Range Test Kit – ProdataKey, Inc.

The purpose of the Range Test Kit is to test the signal strength of your wireless devices for best placement of those devices in order to optimize their performance. Conducting a wireless range test prior to installation will show where signal strength thrives or falls short, resulting in a better installation.

An important aspect of testing the strength and best location of your wireless devices prior to conducting the range test is knowing your facility’s surroundings. Certain materials such as metal, elevator shafts, and even vegetation can easily weaken or diminish any wireless signals. The range test is recommended in order to test the signal strength in specific locations and where to best place your wireless devices.

Part Number: RTK

Purchase the Kit

Request a Range Test Kit from PDK by contacting our Sales department at 801.317.8802 option #1 or email them at sales@prodatakey.com.

Installation

Once the Range Test Kit arrives, call Technical Support at 801.317.8802 option #2, or call direct at 801.206.4086 and someone in our Support staff will walk you through setting up the hardware and perform the software installation on your system to administer the test.

The following steps describe what Technical Support will have you do. These steps will help prepare you for what you will be required to do to complete the Range Test.

NOTE: The Range Test only runs on Windows-based computers.

After calling in, Support will download the required files onto your laptop computer that you will be using to test your wireless signal strengths. NOTE: Use a laptop since it will be necessary to move it to various locations in order to test signal strengths.

Create a folder called smartaccess on the C:/ drive.
Extract the downloaded files (from Support) to the C:\smartaccess folder.
Click on the magnifying glass icon in the bottom left corner of your Windows screen in order to run a Command prompt as an Administrator.
In the search bar, type: cmd
Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
In the terminal window, type cd c:\smartaccess to change the directory location to the smartaccess folder.
Type: PDK_USB_Driver.exe to load the PDK Communication Driver.
Type: Register64.bat to run the installation process. (Type register.bat for 32-bit systems.)
Click OK on all the prompts that appear. NOTE: Make sure you uncheck German when installing the language.
Type: sarules.exe to complete the process.
Open the Device Manager and make notes as to which ports are being used.
Plug the Coordinator into a USB port.
Device Manager should update with a new port number. This is the port you will be using.
Type: saserver.exe and click Setup.
For the Password, enter a single quote mark ' to get in.
Click on the Connection tab and add a new coordinator connection.
Change the Port number for the connection to the port from Device Manager.
Exit the setup and click Restart on saserver.
After saserver restarts, click Setup. Use the same password as before (single quote ' mark).
Select the Wireless tab.
Plug in the Remote Wireless Repeater.
Select Discover in the saserver setup.
Select the device that is found and click Range test.
A good signal indicator is between -20 and -80. Signals over -80 may receive continual communication loss and -90 is no signal at all. Signals under -20 may be too hot/loud. (edited)