Distributed sensor network for measuring and optimizing wireless networks

One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing program instructions that, when performed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

• ingesting a floor plan for a deployment site;
• determining a plurality of initial placements for the plurality of access points in the deployment site,
• wherein determining the plurality of initial placements includes determining an estimated signal metric throughout the deployment site based at least in part on the plurality of initial placements for the plurality of access points;
• determining a plurality of placements for a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one access point of the plurality of access points;
• measuring a signal metric for each sensor of the plurality of sensors while said plurality of sensors are in communications with the plurality of access points at the initial placements;
• based at least in part on the measured signal metric for each of the plurality of sensors and the estimated signal metric at each of the plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being in communication with the plurality of access points while positioned at the initial placements, simulating a projected coverage map for each of a plurality of alternate placements for each of the plurality of access points;
• determining a new placement for each of the plurality of alternate placements for the plurality of access points;
• and
• causing presentation, to a user, of the new placement of the plurality of access points.

A system for determining placements for a plurality of access points in a wireless network, comprising:

• a plurality of sensors, each sensor of the plurality of sensors configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one access point of the plurality of access points;
• and
• one or more computer storage media storing program instructions that, when performed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method of determining placements for each of the plurality of access points in the wireless network, the method comprising:
• ingesting a floor plan for a deployment site;
• determining, via a simulation of a signal metric, a plurality of initial placements for the plurality of access points in the floor plan;
• determining a plurality of placements for the plurality of sensors;
• measuring the signal metric for each sensor of the plurality of sensors using the plurality of access points simultaneously, the measuring being based at least in part on the measured signal metric for each of the plurality of sensors, simulating a projected coverage map for each of a plurality of alternate placements for the plurality of access points;
• determining a placement of the plurality of alternate placements for the plurality of access points;
• and
• presenting, to a user, the placement of the plurality of access points.

An apparatus for determining placements for a plurality of access points in a wireless network, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• a communication interface communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors, each sensor of the plurality of sensors configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one access point of the plurality of access points;
• and
• at least one memory storing program instructions that, when performed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
• ingest a floor plan for a deployment site;
• determine a plurality of initial placements for the plurality of access points in the floor plan for the deployment site,
• wherein, when the processor determines the plurality of initial placements, the instructions further cause the processor to determine an estimated signal metric throughout the deployment site based at least in part on the plurality of initial placements for the plurality of access points;
• receive a signal metric for each sensor of the plurality of sensors using the plurality of access points, the plurality of access points receiving the signal metrics simultaneously while remaining at each of the plurality of initial placements;
• determine a placement of the plurality of alternate placements for the plurality of access points;
• and
• cause presentation of the placement of the plurality of access points.