Mobile Users
Data collection users are also highly mobile users
. That is the
advantage of the wireless data collection device. It enables the end user to
freely roam throughout the facility and scan items instead of having to carry
the item to a scanner that is attached to a fixed terminal. Coverage must not
have holes and must have enough overlap between APs to offer truly transparent
roaming.
Highly Mobile Users
Some data collection devices are
mounted to forklifts, which can move throughout the facility very quickly. A
driver may scan a barcode and then enter the quantity while driving away. Take
into consideration that the forklift driver does not understand the technology
and usually does not want to. The driver simply wants a system that works. By
providing the most seamless coverage possible, a WLAN designer will ensure that
the application will have fewer problems and work successfully.
The use
of mobile IP should be avoided for seamless roaming
. A
constant IP subnet for the client is required. It is possible, however, to
extend coverage for a client without deploying an AP connected to the same
broadcast domain. This can be accomplished by a second AP in repeater mode.
This configuration can extend the coverage of the first AP if wiring is not
available for the second AP. When APs are deployed as repeaters, the client
association is really with the wired or the root AP. The client association is
not with the AP acting like a repeater. Inside buildings, Ethernet connections
are generally easily available. However, one use of the repeater configuration
is to extend APs from the building edge to the surrounding outdoor portions of
the building for temporary use. For example, one customer may use repeater mode
APs to extend coverage into the parking lot during spring sales for a store.