it report paul

7/24/2019 It Report Paul

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A

TECHNICAL REPORT

ON

STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK SCHEME (SIWES)

UNDERTAKEN AT

IPNX NIGERIA LIMITED

13A ISAAC JOHN STREET GRA IKEJA, LAGOS

BY

UKAH PAUL .I.

CSC/09/8241

SUBMITTED TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, SCHOOL OF SCIENCES

OF

THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AKURE, ONDO STATE

IN

PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

MARCH 2014


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am highly thankful and grateful to the Almighty God Jehovah for his awesome presence

in my life and his ever present guidance and assistance. I am also grateful to my supervisors, Mr.

Chris Oputteh, Mrs. Joy Aigbe and Mr. Najite Ikutegbe for the encouraging me and guiding me

under their tutelage and mentorship even in when all seemed impossible. I also express my

profound gratitude to all members and staff of ipNX Nigeria Limited.


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SUMMARY

Working at the Implementation and Support Unit of ipNX Nigeria Limited has given me

the opportunity of getting a firsthand appreciation of radio communication technology, learning

its fundamentals, learning to work with various equipment used in its network implementation and

support, and also acquiring skills in monitoring and troubleshooting network faults. I was able to

apply some of the theoretical knowledge gained during my study at the university to real life work

situations thereby bridging the gap between school work and actual practice.

I also gained experience in other fields of science, engineering, and project management. I

learnt valuable lessons on the code of conduct of big firms and it prepared me for various work

scenarios which I am likely to meet after graduation.

Personally, one of the most important skills I gained during the course of my Industrial

Attachment was commercial communication skills with major companies. During the course of

my work I had to liaise with network engineers and IT professionals from banks, manufacturing

companies, oil and gas industries, multinational companies, etc. To carry out projects I had to

work together with personnel from different departments, senior engineers from my company and

our international service partners.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE Page No.

INTRODUCTION 5

1.0 SIWES Background 51.1Objectives of SIWES 5

1.2Location and Brief History Of Establishment 6

1.3Objectives Of Establishment 7

1.4Organizational Structure 9

1.5Various Departments And Their Functions 9

1.5.1 Organizational Business Services and Products 11

CHAPTER TWO 14

EXPERIENCE GAINED 14

2.0 Internet Protocol (IP) Network 14

2.1Radio Communication Technologies 14

2.2Radio Network Link Site Survey 15

2.3Categories Of Radios and Modems 17

2.3.1Alvarion Wimax Radios and Modems 17

2.4

Ubiquiti Point to Point Radios 20

2.5Other High Capacity Radios 22

2.6 Configuration And Troubleshooting Of Radios 24

2.6.1 Alvarion Wimax Radios Configuration 24

2.6.2 Steps to Configure an Alvarion Wimax RD2 Radio 24

2.7 Ubiquiti Point to Point Radios 26

2.7.1 Steps to Configure a Ubiquiti Point to Point Radio 27

2.8 Radio Link Monitoring and Preventive Maintenance 29

2.8.1 Monitoring Set-Up 30

2.8.2 Preventive and Network Maintenance 30

2.9 Internet Protocol (IP) Network Utilities 32


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CHAPTER THREE

CONTRIBUTION TO ESTABLISHMENT 36

CHAPTER FOUR 37

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 37

4.0 Problems Encountered During the Program 37

4.1 Suggestions for Improvements 37

BIBLIOGRAPH 38


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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 SIWES BACKGROUND

The Governments decree No. 47 of 8thOctober 1971 as amended in 1990 Highlighted the

capacity building of human resources in industry, commerce and government through training and

retraining of workers in order to effectively provide the much needed high quality goods and

services in a dynamic economy as ours (Jemerigbo, 2003). This decree led to the establishment of

Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973/1974.

The growing concern among our industrialists that graduates of our institution of higher

learning lack adequate practical background studies preparatory for employment in industries led

to the formation of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) by ITF in 1993/1994

(Information and Guideline for SIWES, 2002). ITF has one of its key functions; to work as

cooperative entity with industry and commerce where students in institutions of higher learning

can undertake mid-career work experience attachment in industries which are compatible with the

students area of study (Okorie 2002).

