A system comprising: first and second access points (108a-108b), each access point comprising one or more 802.11 wireless radios configured to communicate with a wireless node (104a-104l); and a central station adapted to receive and transmit data from and to the wireless node (104a-104l) via the access points (108a-108b); wherein the first and second access points (108a-108b) are both configured to wirelessly receive first data from the wireless node in a same time period and the first access point is configured to forward the first data to the central station; wherein the first and second access points (108a-108b) are both configured to receive second data from the central station for the wireless node, the first access point is configured as a primary access point to wirelessly transmit the second data to the wireless node and to transmit a heartbeat signal to the central station to indicate the health of the first access point, and the second access point is configured as a shadow access point to operate in a listening mode and to refrain from transmitting the second data to the wireless node (104a-104l) while the first access point is operating properly; and wherein the central station is adapted to, receive the heartbeat signal from the first access point and when the heartbeat signal is no longer received from the first access point, transmit an indication to the second access point to transition to act as the primary access point, and the second access point is further configured to switch to the primary access point and to wirelessly transmit the second data to the wireless node (104a-104l) in response to the indication from the central station. first and second access points (108a-108b), each access point comprising one or more 802.11 wireless radios configured to communicate with a wireless node (104a-104l); and a central station adapted to receive and transmit data from and to the wireless node (104a-104l) via the access points (108a-108b); wherein the first and second access points (108a-108b) are both configured to wirelessly receive first data from the wireless node in a same time period and the first access point is configured to forward the first data to the central station; wherein the first and second access points (108a-108b) are both configured to receive second data from the central station for the wireless node, the first access point is configured as a primary access point to wirelessly transmit the second data to the wireless node and to transmit a heartbeat signal to the central station to indicate the health of the first access point, and the second access point is configured as a shadow access point to operate in a listening mode and to refrain from transmitting the second data to the wireless node (104a-104l) while the first access point is operating properly; and wherein the central station is adapted to, receive the heartbeat signal from the first access point and when the heartbeat signal is no longer received from the first access point, transmit an indication to the second access point to transition to act as the primary access point, and the second access point is further configured to switch to the primary access point and to wirelessly transmit the second data to the wireless node (104a-104l) in response to the indication from the central station.