Wi-Fi troubleshooting can be a difficult task to handle . The obstacles facing wireless connections often involve the physical hardware itself, and the signal or propagation of the radio waves themselves. Over time systems have been created to monitor these issues, and accurately identify where the problem lies, but determining this prior to installation can be tricky. Warehouses are unique for Wi-Fi installations as the square footage tends to be huge, and there are tons of items that can potentially block the wireless signal.

Going a bit more in-depth into these issues, signal absorption (this goes by many names, signal shattering, signal interference), is a frequent issue during Wi-Fi installations due to metal beams and other solid objects, and nowhere is this more common than in a warehouse. The reality is that a lot of warehouses tend to be consistent in what they are storing, a food warehouse storing food, let’s say nuts, is not going to be storing furniture next week, and vice versa. Without getting into the solution too much, a reliable, scalable design is created to deal with the specific circumstances at hand (See “Slice Warehouse Solution” post for more information on how to deal with poor warehouse connection).

This may seem self-explanatory, the more ‘stuff’ there is, the more likely that signal absorption will occur,  but it’s not that simple Of the two examples previously discussed, you would think that the bulky furniture warehouse would have more interference than the small nuts, But as it turns out, the nuts warehouse has more interference for a multitude of reasons, and this is why warehouse installations are so complex. First, who knew nuts absorb a lot of wireless signal?  As it turns out, their shape and water absorption (found in a lot of produce) create a bullet in the sand effect. Produce also tends to be stacked high, and it creates the same effect of having thick, thick, walls. What’s unique to each warehouse is the network signal flow, and how freely it is able to travel.

These are just two specific examples of how warehouse installations can be difficult. There are a plethora of issues that arise during any installation, and warehouses unique height, sheer size, and changing arrangement of items within, create particular issues that require proper knowledge. Slice is here to resolve these issues! And if you’d like to have them help you, click HERE.

Check out our post on ‘Why Warehouses Need The Slice Wi-Fi Expertise“