IJCCCE, VOL.11, NO.

1, 2011 Indoor Propagation Modeling for Wireless Local Area

Network (WLAN)

Indoor Propagation Modeling for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) 1

Samir M. Hameed2

Abstract
This paper presents indoor propagation modeling for wireless local area network at 2.4GHz.
Different propagation path loss models are simulated such as the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the log-distance path loss models. The ITU model is
tested in residential or office environments, and is examined; wether the position of the
Access Point (AP) and the WLAN cards on the same floor or in another floors. Log-distance
path loss model is tested and simulated; from this model the effects of the shadowing
deviation can be seen. Practical measurements will be taken by using a laptop equipped with
the NETSTUMBLER 0.40 software to see the impression of walls and doors. Different charts
are illustrated to view the responses of ITU and log-distance path loss models versus
distances, path loss, transmitting power and receiving power. Practical data are also plotted in
different cases, for open area between AP and mobile user and in a random positions case.

Keywords: WLAN, Indoor Propagation Models, ITU and Log Distance Path Loss Models

‫اﻟﺨﻼﺻﺔ‬
2,4 ‫ﻋﺮض ھﺬا اﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺻﻮرا ً ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﻟﻨﻤﺬﺟﺔ اﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎر اﻟﺪاﺧﻠﻲ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﻜﺎت اﻟﻤﺤﻠﯿﺔ اﻟﺪاﺧﻠﯿﺔ اﻟﻼﺳﻠﻜﯿﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻌﻤﻞ ﺑﺘﺮدد‬
‫ و أﺟﺮﯾﻨ ﺎ ﻋﻤﻠﯿ ﺔ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻛ ﺎة ﻟﻨﻤ ﺎذج اﻟﺨﺴ ﺎﺋﺮ ﻓ ﻲ ﻣﺴ ﺎرات اﻻﻧﺘﺸ ﺎر اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔ ﺔ ﻣﺜ ﻞ أﻧﻤ ﻮذج اﻻﺗﺤ ﺎد اﻟ ﺪوﻟﻲ‬.‫ﺟﯿﺠ ﺎ ھﯿﺮﺗ ﺰ‬
‫( ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺒﯿﺌ ﺔ اﻟﻤﻨﺰﻟﯿ ﺔ و‬ITU) ‫ و ﺗ ﻢ اﺧﺘﺒ ﺎر أﻧﻤ ﻮذج‬.(log-distance) ‫( وأﻧﻤ ﻮذج ﺳ ﺠﻞ اﻟﻤﺴ ﺎﻓﺔ‬ITU) ‫ﻟﻼﺗﺼ ﺎﻻت‬
‫ وﻗﺪ ﺗﻤ ﺖ‬.‫ ﻛﺄن ﯾﻜﻮن اﻟﻤﺮﺳﻞ و اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻔﺲ اﻟﻄﺎﺑﻖ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺒﻨﺎﯾﺔ أو ﻓﻲ طﻮاﺑﻖ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ‬،‫اﻟﻤﻜﺘﺒﯿﺔ وﻓﻲ ﺣﺎﻻت ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ‬
‫ ﻛ ﺬﻟﻚ ﻗﻤﻨ ﺎ ﺑﺄﺧ ﺬ ﻗﯿﺎﺳ ﺎت ﻋﻤﻠﯿ ﺔ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔ ﺔ‬.(log-distance) ‫دراﺳﺔ أﺛﺎر اﻧﺤﺮاف اﻟﺘﻈﻠﯿﻞ ﻓﻲ اﻹﺷﺎرة ﺑﻌﺪ اﺧﺘﺒﺎر أﻧﻤ ﻮذج‬
‫( ﻛﻤﺴ ﺘﻠﻢ ﻟﻤﺸ ﺎھﺪة ودراﺳ ﺔ ﺗ ﺄﺛﯿﺮ اﻟﺠ ﺪران‬NETSTUMBLER 0.40) ‫ﺑﺎﺳ ﺘﺨﺪام ﺣﺎﺳ ﻮب ﻣﺤﻤ ﻮل ﻣ ﺰود ﺑﺒﺮﻧ ﺎﻣﺞ‬
‫ ﺑﻌﺪ اﻟﺤﺼﻮل ﻋﻠﻰ ﻧﺘﺎﺋﺞ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻛﺎة ﺗﻢ رﺳﻢ اﻟﻤﺨﻄﻄﺎت اﻟﺒﯿﺎﻧﯿﺔ اﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﻟﺪراﺳﺔ اﻟﺨﺴﺎﺋﺮ‬.‫واﻷﺑﻮاب ﻋﻠﻰ اﻹﺷﺎرة اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻠﻤﺔ‬
‫ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻣﺜﻠﺖ اﻟﻘﯿﺎﺳﺎت اﻟﻌﻤﻠﯿﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺨﻄﻄﺎت‬،‫ﻓﻲ اﻹرﺳﺎلواﻟﻘﺪرة اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻠﻤﺔ واﻟﻤﺮﺳﻠﺔ ﻧﺴﺒﺔ ً ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺎﻓﺔ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻤﺮﺳﻞ و اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ‬
.‫ﺑﯿﺎﻧﯿﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺣﺎﻟﺘﻲ وﺟﻮد وﻋﺪم وﺟﻮد ﻋﻮاﺋﻖ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻤﺮﺳﻞ و اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ‬

