best business class wifi routers?

[Huff]

Need recommendations for wifi routers to use in an office production floor enviroment. Will need 2 or 3 as plant is 3 open floor areas each about 5,000 sf with 1 wall separating each one. Some of the areas have high numbers of electronic test equipement, machinery etc. so wondering if they would reduce signal quality?

We're looking at using tablets to travel throughout the building to pull up product drawings (pdf's) etc. on the manufacturing floor from our file servers.

Currently our wired network uses all static IP's. There is no DHCP server.

Looking for recommendations for something better than the common low end consumer devices....unless newer models are capable of providing reliable signal in a production floor enviroment?

 

[stevech]

Cisco Aironet. (not LInksys)

 

[thiggins]

And you want access points, not routers.

 

[stevech]

right. One LAN. One router. Many APs.

 

[tipstir]

Need recommendations for wifi routers to use in an office production floor enviroment. Will need 2 or 3 as plant is 3 open floor areas each about 5,000 sf with 1 wall separating each one. Some of the areas have high numbers of electronic test equipement, machinery etc. so wondering if they would reduce signal quality?

We're looking at using tablets to travel throughout the building to pull up product drawings (pdf's) etc. on the manufacturing floor from our file servers.

Currently our wired network uses all static IP's. There is no DHCP server.

Looking for recommendations for something better than the common low end consumer devices....unless newer models are capable of providing reliable signal in a production floor enviroment?

One of the UTC (United Technologies Companies) HS (Hamilton Sundstrand) where I use to work at uses the Cisco Aironet AP in those same type of environmental conditions your working. Based on your department budget you need to get the right ones. These can be leased directly from Cisco. Might be better since they'll come tell what your requirement needs are. Or hire a professional to give you WiFi Survey of your area.

 

[Huff]

And you want access points, not routers.

I need something to act as a DHCP server which I do not have currently.

 

[thiggins]

Some APs have a DHCP server. Or if you repurpose routers as APs, you can use ONE of their servers.

 

[tipstir]

Meraki can give you a free one to use for 3 years plus cloud storage. The only catch is you have to attend their Webnair online. About 1 hour have a business that you own. Then you get one for free. The only issue I see with the Meraki MR12 I have it that in order to use it which requires them to have full access to enter your network and monitor their dumb terminal device. Since it doesn't have the main controller inside. Only functions as AP, Bridge a few other features. But the bandwidth for using it will rob your ISP allocation amount if your on one.

 

[Huff]

Was able to turn on DHCP on our VPN/Firewall which seems to work with a couple old Netgear WG102 AP's I had laying around. It works but the WG102's are very weak signal in our shop area so need something far better for AP's.

Any particular model of the Aironets? Will not be streaming so have no need for high speed, just good reliable signal.

 

[anjaneshbabu]

Fortinet, Ruckus or Aerohive

Fortinet has a range of devices for smb (fortiWifi 20C, Fortiwifi 40 etc) which combines the excellent user friendliness of the fortiOS into a reslient hardware at low costs.
Fotigate (FortiWifi ) units are in effect a fully functioning firewall with Wireless as a bonus. You can add more APs as required using the simplistic and user friendly web interface. All SSID's are treated as a network interface and easy to manage. It also provides a dhcp server if required along with DNS and user control along with tons of features.
http://www.fortinet.com/sites/default/files/basicfiles/ProductMatrix.pdf

Ruckus has a range of kit suitable for moderate to large enterprises.
http://www.ruckussecurity.com/Product-Decision-Matrix.asp

Aerohive has highly scalable kit though their user gudes or customer support is not exactly the best. The controller less model ensures resiliency here.
http://www.aerohive.com/products

Good luck

 

[sfx2000]

Ruckus Wireless

http://www.ruckuswireless.com/

Xirrus

http://www.xirrus.com/

and of course the standby's...

Aruba

http://www.arubanetworks.com/

and Cisco - not Linksys, but the enterprise stuff..

best of luck!