GO Metro Broadband Wireless Getting Started Technical Guide for WLP Wireless LAN Pico Base Station Version 2.
GO WLP Getting Started Guide Trademarks and Licensing Agreement © 2006-2007 GO Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. All information contained in this document is protected by international copyright treaties. No information may be copied or reproduced without the express written consent of GO Networks Inc. GO Metro Broadband Wireless, GO MBW, WLAN Sector Base Station, WLS, GO WLAN Pico Base Station, WLP, GO Wireless Network Controller, and WNC are all trademarks of GO Networks Inc.
GO WLP Getting Started Guide FCC Compliance Status The following information is for FCC compliance: This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
GO WLP Getting Started Guide Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................1 Key Product Features ................................................................................................................................1 Organization of this Document...................................................................................................................
GO WLP Getting Started Guide Saving the Configuration..........................................................................................................................33 WLP Configuration Example....................................................................................................................33 Upgrading the WLP Software ..........................................................................................................34 Obtaining a New Software Image .....................
Introduction GO Networks’ WLP device is a key enabler for the Metro Broadband Wireless (MBW) Solution. GO Pico Cellular WiFi architecture offers a novel topology for metro WiFi networks, which relies on the strengths of innovative XRF™ architecture. This architecture provides the coverage, capacity, and scalability required to deliver next-generation services and overcome the limitations of existing metro WiFi solutions.
Organization of this Document The GO Metro Broadband Getting Started Guide for the Wireless LAN Pico Base Station (WLP) offers information and instructions for quickly installing and configuring the WLP. The instructions and information are presented in one volume as follows: Introduction Contains introductory information about the WLP. GO WLAN Pico Base Station Presents a general description and overview of the WLP including content and safety procedures.
GO Wireless LAN Pico Base Station (WLP) The GO Wireless LAN Pico Base Station (WLP) complements the Wireless LAN Sector Base Station (WLS). It delivers street-level coverage and provides capacity enhancements in dense metro areas over a single 802.11b/g channel, while meshing traffic over an 802.11a radio. The WLP Base Station delivers omni-directional (360o) coverage while retaining full xRF smart antenna engine functionality for enhanced capacity and range.
WLP Safety Information RF Exposure The WLP, an outdoor access point, is compliant with the requirements set forth in CFR 47 section 1.1307, addressing RF Exposure from radio frequency devices as defined in OET Bulletin 65. The outdoor access point antennas should be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 3 feet (1 meter) from humans.
Information de sécurité pour WLP Exposition aux fréquences RF Le point d’accès extérieur WLP est compatible avec la norme CFR 47 section 1.1307 concernant l’exposition aux appareils émetteurs de fréquences radio RF définis par le Bulletin 65 de l’OET. Les antennes doivent être installées à une distance minimum d’un mètre de personnes humaines. Paratonerre pour WLP Un paratonnerre est nécessaire lorsque le point d’accès WLP est installe à l’extérieur et lié à un network intérieur par un câble Ethernet.
Installation Installation Process Installing the WLAN Pico Base Station involves the following steps: 1. Performing a Site Survey 2. Assembling and Mounting 3. Mounting the WLP unit 4. Connecting the Antennas 5. Connecting the cables 6. Powering up the unit and configuring the software 7. Performing a Post-installation Testing Procedure to verify connectivity and operation Site Survey Most wireless LANs include many access points installed in various locations in an overlapping radio-cell pattern.
Assembling and Mounting The universal mount is used to attach and secure the WLP to a wall, a streetlight arm, or a variety of poles. The WLP mounting consists of the following stages and should be performed in the following order: 1. Connect the WLP unit to the brackets using the ‘L’ adaptor. 2. Secure the mounting brackets to a streetlight arm, wall, or pole. 3. Assemble the WLP unit to the bracket. 4. Ground the WLP unit. 5. Align the WLP unit. 6. Mount the Antenna to the WLP unit.
