Abstract: A pod-based wireless security system has a plurality of sensor pods with each sensor pod including a plurality of different sensors, a battery pack, a low bandwidth wireless interface, a high bandwidth wireless interface, and a sensor controller. The invention further contemplates a method of using the pod-based wireless security system, which includes providing the plurality of sensor pods, distributing the plurality of sensor pods about an area to be protected, coupling adjacent sensor pods with a low bandwidth wireless protocol and with a high bandwidth wireless protocol through the low bandwidth wireless interface and high bandwidth wireless interface, and using the low bandwidth wireless protocol for routine data transfer and system maintenance and coordination.