Wireless · Site survey
Wireless site survey in Southern California
Predictive, passive and active Ekahau surveys that put access points in the right places, with a report you can use with any installer.
The short answer
A wireless site survey measures how Wi-Fi actually behaves in your building so access points go in the right places. WCC uses Ekahau for predictive surveys before installation, passive surveys to diagnose existing networks, and active surveys to validate performance. A predictive survey for a single floor typically starts at $800 to $1,500; on-site surveys of multi-floor buildings run $1,500 to $4,000.
Survey types
Three types of wireless site survey
| Type | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Predictive | Models coverage and capacity from floor plans and wall materials | New construction, budgeting AP counts and cabling |
| Passive | Walks the building measuring signal, noise, channels and interference | Troubleshooting, baselining before an upgrade |
| Active | Connects a device and measures throughput, loss and roaming | Validating a new install or accepting another contractor's work |
What you get
Survey deliverables
Heat maps
Signal strength, signal-to-noise and channel overlap across every floor.
AP placement plan
Locations, mounting heights and counts, with the reasoning.
Channel plan
2.4, 5 and 6 GHz channels designed around neighboring networks.
Interference report
Rogue access points and non-Wi-Fi interference sources.
Cabling and PoE
Drop counts and switch power needed for the design.
Written findings
Plain-language summary for IT and leadership.
Capacity
Coverage isn't the same as capacity
A network can show strong signal everywhere and still fail when 40 laptops join one access point. We design for the number of devices and applications in each space, not just square footage, which matters most in classrooms, conference rooms, warehouses and hospitals. For high-bay facilities, we measure at scanner height in the aisles, not from the ceiling.
Where we survey
Surveys by building type
| Building | What we look for |
|---|---|
| Offices | Conference room density and open-office capacity |
| Schools | 30 to 60 devices per classroom at once |
| Healthcare | Medical equipment interference, roaming for mobile carts |
| Warehouses | Racking multipath and dead zones at scanner height |
| Outdoor and campus | Coverage between buildings and outdoor handoff |
Standalone surveys
Survey only, or survey and install
We perform standalone surveys as an independent deliverable. The report and design are yours to use with any installer, and you're never obligated to hire us for the installation. If you do, the survey data drives the design directly and we validate the result afterward. See the Ekahau site survey page and wireless.
How it works
How a survey runs
Review
Floor plans, construction, devices and pain points reviewed before the visit.
Before
Measure
On-site walk with Ekahau, extra passes in dense areas.
On site
Report
Heat maps, design and findings, with a review call.
3 to 5 days
FAQ
Wireless site survey questions
How much does a wireless site survey cost?
A predictive survey for a single floor typically starts at $800 to $1,500. On-site surveys of multi-floor buildings run $1,500 to $4,000, depending on size and complexity. We quote a fixed price after reviewing floor plans.
How long does a survey take?
A walk survey of a 20,000 sq ft office typically takes 2 to 4 hours on site, with the report delivered in 3 to 5 business days.
What's the difference between passive and active surveys?
Passive surveys measure the RF environment without connecting. Active surveys connect a device and measure real throughput and roaming.
Do you survey for 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7?
Yes. Our Ekahau equipment measures the 6 GHz band.
Can you survey for a project another company will install?
Yes. Standalone surveys are yours to use with any installer.
Do I need a survey for a warehouse?
Yes. Racking creates dead zones that floor-plan estimates miss, so warehouse surveys are measured at scanner height in the aisles.
Related
Related guides and services
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Schedule a site survey
Send your floor plans and what you're trying to fix, and we'll scope the right survey.