Compared to indoor wireless networks, outdoor environments have additional requirements to consider when selecting wireless technology. For instance, outdoor wireless networks typically cover larger areas and have specific environmental factors such as trees, elevation, harsh weather, varying network usage, and limited power supply options.

Mesh and Wi-Fi HaLow networks are great solutions for outdoor connectivity, due to their extensive coverage capabilities, flexibility and resiliency, and power consumption. These networks uniquely offer capabilities for many outdoor industrial use cases, including:

• Industrial/Construction Sites: Oil fields, ports/docks, or other industrial sites that are rugged, highly trafficked areas and need to withstand harsh weather conditions. Laying cables are impractical on these sites, where mesh/HaLow networks can be a better option. 
• SmartAG/Agriculture:  Rural areas for farming can extend services using Mesh/HaLow networks. With the high cost of assets that need to be closely monitored and protected, such as wineries or nut farms, smartAG technology is used to collect data to ensure quality and reduce risk.
• Hospitals/Healthcare Facilities: In healthcare, reliable Wi-Fi is crucial for accessing patient records, supporting telemedicine, and connecting various medical devices, Mesh and HaLow systems can provide the necessary coverage and reliability across the facility.

Mesh Networks

Mesh networks are a type of network where each node (router, access point, or device) connects to multiple other nodes. This creates a robust and decentralized network. Mesh setup allows flexible and resilient communication without having to wire everything. HaLow instead uses APs that can propagate signals in large areas. Due to the low-frequency nature of HaLow, the signal can penetrate through objects that would stop traditional Wi-Fi signals providing more even coverage.

The advantages of using mesh networks include: 

• Scalability: Mesh systems provide consistent Wi-Fi across large areas, including hard-to-reach spots where wiring might be impractical. One can also extend the range of the signal by adding new nodes to the network without traditional wires. HaLow may be able to accomplish the same result with a single AP due to its ability to propagate signals over large distances, however, larger systems may require providing both power and network access to each HaLow AP, making it a more difficult proposition.
• Resiliency: This is where mesh systems shine. Mesh nodes connect to multiple others, so if one fails, data can reroute to another, preventing outages. With HaLow, one must use overlapping coverage to try to get the same level of resilience, however, this only works in small to medium systems.
• Ease of installation and cost-effectiveness: Without the need for cabling, a mesh network is generally quicker and less disruptive to ongoing operations to install vs a wired network, which greatly reduces overall cost. It also leverages existing client devices. One downside is that one must still provide power to each mesh radio. With HaLow as a single AP, it provides a large coverage area, and may be the lowest cost solution. However, either HaLow extenders (that bridge Wi-Fi to HaLow) need to be utilized, or each client device needs to be changed to be native HaLow devices, making it less ideal in many retrofits. 
• Mobility and roaming: Users can move around the coverage area with minimal drops in connectivity when a mesh system is tied to fast-roaming, and are well-suited for environments with a high density of mobile devices. HaLow adds the advantage that in many instances, there may be no roaming at all due to the large signal coverage area of a single AP.

Silex’s AP-800AX is a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) compliant industrial access point that is resistant to wireless interference and operates seamlessly using wireless mesh technology without a need for a wired backbone. It has versatile power options and mounting options, and one can easily manage the entire network remotely.  One key consideration for mesh networks is the power system that is required. Mesh requires more power to use than HaLow, which can be limiting for applications that are more remote. However, Wi-Fi HaLow uniquely addresses this limitation with its low power consumption. 

Wi-Fi HaLow

Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) is a low-power, long-range version of Wi-Fi that meets the needs of IoT devices and outdoor network coverage. It operates in sub-1 GHz frequency bands, which offers unique advantages over traditional Wi-Fi in terms of range, power consumption, and signal penetration. 

Some key benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow include: 

• Longer range: Wi-Fi HaLow can provide coverage up to several miles or kilometers in open outdoor areas, which is 10x further than traditional Wi-Fi distances. 
• Enhanced Security: Compared to many traditional 900 MHz technologies, HaLow employs robust encryption standards, strong authentication protocols, and interference-resistant design. Mesh systems utilize the same level of security in most cases.
• Low frequency: Its sub-1 GHz frequency band allows the HaLow signal to travel farther and penetrate through obstacles such as trees and walls. Because it operates on a less crowded frequency band, there is less interference and better overall performance.
• Low power consumption: Optimized for IoT devices, HaLow offers a unique power-saving capability for devices to efficiently run on small coin batteries for a long time.
• Cost-effective: Wi-Fi HaLow’s extended range means fewer access points are required compared to traditional Wi-Fi. This reduces the infrastructure costs and maintenance significantly. 

Wi-Fi HaLow does have a few drawbacks. Lower data rates mean it’s not suitable for applications that require high bandwidth. Also, devices must be compatible with Wi-Fi HaLow technology, which requires either retrofitting legacy devices or utilizing HaLow and Wi-Fi bridges/extenders.

Even so, Wi-Fi HaLow provides a very effective solution for outdoor large-area applications. Silex Technology recently released its AP-100AH Outdoor Bundle and BR-100AH Outdoor Bundle to help customers utilize this technology for their outdoor applications. With Silex’s HaLow offering, Silex offers the longest range and highest transmission power Wi-Fi HaLow module on the market. The new AP/BR-100AH Outdoor Bundle includes the Access Point/Bridge, enclosures, power supplies, and antenna needed to build your HaLow network easily and reliably.