WiFi Switch Installation

[Marvo]

I'm wanting to install a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi switch into a stainless steel enclosure. The enclosure is IP65 constructed of 0.9mm powder coated s/steel with a full stainless steel locking door and it's earthed. The WiFi point is only about 15 meters away without any obstacles in between and direct line of sight. With my phone in my hand at the enclosure there's full WiFi reception strength. Just wondered if anyone had any experiences of mounting such devices in metallic enclosures ie what's the chances it will have adequate reception strength to operate reliably?

 

[UNG]

I doubt it will work, years ago when I did a lot of data radio installations occasionally the customer didn't want external antennas so we would install them internally in a window reveal our biggest nightmare was if the window was glazed with K glass the thin film nickel on the glass massively attenuated the signal, so an enclosed steel box will be even worse

If you could put a wireless repeater / extender that has removeable antennas in the box and use an internal and external antenna configuration on the same unit that would work. I did similar setups on large steel industrial buildings to extend wifi across sites where the faraday cage effect created problems.

 

[Marvo]

I can if necessary mount the Wi-Fi switch in a small plastic enclosure on the outside of the stainless steel enclosure.... it's just more drilling, some minor rewiring etc so I was just hoping it might not be necessary.

 

[UNG]

I can if necessary mount the Wi-Fi switch in a small plastic enclosure on the outside of the stainless steel enclosure.... it's just more drilling, some minor rewiring etc so I was just hoping it might not be necessary.

It's a pity those switches don't have an external antenna facility that you could just mount a small external omni antenna on the box

 

[Marvo]

Yeah, it would be nice but an externally mounted antenna probably wouldn't do well in this particular installation, it's outside in the weather and it's also near the coast so corrosion would be an issue. In addition to the usual wildlife there's also kids around which are far more destructive than the porcupines and baboons put together...

 

[UNG]

There are that many different antennas available there will be one that would suit your application, I've lost count of all the different ones I've installed, even painting them to blend in with brick walls