Work out wi fi access point count instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Access point count is the larger of two requirements: enough radios to cover the floor area and enough radios to serve the client count at an acceptable device-per-radio ratio. Modern high-density designs are almost always capacity driven, which means more, lower-powered access points rather than fewer high-powered ones.
AP count
coverage count = ceil(area / coverage per AP); capacity count = ceil(devices / devices per AP); required = max of the two
Twenty-five to fifty for general office use, and fewer where every client streams video. Auditoriums are planned at much lower ratios per radio.
So cells stay small and clients roam to the nearest AP. High power creates large overlapping cells where every client contends with every other on the same channel.