Wifi router recommendations

[dwoodlock]

Have a project coming up which will use a tablet HMI in addition to the two fixed panels.

Curious if anyone has a tablet/router/AccessPoint combo they would recommend?

Doesn't seem to matter if I use IOS or Android based on my testing performed last night.

Have experience with home router stuff, but first time utilizing for industrial system.

 

[lfe]

A device to act as a router/AP must connect to a higher level network via Ethernet cable or fiber optics, and tablets, as a mobile device, do not have these connections, nor the ability to route connections.

You should install a router/WiFi similar to those at home, but perhaps industrial grade.

 

[numberfluffer]

I have been doing quite a few systems like you are describing and I was simply not convinced that an 'industrial' wifi radio needed to be $600+. They come with a ton of functions that simply were not useful to me when all I needed was just wireless access to the HMI.


I have been using eXor's hardware. The ex7XX line has a builtin wifi radio that made the setup less painful.


The eX7 gave me the controller, one hardware HMI and the wifi radio for the wireless HMI. Then I use just an industrial webpanel for the other 'remote' HMI.


The Jmobile software lets you make HMIs specific to the user (login), the user agent(tablet, phone, etc etc).

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

I like Synology. I use their NAS too. The software is similar between the router and the NAS.

I hate net gear. My Nighthawk would just go off line and the software was horrible.

 

[dmroeder]

I hate net gear. My Nighthawk would just go off line and the software was horrible.

That is why I only buy routers that support DDWRT firmware. My current router with DDWRT had 530 days of uptime until someone hit a power pole near us and took power out. From the day I flashed the firmware until the power went out, zero reboots.

 

[dwoodlock]

I have been doing quite a few systems like you are describing and I was simply not convinced that an 'industrial' wifi radio needed to be $600+. They come with a ton of functions that simply were not useful to me when all I needed was just wireless access to the HMI.


I have been using eXor's hardware. The ex7XX line has a builtin wifi radio that made the setup less painful.


The eX7 gave me the controller, one hardware HMI and the wifi radio for the wireless HMI. Then I use just an industrial webpanel for the other 'remote' HMI.


The Jmobile software lets you make HMIs specific to the user (login), the user agent(tablet, phone, etc etc).

Interesting, had never heard of them, but they are like 10 miles from me.

 

[Ken Roach]

I strongly prefer Ubiquiti and MikroTik WiFi gear. In particular the MikroTik metal-case outdoor access points are rugged, simple, reliable, and inexpensive.

https://mikrotik.com/product/RBMetalG-52SHPacn

What you choose for a mobile/tablet HMI is a much broader question. I have used embedded web pages (S7-1500) and "mobile ready" HMI apps like Indusoft Web Studio, and been disappointed with how scaling works, or features that are not obviously omitted from the mobile application.

Will your fixed stations be traditional HMI panels, or PC's ?

Do you anticipate using the tablet as an independent HMI, or basically as a remote access to one or both of the fixed stations ?

Mobile tablets get smashed or stolen frequently. I would buy a mass-market Android device with a rubberized case and just buy several.

 

[dwoodlock]

This will be a codesys derived system using webvisu, so the controller will basically host a webserver runtime, and HMI's and tablets will connect to the controller webserver through a web address and be able to interact as needed so long as they are on the same network.

If the tablet gets smashed, go to Walmart/best buy and get another for 200$ or more or less depending on what you prefer and connect to the Wi-Fi network and you're back online interacting. No loading of runtimes or licensing, or transferring recipes etc. Controller holds it all, and HMI devices just access it.

As far as the HMI fixed panels, they will access the controller in the same way, just physically different. 3 tablets would ultimately be the most cost-effective route to go, but if 2 of them would be plugged in all the time, and batteries don't generally like that, so it's a matter of what will work most reliably over time.

I tested the functionality with my RPI and codesys runtime last night sort of as a test drive, and it seems it will work as I say, but ultimately, we shall see. 30 minutes to make a simple web runtime and connect to it and interact was pretty good imo.

 

[tlf30]

I really like the ubiquiti routers. They are so cheap that if one dies it does not matter, just put in a new one.

 

[Ken Roach]

I did an S7-1500 embedded webserver HMI recently and the customer has a whole plan to use Class 1 Div 2 Windows 10 IoT tablets that cost a couple grand each.

I sent them an Amazon Fire 8, reconditioned off Woot for thirty bucks, with the Amazon account disabled and the Silk browser set up to access the PLC by default. Wrote "TESTING ONLY" on the back with a heavy Sharpie.

Periodically they complain that their Win10 tablets are configured by their IT department to require specific types of security certificates from even a simple webserver, and I have not found a way to resolve that for them.

 

[dwoodlock]

I did an S7-1500 embedded webserver HMI recently and the customer has a whole plan to use Class 1 Div 2 Windows 10 IoT tablets that cost a couple grand each.

I sent them an Amazon Fire 8, reconditioned off Woot for thirty bucks, with the Amazon account disabled and the Silk browser set up to access the PLC by default. Wrote "TESTING ONLY" on the back with a heavy Sharpie.

Periodically they complain that their Win10 tablets are configured by their IT department to require specific types of security certificates from even a simple webserver, and I have not found a way to resolve that for them.

Yeah, keep folks outside the controls/maintenance dept out of it if you can is a good way to go lol.

In my previous life I did some projects with s7-1200, but never had reason or inspiration to work with the web server, was it pretty straightforward to setup? sounds like it works fine for them.

I was pretty impressed with the codesys one, just waiting to see where the downfall was. Only thing I didn't like too much last night was the scaling from my iPhone vs my pc was definitely a little off, but I didn't even attempt to try and clean it up as I was just impressed it worked so easily and this was after work hours anyway.

 

[Jeev]

If you are dealing with a site that has it's own IT, and that system has a site/outward facing connection then I would provide your requirements to IT and let them supply the solution. Too many organisations have too many specific requirements on networks to go throwing some half-baked consumer WiFi solution on their network. Let IT do IT and draw a line in the sand for OT.

If you have no strict IT requirements on site or the machine is an island then +1 for what Ken suggested. I would do a quick WiFi analysis in the area (Lots of Apps and programs to do this) to make sure you aren't going to have any issues with interference or blackspots.

I strongly prefer Ubiquiti and MikroTik

 

[Tinine]

This is my go-to but there are other models.


Craig

 

[lfe]

Regarding the WiFi router, in my last job there were years of WiFi coverage problems in the industrial warehouse due to the IT department insisting on using office access points such as HP Aruba that do not work well in industrial environments.

The problem is related to signal bouncing which generates shadow areas.

On industry space industrial access points equipped with antenna diversity should be used, which minimizes the problem of bounces, and if the entire area can be covered with a single access point, the better.