Stay ConnectedManufacturing and industrial environments provide their own unique
challanges for wireless communications. Harsh conditions, both indoors and
out, create a daunting task for engineers work through. This is where we
come to discuss those challenges, share ideas and help one another out.
My name is Scott McNeil and welcome to the Industrial Wi-Fi Shop
IWS Episode 18 Show Notes – The Magic of BLE!
Free 3D Printer Plans!
Upcoming Events!
METAGEEK UPDATE NEWS:
The Basics of Bluetooth
Handy spectrum reference, Bluetooth channels included.
https://spectrum.potatofi.com/
Class 3
Class 2
Class 1.5
Class 1
Key Points
All about BLE (in general)
How BLE Works
BLE employs two main channel selection algorithms for frequency hopping:
1. Algorithm #1 (CSA #1)
2. Algorithm #2 (CSA #2)
Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH)
How It Works
| Feature | Algorithm #1 (CSA #1) | Algorithm #2 (CSA #2) |
| Introduction | Original BLE spec | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Selection Method | Incremental, deterministic | Pseudo-random, more secure |
| Randomization | None | Yes |
| Interference Avoidance | Basic | Improved |
| Current Usage | Legacy devices | Modern BLE devices |
Key Takeaways
General questions about Aunex BLE
Do the Dataeagle series of radios use BLE as per the standard set forth by the Bluetooth SIG or do they modify it in any fashion?
How does Aunex get such crazy ranges/distances out of BLE?
What kind of latency do you see for data transport?
What other products
If you would like to connect with Tobias or learn more about his employer, Aunex, then check the following:
Tobias Meyer – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobimeyer/
Aunex Inc. – https://aunex.io/en-us/
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
Free 3D Printer Plans!
Upcoming Events!
On With The Show…
The Breakdown
Important links
If you would like to connect with Julio or learn more about his employer, NetAlly, then check the following:
Julio Petrovitch – https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-petrovitch-99a050345/
NetAlly – https://www.netally.com/
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
Winners!
Upcoming Events!
NIST In The News!
Growth of Industrial related Wireless communications
The Exactitude Consultancy report on the Industrial Wireless Automation Market, published in April 2025, provides a comprehensive analysis of the market’s current status and future prospects.
https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/51486/industrial-wireless-automation-market
Market Overview:
Market Segmentation:
Key Market Drivers
Importance of Best Practices
Best practices in industrial wireless applications are crucial for several reasons — they ensure reliability, safety, scalability, and long-term maintainability of the system. Here’s a breakdown of why they matter:
Industrial environments are often full of interference (from motors, metal structures, etc.), so best practices help mitigate:
Wireless systems are more vulnerable than wired ones. Best practices enforce:
In industrial environments, failures can be dangerous. For instance, if a sensor signal is lost and a machine doesn’t stop, it could lead to injury or damage. Adhering to best practices ensures:
As operations grow, wireless systems need to:
Standardized practices make diagnosing problems and upgrading systems easier by:
Industries often need to comply with regulations like:
Starting in May, the Industrial Wi-Fi Shop will begin releasing a series of wireless best practices guides. Topics will include everything from CIP Safety over wireless to best practices for radiant coax. Possibly redundant wireless links, iPCF, These resources will be freely available to our audience as a way of giving back to the wireless community that has supported us.
What are some projects or technologies we have been trying out.
WLAN Pi Go/WEPi
Eero Pro/Con
Halowlink mention some of the stuff from slack – tests people have. (enter giveaways, free hardware is awesome)
Data Eagle
Aunex Tobias Meyer
NetAlly TBA
Maybe a different approach to RCoax
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
IWS Episode 15 Show Notes – What’s the Frequency Kenneth?
Last Call!
Upcoming Events!
What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
MetaGeek
Chanalyzer
Eye P.A. / Tonic / Chanalyzer 6
inSSIDer (First scanner I cut my wireless teeth on!)
Oscium
Where did the name “Oscium” come from?
Oscium offers a range of spectrum analyzers designed for wireless professionals, engineers, and field technicians. They also built the Nomad for Hamina Onsite.
For Spectrum Analysis, different dongles support 300–348 MHz and 387–464 MHz (EOL), 900 MHz, dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz for Wi-Fi 6E/7) depending on the model.
