Configuring Advanced Wi-Fi Scanning - Barra Fusion EUK

The advanced Wi-Fi scanning configuration options for the Barra Fusion Cat1bis EUK provide greater control over device Wi-Fi scanning behaviour.

These settings allow users to balance Wi-Fi detection performance against power consumption by selecting from three predefined scanning modes: Quick, Balanced and Expensive.

The optimal configuration depends on the environment and whether the device is detecting standard Wi-Fi access points or Wi-Fi beacons that advertise less frequently.

Requirements: Barra Fusion EUK application firmware v2.6 or later and modem firmware EG800KEULCR07A07M04_01.302.

Devices running other modem firmware versions will continue using the previous fixed Wi-Fi scanning configuration, regardless of the selected mode.

 

How to Configure

1. Open the device in Device Manager and select Edit System Parameters.
    
2. Click Add Advanced Parameters and select Wi-Fi Scanning.
    
3. Set Wi-Fi Scan Mode and, if needed, Wi-Fi Scan Maximum APs.
    
4. Select Update.
    

Wi-Fi Scanning (Adv) Parameters

Wi-Fi Scan Mode

Three presets control the scan length. Timing is managed by the device and cannot be customised.

Typical values. Actual scan times vary with the environment. Energy measured at 3.6 V.

*Scan timeout includes brief periods when the Wi-Fi scanner is idle, so actual active scanning time is shorter than the configured timeout.
 

Wi-Fi Scan Maximum APs (10-30)

A scan ends early once the device detects the configured number of access points, even if the scan timeout has not been reached. Lower values may reduce scanning time and energy consumption in areas with many access points. Higher values allow scanning to continue until more access points are detected or the timeout is reached.

Note: Maximum APs operates independently of the selected Scan Mode. The number of access points reported may be lower than the configured Maximum APs value because locally administered MAC addresses are filtered out before upload.

 

Choosing a Scan Mode

What you gain from a longer scan depends on what the device is looking for.

• Standard Wi-Fi access points advertise roughly every 100 ms, so even a Quick scan usually catches them. Longer modes give little extra detection and cost noticeably more battery.
   
• Digital Matter Wi-Fi Beacons advertise every 300 ms by default, so short scans can miss them. Longer scans improve the likelihood of detecting these beacons. In our testing, Expensive detected approximately twice as many beacons per scan as Quick, although results will vary by environment.
   

The battery impact grows with how often the device scans. If Wi-Fi is the primary location method, or the device often falls back to it, choose carefully.

Test in your own environment before rolling a change out to many devices. Results depend on beacon advertising intervals, signal strength, device density and surroundings.

 

FAQ

Will Expensive mode improve positioning accuracy?

• Not necessarily. Expensive mode increases the likelihood of detecting Wi-Fi beacons that advertise less frequently, but detecting more access points does not automatically improve positioning accuracy. Signal strength, antenna performance and environmental conditions also influence results.

Why are fewer access points reported than my Maximum APs setting?

• Maximum APs is a threshold that ends the scan, not a target. Fewer access points may be in range, and some MAC addresses are filtered out before upload.

Does changing the Wi-Fi Scan Mode affect battery life?

• Yes. Quick consumes approximately 36% less energy per scan than Balanced, while Expensive consumes approximately 75% more. The overall impact on battery life depends on how frequently the device performs Wi-Fi scans.

Can I set custom scan durations?

• Custom scan durations cannot currently be configured through Device Manager. Only the Quick, Balanced and Expensive presets are available. Contact Digital Matter Support if further customisation is required.