The students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a skill training programme

designed to expose and prepare students of Agriculture, Engineering, Environmental Science,

Medical Sciences, Pure and Applied Sciences for the industrial work situation which they are likely

to meet after graduation. Duration of SIWES is four (4) months in Polytechnics at the end of NDI,

four (4) months in College Of Education at the end of NCE II and six (6) months in the universities

at the end of 300, 400 or 500 levels depending on the discipline (Information and Guideline for

SIWES, 2002).

1.1 OBJECTIVE OF SIWES

The objective of SIWES among others includes to:

i. prepare students for the industrial work situation which they are likely to meet after

graduation,

ii. provide an avenue for students in institutions of higher learning to acquire industrial

skills and experience in their approved course of study,

iii. expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and

machinery not available in their institutions,


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iv. provide students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situation

thereby bridging the gap between theories and practices, and

v. enlist and strengthen employers involvement in the entire educational process and

prepare students for employment in industry and commerce (Information and

Guideline for SIWES, 2002)

1.2 LOCATION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT

With its headquarters at 4 Balarabe Musa Crescent Victoria Island Lagos and several

branch offices in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Ipnx Nigeria Limited is a leading

provider of infrastructure-based telecommunication and information technological services based

here in Nigeria. With more than a decade of experience, the company was formed by the

divestment of the telecommunications services division of Telnet Nigeria Limited and has been in

operations for over eight (8) years.

Ipnx Nigeria Limited started business as a division of Telnet Nigeria Limited- the leading

indigenous Telecommunication and Information Technology Services Company in Nigeria. Telnet

started business in 1987 as telecommunications engineering company and grew into other areas of

information technology as technology evolved and opportunities arose. A major part of the

business of telnet was providing data communication services, mainly wide area networks and to

Corporate communities in Nigeria in the Oil and Gas and Financial Services industries. With

NITEL as a monopoly provider of telecommunication services in Nigeria due to government

regulation, these networks had to be built with NITEL facilities.

In December 1992, the Federal Government of Nigeria deregulated the

telecommunications industry, thereby opening it up to competition and other organizations were

allowed to provide telecommunications services. Telnet saw this as an opportunity to improve its

services to its customers and started to build its own communications network using radio and

VSAT (satellite) technologies.

The radio networks are utilized for communications between locations in the same

metropolitan area while VSAT networks were mainly used to provide long distance

communications. The corporate organizations used the networks provided for both private voice

and data communications.


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In 2001 Telnet decided to separate the infrastructure based business from the engineering

(or knowledge) based business. This was done to:

To allow Telnet Nigeria Limited provide engineering services to other infrastructure

based service providers who might see Telnet as a competition.

To allow other investors to invest in the infrastructure based business, which is very

capital intensive

The infrastructure based Services Company within Telnet was therefore detached

from the group to form a new companyNetco Services Limited. Some of the Nigerian

Communications Commission (NCC) licenses with Telnet were transferred to Netco and

Netco obtained some additional licenses from the Nigerian Communications Commission

(NCC). In total Netco has:

Regional 3.5GHz FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) licenses in Lagos, Cross River, Bayelsa

and Abuja

National VSAT license

Internet Service Provider License

Unfortunately, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC);

the National Engineering and Technical Company had also been known in the Nigerian

environment with the acronym Netco and this caused a bit of confusion in the market

place, hence in April 2003 the name of the company was changed to ipNX NigeriaLimited.

Ipnx has now obtained additional frequencies from the NCC to be used to provide

consumer and small businesses with Internet and Data Communications. These have been

allocated to Lagos, Abuja (FCT), Cross Rivers and Bayelsa States with an opportunity to

go to other states in Nigeria after we have started providing services in these locations.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF ESTABLISHMENT

Ipnx currently provides a range of communication and IT services to corporate

organizations within Nigeria on its IP (Internet Protocol) based communications network using

both radio and satellite communications technologies. In the long term ipNX has determined that

it needs also to have a presence in the wire line market to ensure that they will be able to provide

future services, which require high bandwidth to the last mile.

