Which survey type uses predictive modeling software instead of physically visiting the site?

A passive survey physically walks the site with a WLAN adapter in monitor mode to capture real RF measurements from existing APs without associating to any of them.

Predictive surveys use specialized RF planning tools such as Ekahau AI Pro or Cisco DNA Spaces that import building floor plans and model RF propagation - including wall materials, obstructions, and attenuation values - to forecast coverage, channel allocation, and AP placement without requiring a physical walk-through of the location.

An active survey physically walks the site while the surveyor's device actively associates to APs to measure real-world throughput, latency, and roaming behavior under live conditions.

A post-deployment survey is conducted after the WLAN infrastructure is installed and live, used to validate that actual coverage and performance meet the original design requirements.