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 license 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 application is available as an option. The entire solution is supported by Andrew, 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
• Optional palmtop computer with USB hardware license key
• The i.Send portable 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.Send transmitter to the desired antenna which is positioned on a tripod as per the DAS design. The 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 GSM and WCDMA RF standards at a wide variety of 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.

i.Send™ Portable In-Building Test Transmitter

Andrew Solutions' i.Send Portable Transmitter emulates a base station signal for field testing with mobile phones, handheld test units, and digital scanners. The i.Send is ideally suited to work in concert with the i.Scan^™ Digital Scanner and the i.PC^™ Measurement Solution. The test transmitter is an integral tool for many applications including analysis for base station tower site evaluation, propagation model tuning, and indoor coverage enhancement. The i.Send is also available as a component of the Andrew i.Walk^™ In-Building solution..

The transmitter has the following features:

• Support for CW, GSM, and WCDMA protocols covering all appropriate bands
• Base station broadcast signals with user settable channel and message parameters
• Complete kit includes Andrew Solutions Cellmax 0–25 omni and D–25 directional panel antennas, a whip antenna, battery with charger, tripod, and travel case
• RF power output settable from –20 dBm to +21 dBm in 1 dB steps
• Output recognizable by both mobile terminals and measurement receivers
• Transmitter output supports the Invex.NxG drive test measurement systems with decoding capability
• External LED and software interface indicators for transmit mode status
• Bundled with control software
• 100 Mbps Ethernet and WiFi based host interface
• Low Power consumption, light weight
• Extremely small – just 3.70” (9.40cm) x 1.83” (4.65 cm) x 10.14” (25.76 cm)
• 4-Hour Rechargeable Battery Pack

The i.Send transmitter kit provides a comprehensive set of tools for in-building testing.

The kit includes the following components: