GNSS Site Survey Mode

Why GNSS Validation Matters for Planning? 

• For an AP to operate in 6 GHz SP mode, it must successfully query it location with an Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system. This query requires high-precision location data. 

• Improved Planning: Since GNSS signal strength varies significantly indoors, this feature allows you to identify "GNSS Anchor" points during the design phase. 

• Reduces location uncertainty: By validating the GNSS subsystem beforehand, you ensure that location certainty remains high. Low certainty or unstable locks can result in the AFC imposing severe power constraints or disabling the 6 GHz radio entirely. 

How it Works during a Readiness Assessment 

• While the 6 GHz radio will not transmit in SP mode during a survey (as the AP has not yet received a formal AFC response), Site Survey Mode allows you to evaluate the "suitability" of the environment for the technology. 

The Workflow: 

• Placement: Position an AP (e.g., via an "AP on a Stick" kit) at a proposed mounting location. 

• Evaluation: Power the AP and access the Local Status Page to monitor GNSS receiver metrics such as satellite visibility, signal-to-noise ratio, and Time-to-First-Fix (TTFF). 

• Validation: If the metrics meet the required threshold, you have successfully validated a GNSS Anchor point. 

• Iteration: Move to the next location to ensure your deployment has a sufficient density of anchors to support interior APs. 

Key Enhancements 

• GNSS Module Validation: Real-time feedback on the health and performance of the installed GNSS hardware. 

• Pre-Deployment Stability Verification: Confirms that environmental factors (building materials, urban canyons) won't prevent the AP from maintaining a consistent AFC-compliant lock. 

• Support for SP Implementation: While you cannot test the 6 GHz SP signal coverage itself in this mode, you are validating the underlying requirement (GNSS stability) that makes Standard Power possible. 

• Note for Support Teams: If a customer asks how to implement SP when Site Survey mode doesn't support it, clarify that this feature is a prerequisite validation. It ensures the AP can talk to the AFC once the network is live, preventing "No GPS Lock" issues after the final installation. 

How does GPS/GNSS validation enable improved planning? 

GNSS reception validation is a critical component in the deployment of location-aware access points. By verifying GNSS signal availability and strength, installers can eliminate uncertainty regarding an AP’s ability to accurately determine its coordinates. Reliable GNSS reception is essential for ensuring precise location reporting to the Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) provider, which is a fundamental requirement for compliant and efficient network operation. 

• Verifying "Anchor AP" Viability: Planning requires identifying which APs can act as "Anchors." Validation tells you exactly which perimeter locations can see enough satellites to provide a location for the rest of the floor. 

• Preventing "Dead Zones": If a survey shows a specific spot has high GNSS uncertainty the planner knows that an AP placed there will likely be throttled by the AFC. They can then adjust the plan to move that AP or use an external GNSS antenna. 

• {Change Out} Link Budgeting: By knowing an AP will successfully reach SP levels (up to 36 dBm EIRP), planners can design for larger cells, potentially reducing the total AP count compared to a Low Power Indoor (LPI) design (max 30 dBm EIRP). 

What are readiness assessments? 

A readiness assessment is a "Go/No-Go" audit performed before the final hardware mounting. It ensures the infrastructure is capable of meeting AFC requirements the moment the AP joins the Dashboard. 

• Physical Layer Audit: Checking for signal obstructions like metallic "Low-E" glass or heavy overhead HVAC ducting that wasn't in the original blueprints. 

• Time-to-Lock (TTFF) Testing: Confirming the AP can achieve a GPS lock within the recommended 15-minute window. If it takes 45 minutes, it’s a sign of a "marginal" location that may fail during bad weather or high atmospheric interference. 

• Documentation: Captures and download the GNSS receiver report allows detailed data to be included in a report and saved as a baseline in the event conditions change in the future.. 

6 GHz outdoor and high-ceiling deployments apply broadly across industries: 

High-ceiling indoor deployments (e.g., warehouses, atriums, manufacturing floors) are especially sensitive to GNSS placement and lock time. 