1
This paper was presented in the Engineering Conference of Control, Computers and Mechatronics Jan. 30-31/2011,
University of Technology.
2
Iraqi Commission for Computers & Informatics (ICCI)

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1-Introduction to understand the affecting parameters in the

Today, wireless area networks WLANs path loss for WLAN.
based on the IEEE 802.11standard constitute Shadowing: Scattering environments along
a practical and interesting solution for various propagation paths will be different,
network connection offering mobility, causing variations with respect to the
flexibility, low cost of deployment and use nominal value given by the path loss. Some
[1,2]. The number of people using wireless paths will suffer increased loss; while others
networks in an indoor environment is will be less obstructed and have increased
increasis very rapidly. Therefore, an efficient signal strength. The log-distance path loss
planning and developing for indoor model is a modified power law with a log-
communication is definitely essential. The normal variability, similar to log-normal
indoor environment is considerably different shadowing. Some “typical” values from Ref
from the typical outdoor environment and in [3,4] are given in Table 3. This phenomenon
many ways is more hostile. Modeling indoor is called shadowing or slow fading and is
propagation is complicated by the large said to follow log-normal fading statistics.
variability in building layout and Multipath: These effects are caused by the
construction materials. In addition, the local scattering environment around the
environment can change radically by the access point (AP). Fig. (1) shows a
simple movement of people, closing of representation of multiple signal paths in an
doors, and so on [3-6]. There are several indoor wireless implementation, where the
causes of signal corruption in an indoor signal lines intersecting are points of likely
wireless channel; the primary causes are multipath reception problems and negative
signal attenuation due to distance, effects on wireless network signal integrity
penetration losses through walls or floors and [8]. The solution of this problem is to get an
multipath propagation. Signal attenuation access point closer to the users, or increasing
over distance is observed when the mean the transmitted power.
receiving signal power is attenuated as a This paper is organized as follows: Section 2
function of the distance from the transmitter. presents the ITU indoor path loss model and
Thus, the received signal arrives as an its expression. Log-distance path loss model
unpredictable set of reflections or direct is presented in Section 3. Section 4 presents
waves or both, each with its own degree of calculations and measurement results for the
attenuation and delay. following cases: single floor scenario based
The modeling of the propagation path needs ITU model for both home and office
to take into account a number of effects. conditions, multi floors scenario based ITU
These include the following [3-7]: model, shadowing deviation effects scenario
Path loss: The signal gets reduced in power based log distance path model and finally the
with the distance it traverses following an practical measurements. The last Section
inverse square law. So, ITU and log-distance summarizes the paper and discusses the
path loss models are presented in this paper results.

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number of floors the waves need to penetrate;

some values are tabulated in Table 2.

Table (1) Power Loss Coefficient Values, N,

for the ITU Model
Frequency Residential Office Commercial
Band Area Area Area
900 MHz N/A 33 20
1.2-
N/A 32 22
1.3 GHz
1.8 –
28 30 22
2 GHz
4 GHz N/A 28 22
5.2 GHz N/A 31 N/A

Table (2) Floor Penetration Loss Factor,

Lf(n), for the ITU Model
Frequency No. Residential Office Commerci
Band of Area Area al Area
Floors
900 MHz 1 N/A 9 N/A
900 MHz 2 N/A 19 N/A
900 MHz 3 N/A 24 N/A
1.8 –
1-3 4n 15+4(n-1) 6 + 3(n-1)
2.0 GHz
5.2 GHz 1 N/A 16 N/A

Figure (1) A representation of multiple signal

paths in an indoor wireless network.

