How do Plugzio devices access the internet? What are the different connectivity options?
Plugzio devices allow properties to monitor, manage and monetize access to power. Since the platform handles real-time transactions, it must be connected to an internet network. There are three general ways Plugzio devices can connect to the internet.
- Cellular
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
Cellular Connection
- Best for:
- Small-scale installations (less than 4 units)
- Outdoor installations (garden-style properties)
- The prerequisite for the property:
- Installation sites need to have cellular connectivity. You can test this by looking at the connectivity bars on your mobile phone, if you have more than 3 bars the location is good for installation.
- The downside of Cellular connectivity:
- There is a flat $5 a-month fee for cellular connection per device. We recommend using a WiFi connection for installations of more than 4 units at a single location. To learn more about the ongoing fees please visit 🔥What are the ongoing service subscription fees?
Cellular connectivity built-in
Plugzio cellular devices have LTE-m connectivity built-in.
Benefits:
- Easier installation - no network setup required
- Plugzio cellular devices don't require any external connectivity module. The patented technology is designed to be plug-and-play. As soon as the device is connected to power, it will start communicating with Plugzio servers and will be available to use.
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External Cellular Modem
We can supply you with a Cellular Modem with a built-in sim card that can turn cellular signal to WiFi so up to 100 Plugzio WiFi devices connect to the internet.
Benefits:
- Only pay the cellular connectivity fee for one device
- Plugzio Cellular Modem allows you to pay only one cellular fee while up to 100 devices can get connected to the internet.
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WiFi Connection
- Best for:
- Medium & large scale installations (more than 5 units at a single location)
- Indoor installations
- The prerequisite for the property:
- The property needs to have a stable internet connection available either in a communication room (hard-wired) or through self-managed WiFi access points covering the installation site.
- The downside of WiFi connectivity:
- Bringing WiFi to an open outdoor area may be a challenge. As a rule of thumb, if the cost of bringing WiFi outdoors is more than $2000 per access point, you will be better off going with the built-in Cellular devices unless you want to provide WiFi as an extra amenity for the residents' vehicles for safety and upkeep purposes.
Self/Property Managed Access Points
If your property already has WiFi access points throughout the installation area (usually parking space) then Plugzio WiFi devices can connect to that network. There are three ways Plugzio devices can connect to an existing WiFi network.
Option 1 - Dedicated WiFi SSID
Create a dedicated WiFi SSID for Plugzio devices on your network. This ensures other devices connected to the network are not sharing the WiFi network. Contact our sales team hello@plugzio.com to learn more about the network requirements.
Option 2 - Manually setup WiFi network
Create a WiFi Hotspot from your mobile phone with Plugzio network requirements and register/set up WiFi devices on the Plugzio management dashboard. The setup allows you to easily set up Plugzio WiFi devices to connect to any existing WiFi network.
Contact our sales team hello@plugzio.com to learn more about the network requirements for the WiFi Hotspot.
Option 3 - Bluetooth Setup
You can also setup Plugzio WiFi devices via Bluetooth to connect with any WiFi network. This is a slow process because you have to setup each device manually, so we generally suggest Option 2 for manual WiFi setup.
Plugzio WiFi Extender
If WiFi signal is unavailable at the installation site but the property has access to reliable internet (in the communications room or elsewhere), we can provide you with a Plugzio WiFi extender that allows you to bring WiFi to the installation site using a Cat5/6 Ethernet cable.
We pre-configure the WiFi extender before shipment, so that it can immediately communicate with every Plugzio device right after installation (requires 120V power). This will save a lot of cost by avoiding any time-consuming and unnecessary network configuration work-hours on site.
There are no extra network or on-going fees associated with the Plugzio devices connected to the WiFi extender.
What If I don't have an accessible WiFi or internet connection on my property?
What if there is no cellular connection or a WiFi connection in my property?
The cellular modem can be purchased with an external antenna that can extend/amplify cellular connectivity to the cellular modem. Alternatively, you go with the Bluetooth option which works offline.
What happens if the internet goes down?
The system can run without an internet connection for less than an hour.
Beyond that, as a security measure, the devices can no longer be used if internet connectivity is not restored within time.
Our priority is to make sure the property never loses money. Without internet connectivity, the devices will not know whether there is enough funds left in the user's wallet to pay for the continued use of energy/time. Without this safety measure, anyone can put tin foil around a Plugzio device (blocking wireless signals to force the device to go offline) and use unlimited power for free.
Bluetooth offline activation partially solves this problem.
Bluetooth Connectivity
There is Bluetooth connectivity built into every Plugzio-made product. Bluetooth can be generally used for additional setup (if required) but can also be used to activate devices offline. This feature can be beneficial in areas with poor cellular or WiFi connections.
Bluetooth activation is a feature that is not yet publicly available to our clients. If you want to join our beta program, please email our sales team at hello@plugzio.com subject line: Interested in joining Bluetooth Beta Program