Wi-Fi for warehouses and distribution centres
Scanners that stay connected, even at the back of the aisle and on the forklift. I design and survey Wi-Fi for warehouses, with racking, stock levels and high ceilings in mind.
Why warehouse Wi-Fi is different
A warehouse is one of the hardest environments for Wi-Fi. Metal racking and full pallets block and reflect the signal, ceilings of ten metres or more put the access points far from the floor, and the environment changes every day with the stock. A design that works in an empty building can fall short once the racks are full.
The devices add their own demands. Handheld scanners, vehicle-mounted terminals on forklifts and voice picking move all the time and must roam between access points without a break. Older scanners sometimes only work on 2.4 GHz.
How I design a warehouse
- Placement in or above the aisles, matched to racking height and mounting height
- Directional antennas where omnidirectional ones waste the signal over the racks
- Roaming for scanners and forklifts: 802.11r/k/v where the devices support it, and a minimum signal level per aisle
- A separate 2.4 GHz plan if older devices need it
- Coverage for loading docks, dispatch, offices and the yard
- Access points and enclosures suitable for cold stores and freezers
Measuring with full racks
A predictive design in Ekahau or Hamina is the starting point, but in a warehouse I always measure on site. Preferably with the racks full, and with the same type of scanner your staff use. That way you see where coverage really drops, not where the model thinks it drops.
Already have a network with complaints? Then I start with a validation survey: where do scanners lose the connection, and is it coverage, interference or settings?
Tracking forklifts, roll cages and equipment
With Cisco Spaces and BLE tags you see where forklifts, roll cages or valuable equipment are, on the same Wi-Fi network. That needs a design that accounts for location: enough access points hearing every device.
Frequently asked questions
How many access points does a warehouse need?
It depends on the area, racking height, what is stored in the racks and which devices you use. My free Spaces Designer gives a first estimate; a site survey with full racks makes it final.
Why do our scanners lose the connection?
Usually because of too little overlap between access points in the aisles, scanners that stay on a weak access point for too long, or settings that do not suit older devices. A validation survey shows which of the three it is.
Can we keep the existing network?
Often, yes. Sometimes a few extra access points, different antennas or different settings are enough. I only advise replacement when measurements support it.
Also of interest
Discuss your project
Send me the floor plans and what you want to achieve. You get a scope and a fixed price back.