Item No. Description Qty H Spring Washer M8 4 I Nut M8 1 J Antenna Support Plate 1 Picture Table 2: Mounting Kit Part List Hardware and Connectors Installation Tools The following tools are required to mount the WLP on a pole. Combination Wrench (13 mm) 13 mm Level Table 3: Mounting Tools and Equipment Note: All hardware and tools used for assembling and mounting the WLP are Metric.
Flat Washer Spring Washer Hex Bolt "L" Adapter Figure 1: Mount ‘L’ Assembly Mounting Brackets To secure the mounting brackets: 1. Select an optimal mounting location on the pole. Select the highest mounting location with minimal obstacles to the antennas for optimal performance. NOTE: When mounting the WLP on a pole, it should be placed on a pole that can support four times the weight of the WLP, as well as the wind loading created by the WLP. 2.
3. For narrow poles (1”–1.75” diameter): a) Place the two brackets, [A] and [B], around the pole at the approximate height where you wish to place the unit. When placing the clamping bracket [B], the small notch side should be in contact with the pole. b) Use two M8x70 hex bolts [D] and spring washers, insert them through both brackets and tighten them around the pole so that the two brackets are securely fastened. 4. For normal poles (1.
6. For wall mounting: a) Fasten the wall/poll bracket [A] to the wall using four 3/16” (5mm) bolts, as shown in Figure 3. Use the appropriate bolts and fasteners, which is dependent on the material of the wall. Wall-mounting bolts and fasteners are not supplied with the mounting kit. b) Place the wall/poll bracket [A] at the appropriate location where you wish to place the unit. Using the four holes at the corners of the bracket, mark the location where the fasteners need to be installed.
WLP Unit Bolt Flat Washer Spring Washer Nut Figure 4: WLP Unit Mounting 2. Once the WLP unit is mounted, release the bolts slightly and align the WLP unit horizontally using the level, as shown in Figure 5. When the unit is perfectly aligned, firmly close all bolts, applying 120 inch-lbs of torque. Figure 5: Aligning the WLP Mounting the Antenna The WLP supports six antennas. Four WiFi antennas used for user access, which operate on the 2.4 GHz band, marked A1 to A4.
To mount the antennas on the WLP: 1. Attached the four 2.4 GHz band antennas to terminals A1 to A4 and screw all antennas into place by hand. Rotate each antenna at its metallic base. The antennas should rotate easily. Tighten the antenna by hand only. Do not apply excessive force by using any tool, as this may damage the unit. 2.4 GHz Antennas Terminals A1-A4 Figure 6: 2.4 GHz Band Antennas Installation 2. Insert the four 2.4 GHz band antennas into the Antenna Support Plate [J].
5 GHz Antennas Terminals B1 and B2 Figure 8: 5 GHz Band Antennas Installation Cable Connections When the WLP is properly aligned, the connecters are located at the bottom of the unit. Cable requirements are often unique to the location and deployment topology of each installation. As a result of this limitation, the Ethernet and grounding cables are not included in the installation kit.
Table 4 lists the WLP Connectors Kit parts: Item No. Description Qty A Solderless Ring Terminal 1 B Sealed RJ45 connector 1 Picture Table 4: Mounting Kit Part List Cable Installation Tools The following special tools are required to install and connect cables related to the WLP. Slotted Screwdriver 1/8” (3mm) wide Terminal Crimp Tool RJ45 Crimp Tool HT-210A Volt Meter Table 5: Cable Installation Tools and Equipment - Page 15 of 38 All contents are Copyright © 2006 GO Networks, Inc.
Grounding Cable Connect a grounding wire to the grounding screw at the bottom of the WLP unit. A 10 AWG grounding cable is required to ground the WLP unit. Figure 9: Grounding Connection To ground the WLP unit: 1. Crimp the solderless ring terminal [A] contained in the WLP Connectors Kit to the grounding cable. 2. Attach the solderless ring terminal [A] to the bottom of the WLP unit using the grounding screw. 3. Connect the other end of the grounding cable to a proper ground.
