WLAN FAQs

Site Survey Mast

Q. How do you attach an access point to a site survey mast?

Attachment of an Access Point to the site survey mast is usually achieved via our site survey battery pack which has an integrated bracket for this purpose. The idea is that you then bolt the manufacturer supplied Access Point mounting bracket to the front panel of the battery pack. So the Access Point mounts to the front of the battery pack which in turn is mounted upon the survey mast via the battery pack bracket.

Hand Held Terminals

Q. How do I choose between the different types of Windows Hand Held Terminal Operating Systems?

Windows Mobile OS contains a defined suite of applications designed for mobile devices. All Windows Mobile devices come with the same basic features so you can easily switch between manufacturers of device knowing that the applications and operation of the special hardware keys will remain the same. Frequently the requirement is to prevent user access to the desktop thereby preventing changes to the setup of the unit, which is achieved at a cost, using proprietary software.

Windows CE is optimised for devices with minimal storage and is not only used on Hand Held Terminals but also on embedded systems. The manufacturers can select which features to build into the device.

Q. What should I think about when choosing a Hand Held terminal?

1. Identify which features are required for your application. (Laser/Imager Barcode Scanning Camera; WiFi, Bluetooth, GPRS, GPS; )
2. Understand which form factor is right for your application (pistol grip, without pistol grip, PDA)
3. Decide on the type of battery management required. (hot swap using spare batteries or trickle charge using cradles and docks)
4. How rugged does the terminal need to be (Check the IP rating, drop specs and environmental specs). Typically the more rugged the terminal, the greater the cost.
5. Find out what accessories are available (Holsters, Hand straps, Vehicle Cradles etc )

Q. How do I develop applications for Windows Hand Held Terminals?

Microsoft Visual Studio using .NET Compact Framework or MCL which is a rapid application development environment. For large numbers of terminals, Microsoft Visual Studio would probably be the best way to go as there are no terminal licensing costs; for smaller roll outs, MCL is very productive if the terminal is supported by them.

RFID

Q. What are the advantages of RFID over barcodes?

You have to see a barcode in order to read it. RFID tags can be read out of site and you can alter the data inside the RFID tag.

Q. What are the advantages of barcodes over RFID?

Barcodes are cheap to produce and the cost of the equipment required to read them is relatively low compared to that of RFID.

Q. When should I use RFID? 

When Line of sight is an issue i.e. when you can't see the object to be scanned, when data needs to be read and written, when Barcodes won't work due to environmental conditions.

Terms & Conditions

Q: What are your payment terms?

A: Standard payment terms are 30 days from date of invoice.

Please click here to download Ensign's standard T&Cs

Directories 

Q: What directories are you listed in?

Business to Business Directory