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Invex.NxG™ i.Walk™ In-Building Solution  Today’s wireless environment is comprised of various air
interface technologies and frequency bands. Each one can have a profound effect
on the ultimate performance of any new network, especially in-building wireless
networks. Understanding how the RF environment outside affects the network performance
inside is just as important as knowing how to design around it.
At Andrew Solutions, we’re one step ahead. Introducing
the i.Walk In-Building Network Design and Testing Solution.
i.Walk™ represents an evolutionary new concept in the design
and testing of today’s in-building wireless networks. It is the industry’s first
out-of-the-box testing solution that provides mobile operators, wireless OEMs,
system integrators and their RF engineers all the tools needed to survey the
building’s RF environment, ensure an efficient Distributed Antenna System (DAS)
design, and enable ongoing network integration and optimization.
The i.Walk solution consists of the Invex.NxG™ in-building
test and measurement software on CD, hardware key, and i.Scan digital scanning
receiver all housed in a ruggged transport case. A touch screen palmtop computer
pre-loaded with the Invex.NxG in-building client is available as an option.
The entire solution is supported by Andrew Solutions, an industry leader in wireless network
design, measurement and testing solutions.
 The i.Walk Solution Comes Complete with:
- The Invex.NxG in-building test and measurement software
with supporting manuals on CD
- Optional palmtop computer with USB hardware license
key
- The i.Send mobile signal transmitter, complete with
carry case and accessories
- i.Scan digital scanning receiver
Survey The Existing RF Environment
The most critical step in the design of your in-building
wireless network may just be the very first one—before the first cable is laid
or the first link is designed. By surveying the RF environment of any building,
i.Walk can reveal sources of interference and areas of poor or no coverage;
key information that factors into your network design and antenna location.
Using i.Walk to survey the RF environment of an existing
building is easy. The user simply connects the i.Scan digital receiver to the
i.Walk palmtop computer and sets it to the desired frequency bands. Then, following
a walk route that is superimposed on top of the building’s floor plan, the user
takes RF readings. Once the survey is completed, the log file can be analyzed
and the results used to create the most efficient DAS design.
Verify Proper Design
By verifying that the DAS will perform as designed, before
installation, i.Walk can maximize CAPEX savings and minimize disruption. We
all know the costs and impact of redesigning an installed DAS system has to
the hotel guests, shoppers, etc. that are in the facilities where the DAS system
was installed. To verify the design, the user connects the i.Walk mobile
i.Send transmitter to the desired antenna which is positioned on a tripod as
per the DAS design. The i.Send transmitter is set to the desired frequencies
and power and is switched from “Stand By” to ”Transmit” mode via a Wi-Fi connection.
The user then uses a palmtop computer and the i.Scan receiver to collect the
signal measurements. The i.Send mobile transmitter can be customized to emulate
a wide variety of RF standards, frequencies, and power settings.
This test is repeated for each antenna position, so that
the performance of the entire network can be verified. The i.Walk system can
also be used around the exterior of the building to determine the amount of
RF leakage, which is a key to increasing network efficiency and reducing OPEX
costs.
Integration and Optimization
Once the in-building network design is verified and the
network installed, i.Walk is an invaluable tool in making sure the network meets
system requirements and is optimized for the best performance. Periodic walk
tests can help ensure that the network is performing as designed and that the
impact of the surrounding RF environment is minimal. The results of these walk
tests should form part of the network documentation.
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