Quick Start Guide

To estimate a wireless network project using iBwave Express, these are the key steps you need to complete:

Upload a floor plan image and set the main properties
Scale your floor plan
Identify the area you want to design for
Define the different environments of the building (open office, high density, etc.)
Run the Automatic Radio Placement or manually place radios
Review your prediction results
Generate a Bill of Materials

1. Upload a floor plan image and set the main properties

Upload a floor plan image

The first step in creating a project is to upload a floor plan image (image file or single-page pdf).

At the Home screen, select the button
Provide the required information in the properties window
- Project Name
- Country
- Type
- Measurement System

Note: The country you select will be used to determine the frequency bands available in the region.

2. Scale your floor plan

Note: A scale must be set before designing the network and generating heat maps.

When you start a project, a scale is automatically added to the floor plan. To update the scale, click on the label to enable the edit mode and adjust the length as needed.

You also have the option to create a new scale by clicking on the ruler icon in the left Toolbar.

Note: Remember that the new scale’s value will override the first value.

3. Identify the area you want to design for

Create a Prediction Area

A prediction Area is the area on the floor plan where you want iBwave Express to place network equipment and simulate coverage.

Go to the left Toolbar, select the Prediction Area icon and either draw a polygon around the area where the prediction is required or drag out a square/rectangle for a quick area. To draw a polygon, click every time you need to create a point until you complete the area. To close the polygon, connect the first and last points.

Note: Only one prediction area is allowed per floor plan; therefore, the Prediction Area icon will be disabled after it is created.

4. Define the different environments of the building

Environment Zones

Environment Zones are areas that determine the RF conditions (how open or dense an environment is) in iBwave Express. These conditions impact the network design and, therefore, the coverage heat maps. The choice of environment zone strongly impacts the accuracy of the iBwave Express estimate, so it is recommended that it be as specific as possible.

When outlining the environment zone(s) of your floor, you can choose from the following:

Open. It is an open space environment with minimal obstacles. For example, a parking garage or convention center
Semi-open. It is a partially open space with few obstacles. For example, a warehouse, airport, or shopping mall
Light. It is a low-density office environment. For example, a cubicle-style office with few individual offices or a retail space
Medium Density. It is a medium-density office environment. For example, an equal mix of cubicles and individual offices
Dense. It is a high-density environment with many rooms. For example, a hotel
Very Dense. It is an elevated-density environment with many rooms and heavy materials. For example, a hospital

Create and assign Environment Zones

You can start by selecting a default RF Environment for your Prediction Area. This environment will be applied to areas that do not have an assigned Environment Zone. You can choose this environment at the Floor Properties.

After selecting the RF Environment, click on SAVE.

Then, to create and assign environment zones, perform the following:

Select the Environment Zone icon from the left-hand panel
Outline the area on the floor plan either point to point polygon or by simply dragging out a square or rectangle shape
Select the RF Environment on the right-hand panel. If the panel is closed, you can open it by selecting the panel icon at the top-right corner of your workspace
Repeat the above steps for each Environment zone you want to add

5. Run the Automatic Radio Placement or manually place radios

There are two ways to design your network in iBwave Express:

Automatic Radio Placement (iBwave Express will place the radios)
Manual Design (you place the radios)

Automatic Radio Placement

Using this feature, iBwave Express will automatically place radios for you on the floor plan based on RF requirements, the environment, and the prediction zones you have defined.

Before starting, make sure that you don’t have any radios on your floor plan.

Go to the left Toolbar, click the Automatic Radio Placement icon and select between Access Point or Small Cell. Make sure that you have completed the two steps below before iBwave Express starts the automatic placement:

Draw a prediction area (described above in step #3)
Search the database and select a radio to use in the design

Follow the steps in the Radio Placement window at the right panel. When both requirements are checked, the AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT icon will change to orange; now, you can click on it to run the tool.

Note: If you need to define your prediction area using this step, you can do so without exiting the Automatic Radio Placement Wizard.

The radios will be distributed inside the defined prediction area, and heat maps will be automatically generated. If needed, you can manually adjust the design of your network by adding or removing radios to achieve the required coverage and results.

Manual placement

Go to the left Toolbar and click the Access Pointor Small Cell icons.

Use the Search box to find a radio or filter by manufacturer.

Select your radio and adjust the properties as needed (Height, Band and Power).

The mouse cursor will change to the radio symbol. Click on the floor plan to drop the radio at the desired location.

After dropping the radio, the heat map will be automatically generated.

To move a radio, click on it and drag it to the new location; the prediction will be updated in real time. If your design meets the compliance targets, the percentage in the compliance summary will be highlighted in green.

Repeat the process for each radio you add.

6. Review your Prediction Results

The prediction legend and compliance summary will appear at the bottom left of your floor plan.

You can switch between technologies, KPIs, and bands as needed; the heat map will update automatically.

You can hide the radios and the heat map by unchecking the boxes at the top left of your floor plan.

7. Generate a Bill of Materials

Click on option Bill of Materials (first icon at the top right menu) and fill in the required information.

In the panel Report Settings (on the right of the page), you can choose from the options to create your report:

Project Report Name
Description
Include: All Buildings and Floors or Custom Selection
Include Additional Information: Cost/Currency and Equipment Description
Group Items by: Building, Building and Floor or No Grouping

The Currency setting next to the cost is only informative and does NOT convert the cost if you change the currency.

In the report page (on the left of the page), add your costs and if needed, click the +ADD ADDITIONAL COST button at the bottom of the page to add other costs.

Once you have customized your report, click on to create and download the report in PDF format.