Visawin: visualising a wireless network

Recent years have seen the evolution and subsequent deployment of wireless networking; providing network access to mobile users in many diverse locations. However, the very characteristics of wireless technology means that access to wireless resources can sometimes be sporadic. A lack of signal or interference from other devices can cause a user's interactions with a network to fail. Currently there are very few integrated solutions available which provide both network engineers and end users with information regarding the coverage of a wireless network. This paper describes Visawin, an automated system which visualizes a wireless network; allowing for both improved wireless engineering and user operability. The paper presents the challenges involved in developing Visawin, as well as results demonstrating that the system is useful for both end users and engineers when planning and designing networks.