wireless networking setup for a large warehouse?

[xcwilson]

Does anyone have experience with Wifi Access Points? I need to wire for some in a warehouse 40,000 sq ft.

[Geek-9pm]

Welcome to CH

You may need to AP (Access Points). Depends on density.
Some 4000 square feet is not so big. How many mobile devices would You u have? Does it have a high ceiling? Is it a steel structure? Is the warehouse inventory very dense? Like very big boxes. with very little open space? Is this a warehouse with a slow moving inventory? A storage rather that a staging area?  Storage only areas tend to be very dense and hard no cove with one AP.

Can you make a preliminary tour? Put a wireless router in a  elevated place and then walk around with a mobile device, like a tablet, ans see if you get good reception in different areas

[xcwilson]

Did you mean 2 access points? Also, its 40,000 sq ft. not 4000. 10 mobile devices. 30' ceiling. I didn't see any steel. Lots of big boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling with maybe a foot clearance. It's more of a storage area.

Thanks!!

[Geek-9pm]

40,000 feet?   
Sorry, have trouble with big numbers. That's why I am broke most of the time.

Yeah, low ceiling,  dense storage. It will be a chore.  WI-FI does not penetrate well in a large area with high density stuff. Mostly because the low power levels used.  You may want to use another technology.**

What kind of data speeds?  Is this video surveillance?  Voice only? Or just telemetry? Why can't you just wire the  whole thing. Are these devices to be carried by persons?

Lew-cost wireless surveillance cameras have a range of about 200 feet  if there is line of sight or very low density obstructions.

** If it is voice communication, just go with commercial walkies-talkies which are VHF and have long range and good n penetration.

[WillyW]

40,000 feet?   
Sorry, have trouble with big numbers. ...

If it helps, consider it to be one acre.   An acre is 43,560 sq. ft.

Yeah, low ceiling,  dense storage. It will be a chore.  WI-FI does not penetrate well in a large area with high density stuff. Mostly because the low power levels used.  You may want to use another technology.**

I wonder what the configuration of his building is?     It is possible that it might not be all that great a distance.

...
Lew-cost wireless surveillance cameras have a range of about 200 feet  if there is line of sight or very low density obstructions.
...

Depending on how his building is laid out, it could be that 200 feet is what he has - max. 
(200 x 200 = 40,000 sq. ft )
It just might work for him.
In other words, his best bet might be to try it, and find out.

[Geek-9pm]

The OP needs to tell us what is doing.

If  it is Wireless Inventory Control, there is equipment on the market that does that kind of thing. But using Wi-Fi for that does not do well in a large area where this is a lot of big boxes and selves full of stuff.

Wireless Inventory is often done with 900 MHz RF. It can cover a million square feet.  Wireless Inventory is a form of  telemetry, or Low-speed data. Not much power is needed. But reliability is important.

But video cameras are tough. You need bandwidth and some power for a clear picture. Unless you go digital video.

Voice communication not a problem.

[xcwilson]

Thanks!

This will be for forklift drivers and laptops. No cameras.

[gjmay12]

put your WAP's on the walls and not the ceiling since there is not much space from the boxes to the top of ceiling. If you only have four walls then probably no more than eight, two on each wall. put them at least halfway up maybe a little further, this should give your fork drivers good access to the WAP's

[immental1200]

Check our aerohive.

They have tools such as a network planner, you can see how many access points you will need.

They will also refund all the costs if your not happy with the signal range.

http://www.aerohive.com/