Scanning API - BLE compatible beacons and theft prevention

[rrocha]

Hello friends,  I know that the Scanning API is a functionality that enable the Access point to read third party BLE beacons information’s.

Generally I can see that today the market is adopting two standards, the EddgyStone(google) and iBeacon(apple), correct ? So both standard are supported in Meraki ?

Second If I need to deploy something like RFID theft detection/prevention, like the antenna portals that is placed in the exit of stores, is possible to build the same with independent BLE readers that pass the information via wireless or ethernet to Meraki or I need another server that capture this group of independents BLE reader information and pass to my server application ?

Third, can I do that with deploying Meraki access points only or I really need the independent readers to bring more flexibility for the captures with shorts delays and information with signal strength include?

Forth, the physical positioning is the same for the RFID antenna portals ? Like In all exit I should deploy a Meraki access point in the center of the door, and when a tag starting sending its information with a strong signal, should I start a alarm that bleeping something ,it that correct ? Or there is a better way to do it ?

[PhilipDAth]

I don't think I would use Meraki BLE for this application.  It is aimed more around hyper-location accuracy.

Standard beacons would not be of use, as they emit their beacons too slowly.

You can get these things called "exciters" that you put on doorways.  They excite the token to give out a beacon immediately.

I haven't played with this stuff in a long time so can't offer any suggestions on products sorry.

[BrechtSchamp]

According to the docs it's supporting iBeacon specifically. No mention of EddyStone, but a software update may very well add it in the future.

RFID tags are very cheap, and are passive so they don't require a battery, but they have a very short range, that's why the big antenna panels are needed near the exits.

BLE beacons on the other hand will be more expensive and have a limited battery life, they do have more range.

I'm afraid that for those reasons, for your use case, BLE may not be the right choice.

If you do decide to go forward with it, you'll need 3rd party software (a server) to interpret the data from the scanning API. No need for separate BLE readers. The APs can track the location of tags. 

The scanning API also has a delay, which makes it even less suitable for anti-theft purposes, by the time 3rd party software receives the information from the scanning API, the thief will likely be long gone.