Forum

I work in the healthcare sector and I have a medical device that has a bug with it's software.  Basically, there is a bug in their linux version with lookup tables.  This has the unintentional side effect of requiring the device to be rebooted twice between when switching between wired and wireless connectivity.  My question is this what models of bridges or other devices have you used that support roaming fairly well.  I want to provide this medical device wireless connectivity via an ethernet connection.

I would think that the manufacturer would be going out of their way to correct this.  Have you approached them for a solution?

Is this an emergency room piece of equipment, or only a lab located machine?   I'm wondering about liability issues.

One misconception is that wireless medical devices provide life sustaining support via wireless connectivity. All medical devices go through a program called the 510(k) for pre market approval.  This categorizes the device into three categories overly simplified to 1. not complex; not life sustaining 2. complex; not life sustaining 3. life sustaining.  So, you would be crazy to a category 3 device that relies on a wi-fi connection to keep someone alive.  Typically what you see is a device that performs some analysis remotely and is reviewed by a specialist in a centralized location. So you have mojo the helper monkey taking a EKG or X-Ray while Homer sits in his office reviewing the data.  So, wireless enabled medical devices typically report or send data to a centralized location.

So, I would say there should never be a situation other than a phone, though I'm not sure that is true either, that would rely on a WLAN in and ER, life or death situation.  That said the Mfg. is working on a workaround, but won't likely be tested and approved till late this year. Nonetheless, I am worried about the solution working even then or if I find another issue.  So, the my main reason for considering a bridge is three fold:

1. I can control the wireless client :)

2. It resolves the issue now not later = customer happy.

3. You typically don't return quarter million dollar machines and go buy another one, though I'd like to. These types of purchase may not have the WLAN connectivity as the key driver behind them. However, this one sort if did. hmmm....

So, if anyone knows of a great wireless bridge that supports roaming I would like to hear all about them.

Jon,

Couldn't you do this cheaply with a linksys or something similar running DD-WRT? You could then configure it to backhaul to your wireless network and plug in your device to the linksys? I know you could possibly get the same result with a mesh AP, but was just trying to think of something cheaper than using one of your $1000 AP's for this.