RTLS Security, Shadow Networks, and WiFi Coexistence: How Crowd Connected Avoids Common Pitfalls

When evaluating Real-Time Location System (RTLS) solutions, many organisations — especially IT teams — raise important questions:

• Will this create a “shadow network” that I can’t control?
• Will it interfere with WiFi or other wireless systems?
• How secure is the RTLS infrastructure?

These concerns are valid — but it’s important to understand how modern RTLS architectures differ.

This post explains why Crowd Connected’s solution is designed to avoid these pitfalls — and why it is safe, secure, and IT-friendly.

What Is a “Shadow Network”?

Vendors like Cisco Spaces argue that BLE-based RTLS solutions can create a “shadow network” — a collection of devices operating outside IT’s normal visibility and control.

In some older or poorly designed systems, this is true:

• Many BLE-WiFi gateways (Kontakt.io, Blyott, etc.) require hundreds of powered network-connected devices.
• Each gateway requires an IP address, cloud access, and ongoing management.
• The result is network sprawl — and potential attack surface — outside IT’s main architecture.

Why Crowd Connected Is Different

Crowd Connected’s RTLS hardware architecture was deliberately designed to avoid this problem:

✅ Battery-powered devices do not connect to the IT network

• Our devices form a wireless mesh, based on Wirepas technology.
• They do not use Ethernet or WiFi.
• They do not require IP addresses or appear as network devices.

✅ Only a single gateway connects to the IP network

• One controlled gateway (per large area) connects via standard IP, fully managed by IT.
• IT only needs to secure and monitor one endpoint, not hundreds.
• The RTLS system does not create a “shadow” network of IP devices.

✅ Proven wireless coexistence

• The Wirepas mesh uses the full 2.4 GHz band (all 40 channels), but implements:
  • Adaptive channel selection
  • Dynamic frequency hopping
  • Interference avoidance
• It has been proven to coexist well with WiFi in large enterprise environments.
• See Wirepas coexistence documentation for technical details.

✅ No impact on WiFi AP performance

• Some RTLS solutions use the BLE radios inside WiFi APs — which can constrain WiFi tuning and performance.
• Crowd Connected’s devices operate independently of WiFi APs — avoiding this risk.

Summary: A More IT-Friendly RTLS Architecture

Bottom Line

If your IT team is concerned about “shadow networks,” “WiFi interference,” or “RTLS security,” you should strongly consider Crowd Connected’s architecture:

✅ No uncontrolled network sprawl
✅ Minimal attack surface
✅ Proven RF coexistence with WiFi
✅ Single gateway under IT control
✅ Superior RTLS performance

Have questions?
👉 Contact us — we’re happy to provide full technical details for your IT and security review.