Sensing installed orientation of an antenna or access node in a wireless digital network. According to one aspect of the invention, an orientation sensor such as a 2 or 3 axis accelerometer is provided in the access node. The orientation sensor may be attached to the access node housing, directly or through a substrate, attached to the main logic board of the access node, or may be mounted to an antenna. The orientation sensor may be mounted to the same substrate as is used to form an antenna, or may be mounted on a separate substrate. When associated with an antenna, such as the orientation sensor on the same substrate as the antenna, or co-located with the antenna such as inside the same package, the orientation of the antenna may be sensed. Orientation data on the access node and/or antenna may be transmitted to the controller for the access node, and/or to clients of the access node. This orientation information may be used for example to verify or validate installation and positioning, for example comparing the actual orientation to the desired orientation as stored in a database. The orientation information may be used in modeling and/or displaying access node coverage. In access nodes with selectable antennas, the orientation information may be used to switch antennas.