User's Manual

HotPort 3100 Series Indoor Mesh Nodes 9

Creating a Firetide Mesh Network

Installing, expanding, or even relocating a Firetide mesh network is easy

and fast. Simply place a HotPort node wherever you need Ethernet ports

and connect it to an AC power source. You then use HotView to conﬁgure the

new node to match existing nodes, or to re-conﬁgure a complete network.

Adhering to a few simple guidelines will help ensure that your network

performs reliably and gives you the full beneﬁts and performance that mesh

networking has to offer.

Planning Your Network

Before implementing a wireless mesh network, perform the following

preliminary steps:

• Survey your site and make a simple sketch of where you’ll place the Hot

Port nodes.

• Make sure that uninterrupted AC power is available at each node location.

Do not select a location where it is easy for people to unplug the power

transformer. Do not connect the power transformer to a power strip that

is easy to shut off.

• Select a location that is within radio range of other HotPort nodes. You

can increase the working distance of your indoor, wireless mesh by avoid

ing obstacles between nodes. For best performance, ensure that there is

a clear line of sight between each adjacent HotPort node.

• To ensure security, do not mount the mesh node in publicly accessible ar

eas where it would be easy to steal or damage the unit or gain unauthor

ized access to the network using the rear panel Ethernet ports.

• See the following sections for additional site-planning information.

Understanding HotPort Antenna Patterns

Typical Omnidirectional Antenna Patterns

Omni-directional antennas are usually the best overall choice for most Hot-

Port mesh node installations. Omni-directional antennas radiate in a broad

circular pattern perpendicular to the antenna shaft. If all nodes are on the

same ﬂoor or elevation, orienting the antennas in your mesh network verti

cally (perpendicular to the ground) will provide optimal coverage. Covering

different elevations, such as a multi-story building, may require some

experimentation with antenna angles. Coverage of the RF spectrum is dif

ferent in the various spectrum bands so proper orientation of the antennas

will enhance your coverage area.

When other types of antennas are used, care should be taken to insure

correct mutual alignment of the antennas. Consult your Firetide dealer or

Firetide for further information on antenna choices and patterns.