Building models of Wireless Local Area Network coverage
Qiang Fu · 2007
Wireless LANs are becoming more and more popular because they can provide high data rate network access to computer users without the tradition cable. Additionally mobile devices allow people to have connectivity, even when moving from place to place, additionally they are small in size and light in weight. While such devices only offer some of the capabilities of PC they are more convenient to use than a desktop PC when traveling. Cellular phone and smart phones have more function than before, with some newer models phone having an embedded GPS receiver. This GPS receiver can provide user with new services, in addition to location information. Many of these handheld devices include wireless LAN functionality, enabling people to walk from one place to another with a continuous network access, via either the WLAN or the cellular network. By using voice over IP, a wireless enabled hand device becomes a Virtual Cell Phone enabling low cost calls via the WLAN when the user is within coverage of an access point which will give them access, or via the normal cellular phone network (when with in coverage). Because the WLAN coverage is not ubiquitous, it is important to build a Wireless Network Coverage model to enable every user to see where there is WLAN network coverage. Present methods to create such a coverage map require a lot of work to collect data, both indoors and outdoors. Currently a lot of human effort is needed to collect, process, and format this data. The method proposed her could provide an easier way of gathering data from the field and be simple enough that even a normal user could collect data and contribute it to help generate a coverage model of areas where they visit. The measurements reported indicate that it is possible to combine data from multiple devices of the same and different types, but only when the signal strength is high. Fortunately, it is just these areas where the signal quality is good which are of interest to users. The thesis also shows one way of presenting this data in an easy to understand visual manner as an overlay on Google Earth.