This executive summary comes from Mike Werning Field Application Engineer, Moxa Americas. Find a link to the full paper with 13 tips below.
Wi-Fi is now present everywhere and people have become comfortable using it for just about any application. For example, many systems designers are choosing to move their industrial applications from wired Ethernet to wireless utilizing Wi-Fi. The advantages of moving to a wireless design are numerous. Wireless allows for client devices to be located in difficult to reach areas, and it saves on installation and wiring costs in remote locations. The benefit of not having to re-wire your plant infrastructure when relocating machines on the plant floor is yet another advantage. Finally, it is easy to expand as additional devices are required. There are many different Wi-Fi technologies that can be used in industrial applications. Whether it is an existing application or a new design, an engineer must look at the application requirements to make informed decisions regarding which technology to use. When deciding to move from a wired to a wireless infrastructure, the tips presented in this white paper will help ensure that your design is successful.
Tip 1: Know your application’s throughput requirements.
Knowing the data rate that an application’s client devices will send and receive at is critical for planning the network. This information will be used to determine things like which Wi-Fi technology to use, and how many access points will be required to provide the desired throughput. In a Wi-Fi system, the actual throughput that is available to your application is generally about 50 to 60% of the overall bandwidth of the Wi-Fi technology selected.
This is due to control and management overhead in Wi-Fi systems. If your application needs more than what is available, then the application will not work.
Read the rest with a quick registration here: http://www.moxa.com/doc/white_papers/Moxa_White_Paper—Expert_Tips_for_Planning_an_Industrial_Wireless_Network.pdf
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