Works with iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. APIs available.
Lucid details, the new flagship product.
Hardware Specifications
Integrates with multiple tools, Hamina, WiFi Explorer 3, Chanalyzer Lite and Pro, Chanalyzer 6, Tamograph.
Then it gets cooler, they acquired MetaGeek in October of last year.
Link to the WLAN Pi Go section of WLPC: https://youtu.be/RWSl6EQNBVw?si=zQFBY0799-bNMBju&t=186
Chanalyzer 5 + Wi-Spy User Guide: https://support.metageek.com/hc/en-us/articles/201872824-Chanalyzer-5-Wi-Spy-User-Guide
WLAN Pi Go Intro from WLPC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWSl6EQNBVw&t=186s
Evolution of Spectrum Analysis, David Coleman from WLPC: https://youtu.be/tfbURuNlQeI?si=GwLGnEjrnYpBFK0T
If you would like to know more about our guests, check them out on LinkedIn:
Bryan Lee – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanrlee/
Brian Tuttle – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuttleid/
Oscium – https://oscium.com/
MetaGeek – https://www.metageek.com/
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
Brief announcement:
One of the things we love is sharing information that makes all of our lives easier.
If you need to do multi-channel capture, the Oscium Nomad (Hamina’s WiFi measurement device) has been integrated with Airtool 2 to allow simultaneous capture of up to 4 separate channels. This works in 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz. Airtool also allows Zigbee and BLE capture with appropriate dongles.
https://twitter.com/adriangranados/status/1891628259202240810
https://www.intuitibits.com/products/airtool2/)
Awesome to see vendors open tools to make our lives easier.
Upcoming Events!
Which makes it a perfect segway into our guests today.
What is NearFi?
How does it work?
Use Cases
NearFi Video Links
What is Wireless I/O
How does it work?
Wireless I/O Videos
If you would like to know more about our guests, check them out on LinkedIn:
Justin Shade – https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-shade-a44817b/
Danny Walters – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-walters-37428985/
Phoenix Contact – https://www.phoenixcontact.com/en-us/
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
Welcome to the 1 Year Anniversary episode of the IWS!!
Upcoming Events!
For those not familiar, what is Token Ring?
Additional Information
EchoRing Paper – https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7147716
DECT – https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7269953621620924417
350 m Deployment – https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7280100469970997248
If you would like to know more about our guests, check them out on LinkedIn:
Florian Bonanati – https://www.linkedin.com/in/florianbonanati/
Curtis Combs – https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-combs-148149b3/
Margaret Locascio – https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-locascio-8b37a76/
R3 Solutions – https://www.r3.group/en/
If you would like to connect with Scott or learn more about his employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
Advantech CVE
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/critical-vulnerabilities/
Wireless and 5g impact on smart manufacturing
Cisco CURWB CVE’s
https://thehackernews.com/2024/11/cisco-releases-patch-for-critical-urwb.html
Critical vulnerability in Cisco industrial wireless access points fixed (CVE-2024-20418)
Mobility Field Day 12 Announcement
WiFi and CURWB simultaneously
Drones in manufacturing
Siemens
Phoenix Contact
Waveriders Collective
R3
Fortinet
Aunex
RTLS? Are any listeners deploying this? Send us an email.
Sub Gig
Wi-Fi 7 possibilities in Industry, manufacturing and safety
Oscium/Metageek
old friends
WLAN Pi
WLPC 2025
WiCo
-Chapel Hill NC- 5/14 -Scott presenting on …
-Nashville 5/29- Jeremy possible presentation on CURWB
What’s coming up for the IWS in 2025?
Contact the guys at the Industrial Wi-Fi Shop!
Scott – scott@industrialwifishop.com
Jeremy – jeremy@industrialwifishop.com
R-Coax Deep Dive
High Level
It goes by several names, but most commonly referred to (by me) as leaky coax. You may have heard of:
The standard boiler plate use cases are AGV systems, overhead cranes, rotating machinery, skillet systems, monorails, mining, even tunnels in some cellular applications. We deploy it in these scenarios and also entertainment applications.
