You are on page 1of 12

FortiPlanner User Guide

for FortiOS 4.0 MR3


FortiPlanner User Guide
7 April 2011
01-430-141393-20110407
for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
Copyright 2011 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication including text, examples,
diagrams or illustrations may be reproduced, transmitted, or translated in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, manual, optical or otherwise, for any purpose, without prior written permission of
Fortinet, Inc.
Trademarks
Dynamic Threat Prevention System (DTPS), APSecure, FortiASIC, FortiBIOS, FortiBridge, FortiClient,
FortiGate, FortiGate Unified Threat Management System, FortiGuard, FortiGuard-Antispam,
FortiGuard-Antivirus, FortiGuard-Intrusion, FortiGuard-Web, FortiLog, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager,
Fortinet, FortiOS, FortiPartner, FortiProtect, FortiReporter, FortiResponse, FortiShield, FortiVoIP, and
FortiWiFi are trademarks of Fortinet, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual
companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
FortiPlanner User Guide
01-430-141393-20110407 3
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Contents
Using the FortiPlanner tool 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The propagation prediction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
FortiPlanner controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Drawing the floor plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Placing APs for optimal coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Adjusting access point parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Placing APs automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Defining zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Running auto-placement and propagation prediction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Placing APs manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Placing APs on the floor plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Creating reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Contents
FortiPlanner User Guide for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
4 01-430-141393-20110407
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
FortiPlanner User Guide
01-430-141393-20110407 5
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Using the FortiPlanner tool
This document explains how to use Fortinet FortiPlanner, a WiFi planning tool that helps
you to determine the optimal placement of FortiAP wireless access points on your
premises.
The following topics are included in this section
Overview
Drawing the floor plan
Placing APs for optimal coverage
Creating reports
Overview
Starting with a floor plan of the area that you want to cover with your wireless network, the
planning tool will provide a color-shaded image predicting the expected signal strength
throughout the coverage area. Using the tool, you can try out different placements of
wireless access points prior to installation on the premises.
The overall process for using the planning tool is as follows:
Draw a floor plan of the coverage area
Place APs on your floor plan.
Run a propagation prediction.
The last two steps are iterative. If the prediction shows some areas with poor coverage,
you can change the placement of your APs and run another propagation prediction.
The propagation prediction
The result of the propagation prediction is a floor plan color shaded to show signal
strengths throughout the area. The colors range from green where signal strength is high
through yellow and orange to red where the signal is weak.
Figure 1: Example propagation prediction
Overview Using the FortiPlanner tool
FortiPlanner User Guide for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
6 01-430-141393-20110407
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
FortiPlanner controls
Draw structural elements
of floor plan
Remove floor plan Drag mouse to set drawing scale
Drag mouse to measure
distances on floor plan
Select English
or Metric measurement
Show/hide drawing grid
elements
Project menu
Add selected device
Reveal Edit Device button
Remove all APs
AP information
Run propagation prediction
Remove AP
Project menu
type to floor plan
last placed
to display on floor plan
Define
Remove APs
Zone types to display
Perform automatic AP placement
Quality of coverage
Project menu
placement
zones
Select/configure
AP type
Select WiFi
Create/print/export reports
Minimum acceptable
Adjust balance of
Color gradient
step size
band to display
background and coverage
display
signal strength
Using the FortiPlanner tool Drawing the floor plan
FortiPlanner User Guide
01-430-141393-20110407 7
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Status bar
Drawing the floor plan
The floor plan shows not only the shape of the rooms in coverage area, but also the
materials from which they are constructed. Different materials absorb, refract, and reflect
radio waves to different degrees. The planning tool takes this into account when predicting
the coverage you can expect from a particular placement of wireless access points.
You can use the Floor Planner tab as a blank canvas to draw your plan, or you can import
a bitmap image of a floor plan and use it as a guide as you draw walls, doors, windows,
and so on, carefully selecting the material types from which they are constructed.
To start FortiPlanner
1 On the Start menu, select All Programs > Fortinet Inc. > FortiPlanner. > FortiPlanner.
To create a project and set the scale
1 Select Floor Planner tab.
2 From the project menu ( ), select New Project.
FortiPlanner asks whether you have a floor plan image file. You can use a bitmap
image file as a guide to help you draw the floor plan.
3 If you have an image file, select Yes, navigate to the file and select Open.
Otherwise, select No.
4 Select Set Scale and draw a line representing a structure of known length, such as a
wall.
5 In the dialog box, enter the length of the structure you drew and then select OK.
You can use either metric or English units.
6 From the menu (at the left end of the tab bar), select Save.
7 Name the project and select Save.
To draw a floor plan
1 If your project is not open, open it by using the Open Project function on the project
menu ( ).
2 Select the Floor Planner tab and then select Add Structure.
3 From the list in Floor Plan Structures, select the element and building material that you
want to draw.
4 Place the cursor, drag the mouse and release the button to draw a straight line
segment, such as a wall. To delete a line, right-click it and select Delete.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have drawn all of the structural elements of the floor
plan with the appropriate building materials.
6 From the project menu, select Save.
Fit to page
Zoom control Status
Note: You can draw only on the grid lines. The small difference in position between the
lines you draw and the lines in the image file is not significant in the propagation
calculations.
Placing APs for optimal coverage Using the FortiPlanner tool
FortiPlanner User Guide for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
8 01-430-141393-20110407
