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Why it matters: Establishing connectivity in commercial buildings has typically required drilling through thick walls, which is time-consuming and expensive. Wireless systems have not been able to overcome the challenge of penetrating concrete that can average 8 inches or more. Now, though, a company claims to have achieved this feat, saving developers thousands of dollars in costs.
Silicon Valley-based Airvine Scientific has unveiled a wireless system that tackles one of the most persistent challenges in the industry: the ability to penetrate thick concrete walls without costly and time-consuming structural modifications.
Commercial buildings often face substantial obstacles when it comes to network installation. Thick concrete walls, averaging 8 inches or more, form the backbone of many structures, serving as load-bearing supports, perimeter walls, or protective barriers for critical areas like fire control and server rooms. Traditional networking solutions often require drilling through these walls, a process that can necessitate permits, inspections, and sign-offs from professional engineers, while running between $3,000 and $10,000.
The system that Airvine Scientific is rolling out, called WaveCore, consists of a pair of devices that create a point-to-point Ethernet bridge using a wireless signal. What sets WaveCore apart is its ability to penetrate up to 12 inches of concrete and brick while maintaining multi-gigabit data rates.
The WaveCore system utilizes a 6 GHz radio equipped with a directional antenna to transmit through walls. For management purposes, it incorporates a standard 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi link. The data connection is facilitated through a standard Ethernet port, supporting speeds of 1, 2.5, 5, or 10 Gbps, with an optional SFP+ fiber connection. The device can be powered using Power over Ethernet (PoE), though it's worth noting that its power consumption is specified at 36 Watts.
Airvine has been testing WaveCore's capabilities in customer trials and reports that it has accomplished a 3 Gbps connection through 8 inches of concrete over a 54-foot link, and a 4 Gbps connection through a 12-inch concrete wall in a garage, spanning a 6-foot link.
WaveCore is based on an older product by Airvine called WaveTunnel, which provides an indoor wireless backbone for large spaces like factories, warehouses, and conference centers. While WaveTunnel is able to penetrate most interior walls and navigate around corners, it struggled with thick concrete barriers.
The company set out to develop a product that, when combined with WaveTunnel, would provide a comprehensive broadband backhaul solution for any large structure, explained Dave Sumi, VP of Marketing at Airvine. The target was to deliver a 2+ Gbps connection through a minimum of 12 inches of concrete.
Airvine completed its in-house testing in May 2024 and over the last few months it has been trialing the system with select customers. It is now commercially available. "Gone are the days of conduit, drilling, permits, structural inspections and other hassles that come with deploying cables to connect Wi-Fi APs, IoT equipment and other Ethernet devices," Sumi writes.