At the Bath Festival, a small deployment of access points was placed around the tents to provide WiFi connectivity to attendees. In order to maximize coverage and ensure reliable connectivity, each access point was connected to a sector on an adjacent building via a point-to-point wireless link. In addition to the wireless link, each access point was also connected to a ADSL line and a temporary satellite on the roof to provide multiple redundant Internet connections.
To assess the performance of the access points and identify any areas with weak signal strength or wireless black spots, we used an Android app to collect a series of geolocated signal strength data points. These data points were formatted in Excel and then uploaded into ArcGIS, where a tool was used to create a heat map. This heat map was then overlayed over the site plan to provide a visual representation of the signal strength across the festival grounds.
By collecting and analyzing this data, we were able to identify any areas with weak signal strength or wireless black spots and take steps to improve coverage in these areas. This ensured that attendees were able to access the WiFi network and stay connected throughout the duration of the festival. By using a combination of a point-to-point wireless link, a ADSL line, and a temporary satellite, we were able to provide reliable and redundant Internet connectivity to the festival attendees.