Wireless at Work

Wilson also relies on Observer to track incoming and outgoing inventory transactions made by wireless handhelds throughout the company’s manufacturing plants. By using Observer’s wireless site-survey feature, Wilson is able to measure signal strength and quality of his wireless devices, as well as get an overall view of wireless “health.”

“Observer’s wireless site-survey mode showed me our access points were not positioned well,” Wilson says. “Signals were bouncing back [stopping at an impenetrable surface] and bleed [unwanted signals from nearby access points] was out of control. We had to turn our access points down because Observer showed there was too much power going through the airwaves [which can swamp nearby signals]. With Observer, I could find the optimal location for the access point and ensure the antennas were positioned correctly.”

Wilson also uses Observer to monitor network traffic and protect the network from security threats. “We were using WEP [Wired Equivalency Privacy, a security protocol for Wi-Fi networks] for encryption, but Observer showed all this traffic flying through the air, and it made me worry about how easy it could be for a would-be hacker with a wireless card in our parking lot to get access to our data,” he says. “We upgraded to IPSEC [IP Security], a much stronger encryption. Now our data is more secure, but I can still monitor the network since Observer has the ability to monitor [network] statistics like signal strength and quality, regardless of encryption.”

Marshall-based Schwan’s delivers more than 300 kinds of frozen food to 5 million homes, grocers, schools, and other facilities every day, so keeping on top of all that mobile inventory is a must.

Schwan’s has equipped its route drivers with mobile computers and printers from Everett, Washington–based Intermec Technologies Corporation to wirelessly record sales, issue receipts, and track inventory, according to Mike Booke, senior director of business systems for Schwan’s Home Service. The company uses Intermec 741 mobile computers and 781T wireless printers that communicate through a Bluetooth wireless interface. With 6,000 drivers using the devices to serve 3 million households, Intermec claims that the Schwan’s project is the world’s largest Bluetooth implementation.

“They’re faster and more reliable than what we’ve used previously,” says Booke. “Receipts and other data can go directly from the mobile computer to the printer without the need for a wired connection.”

To help drivers work their routes with a minimum of fuss, Schwan’s is also on the verge of implementing a wireless GPS navigation system that will convert route information into speech output, providing audible directions for drivers. The company plans on using Kansas-based Garmin’s M5 pocket PC; its embedded Bluetooth transceiver will let drivers network with the Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, PDAs, and printers in their arsenals.

Getting a real-time GPS signal means fewer distractions for the driver, Booke says: “Deploying these devices should let all our drivers have much more efficient and productive routes.”