What About Wi-Fi Indoor Positioning Technology?

Wi-Fi positioning, also known as Wi-Fi-based localization or indoor positioning, determines the location of a device or person within an indoor environment using Wi-Fi signals. It leverages the presence of Wi-Fi access points (APs) or routers emitting wireless signals to estimate the position of Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops.

Wi-Fi signals determine the location of a device or person within an indoor environment. Wi-Fi access points (APs) are strategically installed throughout the indoor space. Signal strength measurements are taken from Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. To determine the device's location, a technique called signal fingerprinting is employed. Once the device has identified the access points with the strongest signal strengths, it can calculate its position using trilateration. Various localization algorithms are employed to refine the position estimation and improve accuracy. These algorithms take into account signal strength, signal quality, multipath interference and other environmental variables to enhance the accuracy of the Wi-Fi positioning system.

The accuracy of Wi-Fi positioning can vary depending on several factors, including the density and placement of Wi-Fi APs, signal interference, environmental conditions, and the specific algorithms and techniques used. Generally, Wi-Fi positioning systems can achieve varying levels of accuracy, ranging from a few metres to tens of metres in indoor environments.

Indoor positioning using Wi-Fi can determine the location of a device or person within an indoor environment. Some common uses of Wi-Fi positioning systems include indoor navigation, location-based services, asset tracking, emergency response, smart home automation and geofencing.

There are several alternative technologies for indoor positioning that can complement or serve as alternatives to Wi-Fi-based positioning. The best alternative depends on factors such as the specific use case, desired accuracy, infrastructure availability, and cost considerations. A few notable alternatives include Bluetooth low energy beacons, ultra-wideband, infrared beacons and sensor fusion. Mapsted’s innovative location-based technology delivers seamless, scalable indoor navigation for a wide variety of industries and all without using beacons, Wi-Fi, or additional external hardware.

Some challenges with Wi-Fi-based indoor positioning include: iOS devices have restricted access to scan for Wi-Fi; Android data through the Wi-Fi network can be limited for scanning; accuracy alone is not sufficient for indoor positioning (10-15 metres).

Mapsted’s patented, proprietary technology significantly reduces installation and maintenance costs, offering an efficient, low-overhead solution for comprehensive location positioning. The elimination of hardware requirements simplifies system management for facilities teams, ensuring continuous, uninterrupted service.

Wi-Fi signals propagate through various walls and obstacles leading to high signal variance and ambiguity, making it difficult to calculate distance. Obstacles like certain types of walls, furniture, and people weaken signal strength, posing a challenge to positioning accuracy.

An indoor positioning system using Wi-Fi allows organizations to leverage existing Wi-Fi infrastructure for location tracking. It reduces the need for dedicated hardware, making it a relatively cost-effective solution for basic Wi-Fi-based location tracking within buildings.

While Wi-Fi-based indoor positioning systems can be used for general navigation, their accuracy—usually ranging from 5 to 15 metres—may not be sufficient for high-precision environments. Enterprises often seek alternatives with better accuracy and reliability for mission-critical operations.

Indoor positioning using Wi-Fi can work across multiple floors, but accuracy tends to decrease due to signal overlap and structural interference. For consistent multi-level tracking, more advanced systems like Mapsted’s are typically more effective.

Wi-Fi-based location tracking systems can raise privacy concerns since they rely on device MAC addresses. Proper anonymization and user consent are essential to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.

Wi-Fi positioning system accuracy generally falls between 5 and 15 metres indoors, depending on the density of access points, device type, and environmental factors. This makes it less suitable for applications requiring pinpoint precision.

Due to accuracy limitations and device restrictions, many businesses explore alternatives to Wi-Fi-based indoor positioning systems. Mapsted’s solution offers a more scalable and accurate indoor positioning system with no reliance on external Wi-Fi or beacons.