Warehouse deployment: 7.5m ceiling - external antennas?!

[Flavio Boniforti]

Hello there.

I'm about to roll out a WLAN setup for a Warehouse with 7.5m high ceiling and full-height racks for stocking different kind of items (the exact nature is unknown to me).

I was thinking about deploying 1600 Series APs but I'm not sure whether or not to use external antennas or not.

What criterium should I consider the most, assuming that the goal is to have the APs ceiling-mounted and have 2.4 GHz signal from top to bottom?

I took a look at the AIR-ANT2566P4W external antenna, but actually don't know how that should be eventually mounted to achieve my goal.

Any help will be appreciated.

Kind regards,

Flavio.

[Scott Fella]

First off I wouldn't use the 1600's the 3600's is really what's recommended for those areas. The 2600's you can probably get away with.

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[Scott Fella]

Also that antenna is a patch. I would thing that you would use an omni directional. It all depends on what was surveyed.

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[Flavio Boniforti]

Hello Scott.

Thanks for your quick reply.

A couple of questions arise:

why would I need to stick at least with 2600s instead of 1600s (even better if 3600)?

why would you suggest to use omni-directional antennas?

The customer doesn't want to have the site surveyed and the goal is to be able to cover from ceiling to floor with 2.4-GHz band. Handheld wireless barcode scanners will be used.

I thought that it would be better instead of omni-directional antenna, to use some sort of directional antenna: I'd mount the APs on the ceiling between the storage racks.

Thanks for further suggestions and for discussing this with me.

Kind regards,

Flavio.

[Scott Fella]

Well the height isn't bad.. 7.5m you can still get away with the 3602i or 2602i. The 1602's are the low end and isn't really recommended, but I can't tell you what to use:). I have always deployed omni in the last few years and have gotten away from using patch. At that height if you use a patch, the signal will reflect back up. That's why an omni is a better choice. The newer APs have a better down tilt than the older gen APs.

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[Flavio Boniforti]

Hello again Scott.

So the first clear thing to me is that a patch antenna is not recommendet AT THAT HEIGHT because of reflections.

Is there any way to know "how far" the signal from an AP (1600, 2600, 3600) could reach without obstacles?

Thanks and regards,

Flavio.

[Leo Laohoo]

You don't have to let the APs hang off the ceiling.  You can get an Oberon 1029-00 bracket and mount the bracket and AP against the shelves.  It makes easier replacement and maintenance.

How high are the shelves?  How long are the rows of shelves?  What kind of barcode scanners? 

[kristjan.edvardsson]

I have a similar warehouse case. approx 6 meter ceiling mixed with long 2m height hallways. For simplicity

I am looking at this antenna

ant2544v4m and 2602i or even better 3602i APs. I have tested it before in long hallways when it faces up and it has nice performance. I am wondering if it would perform well from drop ceiling in both 6 meter (warehouse) and 2 meter high (hallways connecting warehouse facilities)

[vlad.mihailov]

Patch antennas can be used at the begining of the long hallway to shoot energy along the corridors. Or on such a low ceiling (6 m is not that tall) using regular omni directional antennas will do fine.

[Leo Laohoo]

3600 AP for a warehouse???

Boy, that's an overkill.

For a warehouse, I'd recommend a 2600. 

[Scott Fella]

Haha. Leo... Cisco pushes the 3600 due to how it's built than the 2600's. since its more rugged than the 2600's, I have many large customers who uses the 3600's in their warehouse, factory and distribution centers than the 2600 or the 1600. But of course, money isn't an issue at all.

We use the 3602i's in indoor office area low ceiling areas and the we use the 3602e's in the high ceiling areas.

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[zildj]

When a patch antenna is not an option what would be the aprx max recommended height for a 3602e with short omni dipoles?  It appears the new short dipoles have good down tilt specs?  Thank you

[Jacob Snyder]

The 2600e is less rugged that a 3600e? Odd that they have the same environmental specs. I would like to see that documented from Cisco. Honestly sounds like an excuse to buy a more expensive AP.

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[Scott Fella]

It is the same environmental specs, but they push the 3600's in larger environments. Per their Gen 2 PDF, they push the 1600's for small, 2600 for medium and 3600's for large. So that's how they push the 3600's in many if my warehouse environments. If you have the money, customers would rather have a high end AP for their production than a mid to lower model AP.

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[ALIAOF_]

How do you deal with dead spots in  your warehouse deployments for instance if the products being stacked  on the shelves and moving around on fork lifts are the products that  interfere with the wifi signals, such as Liquids and Glass.  I read  about the Smart Antennas and dynamic beam forming technologies is that  something that Cisco supports as well?  Is Cisco client link 2.0 a similar concept?  Any thoughts?

Thank you.