Size an access point count from both coverage area and client capacity, and see which of the two actually drives the design.
A circular cell of radius r covers π·r², but neighbouring cells must overlap for roaming, so only part of that area counts towards the floor plate. Dividing the area by the usable cell area gives the coverage count, dividing the client population by the per-radio target gives the capacity count, and the design must satisfy both. Designs that only count coverage look fine on a heatmap and then collapse at 09:00 when every desk associates at once; designs that only count capacity leave dead corners.
Access Point Density
coverage APs = area ÷ (π·r²·(1 − overlap)); capacity APs = clients ÷ clients per radio; the design count is the larger of the two.
coverage APs = area ÷ (π·r²·(1 − overlap)); capacity APs = clients ÷ clients per radio; the design count is the larger of the two. A circular cell of radius r covers π·r², but neighbouring cells must overlap for roaming, so only part of that area counts towards the floor plate. Dividing the area by the usable cell area gives the coverage count, dividing the client population by the per-radio target gives the capacity count, and the design must satisfy both.
Designs that only count coverage look fine on a heatmap and then collapse at 09:00 when every desk associates at once; designs that only count capacity leave dead corners.
This calculator takes 5 inputs: Area to cover, Design cell radius, Cell overlap allowance, Concurrent clients, Target clients per radio. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.