FREE · NETWORK & IT INFRASTRUCTURE
Wi-Fi Access Point Calculator.
Estimate how many Wi-Fi access points a space needs for coverage, throughput and device count, with PoE and switch-port hints.
Realistic shared airtime throughput, far below the marketing PHY rate.
- For coverage
- 10 1,500 m² ÷ 150 m² (Office with partitions and meeting rooms)
- For throughput
- 2
- For device count
- 9
- Wi-Fi devices
- 300
- Peak Wi-Fi traffic
- 720 Mbps
- Switch ports and PoE
- 10 ports · 802.3at PoE (class 4)
- Rules of thumb only. Walls, ceilings, interference and antenna types change coverage a lot; a predictive or on-site survey is the reliable way to place access points.
- In dense areas, prefer more APs at lower transmit power on 20/40 MHz channels in 5 GHz (and 6 GHz where allowed), rather than fewer APs at full power.
- Regulatory channels and power limits differ by country.
How to use Wi-Fi Access Point Calculator
Enter the area, environment, people and devices, the throughput per active device and the access point standard. The largest of the three results is recommended.
How it works
Coverage = area ÷ typical cell area for the environment. Throughput = active devices × rate ÷ realistic AP throughput. Device count = devices ÷ maximum devices per AP. Growth headroom applies to the last two.
Example
1,500 m² of partitioned office with 150 people and 2 devices each needs about 10 Wi-Fi 6 access points, limited by coverage.
Questions about Wi-Fi Access Point Calculator
Is Wi-Fi Access Point Calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes. This tool is free to use in your browser without an account. Processing takes place on your device.
What are the limits and what should I check?
Rules of thumb only; a predictive or on-site survey is needed for a final design. Regulatory channels and power vary by country. Everything is calculated in your browser; nothing is sent or probed on the network. Review the result before using it in your work.
Is my input sent to a server?
Your input is processed in your browser and is not uploaded by this tool. Files and pasted text are cleared when the page is refreshed. Normal website requests are still required to load the page and its libraries. Read the privacy explanation.