Ekahau AI Pro – Wi-Fi Network Design and Survey

Why this Ekahau AI Pro course?

This Ekahau AI Pro training course provides a comprehensive coverage of Wi-Fi network Planning, Design, Surveying and Reporting using Ekahau AI Pro (formerly Ekahau Pro and Ekahau Site Survey). Focussed lecture sessions and hands-on practical exercises with Ekahau AI Pro, plus on-site survey and predictive design exercises, are key features of this course. Attendees also learn the key aspects of Wi-Fi life cycle management, including 802.11 / Wi-Fi network and RF essentials, Pre- and Post-deployment site surveys, Predictive design, RF Spectrum analysis, plus many undocumented tips and techniques for expert Wi-Fi network engineering.

Ekahau AI Pro Training Course Objectives

On completing this course, you will be able to:

• Understand Radio Frequency (RF) fundamentals, including RF bands, RF channels, Signal Strength, dB, dBm, dBi, dBd
• Understand Wi-Fi network standards and Wi-Fi network operation in depth
• Perform Predictive Wi-Fi network design for new and existing networks using Ekahau AI Pro
• Perform on-site Passive and Active Wi-Fi site surveys of existing Wi-Fi networks
• Capture and Analyse Wi-Fi survey data
• Perform RF spectrum analysis for Wi-Fi networks
• Understand Wi-Fi network Planning, Design, Site Survey and Reporting in depth
• Troubleshoot and Optimise Wi-Fi networks for better coverage, capacity and performance.

Ekahau AI Pro Course Pre-requisites

Students should have the following knowledge and skills before attending this course:

• The essentials of Layer 2 Ethernet networking
• Wi-Fi standards (802.11n, 802.11ac and 802.11ax), 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels, Wi-Fi APs and clients
• Strong computer skills
• Each student must bring a laptop to the class (Microsoft Windows 10 laptop, or an Apple Macbook).

Hands-on Practicals

The course incorporates extensive hands-on practical labs with Ekahau AI Pro, including Predictive Wi-Fi network design and Site Survey with Ekahau AI Pro.

12 Months Post-Course Support

After completing this Ekahau AI Pro training course, delegates receive 12 months post-training support from LEVER Technology Group, to help them apply the technologies and skills they have learned with us.

Ekahau AI Pro Training Course Content

Day 1

Wi-Fi Network Essentials

• RF and Wi-Fi Standards Bodies
• IEEE 802.11 Standards, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• 802.11ax amendment – Wi-Fi 6
• Wi-Fi Alliance™ standards
• Standards for Wi-Fi network engineering

Wi-Fi Network Operation

• 802.11 Operating Modes, BSS, IBSS
• WLAN Radios
• Access Points
• Wi-Fi Clients
• Beacon Frames, SSID, BSSID
• Passive and Active Scanning
• Association and Authentication

Understanding RF Fundamentals

• Understanding Radio Waves
• RF Bandwidth
• RF Spectrum Analysis
• Wi-Fi RF Bands
• RF Laws and Standards
• DSSS and OFDM spread spectrum schemes
• Wi-Fi Channels
  • 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz channels
  • OFDM and subcarriers
  • DFS and TPC

Antennas and RF Signal Propagation

• RF signal propagation
• Multipath environments
• EM waves and Polarisation
• The Isotropic Radiator
• Passive antenna gain
• Example antenna types
• Polar Plots and antenna coverage patterns
• Antenna gain, dBi, dBd, dBr

RF Maths

• RF Signal Strength
• Why we use logarithms in RF maths
• Linear and Log power measurement: mW versus dBm
• Understanding dB and dBm
• The rules of 10s and 3s
• Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
• EIRP and RF maths
• Inverse Square Law
• Free Space Path Loss (FSPL)

802.11 PHY: Modulation, Coding and Performance

• Amplitude, Frequency and Phase modulation
• BPSK, QPSK Phase Modulation and Constellations
• QAM, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM, 1024-QAM
• Convolutional Coding
• Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCS)
• 11a (OFDM) and 11g (ERP) Data Rates
• 11n (HT) and 11ac (VHT) MCS
• Receiver Sensitivity vs Data Rates
• DRS/ARS
• Sources of RF Interference
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
• Data Rate versus Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Bandwidth

