Wi‑Fi, CBRS, and private 5G can all provide indoor wireless coverage, but a shared heatmap does not make their design objectives interchangeable. Spectrum, bandwidth, client behavior, antenna systems, mobility, capacity, and regulatory constraints shape each deployment.
Separate propagation from service design
Frequency, distance, antenna gain, transmit power, and building geometry influence received power for every radio system. Start there, then add protocol-specific requirements. The free-space path loss calculator shows the frequency term in isolation; the building model adds explicit boundaries and an appropriate clear-path expression.
Wi-Fi planning
Wi‑Fi designs commonly balance coverage with channel reuse and contention. A stronger signal from more access points is not automatically better. Review 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz separately because channel availability, client support, antenna behavior, and wall loss differ.
Capacity and roaming requirements often drive placement beyond a basic coverage threshold. Model enabled radios and channel widths accurately, then use overlap and interference-aware views alongside received power.
CBRS and private cellular planning
CBRS and private LTE/5G designs add spectrum authorization, duplexing, synchronization, subscriber devices, mobility, and core-network considerations. Downlink received power is one part of the link; uplink balance can be limiting when user equipment transmits at lower power or with a different antenna arrangement.
SiteRF’s plan should therefore be described as the modeled direction and scenario it actually represents. Do not infer a complete bidirectional cellular design from one downlink heatmap.
Antennas change the shape of the question
An integrated omnidirectional access point and a sector antenna can have similar peak gain while producing very different spatial coverage. Directional equipment needs a band-compatible radiation pattern, correct orientation, and realistic downtilt. Mounting height changes both three-dimensional distance and obstruction geometry.
Use comparable assumptions
When comparing technologies or bands:
- Keep the floor geometry and material assignments fixed.
- State transmit power, gain, frequency, and receiver height.
- Use a suitable path-loss model within its stated range.
- Compare raw received power before applying protocol-specific thresholds.
- Add noise, interference, capacity, mobility, and regulatory analysis separately.
Regulations and equipment data remain external controls
Confirm allowed frequencies, EIRP, channel bandwidths, and operational requirements with the applicable regulator, spectrum administrator, equipment documentation, and qualified professionals. A catalog entry or planning result does not grant authority to transmit.
Report the decision, not only the map
A useful report states why a band and placement were selected, what assumptions were shared, which constraints differ, and what field tests remain. Include skipped or invalid radios rather than hiding them. Record the receiver target and whether the result represents Wi‑Fi, CBRS, LTE, NR, or a generic frequency scenario.
Use Place and configure RF equipment to set up the model and How to read RF coverage heatmaps to review its output.