Meraki Access Points (MR36)

[PatriotComm]

I have a question about the Meraki MR36. 99% of my business deals with warehouse wireless. I know in the past; I have used a footprint of 100 & 75' for a single Cisco 2702e for maximum coverage with a little room to bleed over to the next AP. However, my customers are moving to the Meraki APs, I have heard they provide better coverage, but see no real results on a heat map. Does anyone have a general rule-of-thumb as far as engineering a warehouse with a diameter of some type? With the Cisco 2702e's. I have always had great success using a standard 100' diameter footprint. Below is a template I have used for 10+ years with the Cisco 2702e's. Thanks

[alemabrahao]

The Meraki MR36 has a coverage pattern where most of the signal goes sideways, and a bit up and down. This makes it perfect for mounting in offices on the roof where it spreads out sideways along the floor, but doesn't waste energy trying to punch through the floor or go up into the roof.

In a warehouse setting, the coverage might be different due to the high ceilings and the presence of racks. One user reported experiencing low or no coverage in some areas of their warehouse with 32 feet high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling high-density racking. The access points were mounted at ceiling height in the rows between racking.

In such cases, it might be more effective to use access points with directional antennas aimed down each aisle. This can provide better coverage at ground level, which is often where it's needed most in a warehouse setting.

As a rough guide, you might get good results with an access point covering a 30m diameter circle, or 706 m^2.

But, this can vary depending on the specific layout and conditions of your warehouse. It's always a good idea to conduct a site survey to determine the optimal placement and number of access points for your specific environment.

[PatriotComm]

Thank you for the great information! The MR36 has an OMNI antenna built into it correct? I am just the installer, and the customer does the purchasing 🙂 However, at the end of the day, I want to be able to bring to mind the issues they may have post install as a result of their purchase. The 2702e's and even the Aruba 505's were great for this type of warehouse install. I like doing the job right the first time if you know what I mean? 

So, you think a 90' diameter footprint, facing toward the ground, with a 35' ceiling height would be suffice for this scenario?

A single octagon represents a single MR36 mounted in the center of it FYI.

[alemabrahao]

Yes, you’re correct. The Meraki MR36 does have an internal omnidirectional antenna. It’s designed to provide a broad coverage pattern, which is ideal for most office and retail environments.

As you’ve noted, warehouse environments can be more challenging due to factors like high ceilings and the presence of racks.

[PatriotComm]

Can you check my last reply, sorry, I had to edit. Also, I am new to the community and appreciate your assistance, and patience being a noob LOL

[alemabrahao]

It’s great that you’re thinking ahead about potential issues. Doing the job right the first time is indeed the best approach!

So, I believe that the best thing to do in this case would be an active Site Survey.

Based on this information, a predictive website survey is not the best option.

[alemabrahao]

A 90’ diameter footprint with the access point facing towards the ground and a 35’ ceiling height could potentially work for your scenario. However, it’s important to note that the actual coverage can vary greatly depending on factors such as the layout of the warehouse, the materials used in the construction, the presence of obstacles, and the type of wireless devices being used.

In a warehouse environment, the signal can be affected by the high ceilings and the presence of racks. Access points with directional antennas might provide better coverage in such cases.

It’s always a good idea to conduct a site survey to determine the optimal placement and number of access points for your specific environment. This can help ensure that you provide sufficient coverage and capacity for your wireless clients.

[PatriotComm]

Well, here's my challenge: The customer sends me the building diagrams, I build a Visio diagram and use the overlay (above honeycomb layout) I have used for 10+ years (has worked perfect). All of this is complete BEFORE the building is even constructed. Then, they have an idea of how many APs they need to purchase. Once the building is complete, I take my crew and go do the actual install. With new build outs, I don't have the option to do any type of real site survey unfortunately. Using the Cisco 2702e made it easy, now they are switching gears and they have no clue what the difference are between the MR36 and the 2702e patterns, therefore, I am doing the research FOR them LOL.

[alemabrahao]

In your place, I would use a more professional tool to make the prediction since it is not possible to carry out the Survey on site.

For example Ekahau. There are many variables and at least with a tool like this you can do some simulations and get a result that is a little closer to reality.

[alemabrahao]

The Meraki MR36 and the Cisco 2702e have different antenna patterns due to their design and intended use cases.

The Meraki MR36 uses an internal omnidirectional antenna. It’s designed to provide a broad coverage pattern, which is ideal for most office and retail environments

The Cisco 2702e uses a modular design that allows for a variety of antenna options, including directional antennas. This makes it more versatile and adaptable to different environments. For example, in a warehouse setting with high ceilings and long aisles, a directional antenna might provide better coverage.

[PatriotComm]

This is ironic, but I just got word from the customer that they are actually going with the MR44. From what I have researched, they are intended for more of a warehouse scenario. They said that the MR44 will be more like the 2702e as opposed to the MR36 that would be, like you said, a retail or office environment. I just hope that for the virtual surveys, I can keep using my honeycomb / 100' diameter footprint. It can be difficult doing blind surveys. Thanks for your patience!!!

[PatriotComm]

Do you know much about the MR44? Is it comparable to the 2702e?

[alemabrahao · Accepted solution]

The Meraki MR44 is a high-performance Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) access point with Multigigabit Ethernet, designed for high-density campus and enterprise environments. It features 2x2:2 MU-MIMO for 2.4GHz and 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for 5GHz, offering a maximum rate of 3.5 Gbit/sec. It also supports features like hardware-accelerated encryption, band steering, and priority voice.

The Cisco 2702e is an 802.11ac Wave 1 access point. It’s a bit older compared to the MR44 and does not support Wi-Fi 6. It has a modular design that allows for a variety of antenna options, making it more versatile and adaptable to different environments.

In terms of comparison, the MR44 is more advanced with its support for Wi-Fi 6 and higher data rates.

[PatriotComm]

Very well, I will use my current footprint for drawing purposes and should be safe. Thanks for all your help, dropping Kudos!