BubblyNet next-generation connectivity is the state of the art in terms of RF technology; it is reliable, robust and secure.
For any wireless system, connectivity tends to be its weak link. That is why it is very important to understand features and limitations of wireless communication.
The two primary limitations to wireless communication are barriers and interferences.
BARRIERS 
Barriers are obstacles in between two devices impeding proper connectivity. The most common barriers are building material such as brick, cinder blocks and concrete.
Here is an example of how a standard wireless message loses connectivity range in the presence of architectural barriers:
| Barrier | Range |
|---|---|
| Open air | 200ft |
| Drywall | 80ft |
| Cinder Block | 70ft |
| Brick | 50ft |
| Concrete | 20ft |
For proper connectivity, the device antenna should have line-of-sight with at least one other device to maintain continuity of communication within the mesh network.
The worst obstacle for connectivity is metal. It is recommended to position the BubblyNet devices away from metal partitions, I-beams and metal in general.
Most BubblyNet devices have an external antenna. It is very important to keep the antenna outside the box when the wireless devices are enclosed in a metal enclosure or j-box.
It is otherwise interesting to notice that RF can bounce out of barriers; sometimes a tunnel effect improves connectivity with the message bouncing off barriers and reaching longer distances.
There are often too many variables on a project to calculate the theoretical quality of connectivity. It is important, on a job site, to physically measure the intensity of signal across the different areas of the network; this can be achieved with the BubblyNet App or from remote through a BubblyNet gateway.
INTERFERENCES
BubblyNet uses a vast array of solutions to protect wireless connectivity from interferences.
Adaptive Frequency Hopping
The transmission frequency is divided into smaller bands and transmission hops between these smaller bands when transmitting data packets. Bluetooth Mesh uses a small fraction of the bands available for Bluetooth making it a remote possibility to interfere with other Bluetooth devices used within the project space.
Flooding
Messages sent from one device are received from many devices which in turn relay them to others. The messages are mostly relayed at different intervals of time and at different frequencies obtaining a redundancy of message that makes this wireless connectivity extremely robust to interferences. TTL is the parameter that can be tuned via the App or a Gateway to optimize wireless connectivity.
Transmit
Devices have the option of sending multiple instances of the same message at different radio frequencies and delayed by milliseconds for redundancy and certainty of delivery.
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
As a general rule, a 60ft. maximum distance between BubblyNet devices is appropriate for design purposes.
In case discontinuity of connectivity is measured at the time of installation, BubblyNet has developed a series of software tools and hardware devices to overcome such situations.
RANGE EXTENSION
There are different BubblyNet solutions to extend the standard mesh transmission range.
The B-MM Bridge is the ideal solution for outdoor projects with typical range of up to 900ft and special configurations achieving 1,800ft transmission distance.
