Calculator Inputs
The page stays in a single stacked flow, while the form fields use a responsive grid: 3 columns on large screens, 2 on smaller screens, and 1 on mobile.
Example Data Table
Illustrative planning examples for quick benchmarking.
| Scenario | Frequency | TX Power | Walls | Floors | Path Loss Exponent | Overlap | Radius | Area per AP | APs for 1500 m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home office | 2400 MHz | 20 dBm | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | 15% | 10.8 m | 263 m² | 6 |
| Open floor workspace | 5000 MHz | 23 dBm | 1 | 0 | 2.4 | 12% | 15.2 m | 639 m² | 3 |
| Multiroom clinic | 5000 MHz | 20 dBm | 4 | 1 | 3.3 | 18% | 6.0 m | 93 m² | 17 |
Formula Used
FSPL1m = 32.44 + 20 log10(fMHz) - 60
Required RX = Receiver Sensitivity + Fade Margin
Link Budget = TX Power + TX Gain + RX Gain - Cable Loss - Misc Loss - Required RX
Obstacle Loss = (Wall Count × Wall Loss) + (Floor Count × Floor Loss)
Radius = 10((Available Path Loss - FSPL1m) / (10n))
where Available Path Loss = Link Budget - Obstacle Loss
Effective Radius = Radius × (1 - Overlap / 100)
Area per AP = π × (Effective Radius)2 × (Sector Angle / 360)
RX(d) = TX Power + TX Gain + RX Gain - Cable Loss - Misc Loss - [FSPL1m + 10n log10(d) + Obstacle Loss]
These formulas provide a design-stage estimate. Real deployments also depend on channel width, client mix, interference, antenna patterns, roaming policy, mounting height, and material variability.
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose a band preset or enter a custom frequency in MHz.
- Set transmit power, antenna gains, cable loss, and receiver sensitivity values from your equipment data sheets.
- Enter attenuation details such as wall count, wall loss, floor count, and floor loss.
- Adjust the path loss exponent to reflect the environment. Higher values represent tougher propagation conditions.
- Enter overlap reserve, sector angle, access point count, target area, and a test distance.
- Press Calculate Coverage to display the result section above the form, review the graph, and export results to CSV or PDF.
FAQs
1) What does this calculator estimate?
It estimates maximum radius, usable planning radius, area per access point, total coverage, required access points, and received signal at a chosen distance.
2) Why is overlap included?
Overlap reserves space for roaming, signal consistency, and design margin. It intentionally shrinks effective radius so real deployments remain more reliable.
3) What path loss exponent should I use?
Use about 2.0 to 2.4 for open areas, 2.8 to 3.2 for offices, and 3.2 to 4.0 for dense partitioned layouts.
4) Does higher transmit power always solve coverage issues?
No. Excess power can worsen co-channel interference and create asymmetric links where clients cannot answer as strongly as the access point.
5) Why does 5 GHz or 6 GHz often cover less area?
Higher frequencies usually experience greater path loss and often weaker penetration through walls and floors, so radius commonly shrinks compared with 2.4 GHz.
6) Is the result suitable for final installation decisions?
Use it for planning, budgeting, and comparison. Final placement still needs a predictive survey, validation measurements, and channel tuning on site.
7) What does the test distance result mean?
It shows predicted received signal at one chosen distance after propagation and obstacle losses. Compare it with your required receive level and headroom.
8) Can I use this for outdoor links?
Yes, but set obstacle losses appropriately, use realistic antenna gains, and choose a path loss exponent that matches outdoor clutter and terrain.