Day 2

Advanced 802.11 / Wi-Fi Principles

• 802.11 Medium Access Control (MAC)
• 802.11 Frame Types
• Contention process
• Co-Channel and Adjacent Channel Interference
• Understanding Receiver Sensitivity
• Understanding Associated Data Rate
• Roaming in a Wi-Fi network
• 802.11n (HT) Enhancements
• 802.11ac (VHT) Enhancements
• Understanding Spatial Streams
• Transmit Beamforming (TxBF)
• Multi-User MIMO
• Overview of 802.11ax – Wi-Fi 6
• Understanding OFDMA

Understanding Wi-Fi network Design and Survey

• The Wi-Fi WLAN lifecycle
• The different types of Wi-Fi site survey
• Passive versus Active Wi-Fi survey
• Predictive Wi-Fi Network Design
• “AP-on-a-Stick” (APoS) surveys
• Post-Deployment survey
• Defining the Wi-Fi RF Network Coverage specification
• Capacity Planning for your Wi-Fi network
• The four-step Capacity Planning process

Working with Ekahau AI Pro

• Importing and scaling floor plans
• Predictive Wi-Fi network design
• Key Ekahau AI Pro visualisations
• Wi-Fi network Coverage and Capacity Specifications
• Understanding the key Wi-Fi network Metrics, Criteria and Conditions
• Signal Strength assessment
• Assessing Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
• Assessing alternate AP coverage provision
• Assessing RF Channel Overlap
• Assessing Associated and Predicted Data Rates

Wi-Fi Network Design with Ekahau AI Pro

• Ekahau AI Auto-Planner
• Improving on an Auto-Planner design
• Design exercises
  • Office space
  • Customer-specific space
• Drawing walls manually
• CAD file Import and wall classification

Day 3

Advanced Wi-Fi Network Design

• Predictive Design using Ekahau AI Pro
• 3D Buildings and Design for Multiple Floors
• Designing for Coverage
• Designing for Capacity
• Using Ekahau Auto-Planner
  • Design Exercise: Existing Office Space
  • Determining RF attenuation for walls and Attenuation Areas

Auditing an Existing Wi-Fi Network

• Surveying with Ekahau Sidekick™
• Visual inspection of the installation
• Performing Passive and Active survey with Ekahau Sidekick
• Using Ekahau Insights
• Drawing immediate conclusions
• Identifying the Design flaws in a Wi-Fi network

Surveying and Assessing an Existing Wi-Fi network

• Assessing the Capacity of a Wi-Fi network
• Identifying the Design flaws in a Wi-Fi network
• Identifying the Implementation flaws in a Wi-Fi network
• Wi-Fi network Diagnosis
• Performing critical tests on a Wi-Fi network
• Reviewing the critical Ekahau AI Pro visualisations
• Drawing conclusions about the installed Wi-Fi networks
  • How well are the Coverage requirements met?
  • How well are the Capacity requirements met?
  • How well is the Wi-Fi network configured?
  • What specific improvements should be made to the network?
• Re-designing an Existing Wi-Fi network

Day 4

Advanced Site Survey and Design

• When to perform an APoS survey
• Limitations of Predictive Design
• Equipment to use
• Configuring the equipment
• Choosing locations for APoS
• Performing an APoS survey
• Ekahau Pro Survey Methods
• Starting your APoS Survey
• Surveying the Coverage vs Interference Range
• Freezing APs
• Throughput Testing
• APoS – practical lab exercise

RF Spectrum Analysis

• What can we learn from Spectrum Analysis?
• RF signatures, Classifying signals
• Identifying non-Wi-Fi interference

Wi-Fi Network Troubleshooting

• The Wi-Fi Network Troubleshooting process
• Wi-Fi network Diagnosis
• Using Ekahau Analyzer
• Performing critical tests on a Wi-Fi network
• Using Ekahau Capture
• Reviewing capture traces

Introduction to Ekahau Reporting

• Generating Ekahau AI Pro reports
• Using Ekahau AI Pro Report Templates
• Creating your own Ekahau AI Pro Report Templates