Testing Your Limited WLAN Deployment
Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2
To test the deployment of your wireless network, roam the entire coverage area for your wireless network, associating with one AP after another. Use your floor plan (with the APs marked on it) to mark the areas that provide adequate coverage and those that require more troubleshooting. You should be able to roam around the building, associating with one AP after another, and test applications.
As you roam through coverage areas, perform the following tests to ensure that your wireless network will provide strong, uninterrupted coverage for wireless clients:
Use the client software that the adapter manufacturer provided for the wireless device to determine that the wireless client associates with the nearest AP.
If the wireless client does not readily associate with the closest AP when you move from one AP’s coverage area to the next, turn the network adapter’s radio off and back on using software provided by the adapter manufacturer. This forces the wireless adapter to find the strongest signal, which usually is the closest AP.
The wireless client’s ability to associate with an AP is determined by the error rate of the data packets and the signal strength. If the coverage from the first AP is still strong, the wireless transceiver receives few bad packets and maintains its association. If the closest AP is failing to associate with the wireless client, restarting the radio of the wireless network adapter forces the wireless adapter to find the strongest signal, which usually is the closest AP.
Check the statistics for error rates and signal strength to be sure that they are within limits. Check the AP for throughput to determine whether the data transfer rate is adequate.
The following troubleshooting tools also can be useful when testing and deploying your WLAN:
Use the Wireless Monitor MMC snap-in, included with Windows Server 2003, to gather and view statistical and configuration information for wireless APs and the Windows Server 2003 wireless client.
Use a spectrum analyzer to determine the location and strength of interfering signals as you move from one signal area to another. A spectrum analyzer measures radio frequency radiation from low to high frequencies across a frequency spectrum. These signals are plotted on a graph that shows their strength and frequency. If necessary, you can shield or move any devices that are causing interference.
Use a protocol analyzer to document usage intervals and traffic load. You can use Network Monitor or third-party tools to capture 802.11 packets sent between a wireless client and a wireless AP. With a protocol analyzer, you can capture 802.11 packets, but cannot view the contents of the encrypted payloads.