Five-Step Network Planning

• Automatic obstacle identification: The tool automatically identifies walls and draws obstacles based on the imported drawing.

• Manual drawing: You can manually draw obstacles after selecting an obstacle shape and type. After drawing an obstacle, you can click it and drag the displayed white nodes to change the obstacle size or shape. In addition, you can right-click the obstacle, choose Property, and set the top height and bottom height of the obstacle.
  • Obstacle shape: The shape of an obstacle can be a rectangle, line, or slope.
  • Obstacle type: You can add preset obstacles, such as walls, windows, and doors, to the drawing. If the preset obstacles do not meet the scenario requirements, click User-Defined at the bottom of the obstacle type or choose SETTING > Obstacle Preset, and then customize obstacles.

• Interference deployment: Deploy interference sources based on the site survey result.

• You can right-click an obstacle or interference source, choose Copy, and right-click to paste it on the drawing (or press Ctrl+C and then Ctrl+V). To view the attributes, double-click or right-click an obstacle or interference source and then choose Property.

• Area drawing: You can enable the automatic identification function or manually draw an area. After an area is drawn, you can drag the white nodes to adjust the area size, and double-click a white node to add a new node, as shown in the following figure.
  • Automatic identification: The tool automatically draws closed coverage areas based on the outermost obstacles.
  • Manual drawing: Select a shape and type, click to draw, and right-click to end the drawing.

• Area properties: Set the type of a coverage area to VIP, common, or simple coverage mode and set terminal network requirements. You can choose SETTING > Field Strength Preset and customize the coverage type and related parameters.

• Areas of the same type cannot overlap on the drawing, while areas of different types can overlap.
• If no AP area is drawn, the tool considers that APs can be deployed in all signal areas and deploys APs automatically.

• Automatic AP deployment:
  • Automatic deployment: Based on the area parameters, the tool automatically calculates the AP quantity and deploys APs. (This function supports only APs with omnidirectional antennas in indoor scenarios.)
  • Equal triangle laying/Equal spacing laying: Draw an area or a line and configure AP parameters. Then, the tool automatically calculates AP quantity and deploys APs.
• Equipment deployment (manual): APs/RUs, ADs, and switches can be manually deployed. You can click Set Display on the lower right corner and adjust the icon size.
  • AP/RU: The tool provides recommended device models based on the scenario. If the device model does not meet the requirements, click Choose Other AP. In the dialog box displayed, you can filter devices, search for devices by keyword, and compare parameters.
  • Switch: You can add and manage switches on the SETTING > Switch Preset page.

• Drawing cables: Draw cables to connect devices. For example, to connect an AP to a switch, click the AP, move the cursor (leading the cable) to the switch, and click the switch.

• Channel calculation/Power tuning: The two functions can take effect on the current floor or multiple floors. After determining AP positions, you can use the two functions to reduce interference between APs.

• Equipment recording: Download the template and enter AP information (such as the SN, MAC address, and name). Then, save and import the template.

(Note: After entering information on the sheet of a floor, change No next to Whether to update to Yes. Otherwise, the template does not take effect after being imported.)

Double-click or right-click an AP icon and then choose Property to open the AP attribute panel. You can edit AP attributes, including the model, icon color, antenna, power, and channel.

• Coverage satisfaction: Click this button to enable simulation calculation. You can view the proportions of field strength and SINR ranges in the chart to calculate the coverage rate.

• Simulation terminal: You can deploy mobile phones, laptops, and tablets to simulate signal access, and double-click a deployed device to view the simulation result.
• Simulation map settings: You can set the frequency band to 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz, and select a simulation map type from the Type drop-down list.

• Simulation diagram: You can expand the drop-down list box and select a color scheme, and drag the slider bar in the color legend to adjust the RSSI range displayed in the simulation diagram.

• Simulation algorithm: The ray tracing and path loss algorithms are supported. To change the algorithm, modify Propagation Model on the SETTING > Basic Settings page. Calculation using the ray tracing algorithm takes a longer time.
• To simulate one or more APs, right-click APs and choose Simulation.