CTS 391 – How to Perform an AP-on-a-Stick Survey Effectively

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An AP-on-a-Stick (APoS) survey is the most reliable way to know how a Wi-Fi design will behave in a difficult environment. You mount a real access point on a tripod, place it where you plan to install it, and measure. It is also the survey type where the most time gets wasted — and almost never on RF.

In this episode we go through how we prepare and run APoS surveys: the conversation with the client, the equipment decisions, the configuration work that belongs in the office, and the way we organise the survey files we bring back.

What we cover

When an APoS survey is justified, and when a predictive design plus a validation survey is the better answer
Preparing the work on site with the client: escorts, access, PPE, production constraints, and communicating what our equipment entails
Choosing the right equipment for the site: stick height, antennas, brackets, PoE batteries
Why the access points must be configured and tested before leaving the office
The case for a two-person crew
Planning the measurements in advance so the on-site day is pure execution
Using one survey file per variable to compare antennas, locations, heights and power levels

APoS preparation checklist

[ ] Escorts confirmed, with names and time slots
[ ] Site access, parking and PPE requirements documented
[ ] Client informed of the equipment coming on site and its footprint
[ ] APs configured, labelled and tested: SSID, channel, width, tx power, name broadcast
[ ] Full kit tested end to end, batteries charged, spares packed
[ ] Velcro wraps, zip ties, duct tape and screwdriver kit in the bag
[ ] Measurement plan built from the predictive model, test points numbered on the floor plan
[ ] Survey file naming convention agreed before the first walk

Key takeaway

An APoS survey is won or lost before you get on site. Prepare off site, execute on site.