Following is a diagram explaining how the Ethernet cable should be assembled prior to connecting it to the WLP unit: Figure 10: Ethernet Cable Connector Power Connection The WLP unit can be connected to an AC power source by one of several methods. It can be connected directly to a power source or by using an adapter to connect to the streetlight photocell (photo-control). The WLP unit can support input voltage of 100 to 240 VAC (50 to 60 Hz).
4. Insert the photocell into the Auxiliary Power Adapter. Align the larger prong on the photocell with the larger slot in the socket on top of the adapter. Insert the photocell into the socket and rotate the photocell clockwise. 5. Connect the Auxiliary Power Adapter cable to the power connector socket on the WLP. 6. After connecting the power, verify that the Power (PWR) LED is lit. 7. Check the photocell. Cover the photocell and verify that the streetlight operates.
Power Up and Software Configuration The WLP unit is normally mounted on a streetlight (pole or wall) where it is inconvenient to configure. Therefore, it is recommended that wireless communication be established to the unit prior to installation, so that the unit can later be configured and monitored from the ground. To verify communications when installing the WLP unit, the Mesh-Gateways must be installed and powered up first.
Configuring the WLP Following is a brief overview of the main CLI commands that are used to configure the WLP. A configuration example follows the detailed list of configuration commands. These and other CLI commands are detailed in the GO MBW CLI Reference Guide. Connect and Access the WLP Initial configuration of the WLP is done using a serial cable. A standard RS232-interface DB-9 cable is connected to the COM port of a laptop or a PC to the WLP unit’s console port.
Once the cable is connected, you can then operate a terminal program, such as HyperTerminal. The PC port should be configured as follows: Baud rate Data bits Parity Stop bits Flow control Note: = = = = = 9600 8 none 1 None New laptops may not include an RS-232 serial port. If a serial port is not available, you may use a USB to serial converter. To use HyperTerminal: From the Start menu: 1. Select All Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal. 2. Define a new connection. 3.
However, the default name and password can be used for the initial configuration. The default system prompt is set to go. Configuring the Management Connectivity Configuring the management connectivity involves setting the device IP address, IP mask, management VLAN and default gateway. These procedures are detailed in the following sections. Assigning management IP and VLAN Define the static IP address, subnet mask and the management VLAN on the same network through which you connect to the WLP.
Default Gateway Define the default gateway by using the Configure mode (consult with your network administrator). You can use the CLI command: configure ip default-gateway { | disable} Example: To define the default gateway, where: Default Gateway IP Address = 192.168.30.254 specify: configure ip default-gateway 192.168.30.254 Note: If you are using DHCP client on the first gateway, you do not need to configure the default gateway.
Setting the Radio Sensitivity The range and capacity of the WLP device is highly dependent upon its RX sensitivity. RX sensitivity is measured in dBm. A large negative number (as example -101dBm) is considered high sensitivity, while a smaller number (as example -90dBm) is considered low sensitivity. A high sensitivity will result in an increased range along with higher susceptibility to noise/interference. The higher noise susceptibility will result in lower throughputs.
The following CLI command sets the sensitivity level to automatic: configure interface Dot11Radio sensitivity auto The current sensitivity level can be monitored using: show interface wifi-stats The sensitivity could also be set manually to support local optimization by an operator. The sensitivity level can be set from –101dBm to –77dBm.
Each SSID can be defined as either a Broadcast SSID (BSSID) or a hidden one. Passive scanning clients will not detect a hidden SSID, since it doesn’t transmit any beacon frames. Configuring multiple BSSIDs on the same interface is known as creating a Virtual Access Point. A Virtual Access Point is a logical entity that exists within a physical access point.
The mesh topology is based on a tree structure as illustrated in Figure 15. At the top of each tree is a WLP unit that is functioning as a MeshGateway, which is connected to the backbone network through its wired port. All other WLP units in the tree are functioning as Mesh-Nodes. Each Mesh-Node is wirelessly connected to a WLP unit creating a backhaul mesh that leads to a Mesh-Gateway. The WMG and third party CPEs connect at the bottom of the tree.
