Given an AP that can transmit at 100 mW and the client at 40 mW, which power setting should be used for a site survey?

Question

Options

• A10 mW
• B20 mW
• C40 mW
• D60 mW
• E80 mW
• F100 mW

• B
  80% (36)
• C
  4% (2)
• D
  2% (1)
• E
  11% (5)
• F
  2% (1)

Explanation

The guiding principle for site survey power selection is to account for the asymmetry between the AP and the weakest client. The AP transmits at 100 mW but the client only transmits at 40 mW. If you survey with the AP at 100 mW, you define a coverage area based on what the client can receive, but the return path - the client transmitting back to the AP - is much weaker. This creates a situation where clients can hear the AP but the AP cannot reliably hear the clients (a near/far or link asymmetry problem). The recommended practice is to set the AP survey power to approximately half of the client's maximum transmit power (40 mW ÷ 2 = 20 mW). Surveying at 20 mW ensures that any location where the client can receive the AP signal is also a location where the AP will have strong enough signal from the client's 40 mW uplink - guaranteeing a usable bidirectional link throughout the surveyed coverage area.

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