Attenuation over distance for indoor propagation topologies at 2.4 GHz

This work presents an analytical calculation and characterization of attenuation over distance. Based on the mathematical formula of the linear attenuation model, the attenuation over distance (in dB/m) was calculated for a set of indoor propagation topologies where extensive measurements have been performed in the context of wireless channel characterization for the 2.4 GHz frequency. Goodness-of-fit was performed in all cases to provide fitting distributions for the fluctuations of the attenuation over distance based on standard mathematical functions. Subsequent calculated values of attenuation over distance were compared to results derived from published works in other frequencies of interest. In addition, they were related to the topology characteristics and their impact on signal propagation and average path loss. Results confirm the significance of accurate knowledge of attenuation over distance for the wireless channel characterization for any given indoor propagation topology. Furthermore, the current topologies classification can be expanded on the basis of these results to provide more reliable recommendations for link budget parameters. This method can be applied to any frequency of interest as long as respective frequency-dependent losses are taken into consideration.