Orchard Street Art

Centre

WIRELESS SITE
SURVEY
RECOMMENDATIO
N

Summary
This report summarizes a plan to conduct a wireless site survey, also called a radio
frequency (RF) survey, at Orchard Street Art Center. This survey will generate
recommendations for maximizing network security, coverage, and capacity.

Expert Advice
Earlier this year, the board of directors of Orchard Street Art Center asked me to
propose a plan to improve wireless coverage throughout the centers public areas,
offices, classrooms, music studios and indoor and outdoor theaters. To make sure I
proposed the most effective plan possible, I decided to seek the advice of experts.
Fortunately, one of the areas top experts in wireless networking, Jamie Brookstone,
president of Brookstone Network Consulting, offered the services of his staff pro
bono. Thanks to his offer, I was able to meet several times with the following
consultants:
Lyn Luzerne
Dean Armstrong
Suzanne J. Sheffield-Harper

Associate Engineer
Senior Engineer
Project Manager

Our conversations focused on ways to improve network connections for the centers
staff and patrons. I also studied information obtained from leading hardware
manufacturers and software distributors. This research suggests that our first step is
to conduct a site survey of our entire facility.

What Is a Wireless Site Survey?

A wireless site survey is an analysis of a facilitys wireless networking needs. It
takes into account the sites floor plan, size, building composition, available cabling,
and all sources of potential interference, both indoors and outdoors. The ultimate
goal of the survey is to identify the ideal positions for the networks access points,
as well as the type of access points required. With the survey results in hand, we
can make informed decisions about equipment purchases for this fiscal year.
When properly done, a wireless site survey helps ensure the uninterrupted flow of
secure, wireless data throughout a networked facility. A site survey is especially
important in urban areas, which are typically rich in RF transmissions from countless
sources, including cell phone towers, microwave ovens, and a wide array of wireless
devices. According to the engineers at Brookstone Network Consulting, recent site
surveys in our area have turned up sources of RF interference that are likely to
affect the wireless network at Orchard Street Art Center in the coming years.
A site survey is conducted primarily via a laptop or PDA. The networking engineer
typically carries the laptop or PDA throughout the site, using special survey utility
software to analyze the existing wireless signal 1. The engineer also studies a
1 Our advisers at Brookstone Network Consulting recommended the Wifi-Now
software suite.
Marika Horechuk
Page | 1

diagram of the facility, and conducts a visual inspection to look for barriers to RF
signal propagation2. The engineer uses the results of the survey to generate a list of
recommendations for access point placement, as well as recommendations for
antennas and other networking hardware. The list of recommendations also includes
proposed upgrades for network computers and other wireless-enabled devices.

Final Recommendation
A high availability, secure wireless network is crucial to our mission at Orchard
Street Art Center. Lighting and sound systems in our two theaters increasingly rely
on wireless signaling, as do our classroom facilities. Furthermore, patrons and
instructors now consider a secure wireless network essential for a variety of
purposes. I recommend hiring a professional networking engineer to conduct a
wireless site survey of Orchard Street Art Centers entire facility, including the
outdoor terraces and the open-air theater.
The network engineers at Brookstone Network Consulting suggest we obtain bids
from five networking firms in the St. Louis area. Ideally, we would accept a bid and
complete the site survey by the end of March. That would leave us time to evaluate
the surveyors list of suggested wireless network improvements and seek funding
for the most crucial improvements before the end of this fiscal year.

Paying for the Wireless Site Survey

Brookstone Network Consulting estimates the total cost of the survey at
approximately $4,000. At least 50 percent of the cost of the survey will be
reimbursed to us through a grant provided by the Missouri Arts Foundation. Several
government and private agencies also offer partial funding for technology
expenditures by nonprofit organizations such as the Orchard Street Art Center. I
estimate we would ultimately be responsible for $800 of the site survey cost, and
this will be covered by two anonymous benefactors who have already offered to
donate the necessary funds.

Anticipated Upgrades
Its likely that the wireless hardware purchases suggested by the survey results will
involve upgrading the quality and number of the centers wireless access points.
The cost associated with these purchases will be relatively small. Also, the surveyor
will probably recommend upgrading our network server, several office computers,
and some sound equipment in the indoor theater. The cost of these improvements
will of course be significant, but will immediately result in improved network
connectivity and greatly enhanced network security.

2 Many building materials can block or interfere with an RF signal, including

concrete walls, lead-based paint, thick glass, and metal siding.
Marika Horechuk
Page | 2

Probable Expenditures
Brookstone Network Consulting provided some estimates of probable expenditures
resulting from the wireless site survey. These figures are presented in the following
table.
Item
Access points
Office computers and network server
Wireless sound hardware

Marika Horechuk
Page | 3

Installation Cost
$1,500
$1,000
$1,750

Hardware Cost
$750
$3,500
$7,500

Wireless Site Survey Recommendation

Site
Survey
Better
Wirele
ss
Netwo
rk
Marika Horechuk
Page | 4

Networ
k
Upgrad
es