Context
The headquarters was preparing to renew an office Wi-Fi infrastructure spread over two floors. The assignment had to answer two separate questions: what service does the existing network actually deliver, and can the future architecture provide consistent 5 and 6 GHz coverage for office work, mobility and real-time applications?
Method
For this business Wi-Fi audit, TWN Consulting ran a measurement campaign with Ekahau AI Pro and Ekahau Sidekick 2. Primary and secondary coverage maps, SNR, channel utilisation and the neighbouring environment were analysed separately, so as not to confuse the quality of the internal network with the overall density of detected networks.
The field measurements were then compared with a simulation of the Wi-Fi 7 target. The criteria included a primary RSSI of −67 dBm, a minimum SNR of 25 dB and secondary coverage suited to demanding uses.
What the audit revealed
- Primary coverage that was broadly satisfactory in the areas surveyed.
- Secondary coverage that could be improved in several peripheral or partitioned zones.
- A heavily loaded 2.4 GHz band in this dense office environment.
- 5 GHz transmit powers that could be better balanced before the renewal.
- Events consistent with DFS mechanisms, requiring correlation with infrastructure logs and monitoring.
An actionable outcome
The simulation confirmed that uniform 6 GHz coverage was achievable across the workspaces. Remaining gaps were mainly in vertical circulation areas and zones without prolonged use. The deliverable clearly separates interim optimisations of the existing network from the design decisions for the target: AP placement, transmit power, frequency plan and post-deployment validation.
The audit did more than describe the current state: it provided a measured basis for migration decisions and for avoiding the limits of the previous network.
Why measure before migrating
Replacing each access point in its current location often reproduces the flaws of the old network. 6 GHz does not propagate like 5 GHz, and a Wi-Fi 7 target design has to account for the real capabilities of client devices. Measuring the existing network also separates placement issues from configuration issues: here, primary coverage was satisfactory, while secondary coverage and the balance of 5 GHz transmit powers needed adjustment.
The criteria behind the design
- Primary RSSI of −67 dBm and minimum SNR of 25 dB in the workspaces.
- Secondary coverage suited to mobility and real-time applications.
- 5 GHz and 6 GHz coverage analysed separately.
- Quality of the internal network distinguished from the density of neighbouring networks.
What the deliverable contained
- Measured findings on the production network: primary and secondary coverage, SNR, channel utilisation, neighbouring environment.
- Interim optimisations of the existing network, applicable before the renewal.
- Design decisions for the target: AP placement, transmit power and frequency plan.
- DFS events to be correlated with infrastructure logs and monitoring.
- Validation criteria to check after deployment.
Going further
The approach used here combines an audit of the existing Wi-Fi with a coverage study of the 5/6 GHz target. On radar events, see our DFS field notes. And for what happens once the new network is installed: diagnosis after a Wi-Fi 7 deployment.