Glossary · Industrial wireless and positioning
Industrial wireless network
Also known as: Industrial WLAN, Industrial radio network, IWLAN
German: Industrielles Funknetz
In industrial communication, an industrial wireless network is a radio network designed or configured for automation requirements such as reliability, deterministic behavior, fast roaming, robustness against interference and harsh environments. Examples are industrial WLAN, WirelessHART, ISA100 Wireless and private 5G networks.
- Industrial wireless
In one sentence
An industrial wireless network is a radio network built for automation needs such as reliability, fast roaming and robustness.
Example
An industrial WLAN with fast roaming keeps PROFINET connections to rail-guided vehicles alive as they move between access points.
How it applies
- Engineering: Industrial wireless networks are planned with a site survey, channel plan and redundancy. Fast roaming, reserved capacity and interference management matter more than peak throughput.
- Coexistence: Many radio systems share the same license-free bands. A frequency management plan for the site prevents production wireless from being disturbed by office Wi-Fi or other systems.
- Security: Wireless networks are separate zones with strong encryption and authentication, connected to the control network through firewalls.
- Documentation: The documentation team documents coverage maps, channels, access point positions, roaming settings, security settings and the tested behavior on link loss.
Industrial wireless network vs. office WLAN
Both may use the same IEEE 802.11 standards. An industrial wireless network adds robust hardware, fast roaming, prioritization of control traffic and a stricter change process, because a failure stops production rather than slowing down email.