Which wireless survey type is performed without APs installed, using simulated AP locations?

A passive survey requires the surveyor to walk the space with a wireless adapter in listen-only mode while real APs are already transmitting.

A predictive survey relies entirely on simulation software - the engineer imports floor plans, defines wall materials and attenuation values, then places virtual APs to model expected coverage. No physical APs are required, making it useful during the design phase to optimize placement before any deployment costs are incurred.

An active survey requires a client device to associate with installed APs and measure actual throughput and link quality while walking the site.

A post-deployment survey is conducted after all APs are fully installed to validate that coverage, capacity, and performance meet design goals.