Indoor AP Placement and GNSS Accessibility 

Site surveys for 6 GHz Standard Power (SP) must prioritize GNSS validation across the entire floorplan, including the building interior and middle floors. However, achieving an AFC-compliant lock does not require every single AP to serve as a GNSS anchor. 

Instead, the goal is to ensure that GNSS Anchors are strategically placed close enough to the interior APs to maintain a low area of uncertainty. Both hardware stacks include built-in methods to derive the necessary X and Y coordinates for interior APs based on the locations of these anchors. 

While APs on the indoor perimeter naturally benefit from better satellite visibility, those located further from windows can still operate within standard power limits by leveraging the positioning data of nearby anchors. This proximity is key; as long as the interior units remain within the recommended range of a validated GNSS source, the system can maintain the precise location data required for AFC queries. 

For specific ratios regarding the recommended number of GNSS anchors per interior AP, please refer to the Deployment Guide, which provides detailed scaling metrics for various floor plans. 

Factors Influencing Signal Degradation 

While it’s a common industry assumption that GNSS signals are unusable indoors, our real-world testing has shown that indoor positioning is more capable and resilient than previously thought. Many environments provide enough signal penetration for successful operation; however, to ensure the highest level of reliability for 6 GHz Standard Power services, a proactive approach to signal management is key. 

Optimized GNSS Performance 

Modern building materials do present challenges, but they are far from insurmountable. By understanding the environment and utilizing the right tools, you can maintain the precise location data required for the Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) process. 

• Antenna Solutions: We offer high-performance external GNSS antennas designed to overcome local signal attenuation. Including an external antenna as a standard part of your installation kit is highly recommended; it provides a significant boost in signal gain and ensures stability in even the most challenging architectural layouts. 

• Structural Resilience: While materials like concrete or Low-E glass can attenuate signals (often ranging from 24 dB to 35 dB), many modern GNSS receivers are sensitive enough to maintain a lock. In cases where metallic films or heavy shielding are present, the external antenna serves as the perfect bridge to clear satellite visibility. 

• Managing the Environment: In "urban canyons" or dense indoor spaces where multipath interference (reflections off walls or machinery) can occur, proper antenna placement can mitigate positional uncertainty and ensure timing accuracy. 

Validation through Site Survey Mode 

Because GNSS signal strength is dynamic and can vary significantly within a small radius, Site Survey Mode is your best tool for success. It allows you to confirm that a specific mounting location meets the stability requirements for AFC and 6 GHz Standard Power before the final deployment. 

Environmental Monitoring 

GNSS performance is a reliable component of your network when managed correctly. By recommending an external antenna as a foundational part of your deployment kit, you ensure that orbital variations and environmental factors do not impact the reliability of your AFC queries, keeping your 6 GHz services running at peak performance. 

Prerequisites 

AP Auto Locate is supported on the following models: 

• MR78 

• MR36 

• MR46 

• MR56 

• MR57(GPS capable)** 

• CW9162 (GPS capable)** 

• CW9164 (GPS capable)** 

• CW9166I (GPS capable)** 

• CW9172I (GPS capable)** 

• CW9174I (GPS capable)** 

• CW9176I (Integrated GPS) 

• CW9178I (Integrated GPS) 

Deployment Prerequisites 

• AP is powered on and mobile 

• AP is powered by a wall outlet or external battery pack 

• AP is NOT connected to the Internet 

• AP is NOT connected to the Meraki Dashboard 

• AP is operating in Site Survey Mode 

• GNSS module is: 

• Plugged in (Wi-Fi 6E APs) 

• Embedded or externally attached (Wi-Fi 7 APs) 

 
Dashboard Connectivity & AFC Validation While in Site Survey Mode, the Access Point operates without an active uplink to Dashboard. Because a real-time connection to a cloud-based Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) service is a strict regulatory requirement for 6 GHz Standard Power, the AP cannot invoke AFC or authorize SP operation while in this mode. AFC site survey Mode is for validation and planning of GNSS readiness; 6 GHz radios will remain in a restricted state until the AP is fully deployed with active internet connectivity. 