2-The ITU Indoor Path Loss Model

The indoor propagation path loss prediction 3-Log-Distance Path Loss Model
for ITU model in dB is [4,5,9] : The Log-Distance Path Loss model for
indoor propagation path loss prediction in dB
Ltotal  20 Log ( f )  NLog (d )  Lf (n )  28 (1) is [4,6,10] :

d
Where, N is the distance power loss Ltotal  PL ( do )  NLog ( )  XS (2)
coefficient, f is the frequency of transmission do
in MHz, d is the distance in meter between Where, PL( do ) is the path loss at the
AP and WLAN adapter card, Lf(n) is the reference distance in dB, , N is the path loss
floor penetration loss factor and n is the distance exponent, d is the path distance in
number of floors between the transmitter and meter , do is the reference distance 1m, Xs is
the receiver. a Gaussian random variable with zero mean
The distance power loss coefficient, N is the and standard deviation of  in dB.
quantity that expresses the loss of signal The free-space loss is expressed as:
power with distance. This coefficient is an 
PL ( do )  20 Log ( ) (3)
empirical one, some values are provided in 4do
Table 1. The floor penetration loss factor is
an empirical constant dependent on the The log-distance path loss model is a
modified power law with a log-normal

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Network (WLAN)

variability, similar to log-normal shadowing. From the power loss coefficient values given
Some empirical measurements of coefficients in Table 1, for an office building the value of
N and σ in dB have shown the following N is found to be 30 and 28 for home area.
values for a number of indoor wave After simulation of Eq.(4), the response of
propagation cases from References [3,4,10] path loss versus distance between the AP and
are given in Table3. WLAN cards can be obtained as shown in
fig.(2). Consider the transmitted output
Table (3), Typical Log-Distance Path Model power from AP is 1w or 30 dBm with 6 dBi
Parameter Measurements antenna gain, so, the effective radiated
Frequency of N  power (EIRP) is 36dBm or 4w, neglecting
Building Type
Transmission (dB) the receiver antenna gain, the received power
Vacuum,
20 0 for these values is:
infinite space
Retail store 914 MHz 22 8.7
Grocery store 914 MHz 18 5.2 Pr  3.6  NLog ( d ) (dBm) (5)
Office with hard
1.5 GHz 30 7.0
partition The response of ITU model for the received
Office with soft
900 MHz 24 9.6 power vs. distance is characterized in fig. (3).
partition
Office with soft
1.9 GHz 26 14.1 4.2-Multi Floors Scenario Based ITU
partition
Textile or
1.3 GHz 20 3.0
Model
chemical In multi floors scenario, the floor penetration
Textile or 7.0/ loss factor is 15+4(n-1) as mentioned in
4 GHz 21
chemical 9.7
Paper or cereals 1.3 GHz 18 6.0
Table 2, so the path loss expression for 2.4
16/ 5.8/ GHz for multiple floor is:
Metalworking 1.3 GHz
33 6.8
Ltotal  39.6  NLog (d )  15  4(n  1) (6)

4-Calculations and Measurements Results A graph of the ITU model response shows
4.1-Single Floor Scenario Based ITU the path loss for multi floors between AP and
Model WLAN cards or users as illustrated in
In this section, single floor scenario is fig.(4) for office area environment, where
simulated based on ITU model, it has been N=30.
tried in an environment of residential area
and office area by considering application of
WLAN using IEEE 802.11b standard with
AP transmission frequency of 2.4 GHz. Let
Lf(n) = 0 on the same floor, by substituting
these values in eq.(1), the path loss
expression for these values is:

Ltotal  39.6  NLog ( d ) (4)

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Figure (2) Response of the path loss for single floor scenario based ITU model for home area
compared to office area.

Figure (3) Response of the received power for single floor scenario based ITU model for
home area compared to office area.

Figure (4) Response of the path loss in multiple floors scenario based ITU model for office
area.

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4.3-Shadowing Deviation Effects Scenario

Based Log Distance Path Model Pr  13  30 Log (d ) (11)
To study the modeling of wireless indoor Fig. (5) Shows the response of the path loss
propagation, it is important to use log- versus path distance for log distance model.
distance path loss model where the Where the received power in the WLAN
shadowing deviation comes into play as a cards or users for log-distance model is
significant parameter [6]. The mathematical shown in Fig.(6).
expression of this model is given in eq. (2).
From eq. (3) the free space loss PL( do ) for
2.4GHz system is 40 dB, so the eq. (2)
become as:

Ltotal  40  NLog ( d )  X S (7)

For our simulation, the appropriate power

decay index was assumed to be 30 [6]. The
Figure (5) Response of the path loss for the
standard deviation  was assigned of value 7
log-distance model.
dB.

