NETGEAR WFS709TP-100NAS manual IntelliFi RF Management, Channel Setting, Power Setting

WFS709TP ProSafe Smart Wireless Switch Software Administration Manual

IntelliFi RF Management

IntelliFi RF Management (IRM) is an RF management technology for a stable, self-healing RF design. IRM takes the distributed algorithm approach, allowing APs to determine their transmit power and channel settings based on what they detect. The APs make their channel and power setting decisions based on the RF environment as they hear it, independent of the WFS709TP. This results in a highly scalable and reliable RF environment, while also significantly reducing the time the AP takes to adapt to changes in the RF environment.

The APs scan all valid channels in the regulatory domain at regular intervals and compute the following metrics per channel:

•Coverage index: Signal-to-noise ratio for all valid APs

•Interference index: Signal-to-noise ratio for all APs

These metrics are used by the APs and AMs to determine the channel and transmit power settings for optimal coverage.

Channel Setting

In addition to the interference index, the APs use the free-channel index to determine the optimal channel setting. The free-channel index is a configurable parameter on the WFS709TP used by an AP to qualify a channel before moving to it. An AP chooses to move to a new channel only if its current channel interference index is greater than the interference index on the new channel by a value greater than or equal to the free-channel index. If this requirement is not met, the AP remains on the current channel.

Power Setting

Power assignment decisions are based on the AP’s coverage index. The benchmark used here is the ideal-coverageindex. The ideal-coverage index is the power setting that an AP should have for good coverage. It is a configurable parameter on the WFS709TP. The AP increases or decreases its power settings based on the difference between the value of its current channel coverage index and the ideal-coverage index value. The power settings increment or decrement by a single unit at any given time.

Advantages of Using IRM

Using IRM provides the following benefits:

•The WFS709TP does not require a downtime for initial calibration.

Configuring WLANS 5-19

v1.0, June 2007