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Placing APs for optimal coverage
You can use automatic or manual placement of APs. It is also possible to combine the two
methods: use automatic placement initially and then fine-tune the AP positions manually.
Adjusting access point parameters
The FortiAP model selected on the Access Points tab is the AP type that will be used in
either automatic or manual AP placement. For each model, you can adjust the radio band
and antenna orientation.
To adjust Access Point parameters before placement
1 With your project open, do one of the following:
On the Access Points tab, select the FortiAP model, select the down arrow ( ),
then select Edit.
On the Auto Planner tab, in Configuration, select Customize.
2 Select which radio and which band to use.
3 Optionally, enter the unit orientation and antenna direction in degrees. (0 is North).
Currently available Fortinet AP equipment uses omnidirectional antennas.
4 Optionally, adjust client settings:
Transmit Power must be within the power range of the APs you intend to use.
Higher power increases range but also increases interference with other APs
nearby.
Receiver Sensitivity is the minimum signal strength that the AP requires for reliable
reception. This should be listed in the AP units specifications.
5 Select OK.
To adjust Access Point parameters after placement
1 On either the Access Points or Analysis tab, right-click the access point and select Edit.
2 Adjust the parameters and select OK.
If Auto Recalculate is enabled on the Analysis tab, the propagation prediction is
updated.
Using the FortiPlanner tool Placing APs for optimal coverage
FortiPlanner User Guide
01-430-141393-20110407 9
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Placing APs automatically
The auto-place function determines the optimal number and placement of APs while
performing a propagation prediction. You must first define the zones where AP placement
is permitted. Then you can run the auto-placement and propagation prediction.
Defining zones
The auto-placement feature requires zones to define where it can or cannot place APs. At
a minimum, define a Normal area. This could be simply a single zone that covers the
intended WiFi coverage area. If there are areas where you do not want or cannot install
APs, define an Exclusion zone there.
To define a zone
1 Select the Auto Planner tab.
2 Select Add Zone and make sure that all of the zone types are enabled in the
Display Properties.
3 From the list in Placement Zone Editor, select the type of zone:
Normal - can place APs here
Limited - coverage desired, but cannot place APs here
Exclusion - coverage not required, cannot place APs here
4 Click to define the starting point, move the mouse to draw. Click when you want to
change the direction of the line. When you have defined a closed area, right-click to
stop drawing.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 to define additional zones.
Running auto-placement and propagation prediction
With the auto-place zones defined, you can now use the auto-place function. The result is
a propagation prediction with the optimal number and placement of APs.
To place APs automatically and calculate propagation
1 Open your project.
2 If there are no zones defined, define them now. See Defining zones on page 9.
3 Optionally, select the Analysis tab and adjust the parameters. See To configure the
analysis parameters, next.
4 Select the Auto Planner tab.
5 Optionally select Access point to select the access point type and configuration.
6 Select Place Access Points.
FortiPlanner calculates the coverage prediction. Switch to the Analysis tab to view the
results.
To configure the analysis parameters
1 With your project open, select the Analysis tab.
2 In Frequency Band Display, select either 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz.
3 In View, you can adjust how the signal levels are displayed:
Placing APs for optimal coverage Using the FortiPlanner tool
FortiPlanner User Guide for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
10 01-430-141393-20110407
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
4 Disable Auto Recalculate if you have a large number of APs and experience
undesirable delays due to propagation prediction updates.
Placing APs manually
Manual AP placement is an iterative process. You put APs on the floor plan and then run
the propagation prediction. Then, you try moving the APs or adding additional APs and
then you run the prediction again to see if you have improved the wireless coverage.
Placing APs on the floor plan
With the completed floor plan open, try a placing one or more access points on it.
To place APs on the floor plan
1 If your project is not open, open it by using the Open Project function on the menu (at
the left end of the tab bar).
2 Select the Access Points tab.
3 Select the type of Access Point that you want to place.
4 Select Add Device.
5 Do any of the following:
Click on the floor plan where you want to place an AP.
Drag an AP to a new position.
Right-click an AP to modify its settings or remove it.
If Auto Recalculate is enabled on the Analysis tab, the propagation prediction is
updated. Otherwise, select Calculate.
6 Repeat any of the actions in Step 5 as needed to produce the desired coverage.
7 From the project menu ( ), select Save.
Contour (dBm) Adjusts the step size of the color gradient. For example, a 3dB
setting shows a different color for each 3dB change in signal.
Background Opacity Adjusts how well the background image can be seen through the
coverage shading. 100 maximizes background visibility but parts of
the background may not be visible if Coverage Opacity is too high.
Coverage Opacity Adjusts how much the coverage shading hides the background
image. 100 maximizes coverage visibility but might obscure the
background.
Signal Floor (dBm) Enter the lowest acceptable signal level for your intended coverage
area.
Using the FortiPlanner tool Creating reports
FortiPlanner User Guide
01-430-141393-20110407 11
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback
Creating reports
FortiPlanner can create the following reports:
Deployment Placement your floor plan including access point locations
Device Placement Detail name, configuration and location map of each AP
Device Inventory list of network APs by model, with count by model
Propagation Analysis the propagation prediction from your Analysis tab
Auto Placement Zones maps of your Normal, Limited, and Exclusion zones
You can print the reports or save them in several different formats.
To create reports
1 With your project open, select the Analysis tab.
2 In Reports, select View.
3 In the FortiPlanner Reports window, select the reports that you want to create and then
select Generate.
4 The first report is displayed in the Report Preview window.
5 Do any of the following:
Print the report.
Save the report. Several output formats are supported. PDF is the default.
6 When you are finished with the first report, close the window. The next selected report
is displayed.
Creating reports Using the FortiPlanner tool
FortiPlanner User Guide for FortiOS 4.0 MR3
12 01-430-141393-20110407
http://docs.fortinet.com/ Feedback

You might also like