The standard normal pdf has a mean of zero

and a standard deviation of unity. Any
Gaussian random variable can be converted
to an equivalent standard normal random
variable using the transformation [4]:
X
z S (8)
 Fig. (6) Response of the received power for
So, the probability of exceeding any the log-distance model.
particular value can be looked up in Table
A.1 in Ref. [4] for complementary error 4.4-Practical Measurements
function: A laptop equipped with the

1 u2 NETSTUMBLER 0.40 software was used as
Q( z )   exp(  ) du (9) the receiver detector, operated by a moving
z 2 2
user [6,8]. The NETSTUMBLER software
Consider that the coverage area is %90 so calculates the instantaneous signal strength
from the Q function table (Table A.1) [4], p based on a ray-tracing incorporated technique
= 0.1 occurs when z  1.286 . By using of arriving signal components as shown in
eq.(8), Xs is 9 dB. fig. (7). In technical terms, different
Now, eq.(7) becomes : measurement locations were recorded with
30 dBm transmitting power. Fig (8) shows a
Ltotal  49  30Log (d ) (10) practical graph for different distances for
open area between AP and the laptop inside
The expression of received power in dBm is the building. Fig (9) shows a practical graph
represented in eq.(11), by assuming (EIRP) but the measurements were taken in different
36 dBm and neglecting receiving antenna locations randomly through the walls to
gain. examine the building layout and understand

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the obstacles to propagation that are present. fig.(10) with typical dimensions about 200
This experiment was done in home area m2.
which the approximately sketch as shown in

Figure (7) The NETSTUMBLER 0.40 program.

Figure (8) Response of the received power for open area between AP and the laptop.

Figure (9) Response of the received power for randomly locations between AP and the
laptop.

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Figure (10) A typical home layout.

5. Conclusions response of log distance model were plotted

The indoor propagation modeling for WLAN as in fig.(5) and fig.(6), by considering %90
was addressed in this paper. Different cases coverage. Practical measurements were taken
and models were simulated and technical in different positions and distances in house
requirements were also taken in area using 802.11b standard wireless
consideration . The simulations of ITU network. In this work, the is used AP as
model shows the response of the path loss via transmitter with EIRP 36dBm and using a
the distance between the AP and the mobile laptop equipped with the NETSTUMBLER
users and it was tried in the same floor and in software as a receiver. The tested results
multi floors system as illustrated in fig. (4), were illustrated as shown in fig. (8) for open
from this figure we can deduce that it is area between transmitter and receiver and in
better to have the AP site in the same floor fig.(9) for random positions between AP and
with the users to avoid the extra path loss. laptop. From these results there is a little drift
The ITU model was tested in residential area between practical and calculated results. It is
and also in office area which is more important to model the indoor environments
complicated by the frequent movement of which are useful in designing WLAN to
people and the quantity of partitions as study the coverage area of AP and also to
shown in fig.(2). There is a little difference select the transmitting power, transmitting
of path loss in small distances and it antenna gain,and receiver antenna gain but in
increases with respect to distances, Fig.(3) the range of Federal Communications
verifies the received power (d Bm) at the Commission (FCC) conditions [8]. Wireless
user site versus distances by considering networking is perfect for home and office
EIRP 36 dBm and ignoring receiver antenna networking but one of the most common
gain. Log distance path loss model had been problems is to select the optimum location
tested and simulated. It is important when for AP to allowed either desktop PC or
studying indoor propagation modeling to laptop to connect to the wireless network. If
highlight the log distance, because this model the building area is more than 200m2 it is
notifies the shadowing deviation effects. The better to use more than one AP and it is

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optimum to put access points in the center 2.4 GHz", IEEE Int. Sym. on World of
location of the floor. Finally the empirical Wireless, Mobile and Multimedia Networks
models presented in this work are not & Workshops, pp.1-6.
limited to 802.11b standards, but could be [6] Chrysikos T., Georgopoulos G.,
used for 802.11g with transmitting frequency Kotsopoulos S., 2009, "Empirical
of about 5.2 GHz. Calculation of Shadowing Deviation for
Complex Indoor Propagation Topologies at
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