A dedicated vLan should be created for use exclusively by the locks - REQUIRED.
In a managed Wi-Fi configuration, a dedicated vLan IS REQUIRED to be created and used exclusively by the Saffire EVO locks. It is important to validate that once this vLan has been created that no other traffic flows to this network. If any other network traffic is discovered, the Wi-Fi provider will need to assist in modifying the configuration to filter out all other network traffic.
The Router/AP will need to support a 8 second beacon - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
If the Router/AP allows it, the settings must be modified to support an 8-second beacon. This will ensure optimal battery life.
Avoid using the same router to broadcast multiple SSID's in the 2.4 gHz range - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
If the AP can broadcast multiple 2.4 gHz networks, it is strongly recommended that this feature be avoided when possible. When there are multiple SSID's available from the same access point, this creates a lot of interference in the environment and may also cause issues with the lock connecting to the AP since the MAC address of the AP will be the same for any additional networks created using the 2.4 gHz network from the same AP.
Manually adjust and stagger the Wi-Fi broadcast Channels for Managed Wi-Fi configurations - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
- It is strongly recommended that the Wi-Fi broadcast channels be manually adjusted to stagger them throughout the building.
- The most common channels are: 1, 11, 6. It is recommended that these be staggered to reduce interference in the network. Leaving this setting on "Auto" may be fine if the network has been installed and has been given sufficient time to stabilize. However, manually adjusting this setting will reduce the likelihood that this feature will need to be modified later.
Adjust Wi-Fi Broadcast Signal Strength - May Be Required
- It is recommended that the RSSI be adjusted so that there is at least a -10 dBm difference between the strongest signal the lock sees and the next strongest signal. For example, If the strongest signal is -55 dBm, the next strongest signal should be about -65 dBm. This adjustment will be a requirement for the locks to prevent them from jumping between access points. Example: If the lock is able to detect 6 duplicate SSID's, all with similar RSSI values ( -65 dBm, -63 dBm, -68 dBm, etc.), the lock will have difficulty determining which AP it should connect to. It may also attempt to "hop" between Access Points. When this happens, the lock will attempt to reuse the session keys from the previous connection. This will fail since the new AP will reject the session keys from the Lock and the previous AP it was connected to. This will trigger the lock to disconnect and attempt a reconnection completely. If this setting is not modified, the lock will be stuck in a situation where it will connect and disconnect at consistent intervals and will quickly drain batteries. We have observed this taking only a couple of weeks to fully drain.