Few things frustrate a superintendent faster than arriving at a new site to find that the internet does not work. Plans are on the tablet, but the tablet cannot download them. Daily logs cannot sync. Cameras are offline. The fix usually takes days because nobody checked before the trailer showed up.
A short connectivity survey before mobilization prevents most of this. It does not need special equipment, just a checklist and a few phone calls.
Step One: Know What the Site Needs
Different sites have different demands. Before surveying, list the needs:
- Number of people on site at peak and what devices they use
- Cloud software that must work in real time, such as plan viewing and field reporting
- Large file transfers: model downloads, photo uploads, drone imagery
- Cameras, access control, or telemetry that must stay online
- Voice and video calls with the office or owner
- Any equipment that requires a persistent connection, such as monitoring or machine control
A ten-person trailer with plans and logs has different needs than a 200-person project streaming camera feeds.
Step Two: Check Coverage Options
Cellular
Ask carriers about coverage, but do not rely on the map alone. Better evidence is an on-site test with the actual device you plan to use. Test at the planned trailer location, at several times of day, and at the height where the antenna will mount. Note signal quality and real throughput, not just bars.
Satellite
Satellite service requires a clear view of the sky. Walk the site and note trees, buildings, cranes, and anything that will be built that may block the view later. A location that works in the first month may not work after steel goes up.
Fixed Service
If the site is near existing fiber, cable, or fixed wireless, ask about installation timelines and cost. Long lead times are common for temporary service, so ask early.
Plan for a second path. A primary and backup connection, such as cellular plus satellite, keeps the site running when one fails.
Step Three: Plan Power
Network gear needs reliable power. Ask:
- Will the trailer have grid power on day one, or generator only?
- Is there battery backup for the router and switch?
- What happens to equipment when the generator is refueled or power is cycled?
A small uninterruptible power supply on network gear is cheap protection against a lot of mysterious outages.
Step Four: Choose Mounting and Placement
Antennas perform better when mounted high and away from metal obstructions. Decide in advance where equipment will go, how cables will run, and how it will be secured against weather, theft, and equipment traffic. A router on a desk inside a metal trailer is a common cause of weak signal.
Step Five: Plan the Security Setup
Treat the jobsite network as a hostile environment. Decide before arrival:
- Separate networks for company devices, guests and subcontractors, and cameras or IoT devices
- Strong, unique administrative credentials, not factory defaults
- A standard configuration for the router so every site is built the same way
- A way to monitor and manage the equipment remotely
- Rules for what subcontractors may connect
Step Six: Confirm Responsibility
Decide who orders service, who tests it, who is called when it fails, and who pays. Write the support contact in the superintendent's mobilization packet, along with the site's circuit information and equipment location.
Test Before You Declare Success
On arrival, run speed and latency tests, verify the failover works by disconnecting the primary link, and confirm cloud apps perform. Save the results. If performance later degrades, you have a baseline.
Let Us Help
Ironfield Cyber helps contractors standardize jobsite network kits, plan connectivity, and support field teams. If you mobilize several sites a year, a repeatable survey and build process saves time on every one.