How to Construct Your Live Wireless Equipment Test Lab

Prior to deploying any live wireless equipment in your enterprise, we recommend that you create a lab and test everything. Similarly, a wireless security expert will need a test lab of her own for research and development. A wireless test lab is completely different from your ordinary computer lab. Your wireless lab cannot be confined to a specific space. It needs to be mobile, just like your users will be.

When testing for access point placement in your environment, there are several factors you need to consider. These factors are as follows:

• Coverage area— Where can you get the most coverage without causing interference to other access points?

• Mounting— How will the access point be mounted?

• Network connection— How will the access point connect to the network? This can also be affected by your topology and security setup.

• Power— This may sound simple, but can often become a major dilemma.

Testing for coverage areas and deciding on placement locations can be a bit difficult, as it is difficult to bolt an access point to the ceiling and then constantly move it. Fortunately, we have come up with a better solution. Take a cart similar to those found in libraries and mount a telescoping pole to one of the sides. At the top of the pole, attach a flat piece of wood or plastic (not metal) that is big enough to hold the access point like a "ceiling," perpendicular to the ground. Offset the wood so that the access point can hang down without hitting the cart. Next, attach the access point upside down to the wood or plastic piece on the top of the pole. By raising the pole with the access point on top, you will place the access point at ceiling height and still be able to move it by pushing the cart.

On the cart should be a battery connected to an inverter, giving you a power source in which to plug the access point. By walking the floor with a laptop or PDA, you are able to test connectivity to the access point. We also recommended that you test not only the area you are attempting to cover, but also the surrounding areas. This will enable you to map wireless coverage that inadvertently "bleeds" beyond your perimeter.

The best type of lab configuration is one that will closely resemble your production environment. In addition, the lab should be flexible enough to allow you to test new products, and allow for future network expansions. And remember—test everything!