Mobility and Power Constraints Per current regulatory frameworks (e.g., FCC/ISED), 6 GHz Standard Power operation is strictly reserved for fixed infrastructure. 

• No Mobile Operation: An AP that is mobile, non-fixed, or mounted on a temporary/moving platform is prohibited from SP operation. 

• Battery Power: APs are powered by an internal or external battery pack (typical for portable survey rigs) do not meet the "fixed installation" criteria for Standard Power and must not be used to represent final SP performance. 

Connecting to the Local Status Page of MR Access Points 

Connection Requirements 

Before attempting to access the LSP, ensure your client device (laptop or tablet) is connected correctly: 

• Wireless Connection (Required): For security reasons, MR APs do not allow access to the LSP via a wired Ethernet connection. You must be connected wirelessly to an SSID being broadcasted by the AP. 

• Standard Access: Connect to any configured service SSID currently being broadcasted. 

• Default SSIDs (Troubleshooting): If the AP is not yet configured or has lost internet connectivity, look for and connect to these default SSIDs: 

• meraki (Standard out-of-the-box SSID) 

• Meraki Setup 

• meraki-<MAC_Address> (e.g., meraki-xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx) 

Accessing the Page 

Once connected to the SSID being broadcasted by the AP's radios. 

1. Open a Web Browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari). 

2. Enter the URL: Navigate to one of the following addresses: 

1. http://ap.meraki.com 

2. http://my.meraki.com 

3. Direct IP: 10.128.128.126 

Login Credentials 

Depending on your firmware version, use the following credentials: 

Firmware 31.7.1+: 

• Username: admin 

• Password: The Serial Number (all caps with dashes, e.g., Q2XX-XXXX-XXXX) or the Cloud ID of the device. 

Older Firmware: 

• Username: The Serial Number of the device. 

• Password: Leave blank. 

Key Features and Tools 

The LSP is divided into several tabs depending on the AP model (MR31 and earlier vs. MR32+): 

Tab	Description
Connection	Shows real-time status of the AP's connection to the Meraki Cloud, current channels, and network info.
Configure	Allows you to set a Static IP, configure a Proxy, or enable Site Survey Mode (requires the AP to have checked into the dashboard at least once).
Neighbors	(MR32+ only) Displays nearby access points, including their SSID, BSSID, and signal strength (SNR).
Access Point Details	Shows hardware utilization and channel congestion data.

Troubleshooting Access 

If you cannot reach the LSP: 

• Verify Power: Ensure the AP's LED indicates it is receiving power. 

• Check SSID: Ensure you are connected to an SSID specifically broadcast by the target AP. 

• Check Gateway Failures: If you see an SSID like <SSID_name>-bad-gateway, the AP cannot reach its default gateway. Use the LSP to check the IP configuration. 

• Remote Access: By default, the LSP is only accessible via Wi-Fi. If you need to access it via the LAN IP (wired), this must be enabled in the Meraki Dashboard under Network-wide > Configure > General. 

Enabling GNSS Site Survey Mode 

1. Navigate to the Configure tab 

2. Enable Survey mode 

3. Enable GNSS Measurements

4. Save the Configuration 

5. The AP will reboot into Site Survey mode 

 

 

Connecting to the Survey mode SSID 

The AP will stop broadcasting its production SSIDs and instead broadcast a specific Site Survey SSID. 

The name of the site survey SSID follows a standard format: 

• SSID Name: site_survey-<MAC_Address> 

• Format Example: site_survey-xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx 

• Security: This is an Open SSID (no password required), allowing you to associate quickly to perform signal testing or access the LSP wirelessly while the AP is offline.