How to Use TamoGraph Site Survey for Accurate Wireless Site Planning

TamoGraph Site Survey — Complete Guide to Professional Wi‑Fi Heatmaps

What it is

TamoGraph Site Survey is a professional Wi‑Fi site survey and RF planning tool for Windows and macOS used to visualize, analyze, design, and verify 802.11 networks (including Wi‑Fi 5/6/6E/7). It produces heatmaps and detailed reports to help plan AP placement, troubleshoot coverage and interference, and optimize network performance.

Key features

• Survey modes: Passive, active, and hybrid surveys; predictive (RF modeling) surveys.
• Heatmaps & visualizations: Coverage, signal strength (dBm), SNR, data rates, throughput, channel/DFS usage, and interference maps.
• Spectrum analysis: Real‑time spectrum view and integration with external analyzers (Wi‑Spy, etc.).
• Automatic AP location: Detect and geolocate APs; show channel, vendor, encryption, max rate.
• Predictive modeling: Virtual environment, walls/materials, vendor AP/antenna patterns, automatic AP placement and capacity planning.
• GPS/outdoor support: GPS‑assisted path collection and Google Earth export (Pro features).
• Reporting: Customizable PDF/HTML/ODT reports and export of raw survey data.
• Standards support: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be, 2.4/5/6 GHz bands, wide channel widths and multi‑stream configs.
• Adapter support: Uses OS and third‑party adapters; requires compatible adapters/drivers for passive capture on Windows.

When to use it

• Pre‑deployment planning to size and place APs.
• Post‑deployment verification to confirm coverage, roaming, and performance.
• Ongoing audits to detect new interference, capacity issues, or topology changes.
• Troubleshooting intermittent issues by correlating heatmaps with client measurements.

Typical workflow (prescriptive)

1. Prepare floor plan(s): import PNG/PDF or scan blueprints; set scale.
2. Configure survey: choose passive/active/hybrid, bands, channels, and client capabilities.
3. Calibrate: place known reference points and adjust RF propagation model if using predictive mode.
4. Collect data: walk planned paths (continuous) or take point‑by‑point samples; use GPS outdoors.
5. Analyze heatmaps: inspect RSSI, SNR, PHY/data‑rate, interference, and channel overlap layers.
6. Model changes: run predictive simulations for alternate AP placements or antenna choices.
7. Validate with active throughput tests (if using active/hybrid).
8. Generate report: include maps, AP list, recommendations, and export formats for stakeholders.

Practical tips

• Use a dedicated compatible adapter (or dual adapters for hybrid mode) to avoid OS limitations.
• Collect both passive and active data when possible: passive for environment, active for client experience.
• Calibrate building materials and wall losses in predictive mode for realistic results.
• Perform surveys at representative busy times to capture real interference/usage.
• Save baseline surveys for future comparisons to detect regressions.

Licensing & editions

Available in trial, standard, and Pro/enterprise tiers—Pro adds advanced predictive features, GPS tools, and spectrum integration. Check TamoSoft’s site for current licensing and system requirements.

Quick comparison (when to pick)

• Need real environment measurements → choose passive/active survey modes.
• Planning before deployment or what‑if AP layouts → use predictive RF modeling.
• Outdoor or geo‑tagged projects → use Pro with GPS support.
• Deep spectrum troubleshooting → integrate an external spectrum analyzer.

If you want, I can generate a short step‑by‑step checklist for a one‑floor office survey (includes settings, walk path, and report items).