The Mesh-Gateway is the only WLP unit connected to the wired LAN. All other WLP units are Mesh-Nodes and they depend on the WDS mesh network for backhaul connectivity. A Mesh-Node determines various routes to the Mesh-Gateway and selects the route with the best connectivity. If you want to limit the automatic route selection made by the mesh, you can manually restrict the selection by defining and implementing a mesh filter list. Configuring a mesh network, all Mesh-Gateways must be assigned a channel.
Example: To define a network ID, where: Network ID = MyMeshNetwork specify: configure mesh network-id MyMeshNetwork Radio Interface Mesh Configuration The user must configure one radio interface on each WLP to participate in the mesh network. By default, the BHRadio interface is defined to participate in the mesh network. Only one interface on each WLP can be defined to participate at one time. All devices in the mesh network must use the same type of interface to communicate with each other.
AES Passphrase String = secretkey specify: configure mesh privacy AES passphrase secretkey Displaying Mesh Configuration To display the current mesh configuration of the WLP, use the following CLI command: show mesh params The mesh configuration displays the mesh timeout, mesh interface, mesh security settings and whether the unit has been defined as a MeshGateway or Mesh-Node.
Configuring Authentication Types In the most common 802.1X WLAN environments, the WLP units defer to the Radius server to authenticate users and to support particular EAP authentication types. The Radius server handles these functions, and provides crucial authentication and data-protection capabilities according to the requirements of the EAP authentication type in use.
The Radius client in the WLP can be configured by using the following command: configure radius-server {primary | secondary} {authentication | accounting} host key enable Configuring Privacy Methods The privacy (encryption) scheme is configured per ESSID.
For example, configuring SSID 1 with a pass phrase of 12345678: /configure privacy wpa 1 key-mngmnt psk passphrase 12345678 /configure privacy wpa protocol wpa1 /configure privacy wpa data-encryption tkip /configure privacy wpa gtk-interval 72000 /configure privacy wpa preauthentication disable Saving the Configuration Once you have modified the existing configuration file, save the file for future use.
Upgrading the WLP Software The WLP supports TFTP and URL software upgrades. A software upgrade can be performed by connecting to the Ethernet port or over the air connected through the access or BH radios. When a software upgrade is performed, a new image is copied to the WLP Flash (ROM memory). The Flash holds two software images. Therefore, when a new image is uploaded, the running image is not overridden.
TFTP Upgrade Example go> go> /import image from tftp go> /show messages software-download Software download started. Verifying server and path. TFTP path OK. Flash erase started. Flash erase finished. Download started from 192.168.30.103 gapsw-1.3.5.11995-Beta28.02.2006@180244.img. Download finished. Verification started. Verification passed. Writing to environment. Software download finished.
Appendix A: List of Acronyms Acronym Explanation 802.11 A family of specifications related to wireless networking, including: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. AP Access Point. The hub of a wireless network. Wireless clients connect to the access point, and traffic between two clients must travel through the access point. Access points are often abbreviated to AP BSSID Broadcast Service Set Identifier CPE Customer Premises Equipment. DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.
Acronym Explanation WLP Wireless Base Station. Access point of the GO Networks MBW solution. WLS Wireless Base Station access point of the GO Networks MBW solution. WMG Wireless Media Gateway of the GO Networks MBW solution. GO Media dedicated CPE. WNC Wireless Network Controller of the GO Networks MBW solution. WPA WiFi Protected Access. A modern encryption system created to prevent eavesdropping on wireless network traffic. It is considered more secure than WEP.
Appendix B: Wiring Specifications Console Port (DTE) RJ-45-to-RJ-45 Straight Cable RJ-45 to DB-9 Terminal Adapter Console Device Signal RJ-45 Pin RJ-45 Pin DB-9 Pin Signal No connection 1 1 8 CTS No connection 2 2 6 DSR No connection 3 3 5 GND GND 4 4 5 GND RxD 5 5 3 TxD TxD 6 6 2 RxD No connection 7 7 4 DTR No connection 8 8 7 RTS Table 7: Console Port Signaling and Cabling with a DB-9 Adapter for the WLP Unit - Page 38 of 38 All contents are Copyright © 20