Below are the core values of Ipnx:


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Integrity

Consistency in what we say and do

Adhering to the firms ethics even behind closed doors

Professionalism

Adhering to the norms and regulations of ones profession and conducting self in ways that

portray the values and culture of the profession

Upholding our work and standards with pride even behind closed doors

High Quality

Going beyond the current standards

Constantly and actively improving on our services and the way we work

Respect for Individual

Treating others impartially and with dignity even behind closed doors

Listening and granting legitimacy to others point of view, work, and contribution

Innovation

Creativity in everything we do

Finding better, faster, less expensive or more efficient ways of doing things

Teamwork

Sharing knowledge, skills, the joys of success and the pains of failure

Interactive collaboration


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1.4 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Figure 1.4: ipNX Organogram

1.5 THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENT/UNITS AT IPNX AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

Ipnx has different strategic departments that assist in performing various functions in order

to achieve the desired objectives. This section explores these diverse units and shows how they

function in the ipNX network.

ADMINISTRATION: this department over sees the smooth running of daily activities and

ensures good flow of work process. Its sub divided into the following:

Human Capital Management (HCM): Here, they are committed to providing an

enabling environment where the full potentials of each and every staff can be unleashed

Managing

Director

ExecutiveDirector

Chief Marketing

DirectorChief Technical

Officer

Head

Implementation

& Su ort I&S

Marketing

Manager

Business

Development

Mana er

MarketingServices &

Promotion

Advertising

& Brandin

Customer

Care Manager

Corporate

Sales

(Regional)

Retail Sales

(Regional)

Corporate

Support

Customer

Care

(iWireless

Support)

Tele-

Sales

Sales

Analyst

Regional

Head I&S

WEST

Regional

Head I&S

(EAST)

Regional

Head I&S

(NORTH)

Direct Sales

Executives

&Channels

Head Netw

Planning

Optimisat

IP & R

Transmi

Netwo

Operat

Centr

Engineers Engineers Engineers


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to create a mastery of achievement. They are in charge of employment and code of

conduct and ethics of members of staff.

2. FINANCE: The daily inflow and outflow of cash and their proper record keeping

constitute the major aim of this department at ipNX. This unit is in charge of all the

monetary transactions carried out at ipNX. Payments, transfers, loans, etc. are all carried

out in the finance unit. Proper documentation is also done here for safety purposes.

This department deals with all financial transactions in the company. It is sub

divided into the following:

Billing:This department deals with all customer account records and any outstanding bills

or charges. They ensure customers accounts are not active if there are anypending bills.

3. PLANNING AND OPTIMISATION: This department is in charge of the ipNX

network. The personnel here are charged with the setting up of the network (on paper). They

explore new areas for expansion of the network. They are also in charge of the configuration of

network components such as the core devices. The Network Operations Center (NOC)forms

a major part of this department.

Network Operations Center (NOC): The NOC deals mainly with monitoring

network devices and the data centers (a room with network devices all connected

for network Optimisation). In essence they ensure noting goes unnoticed on the

network

4. IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPPORT: This department comprises of engineers

who carry out the actual installation of devices and equipment that make up the network.

The department is divided based on the regions.

The network structures mapped out by the planning department are handed over to

this group to carry out the needful. They see to it that the necessary base-stations are in

place. They also provide support and maintenance for the clients and various sites.

5. CUSTOMER SERVICES:People in this department (which comprises of iWireless

and Corporate Support for Retail and Corporate Customers respectively) make sure that


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ipNX customers are satisfied with the product been delivered. They also get feedback from

such as to how to serve them better

6. MARKETING AND SALES: This department provides for the continuity of the

company by getting new customers and providing door to door services for them.

7. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (SCM): This section of the ipNX family is in

charge of all equipment in and out of the company. They take proper records of goods

being bought and those delivered for use at ipNX locations. It is divided into two:

Purchase: they make purchases on behalf of the company by receiving requisition

from departments of the specified equipment or goods. .

Store:They are in charge of keeping any device that is not in use like spares in case

the working device develops a fault. They also stock new equipment which are to

be requested in the future.

