Methods of planning network provisioning that incorporate real-world measurements of signal quality into simulations of signal quality under alternative configurations. In one embodiment, the disclosure includes a method of determining placements for access points in a wireless network, comprising ingesting a floor plan for a deployment site, determining initial placements for the access points, determining placements for sensors, each sensor configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one access point, measuring a signal metric for each sensor, based at least in part on the measured signal metric for each of the sensors, simulating a projected coverage map for a plurality of alternate placements for the access points, determining an placement of the access points, and presenting, to a user, the placement of the plurality of access points.

A system for operating a physical measuring chain includes a plurality of physical measuring components at a measuring location. Each of the physical measuring components includes at least one physical sensor, at least one physical transmission means and at least one physical evaluation unit. An identification code is detected of each physical measuring component, and a data network transmits detected identification codes to a data processing unit located remote from the measuring location. The data processing unit includes at least one software and measuring component data. The software reads out measuring component data for transmitted identification codes and thereby generates a digital measuring chain including at least one digital sensor, at least one digital transmission means and at least one digital evaluation unit and the data network transmits the digital measuring chain to a computer unit at the measuring location.

A system for operating a physical measuring chain includes a plurality of physical measuring components at a measuring location. Each of the physical measuring components includes at least one physical sensor, at least one physical transmission means and at least one physical evaluation unit. An identification code is detected of each physical measuring component, and a data network transmits detected identification codes to a data processing unit located remote from the measuring location. The data processing unit includes at least one software and measuring component data. The software reads out measuring component data for transmitted identification codes and thereby generates a digital measuring chain including at least one digital sensor, at least one digital transmission means and at least one digital evaluation unit and the data network transmits the digital measuring chain to a computer unit at the measuring location.