11
Preparing the Access Point
Before you mount and deploy your access point, we recommend that you perform a site survey (or use
the site planning tool) to determine the best location to install your access point.
You should have the following information about your wireless network available:
•Access point locations.
•Access point mounting options: below a suspended ceiling, on a flat horizontal surface, or on a
desktop.
Note You can mount the access point above a suspended ceiling but you must purchase
additional mounting hardware: See “Mounting the Access Point” section on page15 for
additional information.
•Access point power options: power supplied by the recommended external power supply (Cisco
AIR-PWR-B), a DC power supply, PoE from a network device, or a PoE power injector/hub
(usually located in a wiring closet).
Note Access points mounted in a building’s environmental airspace must be powered using PoE
to comply with safety regulations.
Cisco recommends that you make a site map showing access point locations so that you can record the
device MAC addresses from each location and return them to the person who is planning or managing
your wireless network.
Installation Summary
Installing the access point involves these operations:
•Performing a pre-installation configuration (optional)
•Mounting the access point
•Grounding the access point
•Deploying the access point on the wireless network