Communication interface
Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Serial Boards are not acting the exact same way.
Their NFC detection are working the same. But the way they render the information is totally different.
With Wi-Fi interface, the CADS is autonomous. As long as it is CONNECTED, every event it detects is published to the Data Platform.
There is not so much intermediate until the data can be distributed to the Data Plaform (therefore to the user consumer). Its rendering can be considered as real time, if the connection to the internet is reliable.
Indeed, the path to internet is then a key for the Wi-Fi Board to act as expected. Wi-Fi Router must be installed at reasonable distance, without too much obstacle and so on…
Finally, the way to install these Boards are also easy. As soon as the Wi-Fi network is configured in the Board, providing internet access, the Board can work.
There is a tight relation between Wi-Fi network quality and the Board performance.
With serial interface, the CADS are acting on demand of the Data platform.
After RS485 enrolment, Platform Services can access to the different boards through their connected Gateway.
All the boards connected to a single gateway share the same data wires. Thus, boards can only be accessed one-by-one. This consideration is handled by the Data Platform.
Nevertheless, this also means that, the more boards you have behind a gateway, the slower the scan frequency will be.
There is a tight relation between boards performances and the RS485 setup (number of boards per gateways…).
When connected through Ethernet, your board operates fully on its own.
As long as the board shows as CONNECTED, all detected events are automatically sent to the Centiloc Data Platform.
There is not so much intermediate until the data can be distributed to the Data Plaform (therefore to the user consumer). Its rendering can be considered as real time, if the connection to the internet is reliable.
Ethernet boards send information directly to the platform, without any extra steps or delays.
That means data appears in real time (as soon as the board detects an event) provided the internet connection is stable.
Because the Ethernet link is direct, there are no intermediate devices or gateways that could slow down communication.
This makes Ethernet an excellent choice for environments where reliability and immediate updates are important.
For the board to work correctly:
- It must be physically connected to a network switch or router.
- That switch or router must have active internet access.
If the board loses connection, it will automatically try to reconnect.
However, during disconnection, no new events can be sent to the platform.
The quality of your network connection directly affects how fast and reliably your board can send data.
A strong and stable Ethernet connection ensures the best performance.
| Interface | pros 👍 | cons 👎 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Easy to setup | Performance depends on WiFi quality |
| Real-time detection | May not work well inside metal enclosures or areas with poor signal | |
| Any 2.4GHz Wifi router works | ||
| Serial | Simple and direct connection | Slower scan time |
| No need for network integration | Requires aditional Centiloc Device | |
| Ethernet | Stable and fast connection | Needs a physical cable connection |
| Real-time detection | Might require additional infrastructure configuration | |
| Easy setup (especially with DHCP) | May require extra network configuration (switches, routers, etc.) |