Wireless Access

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

Thanks but We cant place the access point in each room as there are many room in the offshore facility.

What about the refractions due to metal walls? How to consider them during simulation?

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

Thanks but We cant place the access point in each room as there are many room in the offshore facility.

What about the refractions due to metal walls? How to consider them during simulation?

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

You cannot expect Wi-Fi signals to penetrate metal walls, particularly thick steel, which I expect is used in an offshore/rig type facility.There is no 'magic wand' to break the laws of physics; each room in the facility will essentially be a faraday cage, so you will need to deploy many more access points due to the metal construction and resulting signal attenuation.

I'd suggest using the 'elevator shaft' wall setting in your Ekahau simulated design, I believe this has an attenuation factor of 30dBm. If possible, and you have access to a similar facility, I would recommend measuring the actual wall attenuation, as per Ekahau best practice:  https://www.ekahau.com/blog/how-to-measure-wall-attenuation-for-spotless-wi-fi-network-designs/

It is now standard practice in hospitality to install an AP in each room in a hotel and this is certainly the approach you will need to take. We deploy large networks in Cruise ships and this is the same scenario. Consider using the Aruba AP503H and/or AP505H, these are specifically designed for in-room deployments. https://www.arubanetworks.com/en-gb/products/wireless/access-points/remote-hospitality-access-points/500h-series/

The good news is that you will encounter very little co-channel interference, as each room will be isolated from other Wi-Fi signals! :-)

Thanks but We cant place the access point in each room as there are many room in the offshore facility.

What about the refractions due to metal walls? How to consider them during simulation?

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

Hello Derrel, Thanks for this detailed explanation and for enhancing my knowledge about AP implementation. 

One thing I would like to know about the reflection of RF signal due to metal walls. Which parameters I should consider while performing predicate coverage as there will be chances that wifi signal may bounce back due to metal walls and degrade the wifi services in specially in offshore or rig facility. 

You cannot expect Wi-Fi signals to penetrate metal walls, particularly thick steel, which I expect is used in an offshore/rig type facility.There is no 'magic wand' to break the laws of physics; each room in the facility will essentially be a faraday cage, so you will need to deploy many more access points due to the metal construction and resulting signal attenuation.

I'd suggest using the 'elevator shaft' wall setting in your Ekahau simulated design, I believe this has an attenuation factor of 30dBm. If possible, and you have access to a similar facility, I would recommend measuring the actual wall attenuation, as per Ekahau best practice:  https://www.ekahau.com/blog/how-to-measure-wall-attenuation-for-spotless-wi-fi-network-designs/

It is now standard practice in hospitality to install an AP in each room in a hotel and this is certainly the approach you will need to take. We deploy large networks in Cruise ships and this is the same scenario. Consider using the Aruba AP503H and/or AP505H, these are specifically designed for in-room deployments. https://www.arubanetworks.com/en-gb/products/wireless/access-points/remote-hospitality-access-points/500h-series/

The good news is that you will encounter very little co-channel interference, as each room will be isolated from other Wi-Fi signals! :-)

Thanks but We cant place the access point in each room as there are many room in the offshore facility.

What about the refractions due to metal walls? How to consider them during simulation?

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.

Hello Derrel, Thanks for this detailed explanation and for enhancing my knowledge about AP implementation. 

One thing I would like to know about the reflection of RF signal due to metal walls. Which parameters I should consider while performing predicate coverage as there will be chances that wifi signal may bounce back due to metal walls and degrade the wifi services in specially in offshore or rig facility. 

You cannot expect Wi-Fi signals to penetrate metal walls, particularly thick steel, which I expect is used in an offshore/rig type facility.There is no 'magic wand' to break the laws of physics; each room in the facility will essentially be a faraday cage, so you will need to deploy many more access points due to the metal construction and resulting signal attenuation.

I'd suggest using the 'elevator shaft' wall setting in your Ekahau simulated design, I believe this has an attenuation factor of 30dBm. If possible, and you have access to a similar facility, I would recommend measuring the actual wall attenuation, as per Ekahau best practice:  https://www.ekahau.com/blog/how-to-measure-wall-attenuation-for-spotless-wi-fi-network-designs/

It is now standard practice in hospitality to install an AP in each room in a hotel and this is certainly the approach you will need to take. We deploy large networks in Cruise ships and this is the same scenario. Consider using the Aruba AP503H and/or AP505H, these are specifically designed for in-room deployments. https://www.arubanetworks.com/en-gb/products/wireless/access-points/remote-hospitality-access-points/500h-series/

The good news is that you will encounter very little co-channel interference, as each room will be isolated from other Wi-Fi signals! :-)

Thanks but We cant place the access point in each room as there are many room in the offshore facility.

What about the refractions due to metal walls? How to consider them during simulation?

Don't rely on APs in hallways/corridors to service users inside rooms on other side of metal walls. Put APs where your users expect service.

HI, I am doing the wifi coverage simulation for offshore facility where all walls are made from metal. I would like to know what are the main things I should consider to avoid interference due to metal walls as wifi signal may get reflect due to metal walls. As this is the new offshore project, I cant do real simulation so I am using wifi coverage tool Ekahau for this.