Appendix B WiFi Fundamentals
WiFi deployment
WiFi Advisor Wireless LAN Analyzer User’s Guide
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December 2014
WiFi deployment
Successful WiFi service delivery is highly dependent on a vulnerable RF physical
medium that is dynamically shared, along with complex L2 (i.e. 802.11) and
supporting protocols. This makes installation of service a potentially complex task.
Reliance on simplistic installation methods that do not provide an indication of
robust service level margin can impact QoE (quality of experience) as the RF envi-
ronment / network changes, resulting in trouble calls, repeats and churn.
Inability to assess 802.11 performance and true throughput at critical locations
throughout the home leaves the end user guessing as to how the installed network
should perform, leading to trouble calls and truck rolls as the end user adds to /
modifies the WiFi network.
Network standard
The network standard uses RF (radio frequency) spectrum as the physical layer.
That means no wires, but can have issues with walls, mirrors and certain other
building materials. The network standard has protocols to handle some interferers,
such as:
•
Co-channel (same channel) interferers can cooperate transmission (take
turns).
•
Burst interference mitigation by delayed transmission
•
Adjacent Channel interferers are an issue
•
Non-802.11 interferers are a big problem because they can appear as 802.11
but do not adhere to protocols. Your 802.11 radio will wait to get the “ok” to
transmit, which may never come. It also can de-sensitize the receiver since
the packets may not be received, the transmitter will keep sending the
message “waiting for an acknowledgement”
