This is especially critical with the introduction of unmanned equipment (AGV) – the main trend of warehouse automation, where not just stable, but truly resilient Wi‑Fi with reliable coverage of all areas, regardless of the fullness of the racks is required. Standard office Wi‑Fi solutions do not work here – you need a specialized infrastructure designed to take into account the characteristics of storage facilities.
Common warehouse Wi‑Fi problems:
- Blind areas or insufficient coverage that occur in storage areas when the nature of the product changes or the shelving is filled with goods. The situation is aggravated by the fact that it is often difficult to put additional points in such zones.
- Unstable roaming between access points when moving employees with handheld terminals
- Degradation of network performance due to improperly selected equipment or antenna configuration.
Connectum has tested wireless approaches across many projects, including warehouse robotics. Partner test facilities let us evaluate robots and refine network designs for automated warehouses.
An unstable network forces workers to spend more time signing in and reconnecting.
What we do:
1. Wi‑Fi network planning with simulation of expected coverage map
During design, we carry out an RF site survey using professional equipment (Ekahau Sidekick) and test access points temporarily installed at the site to assess coverage. This helps determine access point locations, predict final coverage more accurately and avoid dead zones. Our engineers analyze the RF environment, structural materials and movement routes to build an accurate coverage model, including AGV routes.
Mobility requires separate attention. Standard 802.11r/k/v roaming is not always sufficient for AGVs. Specialized Wi‑Fi clients can provide roaming within 100 ms independently of access point models and features.
2. Supply of equipment
We offer Russian and international equipment and antennas. Some sites can use standard Enterprise access points, for example from Huawei, Aruba and other established Wi‑Fi vendors. However, while Enterprise access points primarily target maximum throughput in high-density environments, warehouses depend more on maintaining client connectivity at low signal levels and amid multiple reflections, as well as supporting AGVs moving continuously around the site. Our portfolio therefore includes solutions designed specifically for warehouses.
3. Installation and commissioning
We install equipment, lay cables, and commission the approved design, taking responsibility for implementation as well as planning.
Examples of our projects:
For Multon Partners beverage plants in Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Samara, and Yekaterinburg, we designed warehouse Wi‑Fi to meet Chestny Znak requirements. Custom antennas manufactured to our specification were used with the customer’s existing Cisco access points.
For a major retailer’s distribution center, we proposed a specialized solution for HikRobot LMR and FMR robots.
Reliable equipment alone cannot deliver high-quality coverage. Even the best hardware will fall short if the network design ignores site conditions and AGV manufacturers’ requirements.
Contact our engineers to discuss digital transformation.