PacketScout Field Notes
Technical WiFi survey guidance for real buildings.
Technical Field Notes for wireless site surveys, RF site survey planning, WLAN validation, WiFi heatmap interpretation, Ekahau Sidekick workflows, warehouse scanner WiFi, and rental-versus-service decisions.
Start with the guide that matches the job.
These articles support PacketScout’s WiFi and wireless site survey services by answering the technical questions that come up before, during, and after field work: what to measure, how to walk the site, what the report should include, and when to rent equipment versus ask PacketScout to handle the survey.
For done-for-you field work, start with wireless and WiFi site survey services. For self-collected data, use the Ekahau and Sidekick guides below.
Wireless network refresh: survey, design, deployment, validation
Plan a WiFi refresh as a measured lifecycle: baseline the current WLAN, design against real requirements, deploy carefully, and validate after cutover.
WiFi site survey data collection best practices
WiFi site survey data collection best practices: floor plan scale, walk paths, Ekahau modes, notes, active tests, and when to hire PacketScout.
Ekahau Survey modes explained: Just Go, Auto Pilot, Continuous, Stop and Go, GPS, and Inspect
Ekahau Survey modes explained: compare Auto Pilot, Just Go, Continuous, Stop and Go, GPS, and Inspect for onsite surveys, rentals, and heatmap QA.
How to use Ekahau Sidekick for a WiFi site survey
A detailed Ekahau Sidekick WiFi survey workflow: preflight checks, floor plans, connection sanity, walking mechanics, notes, troubleshooting, and reporting.
Common Ekahau survey mistakes that lead to bad WiFi designs
Common Ekahau survey mistakes that can make a polished heatmap misleading: floor plan scale, walk path, RSSI-only decisions, AP-on-a-stick mismatches, and report evidence.
Warehouse WiFi design notes for scanners and mobile devices
Technical warehouse WiFi design guidance for scanners, forklifts, racks, docks, AP placement, channel planning, validation, and heatmap interpretation.
What a WiFi heatmap shows, and what it misses
A technical but plain English guide to WiFi heatmaps, coverage, signal strength, SNR, interference, channel overlap, and survey limitations.
WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 site survey guide
A practical PacketScout guide to WiFi 6E, 6 GHz, WiFi 7, MLO, 320 MHz channels, AFC, PSC channels, client support, and survey validation.
Ekahau Sidekick field guide
PacketScout field guide for Ekahau Sidekick planning, floor plans, walk testing, notes, rental support, and survey interpretation.
What a professional WiFi site survey report should include
What to expect from a business WiFi survey report: heatmaps, RF findings, channel analysis, AP notes, remediation steps, and executive-ready recommendations.
Warehouse scanner WiFi survey: what to check before blaming the scanner
Scanner drops are not always scanner problems. Check RF coverage, SNR, roaming, channel reuse, racks, docks, and application paths before replacing devices.
Office WiFi survey: why good signal still fails Zoom and Teams calls
Why calls freeze despite strong bars: airtime, retries, SNR, conference-room density, AP load, channel width, and roaming validation.
WiFi survey learning center
A practical PacketScout learning hub for WiFi site surveys, heatmaps, RF analysis, warehouse design, and Ekahau Sidekick workflows.
How to do a WiFi site survey: a practical field guide
Learn how to plan, perform, and review a WiFi site survey for business networks, including floor plans, walk paths, heatmaps, and next steps.
WiFi site survey checklist before you start
Use this WiFi site survey checklist to prepare floor plans, devices, access, survey goals, AP notes, and reporting requirements before field work.
WiFi survey equipment rental vs managed survey service
Decide whether to rent WiFi survey equipment, hire a managed survey service, or combine rental with PacketScout planning/report support.
WiFi signal strength, SNR, noise, and channel overlap explained
A practical RF analysis guide explaining dBm, RSSI, SNR, noise, co channel contention, overlapping channels, and why WiFi heatmaps need interpretation.
Ekahau Sidekick pre survey checklist
A practical pre survey checklist for Ekahau Sidekick and Sidekick 2: maps, batteries, cables, software access, scope, safety, and field notes.
How to prepare floor plans for Ekahau survey work
How to prepare floor plans for Ekahau/Sidekick survey work: scale, zones, labels, photo map risks, warehouse aisles, and review checks.
Active vs passive WiFi surveys explained
Active vs passive WiFi surveys explained: when each method fits, what each misses, and how to choose the right survey workflow.
Predictive vs onsite WiFi survey: which one do you need?
Predictive vs onsite WiFi survey guide: when to design before installation, when to validate in the field, and why many business networks need both.
AP on a stick WiFi survey: when it is worth doing
AP on a stick WiFi survey guide for validating proposed AP locations before cabling: when to use it, what to prepare, how to avoid bad assumptions.
How to read a WiFi heatmap report
How to read a WiFi heatmap report: signal, SNR, noise, channel overlap, AP count, walked paths, thresholds, limitations, and recommendations.
Why barcode scanners drop WiFi in warehouses
Technical guide to barcode scanner WiFi drops in warehouses: coverage, SNR, roaming, channel planning, client limits, racks, docks, and validation workflow.