• • • ENCLOSURES • • •


Integrated Antenna Enclosures: Addressing connectivity and deployment challenges


As the need for outdoor connectivity grows across sectors such as transport, utilities, agriculture and smart infrastructure, the design and installation of reliable communication systems continues to present a number of engineering challenges


By David Connolly, Director of Product Management, Taoglas


installation, while keeping deployment and maintenance costs under control.


T


Enclosures have traditionally been viewed as passive housings, important for protecting equipment from weather, dust and tampering, but largely separate from wireless performance. However, integrated designs that combine antennas and enclosure functionality in a single unit are prompting a shift in this view. With carefully engineered solutions, such as those in the Thunder Series, enclosure design can play an important role in not just environmental protection, but also in influencing the radio frequency (RF) performance and overall deployment effort of wireless systems.


Challenges of


conventional installations Standard outdoor installations typically involve placing a cellular or Wi-Fi router in a weatherproof enclosure, with external antennas mounted separately. While this approach offers flexibility in antenna choice and placement, it brings with it some limitations.


Signal loss becomes a key concern, as long coaxial cables introduce attenuation and increase susceptibility to interference, degrading system efficiency, especially in high-frequency applications such as 5G. Mechanical reliability also requires attention, since every cable entry point is a potential source of water ingress or physical wear, risks that can shorten equipment life or lead to downtime. From a practical standpoint, separate antenna mounting complicates installation, requiring more time on site, additional components and careful attention to alignment and routing. The overall effect can be an increase in both initial costs and long-term maintenance.


These issues are particularly relevant in remote or difficult-to-access locations, where repair visits are costly and disruptive.


Integrated Designs: A flexible option


An alternative approach is to house antennas within the same enclosure as the communication equipment. These integrated antenna enclosures are specifically designed to ensure good RF


44 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JULY/AUGUST 2025


hese systems often need to combine high-performance wireless connectivity with environmental protection and straightforward


performance while protecting internal components from the environment. The concept is not entirely new, but recent developments in enclosure materials, antenna design and thermal management have made such systems more viable for a wider range of applications. One example is the Thunder Series, which combines factory-integrated multi-technology antennas (supporting 5G/4G, Wi-Fi, GNSS, Bluetooth) within an IP67-rated enclosure designed to accommodate a wide range of industry routers. Solutions like this are increasingly valued for combining connectivity and environmental protection in demanding outdoor and industrial environments.


Engineering Integrated


Antenna Enclosures Integrating antennas and housing customer electronics in one enclosure involves several technical considerations. Firstly, electromagnetic isolation is essential. Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®


and GNSS antennas


operating in close proximity must be positioned to prevent interference and maintain performance. This requires thoughtful layout and often the use of internal shielding.


Material choice is equally important, as the enclosure must not interfere with signal transmission.


Thermal management presents another challenge. When active electronics are housed in sealed enclosures, passive cooling methods such as heat sinks or thermally conductive materials may be necessary to keep internal temperatures within safe limits.


Mechanical robustness must also be considered, especially for deployments in exposed or high-vibration environments such as vehicles, coastal infrastructure, or energy installations.


Practical advantages


Integrated enclosures offer several clear benefits for system integrators.


Because the antennas are pre-integrated and optimised at the factory, system integrators can focus on selecting the router that best meets their application requirements, without needing to engineer the antenna integration themselves. Long-term reliability improves, as fewer connectors and entry points reduce the chances of mechanical failure or environmental damage. In terms of system performance, integrated designs deliver more consistent RF characteristics, since antenna layout and spacing are controlled during the design process.


Aesthetics also benefit. A compact, self- contained unit often blends more easily into public spaces, compared to setups involving multiple boxes and visible antenna cables.


Broader context With connected systems playing an increasingly central role in areas such as predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and mobile data delivery, the reliability and efficiency of each node becomes more important. Enclosure design, often overlooked, is now a key contributor to how easily and cost-effectively these systems can be rolled out and maintained.


While integrated antenna enclosures are not suitable for every use case, they represent a valuable option for many outdoor or semi-permanent installations. By addressing RF, mechanical and environmental requirements together, they help engineers deliver robust systems with fewer trade-offs between performance and practicality.


https://www.taoglas.com/ electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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