers to go from an indoor AP to an outdoor AP (additional connectors/jumpers, additional LMR, etc). 

     

    https://outdoorplanner.arubanetworks.com/

     

    If you don't have an account, you can register and then read through the 3DOP user guide. If you plan on using an RP-SMA connectorized antenna, just find the outdoor equivalent to model with inside the planner.