Installation Guide

9/10/2019 Installation Guide – Disruptive Technologies
https://support.disruptive-technologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003190014-Installation-Guide 16/22
For a more detailed introduction to Range and Cloud Connector placement, see the separate white paper on Range.
Radio transmission modes
The sensors and Cloud Connectors can communicate in di!erent radio modes. The normal mode is optimized for low energy
usage. If the sensor is unable to reach the Cloud Connector in the normal mode, it will try a di!erent high energy mode,
referred to as “Boost” as it will boost the communication range. In DT Studio, sensors transmitting in boost mode have yellow
warning signs on their signal indicators (
).
In Boost mode, the sensors use a di!erent channel, spend longer on transmission and thus drains more energy from the
battery. The slower transmission mode and higher latency translate into a better range.
In an attempt at getting measurements through when the installation provides insu$cient connectivity between the sensor
and the Cloud Connector, the sensor will thus trade-o! energy use for an increased range. If sensors often fall back to boost
mode, this is an indication that the installation should be modi#ed. Better placement of and possibly additional Cloud
Connectors should be considered. A sensor constantly staying in boost mode will have its life expectancy reduced to around a
#fth.
Number of Cloud Connectors required
While planning an installation a conservative estimate is that a Cloud Connector will cover 200 square meters, similar to a high-
end WiFi base station. In some environments, such as tall spacious rooms, much larger areas can be covered by a single Cloud
Connector.
The ideal way to decide on the number of required Cloud Connectors is thus to perform a trial installation in a representative
installation environment and use the initial trial to extrapolate numbers for a complete installation.
DT Studio has an interactive feature which displays the connectivity between a selected sensor and
each of the Cloud Connector that picks up its signal:
Open this view by clicking the “DETAILS” link underneath the connectivity bar on the sensor detail
page. Whenever the sensor is touched, an updated reading of signal strength from each Cloud
Connector will be displayed.
As holding sensors in your hand in"uences radio signals it is recommended that the sensor be placed onto a surface matching
the target installation and then touched.
When moving away from the Cloud Connector, signal strength will drop depending on the sensors distance from the Cloud
Connector as well as the signal re"ection in the environment. At some point, sensors will resort to Boost mode and eventually
In a room full of people speaking at the same time, it is hard to hear anyone but the person next to you. If the range is
far below expectations in direct-line-of-sight setups, background radio noise should be investigated. Damaged or low-
quality radio equipment may be sources of noise.