People counting with RUCKUS SmartZone
Bumbee Labs delivers footfall analytics through the RUCKUS SmartZone controller you already run, and for most venues that means no new hardware. It turns what the controller collects from your access points into anonymous visitor numbers, dwell times and movement flows in your dashboards and via the API. Setup needs a SmartZone controller and permission to connect Bumbee Labs.
No new hardware. Your SmartZone-managed access points do the sensing.
Trusted by
Why RUCKUS SmartZone + Bumbee Labs
-
No new hardware
Built on the RUCKUS SmartZone controller and access points you already run.
-
Privacy-first
Every signal is anonymised and aggregated, so no personal data is kept and no individual is identified.
-
One platform
Visitor counts and dwell times from your SmartZone network appear in the same Bumbee Labs dashboards and API as your other measurements.
-
Sustainable measurement
The access points your SmartZone controller already manages do double duty, so for most venues there is no new equipment to produce or discard.
Getting started on SmartZone
-
Connect to your SmartZone controller
Your SmartZone controller already brings together what every RUCKUS access point sees. Bumbee Labs connects to it through configuration, so there is no installation project.
-
Filter & anonymise
The signals collected by the controller are filtered for noise, then anonymised and aggregated. Personal data is irrevocably deleted, leaving only statistics.
-
Process & calibrate
What remains becomes visitor counts, dwell times, zone correlations and movement flows, calibrated to your venue.
-
Deliver
The anonymous metrics are available in the Bumbee Labs dashboards, and the API passes the same figures on to your BI tools. Standard metrics arrive the day after the visit.
What you measure on RUCKUS SmartZone
Wi-Fi is Bumbee Labs' whole-space method, strongest at covering entire venues and the journeys across them. Typical metrics from a SmartZone network:
- Visitor count (total) and unique visitors
- Dwell time, per zone and overall
- Visitor paths & flows between zones and between sites
- Zone data & correlation
- Passers-by and capture rate (passing → entering)
- Peaks & lows and long-run trends
For exact line-crossing in/out and live occupancy at a specific door, pair SmartZone with cameras or 3D sensors. See the full method-by-method grid.
Can you count visitors with a RUCKUS SmartZone controller?
Yes. Bumbee Labs connects to the RUCKUS SmartZone controller you already run. It anonymises and aggregates what your access points report and turns that into visitor counts, dwell times and movement patterns, which you can view in your dashboards or fetch through the API.
What you need to start: a RUCKUS SmartZone controller and permission to connect Bumbee Labs to it. In most cases there is no new hardware or site visit, and the network carries on as before. BeamFlex access points, which have adaptive antennas, are covered like your other access points.
Visitor counting and occupancy monitoring both run on the SmartZone controller you already operate, so flows across the whole space and the peaks and lows of the day come from one source.
If your RUCKUS network is cloud-managed, see people counting with RUCKUS One. To understand the method, read about Wi-Fi people counting.
Curious what this looks like for your venue?
RUCKUS SmartZone vs other counting methods
Wi-Fi covers whole spaces and the journeys across them. Add cameras where you need point precision, or cellular for wide-area catchment.
| Capability | RUCKUS SmartZone (Wi-Fi) | Camera & 3D | Cellular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-space coverage | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Exact in/out at a door | Partial | Yes | No |
| Real-time occupancy | Partial | Yes | No |
| Paths & flows between zones | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Dwell time | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Catchment / origin | No | No | Yes |
| Uses your existing hardware | Yes | No | Yes |
| Built-in privacy protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
- Full
- Partial
- Not available
Approved and validated
The integration uses the only footfall method in Europe approved by a data protection authority. You get the full picture, and no personal data is kept.
We have extensively evaluated Bumbee Labs' solution and the quality insights they produce, in combination with the efficiency of the remote installation process, make this a valuable collaboration. This alliance presents a great opportunity for our distribution ecosystem to provide a variety of service offerings to their customers, opening up new revenue streams.
Frequently asked questions
Does people counting with RUCKUS SmartZone need new hardware?
Usually not. Bumbee Labs works from the RUCKUS SmartZone controller you already run, which gathers what every one of your access points sees. For most venues that is enough to begin counting on the network they have.
How does Bumbee Labs connect to RUCKUS SmartZone?
Bumbee Labs connects to your SmartZone controller with your permission. The controller already collects the signals from your RUCKUS access points, so setting it up is configuration work and no installation project is needed.
Does it matter whether we run RUCKUS SmartZone or RUCKUS One?
The connection route depends on how your RUCKUS network is managed. With RUCKUS SmartZone you run the controller yourself, either on-prem or virtual, whereas RUCKUS One is managed from the cloud. Bumbee Labs works with both and shows the results in the same platform.
Do we need RUCKUS SPoT for this?
RUCKUS SPoT is not required. Your SmartZone controller already gathers the data from every access point, and Bumbee Labs calculates counts, dwell and flows from that data without a separate location product. If you already use SPoT (Smart Positioning Technology), book a demo and we'll confirm the right route for your setup.
Does people counting with RUCKUS SmartZone identify individual visitors?
No. Bumbee Labs aggregates the signals from your RUCKUS access points into anonymous statistics and irrevocably deletes personal data, so no individual can be identified.
Is people counting with RUCKUS SmartZone GDPR-compliant?
Yes. Your SmartZone controller collects the signals from your RUCKUS access points, and any personal data in them is deleted at source. Only anonymous, aggregated statistics reach your dashboards. The method Bumbee Labs uses has also been reviewed and approved by a European data protection authority.