In today’s business and manufacturing environment, speed and efficiency are key. Whether you work in a warehouse, own a commercial space, or manage a grocery store, data entry and inventory management are difficult and lengthy tasks when done from your desk.
Wireless barcode scanners allow you to enter data into your system remotely. They are a reliable solution that speeds up the process of data entry and inventory verification, increasing the productivity and satisfaction of workers.
From removing the need to keep tangled cables organised to helping grow your business in ways you could have never imagined. Here is why incorporating wireless barcode scanners into your workspace can benefit you and your employees!
What Are Wireless Barcode Scanners?
Wireless barcode scanners are handheld devices that enable you to scan and decode barcodes printed on various items, whether in retail, healthcare, or manufacturing, without requiring a cable connection to a host.
Barcodes are visual representations of data that can be easily read by machines. They consist of parallel, vertical lines, varying in length and width, that carry data that is read by optical or laser scanners and stored in computers or other hosts.
Wireless barcode scanners typically use a laser or LED light source that illuminates the barcode. The light makes it easy for the scanner to distinguish between the dark and light parts of the barcode, reading the data stored in the pattern with ease.
These scanners read the data via sensors. The sensors capture the reflected light off the barcode and convert it into an electrical signal. The quality of the barcode scanner is highly dependent on the scanner’s ability to identify the white spaces amongst the black.
Once the emitted light is converted into electrical signals, the decoder translates the message illustrated in the barcode. Barcodes usually store data about a certain product’s price, type, or inventory numbers.
At last, the data is transported to a computer or other host system through Bluetooth, wi-fi, or, infrequently, radio frequency.
Wired vs. Wireless Barcode Scanners: What’s the Difference?
Although at heart, both wireless and wired barcode scanners do the same job just in different ways, there are certain reasons why you might prefer one over the other.
Wireless
Wireless scanners are barcode scanners connected to a host via a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth, wi-fi, or RF. This way of connection provides mobility while workers input data into their workplace systems. Their flexibility in use makes them ideal for use in large warehouses and manufacturing spaces that have a lot of ground and products to cover.
Wireless barcode scanners carry the possibility that the data signal from the decoder can be interrupted on its way to the host system, as wireless connection technology isn’t the most secure. However, if set up right, they are fast, reliable, and completely safe ways to scan and store your company data.
Wired
Unlike wireless scanners, wired barcode scanners are connected to a physical host via a cable or through USB. This form of connection is extremely stable and significantly reduces the risk of data interference. Sadly, due to the cable connection, wired scanners limit mobility and aren’t suitable for large commercial spaces. They are mainly used in retail, healthcare, libraries, and offices. Wired scanners are cost-effective data input devices that are ideal in settings where most data or inventory input is localised.
What to Look For in a Wireless Barcode Scanner
Barcode scanners can be slightly difficult to understand in the beginning. There are many different types of scanners and multiple ways to categorise them. In general, there are three broader categories of wireless barcode scanners and their further specifications.
1. Type of Wireless Technology
- Bluetooth Scanner: These scanners are connected to a host computer via Bluetooth technology, easily transmitting encoded data wirelessly.
- Offline Scanner: These scanners have built-in internal memory that stores the data collected throughout the day and later uploads it onto a central system.
- Mobile Scanner: These scanners are equipped with their own operating system, making them capable of not only reading but also storing data.
2. Forms of Use
- Handheld: These scanners are the most common type of wireless barcode scanners. They are designed with a handle for flexibility when workers scan and input data into their systems.
- Wearable: These scanners are worn on workers’ fingers or wrists for the ultimate mobility in large commercial and industrial spaces.
3. Barcode Type
- 1D Barcodes: These are usually barcodes you typically see in stores and businesses. They are composed of parallel lines and white spaces of various widths in between.
- 2D Barcodes: You might be accustomed to these barcodes’ more common name, QR codes. These codes are read by cameras, not by scanners, but are equally as important as 1D barcodes to acknowledge.
How to Use a Wireless Barcode Scanner
Although wireless scanners are far easier to use than wired scanners, because of their mobility and practicality, workers often forget how to properly maintain them.
Because wireless scanners are connected to a host system or computer remotely, you need to maintain a proper connection. Although this process is fairly simple, you have to ensure the Bluetooth connection is between the scanner and the host and not some other nearby device.
Wireless barcode scanners are battery-powered. Change their batteries out regularly, so your scanner doesn’t die in the middle of inventory verification.
Clean your scanner of any dust or dirt to ensure it properly reads the spaces in the barcode and doesn’t misread the data.
And lastly, stand at a distance. Make sure your scanner can capture the entire code with its light source and sensor.
Conclusion
Technology keeps evolving day by day. There is always going to be a new device that is faster, lighter, and overall better than the last one. For now, wireless barcode scanners rule the corporate and commercial world. Remote, flexible, and agile, they allow workers to easily keep track of products and data. The benefits of wireless scanners over wired ones are numerous, but you’ll never truly know them before you try them out for yourself!
