Wifi Enclosure Selection

[Tim Ganz]

I need an enclosure for wifi access points that will be outdoors. The antennas will mount outside the box but everything else inside. Standard wifi enclosure is not large enough so trying to determine if best to go with steel, stainless, pvc or fiberglass or does it not matter since my antenna will mount outside?

Thinking of making antenna come out the bottom vs the top so there can never be any water entry even if the antenna seal fails in the future?

 

[mendonsy]

One thing you might consider in selecting the enclosure is weather conditions. PVC or Fiberglass would provide better cold weather insulation but stainless would be better when exposed to the sun.

Making the connections through the bottom of the enclosure would be best.

 

[mk42]

If I had my druthers, I'd say the less metal near the wireless the better, but environmental conditions would trump that concern.

Agree that bottom would probably be a good idea, with the caveat that you need to make sure it's appropriate for your antenna's radiation pattern.

 

[James Mcquade]

Tim,

i would look for line of sight units. i used Ubiquiti that was almost 150 yards apart. we did have a power spike that took out the unit.
i replaced it with the same model and put in a new surge protector and is hasn't stopped in 5 years
james

 

[Tim Ganz]

Tim,

i would look for line of sight units. i used Ubiquiti that was almost 150 yards apart. we did have a power spike that took out the unit.
i replaced it with the same model and put in a new surge protector and is hasn't stopped in 5 years
james

James

This will be a mesh network that is intended to support mobile HMI (tablets) around the plant with multiple mesh nodes about 15 nodes across the site.