http://www.networkworld.com/topics/wireless.html Breaking wireless and mobile news and analysis from NetworkWorld.com. Network World, Inc. Copyright(C) 1994 - 2009 Network World, Inc. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/06309-trapeze-wireless-lan-location-appliance.html Trapeze has a released an enhanced version of its wireless location-tracking appliance, now incorporating what had been a separate firewall product. John Cox 2009-06-30T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-test.html The pre-installation site survey has long been a core element of wireless-LAN deployments. The concept is simple: set up an access point, and, running a site-survey application on a mobile computer, walk around, noting signal strength in various locations in order to build a coverage map. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-airmagnet-test.html AirMagnet's robust site-survey product, Survey (sometimes in the documentation called Surveyor) offers an optional Planner Module that results in a combined predictive/analytical powerhouse. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-bvs-test.html BVS's Swarm (most of their product names have an insect theme) is actually a set of applications that implement a fairly complete site survey tool. The first, Projector, imports and scales floor plans, and also places walls, windows, doors, and APs, among other radio and passive objects, in the model. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-motorola-lan-test.html LANPlanner is a direct descendent of one of the original WLAN predictive tools from RF modeling pioneer Wireless Valley, acquired by Motorola. This is a very robust product, and, like all planning tools, perhaps a bit intimidating to non-engineers. Operation, however, is straightforward, and includes both predictive and analytical capabilities. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-ekahau-test.html Ekahau is best known for their real-time location and tracking (RTLS) products, but they're also in the site-survey business – in fact, one of the key applications for Ekahau Wireless Site Survey is to assist in planning and deploying an RTLS installation, which requires precise calibration for optimal accuracy. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-motorola-sitescanner-test.html SiteScanner is a cousin of Motorola's LANPlanner, with a very similar layout and user interface, but designed just for analytical measurement and visualization. Like LANPlanner, however, work begins with importing a drawing of the building in question, and the manually placing access points in the model. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-nuts-about-nets-test.html AirHORN isn't a site survey tool in the sense of the other products reviewed here; rather, it's signal generator packaged as a USB dongle with, in the model we tested, an external antenna. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-psiber-test.html It's easy to import building floor plans in .jpg, .bmp, or .png format into RF3D WiFiPlanner, and, similarly, it's easy to correct for rotation or skewing and to align floors on top of each other. One then defines the properties of floors and ceilings, supporting (typically, load-bearing) and other walls, place APs in the model, and observe the result of simulated 3D radio-wave propagation. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00 http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2009/062209-wlan-site-survey-visiwave-test.html VisiWave Site Survey allows the user to import graphical floor plans of the area under consideration, and to manually place APs in the model. Craig Mathias 2009-06-22T12:00:00-04:00