This stuff is a pain to get in, stiff and easy to damage if you aren’t careful. Siemens documentation says it has a spatially limited radio link, but the stuff can be detected up to 30 meters away if using enough power from the radio.
The main benefit is that it replaces things like slip rings where constant flexing of ethernet cables leads to wear and failure.
RF Propagation
Installation
There is a ridge on the back side of the transmission surface, which is used to align the cable. Make sure your antenna is on the side of the remote antenna.
Not intended to be mounted directly to surfaces, requires standoffs with a minimum of about 5cm.
Secure with a clip at least every meter. There are metal reinforced clips available for more secure mounting and can be interspersed every 10 meters. YMMV
DO NOT MOUNT CLOSE TO BUS BARS!!!
A 480 bus bar is an electrical connection point that distributes and transports electricity.
SHOEs or Induction of current. Think of a trolley.
<— Wanna hear about how I got shocked?
Some radio vendors recommend overlap, some don’t.
Can be installed outdoors. If it is in danger of being stepped on you can protect with something like cable tray. <— Picked this tip up from some smart guys on a carousel installation
A hacksaw file and a few wrenches is all you really need to put the N-Type connectors on the end. Don’t use snips.
You can also use rubber pipe wrenches to help grip for twisting the cable as you lay it or fix misalignments.
Best Practices
Keep the antenna within 1” to 2 meters, you can get away with a longer distance though. The signal will degrade the further you get away from the cable. If you can reach out and touch the coax, you should be good to go.
Don’t put it in channels.
Check the alignment with the ridge, then check it again every few weeks after initial install make sure it settles into the installation. This stuff will relax after some time.
Don’t get shocked, or do, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Keep it the minimum distance from high voltage rails.
Keep the remote antenna in line with the central axis of the EM field.
Mind the bend radius.
Torque stripe the cable at the clips for easy visual inspection. Do this after the cable has settled.
Don’t install the radio in EX zones (Class1, Div 2 – explosive zones),
cable is passive so treat it like an antenna
Be mindful of common outdoor, corrosive environments and follow the same component sealing best practices.
Not sure about direct burial of this stuff, but it might work.
Typically we only use this as SISO, though it appears ProSoft will allow you to install using two tx chains.
You can dual feed and use something like a UNII-1 and UNII-2 channel to send signals from both ends.
This is an exotic application so be wary of the hardware you use.
Angling antennas slightly improves performance.
Fun Stuff
My most famous project and probably the only one I can talk about with much detail is the Secret Life of Pets ride in Universal Studios Hollywood. Got it in right before Covid locked everything down.
We won an award for this ride.
It is what is referred to as an omni mover. The cable is installed inside the machine guarding and has tons of bends and turns in it.
A few takeaways, not all unions are the same, which is fun. I learned about the delicate nature of sitting around waiting on someone who has no idea what they are doing install hardware while I scream internally. Mostly good people, so don’t take this as a total knock against union workers.
We made some on the fly brackets after the custom client brackets we built hit some stuff in line of travel which wasn’t supposed to be there. Amazing what you can do with bar stock, a bench vise, a step bit, and a hammer.
We got to figure out how to make the Fluidmesh radios work with this cable. So that was fun.
Acceltex Clear Antennas
End of show question
How would you apply RCoax at your site?
How does Fluidity work vs traditional 802.11 communications? Might be a good topic for an upcoming episode.
Links Referenced:
Siemens
ProSoft
Others
If you would like to connect with me or learn more about my employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
If you would like to know more about our guests, check them out on LinkedIn:
Heath Weeks – https://www.linkedin.com/in/heath-weeks-3346a81a/
Gerdau Special Steel – https://gsn.gerdau.com/
If you would like to connect with me or learn more about my employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
If you would like to know more about our guests, check them out on LinkedIn:
Vic Paraenglo – https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorparangelo/
Prosoft Technology wireless products – https://www.prosoft-technology.com/Products/Industrial-Wireless
If you would like to connect with me or learn more about my employer, Global Process Automation (GPA), then check the following:
Scott McNeil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/americanmcneil/
GPA – https://www.global-business.net/
If you would like to connect with Jeremy or learn more about his employer, Prism Systems Inc, then check the following:
Jeremy Baker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyabaker/
Prism Systems Inc – https://www.prismsystems.com/
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