8. MEDIA AND HOSTING:This department handles all VoIP connection, mail issues,

management of the data centers, etc.

1.5.1

ORGANIZATION BUSINESS SERVICES AND PRODUCTSSome of the services provided by ipNX include:

1. Collocation Services

Ipnx collocation is the housing of your servers or associated devices in our Data center (DC).

These servers are either client owned (provided) or leased from our Data Warehouse (DWH).

Each ipNX collocation facility is staffed with technical experts to answer your questions

and act as your remote hands at all hours, day or night. The technical experts are

knowledgeable in various operating systems, databases, email protocols, and system

management. The data centers are connected to a resilient power supply protected by a

UPS and auxiliary generator.

2. Fiber Optic Service (FOS)


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Ipnx FOS uses Fiber Optic technology that delivers multimedia information and

communication services. These services include Internet, Telephony, Television, and

Video Surveillance amongst other services to homes and businesses at the speed of light.

Ipnx FOS currently offers the following services:

Ipnx Fiber Broadband:delivers reliable, high speed broadband internet that is

always on (24x7). It enables you to make video conference calls, download large

files in seconds and stream video clips from the internet without buffering.

Ipnx Telephony:provides a reliable landline telephone service with crystal clear

voice calls at very competitive rates both for local and international calls.

3. Ipnx Mail

ipNX Mail is an outsourced corporate email platform designed to drastically reduce the

resource commitments required for any business wishing to have the benefit of a

customized, corporate email system by providing an affordable out sourced e-

messaging platform that eliminates the cost and complexity of management currently

associated with e-messaging in Nigeria.

4.

Ipnx Web

Users of ipNX Web can either access the service over ipNX metropolitan

networks (Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa) for all areas outside the

previously listed locations. Ipnx These users can monitor their link usage online real

time and can share a pool of Internet bandwidth over several locations within a

metropolis. Bandwidth can also be shared between points located in different towns


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4. VPN

(Virtual Private Network) is one of our services that we provide for our customers

that want a very secure network connection to their offices (i.e. various branches),

connection secluded from the general public.

5. Corporate VoIP

Ipnx implements VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for customers on its network by

configuring IP phones to pass calls through its network and for customers who are on

another network. It also provides call services by configuring the calls to pass through its

own network. Customers are charged based on type of configuration done.


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CHAPTER TWO

EXPERIENCE GAINED

2.0 IP INTERNETWORK

The internet protocol provides for the connectionless and connection-based transfer of

packets across an interconnected set of networks called the internet. In general the component

networks may use different protocols; so the objective of IP is to provide communications across

dissimilar networks.

Each device that is attached to the internet has a two-part address namely: The Host Part

and The Network Part. To transmit an IP Packet, a device sends an IP Packet encapsulated using

its local network protocol to the nearest router. The Routers are packet switches that act as the

gateway between the components of the network. The router performs a route lookup algorithm

on the network part of the destination address to determine whether the destination is in an

immediately accessible network or, if not, to determine the next router in the path to the

destination. After this the router then forwards the IP packet across the given network.

In other words IP treats the component network as data link layers whose role is to transfer

the packet to the nearest router or to the destination.

2.1 RADIO COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Radio encompasses the electromagnetic spectrum from 3 kHz to 300 GHz. In radio

communication the signal transfer takes place in air or space using an antenna that radiates energy

at carrier frequency. Depending on the frequency and the antenna, this carrier energy can propagate

either in a unidirectional or omnidirectional direction.

In the Unidirectional, case a properly aligned antenna receives the modulated signal and

an associated receiver in the direction of the transmission recovers the original information. In the

case of the omnidirectional case any receiver with an antenna within the coverage area can pick

up the signal that is being transmitted.

Radio communication systems are subject to various transmission limitations and

challenges such as Attenuation, Multipath fading, and Interference.


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Attenuation in radio links vary logarithmically with the distance, it also increases with rainfall

occurrence.

Multipathfading refers to the propagation phenomenon that results in radio signals reaching the

receiving antenna by two (2) or more paths. The causes of multipath fading are mainly from water

bodies and terrestrial objects such as buildings and mountains.

Interference refers to energy that appears in the receiver from other sources other than the

transmitter. Interference can be generated by other users of the same frequency band or equipment

that incidentally transmits energy outside its band into bands of adjacent channels. It also affects

the performance of radio systems and for this reason regulatory bodies apply strict regulations on

the emission of radiation by radio equipment.

2.2 RADIO NETWORK LINK SITE SURVEY

Companies that have decided to or are deciding to building and operating wireless

broadband networks have several important issues to consider in terms of how to proceed. Once

demographic, financial, competitive, commercial and or residential issues analysis is complete, the

operator must complete a thorough engineering site survey of the area to be served. Once that is

completed the data learned and gathered during the survey will aid in the preliminary network

design.

The Infield Site Survey

A site survey is carried out because the operator wants to minimize the unknowns

regarding the network prior to construction and the operator wants to develop a vision of

how the network will work once its built.


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Client

Address Or Site Location

Height Of Building

GPS CO-ORDINATES

Latitude

Longitude

Height , Location And Structural Integrity Of

Existing Mast

Height, Location And Structural Integrity Of

Existing Pole

Detail Of Pole To Be Used (Wall Mount Or

Casted, Etc.)

Recommended Location For The Proposed

Mast/Pole

Type And Height Of Obstruction(s) On The

Line Of Sight(LOS)

List Of Base Stations With Clear Line Of Sight

Estimated Cable Length

Router / LAN Details (If Present)

Extra Tools Required e.g. Drilling Machine

Ladder, Etc.

Power Supply Audit

L-N

L-E N-E

Description Of Existing Earth

Table 2.2 I pnx SI TE SURVEY SUMMARY DATA SHEET


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2.3 CATEGORIES OF RADIOS AND MODEM

There are different kinds of radios used in ipNX and these radios are used according to the

bandwidth requested from clients. The following types of radios are used in ipNX

2.3.1 Alvarion WiMax Radios and Modems

Ipnx implores the use of Alvarion technology in its network integration.

Alvarion WiMax Ltd. (Alvarion) is involved in providing wireless broadband systems. The

company operates its business through a single line of business, namely, wireless broadband. The

companys products and service offerings include wireless broadband solutions and WiMax-based

solutions for top-tier carriers, internet service providers (ISPs) and other private network operators.

As a provider of WiMax and non-WiMax wireless broadband systems, Alvarion has launched

more than 250 commercial WiMAX deployments worldwide. It provides services such as

interoperability testing (IOT), analysis and planning, deployment and implementation. In addition,

the solutions being offered by the company cover a range of frequency bands with fixed, portable

and mobile applications. The company has ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications

for Quality Management system and Health and Safety system.

The following enlisted radios are used:

Alvarion CPE 4000 Radio: This type of radio could be also called a Modem; its

an indoor radio which gets strong signal strength if positioned properly. The radio

provides both voice and data communication to the user.


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F ig 2.3.1 (a): Alvarion CPE 4000 Radio

Alvarion CPE 3000 Radio: This type of radio has both and indoor and outdoor

unit. The outdoor unit faces the nearest base station to acquire a good signal

strength, then alignment is done on the outdoor unit to obtain the best signal

strength. The radio can only be accessed by logging into the radio by connecting

the indoor unit to a PC and configuration settings are made.

F ig 2.3.1 (b): Al vari on CPE 300Radio & Antenna


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Alvarion RD2 Radio: This type of radio is similar to the Alvarion CPE 3000; it

also has indoor and outdoor units. Its capable of passing 1Mbp/s (1Megabyte per

second) which can be accessed by connecting the indoor unit to a PC for

configuration changes and assessment

F igure 2.3.1 (c): Alvari on RD2 Radio Antenna

2.4 UBIQUITI POINT TO POINT RADIOS

Ubiquiti Power Station 5: Ubiquiti radios are mainly used for point to point links

i.e. for a link to be established the radio at the clients end must physically face the

other radio at the base station end in order to establish a link. The Ubiquiti power

station 5 is used mainly at the base station end due to its high transmitting power

(TX) and also works perfectly well if its exact replica is also at the clients end.

Its highly used in long range distances and has a bandwidth of 5 Megabyte and

above.


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(a) (b)

F igure 2.4: Ubiqui ti Power Station 5 Radio & POE (Power over Ethernet) Adapter

Ubiquiti Nano Bridge Radio: This is also a Point to Point (PtP) radio like the

Power Station 5, and comprises of the POE (Power over Ethernet) Adapter, outdoor

unit, antenna feed, and circular dish. It has increased functionality than the Power

station 5 owing to its higher transmit power (with longer distance ranges), better

circumference of the circular dish and an antenna feed that indicates the signal

strength. The Nano Bridge can accommodate a bandwidth higher than 5 Megabyte.

(a)

Figur e 2.4: (a) Ubiquiti Nano Br idge Radio and (b) Poe (Power over Ethernet) Adapter

(b)


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2.5 OTHER HIGHER CAPACITY RADIOS

SAF CFM RADIO: SAF CFMis a safe and affordable wireless communication

point to pint system operating between 5 and 38GHz frequency bands. It provides

both voice and data communicationin rural and urban areas covering a distance of

60Km between the 2 sites (the base station and the client end respectively). CFM

is available between 4/8/34Mbps data transmission rates, according to the need of

your business you may be required to use either CFM modular equipment i.e. Radio

(ODU-Outdoor Unit) and interface block (IDU-Indoor Unit)or Full Outdoor Unit

(FODU) which comprises of the Indoor and Outdoor unit all in One device.

Fig 2.5 (a): SAF CFM ODU (Outdoor Uni t) and

I ndoor Unit (I DU)

Fi gure 2.5 (b): SAF CFM FODU (Ful l Outdoor Unit)

IDU

ODU


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SAF CFIP Radio: The SAF CFIP isperfect building blockfor modern future proof

wireless network, fixed data service operators, etc. The SAF CFIP is full outdoor

solution (which comprises of indoor and outdoor unit all in one device) (FODU)

which has a bandwidth of 108Mbps, a channel width of 7/ 14/ 28MHz with 10/100

Ethernet Capable interfaces and 4E1 interfaces and has a standard power over

Ethernet (Poe) interface. Its also referred to as a Green radio (less than 15-20W of

power consumption per terminal) allowing to use alternate power sources. The SAF

CFIP radio provides the capability to replace the SAF CFM radio by retaining the

antenna size/ distance. Its also perfect for overlaying GSM network with

3G/WiMAX and LTE services and collocated base stations.

(c)SAF CFIP Poe (Power over E thernet) Adapter

(d) SAF CFI P Full Outdoor Un it (FODU)

F igure 2.5 (d)F igure 2.5 (c)


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2.6 CONFIGURATION AND TROUBLESHOOTING OF RADIOS

The different type of radios used in Ipnx requires some specific settings and configuration

on them for the radios to work as expected. The following radios are configured as follows:

2.6.1 ALVARION WiMAX RADIOS (CONFIGURATION)

To configure an Alvarion WiMax radio the following parameters are necessary for the link

to be up and running:

Username

Password

Domain Name

Firmware Upgrade

VLAN Settings

Frequencies Of Base Stations Available

IP Address (LAN and WAN)

2.6.2 STEPS TO CONFIGURE AN ALVARION WiMAX RD2 RADIO

1. Change your LAN IP Address of your PC to the default IP address of the radio (the

default IP for Alvarion WiMax is 192.168.254.X/24 )

2. Login into the default gateway IP Address of the radio through any browser

3. Upgrade the firmware to the firmware that will be compatible to that of the

connecting base station.

4. Change the username, password, domain and then click update


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F igure 2.6.2 (a): Username, Password and Domain Change

5. Insert the accepted ipNX frequencies so that the radio locks to the available base

station.


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F igure 2.6.2 (b): F requencies insert ion

2.7 UBIQUITI POINT TO POINT RADIOS

During the configuration of Ubiquiti radios (a Point to Point i.e. it requires a radio

at the client end to face the other radio at the base station end), hence the configuration

settings at either end must correspond with the other end unless a link will not be

established.

The following parameters must be considered:

Wireless Mode (Station or Access Point)

Country Code, SSID (Service Set Identification) and Output Power

Network mode

IP Address and DNS IP

Distance

Firmware Upgrade


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2.7.1 STEPS TO CONFIGURE A UBIQUITI POINT TO POINT RADIO

1. Change your LAN IP address of your PC to the default IP address of the radio

according to the documentation or manual of the radio.

2. Login to the default gateway IP Address of the radio using any browser

3. Upgrade the radios firmware in order to match to that of the connecting base

station

4. Change the wireless mode to Access point when configuring the base station end

and to Station when configuring the clients end radio

5. Insert the desired SSID (Service Set Identification),Country Code, Output Power

and click Change

F igure 2.7.1 (a): Wireless Mode, SSID, Country Code and Output Power Change

6. Change Network Mode to Bridge mode, insert the desired IP Address with its

Subnet Mask and gateway IP Address, insert DNS IP and click change


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F igure 2.7.1 (b): Network Mode, IP and Gateway IP Address and DNS IP CHANGE

7. Insert the distance between the two (2) radios so they can establish a link between

themselves.

8.

Restart the unit and check their status.


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F igure 2.7.1 (c): Status Check

2.8 RADIO LINK MONITORING AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

All the work put forth to plan, design and install a quality a radio network can all be for

nothing if the network isnt proactively monitored or properly maintained.

In a large metro wireless network there will invariably dozens, if not hundreds of

devices to monitor. These devices includes routers, access points switches, point to point

links and other related links. The ability to manage remotely and remotely monitor these

devices varies from one manufacturer to the other. For the most part todays leading

vendors infrastructure allows for remote SNMP (SimpleNetwork Management Protocol)

management.

The ability to get into the network and actively monitor various items is important

to keeping the system operational to a carrier class level. Ideally the operator or

integrator developing the network will install a remote server at the customers premises

loaded with a hardware client VPN (Virtual Private Network). This local server allows the

customers (city, school, service operator or an enterprise) to be monitored remotely.


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2.8.1 MONITORING SET-UP

This basic monitoring advises if the network elements being monitored are operational or

not.

The baseline RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) levels for each radio should be

set in order to establish baselines of performance using RSL (Received Signal Levels).these

levels should be recorded when the radios were installed, a good integrator will know what

realistic or non-realistic received levels are for particular radios.

Next threshold traps are installed within a 25% range of peak performance and that

level is set as a trigger to create an alarm. This 25% range of peak performance allows the

radio to continue to perform, but advises of a problem before the radio link goes down.

When a trap has been triggered it typically creates a graphical impression at the NOC

(Network Operating Centre) as well as sets off alarms to required personnel for the required

alarm resolution. The out-dialling capability is common and allows personnel to be notified

24/7.

A good network integrator will also set up network collision tracking and monitor

all collision of data and data loss in the network itself. Also the beginning the NOC usually

monitor switch ports the radios are connected to in order to determine if there are problems

at that level. The NOC also provides daily, weekly, monthly views of network performance

including Packet Loss, RF (Radio Frequency) quality so the network owner has a view of

network activity, quality level, and overall performance.

2.8.2 PREVENTIVE AND NETWORK MAINTENANCE

This is the corrective measure done after the fault has occurred either via the replacement

of the radio equipment or logical troubleshooting.

Depending on the alarm error, some problems can be repaired remotely, sometimes

recycling the radio and refreshing the profiles or settings can fix the problem. There are

however, filed activities relating to maintenance that need to be planned for and

undertaken. Such items include the following:


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Proactive updating and testing of firmware

Semi-annual inspection of all network components (both indoor and outdoor ) to

ensure that weather seals, cables, ice breaks, electrical , UPS and other main

network components are operational and not at risk.

A local maintenance capability should be also available to be dispatched when

problems do occur that cannot be fixed remotely.

The local support personnel must be capable of connecting into the equipment via

serial or Ethernet connection and resolving local issues.

The personnel also has to have necessary information to gain access to the site

during off hours as well as have access to tower riggers in case of a lightning strike

or antenna failure.

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) should be developed by the city or operator to manage

the commitments of the monitoring and maintenance company. Its not uncommon for

service to be required with 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours on the critical nature of the network.


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Client

Address Or Site Location

Height of building

Co-ordinates

Latitude

Longitude

Height, Location And Structural Stability Of

Existing Mast/Pole

Possibility Of Deploying The Link On A Pole

If Its Currently On A Mast

CPE Health

RF Cable Health

RF Parameter (SNR AND RSSI)

Connecting BSID

Antenna Alignment

Indoor Cable Length

Power Supply Audit

L-N

L-E

N-E

Description Of Existing Earth

Table 2.8.2: ipNX Preventi ve Maintenance Data Sheet

The above table gives the necessary parameters to make sure the link is up and running.

2.9 IP NEWORK UTILITIES

1. PING: Ping is an acronym for Packet Internet Groper which is a standard

software utility (tool) used to test network connections. It can be used to determine

if a remote device (such as Web or Game server) can be reached across the network

and, if so, the connections latency. Ping tools are part of Windows, Mac OS, and

Linux as well as on some Routers and Game consoles.


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Most ping tools use Internet Control Message Protocol(ICMP). They send request

messages to a target network address at periodic intervals and measure the time it takes for

a response message to arrive. The name comes from active sonar terminology which

sends pulse of sound and listens for the echo to detect objects under water.

FIGURE 2.9 (a): PING PATTERN

2. TELNET: Telnet is a user command and an underlying TCP/IP protocol for

accessing remote computers , through telnet an administrator or another user canaccess someone elses computer remotely. On the web, HTTP and FTP protocols

allow you to request specific files from remote computers, but not to actually be

logged on as a user of that computer. With Telnet you log on as a regular user with

whatever privileges you may have been granted to the specific application and data

on that computer.A telnetcommand request looks like this :


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Telnet howtogeek.com.edu

The result of this request would be an invitation to log on with a userid and a prompt for a

password. If accepted, you would be logged on like any user who used this computer every

day.

FI GURE 2.9 (b): TELNET PATTERN

3. IPCONFIG: In computing ipconfig (Internet Protocol Configuration) in

Microsoft Windows is a console application that displays all current TCP/IP

network configuration values, can refresh DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration

Protocol) and DNS (Domain Name System) settings. This utility can be used to

obtain information for each IP network interface for the host, for example, DNS

hostname, IP Addresses of the servers, physical address of the network card. Its

also used to renew an IP address with a DHCP server.


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F igure 2.9 (c): I PCONFIG PATTERN


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CHAPTER THREE

CONTRIBUTION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT

I was able to add my contribution to my establishment in the following ways listed below:

Configuration and troubleshooting of radios (Alvarion WiMax and Ubiquiti)

Configuration of wireless routers (Cisco, Netgear, etc.)

Migration of FTTH (Fiber To The Home) customers from the EPON (Ethernet Passive

Optical Network) to GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) platform

Building an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Network

Installation and configuration of GrandstreamInternet Protocol (IP) Cameras and Phones

Preventive and corrective maintenance at various Ipnx Base stations

Maintenance Of Fiber Optics ONT (Optical Network Terminals) modems


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CHAPTER FOUR

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.0 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE PROGRAM

During my first week, I had difficulties understanding a lot of terms and terminologies that were

used at the office because a lot of them were very new to me. This made it hard for me to follow

the procedures, fortunately most of the staff and other IT students were very patient with me and

were helpful in bringing me up to speed.

4.1 SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Truly this scheme can be described as an eye-opener for students in general, but

improvements can be made in the following areas described below:

The search for an internship position in a well-recognized establishment still

remains a huge problem for aspiring interns. The Industrial Training Fund should

look into this and encourage industries to participate in training and equipping

students with relevant skills and knowledge.

The employers should endeavor to provide medical care for students within the

limits of the employers condition of service during attachment.


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BIBLIOGRAPH

Communication Networks- Fundamental Concepts and Key architecture (2ndEdition) by

Alberto Leon Garcia

CCNA Study Guide (7thEdition) by Todd Lammle

it report paul

Documents