SkieCan Skie work in a factory with no Wi-Fi?
Yes, with a limit. The rules are cached on the device, so apps and settings keep being enforced without a network. But the device is not visible on the dashboard until it connects, and new rules do not arrive. Plan a regular connection point, such as a gate or office Wi-Fi, where devices sync.
Many plants have no Wi-Fi on the floor, or Wi-Fi only in the office. People ask whether the management software stops working there. For Skie, the enforcement does not. The policy lives on the device, and Android enforces it whether or not a network is present.
What changes is visibility and updates. The device reports its presence when it can, so the dashboard shows last seen from the last connection. An alert about a change made offline will arrive when the device next syncs. New rules, a changed app list or a lost mode command will not reach a device that stays offline. Instant sync happens when the internet returns or when the screen turns on stale.
You can use the Due, Overdue, Offline unusual and Breach thresholds to match your reality. If workers sync at the start of each shift, set the thresholds to match. A gate overlay appears on unlock if the device has not synced within the Due limit, and it only gates the device if the sync fails, so a working sync is quick for the user.
Offline mode can carry its own allowed apps and a maximum duration set by the organisation. It ends automatically when the network returns.
Mobile data is another route. Skie does not include a SIM, but if a device has its own plan, it will sync wherever there is a signal. For plants with no signal at all, a charging or docking point with Wi-Fi works well. Pilot it on one line before roll-out.