A site survey is a process of testing and documenting the wireless coverage, performance, and interference in a specific area12.
A site survey can help identify the optimal locations, orientations, and configurations for the wireless access points (APs), antennas, and other devices12.
A site survey can also help troubleshoot issues related to latency and drops in coverage, by measuring the signal strength, noise level, channel utilization, and other factors that affect the wireless network quality12.
A site survey is usually performed before deploying a wireless network, but it can also be done after the deployment to verify the network performance or to diagnose any problems12.
A site survey is the FIRST step to troubleshoot the issues in this scenario, because it can provide a comprehensive overview of the wireless network status and reveal any potential causes of the issues12.
The other options are not the first step to troubleshoot the issues, because they are either more specific or less effective than a site survey:
B . Reviewing the AP placement is a part of a site survey, but it is not enough to troubleshoot the issues, because it does not account for other factors, such as interference, channel utilization, or signal attenuation12.
C . Monitoring channel utilization is a way to check the amount of traffic and congestion on a wireless channel, which can affect the latency and throughput of the wireless network3. However, it is not the first step to troubleshoot the issues, because it does not provide information about the signal strength, noise level, or AP placement12.
D . Testing cable attenuation is a way to measure the loss of signal power as it travels through a cable, which can affect the wireless network performance4. However, it is not the first step to troubleshoot the issues, because it only applies to the wired part of the network, and it does not account for other factors, such as interference, channel utilization, or AP placement12.
Reference:
1: Wireless Troubleshooting - N10-008 CompTIA Network+ : 5.4
2: CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Full Course for Beginners - Wireless Troubleshooting
3: Channel Utilization - N10-008 CompTIA Network+ : 3.3
4: Cable Testing - N10-008 CompTIA Network+ : 1.3