1

Linking Buildings Using Wireless

Basics involved in creating data links over 2.4 and 5GHz wireless

2

Types of wireless links

•Simple single remote building direct to a single central building: point-to-point (PTP) links.

•Multiple remote buildings direct to a single central building: point-to-multipoint (PTM) links.

3

Types of wireless links

•PTP or PTM links using repeaters to dog-leg around obstructions.

•Meshing systems where a spiders web of repeater nodes interconnect giving multiple routes connecting clients and sites together.

4

Wireless Basics

•A wireless link will consist of one radio device at one end talking to another

•A few basics.

5

•WiFi doesn’t see through walls or obstructions

•An Antenna doesn’t make signal

6

•Do a link budget

•Set the data link speed to the link speed you actually need for the job

7

•Too much gun!

•Keep the antenna cables short

8

Antenna ChoicesDirectional

•Tight beam

•Longer range

•Cone of signal beam

•Ideal for PTP or for clients in PTM

Side View Top View

9

Antenna ChoicesOmni

•360 degree horizontal beam

•All round coverage

•Thin in the vertical plane

•Ideal for Point-to-Multipoint

Side View Top View

10

Antenna ChoicesSector

•Wide horizontal beam

•Well defined coverage

•Thin in the vertical plane

•Good gain

•Ideal for Point-to-Multipoint

Side ViewTop View

11

•In order to get the best radio signal you should use outdoor radio devices

Outdoor Bridging Units

12

Choices for 2.4GHz Bridging Units

EnGenius 2610

• Built in 10dB directional antenna• External antenna connection• PoE• Compact Design• 108Meg ‘Super G’• LED signal indicators

13

A Simple Example•The best way to illustrate setting up a wireless data link is to go over a simple example.

•The aim is a data link between two houses a couple of Km apart.

•The preferred product is the EOC-2610

14

Site Installation•Find a Suitable Mounting point

•Attach the bridging unit

•Run LAN cable

•Similar setup for the other end

15

Configuring the 2610

16

A Repeating NetworkWDS

•Wireless Distribution System

•Multiple access points

•Preserves the MAC addresses of client packets

•A station accepts connections from wireless clients and passes them down the line.

•All base stations use the same radio channel and security settings.

•The repeaters will bridge and accept wireless clients at the same time.

•Throughput is halved for each repeater.

•Only works with other WDS units.•Roaming

17

A Repeating NetworkUniversal Repeater

•As the name suggests, should repeat from anything

•Each unit is AP + Client

•Essentially two networks; different SSID

•MAC may not be transparent.

•All base stations use the same radio channel and security settings.

•The repeaters will bridge and accept wireless clients at the same time.

•Throughput is halved for each repeater.

•No Roaming

18

5GHz networking

• Frequency range 5.1 to 5.8GHz

• Better non-line-of-site operation – better scatter, and OFDM.

• Less affected by water vapour in the air

• More secure and less interference

• Higher legal power limits

• Same functionality as 2.4GHz

• Reduced range for same power (vs 2.4GHz)

19

Three Frequency Bands

•Band A - 5150-5350MHz; indoor use

•Band B - 5470-5725MHz; indoor or outdoor use

•Band C - 5725-5825MHz; outdoor fixed points (only 3 channels)

20

Band B Frequency Band

•IR2006

•1W EIRP

•Fixed or Mobile Wireless Access

•License free

•DFS and TPC

•11 non-overlapping channels

•1-5Km range

21

Band C Frequency Band

•IR2007

•4W EIRP, density of 23dBm/MHz

•Fixed Wireless Access

•A license is required

•DFS and TPC

•Only channels 149, 153, 157 can be used

•2-10Km range

22

8610 Bridging Units

•2 different models:

NOC-8610PLUS with 16dB directional

NOC-8610EXT with antenna connector

•IR2007 Band C, licensed•PoE•Compact Design•Multiple Operating Modes

23

Configuring the 8610

24

11n WiFi• MIMO M(tx) x N(rx) antenna

• Spatial Multiplexing – Multiple Spatial Streams multiplexed onto single channel split over multiple antenna

• Space-Time Block Coding – same stream over several antenna

• Transmit Beamforming – signal steering by altering the phase

• 40MHz channels

• Improved Coding Schemes– Reduced Guide Interval– Block Ack– Frame Aggregation

25

The MIMO-24JNR-8DB• Dual Polarization 8dBi antenna• Alignment Tools• Passive PoE (24V)• 11n Draft 2.0• PHY rates up to 300Mbps

– True TCP 83Mbps• 7 Operating Modes

– Access Point– Client– Wireless Routing Client– Gateway– Wireless Adapter Mode– Transparent Client

26

MESH Networks•Repeating, radio nodes

•Intelligent routing protocols

•High degree of redundancy and dynamic routing

•Routes between nodes only as desired by originating nodes

•Loop-free, self-starting

27

Advanced Routing

•Best route used•Self healing

28

Typical Applications

Anywhere where you have problems with line of site or require a particularly high resilience for clients e.g.•Caravan sites•Villages or communities•Holiday parks•Marinas•etc...

29

Mesh Nodes

• Single Radio

• Dual Radio

o Different Client/Backhaul

o Client 2.4GHz

o 5Ghz Backhaul

• Layer 2 vs 3

o No IP address

o MAC address of WLAN

o Supports all layer 3 protocols e.g. IP, DHCP, IPv6, IPX, etc

30

8670 Meshing Unit•Dual Radio

•Layer 2 Mesh

•Self Configuration and Healing

•Band C/IR2007

•Multiple SSID

•VLAN Pass through

•VPN Pass through

•PoE

31

Time for Coffee