How to Use FS Wireless Products to Build Warehouse WiFi Solutions

Wireless isn't just for home offices and mid-to-large businesses. Wireless technology in the warehouse improves inventory accuracy, operational efficiency and productivity throughout the supply chain. Costly investments in supply chain technology such as barcode/RFID scanners, readers, labels, printers, mobile computers and other handheld or portable devices used to increase productivity require full Wi-Fi coverage for warehouse environments.

Why is Warehouse WiFi Important?

The systems and tools you're missing out on by not having WiFi at all could be holding your business back. Leaving customers with delayed, missed or inaccurate orders due to warehouse errors. This can help your team process more orders per day and reduce the error rate to almost zero compared to manual processes, so strong WiFi is a must to make it work.

Secondly, Having poor quality WiFi can lead to black spots in your warehouse. Meaning any digital systems or tools you do have can end up not working in certain areas - making them a waste of money in some cases.

So how well your warehouse performs and how good of an experience you give your customers are greatly influenced by the quality of WiFi you have.

4 Common Problems in Warehouse Wi-Fi

Too Many or Too Few Access Points

Having a large number of access points creates as many problems as not having enough access points. Too many access points can cause devices connected to the network to confuse which access point they should be connected to, so channel selection is limited. Due to the limited channel selection, another problem is easily caused, which is called "co-channel interference". This type of interference occurs when access points step on each other and are detrimental to network performance.

Incorrect access point location

Access point (AP) placement at suboptimal locations or heights (often both) is one of the most common problems with warehouse WiFi networks. The warehouse has high ceilings. The wireless signal above the top of the rack is of no use, the signal bounces and reflects, causing worse wireless signal in other areas. Sometimes it is better to lower the access point to keep the signal within one isle, then add another access point to the next isle. Unlike an office, installing access points in the ceiling is probably not the best idea.

Incorrect Antenna Type

Most access points have one of two types of antennas -- directional or omnidirectional. Directional sends a more focused RF signal. Sends a 360-degree signal omnidirectionally over a wider area and is the most commonly used antenna in warehouse applications. Most omnidirectional APs don't provide good coverage above a certain heights. But in warehouses they are usually installed on ceilings 8-16 meters high, Omni-directional antennas may only provide good coverage of the upper shelves and not be able to reach devices near the floor. In this case, a directional antenna may provide better coverage, or the access point may need to be relocated to a more open area of the warehouse so the signal can reach further afield.

Electromagnetic Interference

Many warehouses have conveyor systems or other equipment that cause electromagnetic interference on your network. If you’ve got an AP positioned near equipment like this you will have to fight back with additional coverage.

Basic Needs of Warehouse WiFi Network

Full coverage, no signal blind area: the shelves are high and there are many goods, and the signal shielding between channels is relatively serious, so it is necessary to ensure signal stability；

Roaming "zero" packet loss: link soft handover technology, low delay, no packet loss；

High reliability in harsh environments: Protection IP68 rated, which can meet the requirements of stable operation in extreme environments;

Support cloud centralized management: Convenient for multiple branch warehouses, reducing operation and maintenance costs;

Cost-effective: industry-level product quality, high cost performance.

FS Warehouse WiFi Solution and Highlights

What kind of solution can meet the needs of warehouse WiFi network? Here we provide a full solution including the network topology, product features and parameters.

Tips for deploying this network topology:

• High shelf area: Install one FS AP-T567 every 1~2 shelves. The maximum coverage distance of this directional AP is 150m. According to the deployment requirements of the site environment, by adjusting the inclination angle of the equipment, it can perfectly cover the shelf aisle.

• Low shelf area and packing area: APs are placed at equal intervals horizontally and vertically, with an interval of about 30m. FS AP-N515 is installed on the ceiling, and the installation height is controlled at 3-5 meters from the ground. If the overall height of the warehouse is high, the boom installation method can be used.

PS: The low-density, low-shelf cold storage area can be replaced by an outdoor model due to environmental requirements: FS AP-T565, and the installation method is the same.

• The distance between APs in the warehouse office area is recommended to be 15-20 meters. The warehouse office area is relatively narrow and there are multiple office areas that are not connected. It is necessary to deploy one AP-N505 or AP-N515 device in different small areas to achieve Wi-Fi signal full coverage, support 802.1kvr to achieve "zero" loss roaming.

Which product should I choose to build the hotel WiFi network?

Here is a list which includes FS devices for reference: