User's Manual

CHAPTER 7
REPEATING FEATURES
Revised: 5 Dec 12 7-1 EST P/N AA107-210CM
When programmed in any of the three Access Point (AP) Repeater Modes, the Model 210 will create a wireless network with
other Model 210 units in radio range that are programmed in the AP Repeater Peer table during setup. This feature adds the
increased functionality of repeaters to the typical Ethernet Bridge configuration.
ESTEEM MESH NETWORK
One of the most powerful features of the AP Repeater Mode is the ability to input m
u
ltiple communication routes and designate
the priority for each of these routes to create a wireless Mesh network. The ESTeem Model 210 will automatically change
communication routes in the network if a route has failed. The new route will be based upon the priority level set during
configuration. This wireless Meshing technology allows the RF network to “self-heal” if any of the communication paths fail.
The routing priority is manually set during the configuration of t
h
e 210. A manual path configuration is far superior to standard
“self-discovery” networks, because you have direct control over the best RF paths and can easily identify any failed routes for easy
troubleshooting. For example, Figure 1 shows a typical wireless Ethernet system used in the Water/Waste Water Industry. The
problem with a standard “self-discovery” Mesh network is the selection of routes. Notice that the communication between the
Water Plant (Site A) and Pump Site D has a marginal link, but it is the most direct route between the Ethernet devices.
This scenario poses the question, which path will the network select? The ESTeem Mesh Network takes out the guessing games
by
allowing the user to select and prioritize all communication routes in the system. In our example we would want the primary
link to go through Tank B (Repeater) and use the direct link only if this primary link fails. The following sections will show how
this completed.
Figure 1: Small Mesh Network Diagram