Before you hire a WiFi site survey provider, you need to know exactly what you're buying. "Site survey" means different things to different vendors — and a low-cost survey that delivers a three-page PDF is not the same as a professional engagement that gives you a full RF characterization of your facility. Here's a complete breakdown of what a professional WiFi site survey should include.
A professional survey begins before anyone sets foot in your facility. The survey team should collect floor plans (PDF or CAD format), building construction materials, current AP inventory and placement, any known coverage complaints or trouble tickets, and the specific use cases you need to support (VoIP, video conferencing, IoT devices, high-density areas). This scoping step ensures the survey addresses your actual requirements, not just generic coverage metrics.
RF spectrum scan: Identifying all RF activity in your facility, including neighboring WiFi networks, Bluetooth devices, microwave interference, and any non-WiFi devices transmitting in the 2.4, 5, or 6 GHz bands. This is foundational — you can't design a channel plan without knowing what's already using the spectrum.
Coverage walkthrough: The engineer walks every accessible area of the facility with WiFi scanning equipment, capturing signal strength, noise floor, and channel utilization at regular intervals. For large facilities, this is typically performed in a systematic grid pattern to ensure complete coverage data.
AP audit: Every access point is physically located and documented. The audit captures AP models, mounting locations, power settings, channel assignments, and connected client counts. This step frequently reveals unauthorized rogue APs or improperly configured devices.
Active throughput testing (if included): The engineer connects test clients to your network and measures actual data rates, latency, and roaming performance throughout the facility. This step is essential if performance (not just coverage) is the primary concern.
A professional survey should produce the following deliverables:
RF heatmaps: Visual coverage maps showing signal strength (RSSI), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and channel utilization across the facility. These should be floor-by-floor for multi-story buildings.
AP inventory report: A complete list of every AP found during the survey, with location, configuration, and any anomalies noted.
Interference report: Identification of any interference sources (non-WiFi devices, neighboring networks, improperly configured APs) that are degrading WiFi performance.
Written recommendations: Specific, actionable recommendations based on the survey findings — AP relocations, channel plan changes, firmware updates, or additional AP deployments needed to address coverage gaps.
Executive summary: A non-technical summary of findings and recommendations that you can share with management or include in a capital expenditure request.
Depending on your situation, you may also want to request: a predictive RF design showing how recommended changes will improve coverage before you spend on hardware; a formal channel plan with specific channel and power assignments for every AP; or a security audit that identifies open networks, weak authentication, and rogue devices presenting security risks.
A site survey documents and recommends — it does not implement changes. Hardware procurement, AP installation, controller configuration, and switch upgrades are separate project scopes. Make sure your statement of work is clear on what ends at the survey deliverable and what requires additional engagement.
AccessAgility's professional survey engagements deliver all of the above, with clear documentation suitable for both internal IT teams and management reporting. We use WiFi Scanner for passive data collection and produce industry-standard deliverables for every engagement.
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AccessAgility provides professional predictive design, passive/active site surveys, and post-deployment validation for enterprise and government environments.
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