Case Study : Free Space Path Loss for Mobile Network and WLAN

Wireless communication systems transmit and receive information through free space. Thus, there are other factors to consider when designing a wireless communication system. One of those factors is Free space Path Loss (FPSL), which refers to the loss of signal strength in the propagation of the signal in free space. In this study, the effects of obstruction and distance on the FSPL of the transmission in mobile networks and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) will be measured. The measured results show that the obstructions have a higher impact on the received signal compared to the distance. In the mobile network setting, the open area has an FPSL of 111 dB, whereas the obstructed office area has a significantly higher FSPL of 158 dB. Furthermore, in the WLAN setting, the FSPL of an obstructed area is 19 dB higher than the line-of-sight propagation. Thus, the layout of the area to implement a wireless communication system must be thoroughly analyzed for obstructions and distance to provide optimal wireless communication service to customers.