User's Manual

UtiliNet® Endpoint User Guide 11-1-2006
Page 17 of 30
© Cellnet 2005
Note UtiliNet radios may only communicate on one network at a time. You will not be
able to communicate to the integrated meter radio over-the-air until you move your
locally connected radio to the same network.
For more information on UtiliNet module configuration, transparent port configuration, and
routing configuration see the UtiliNet Technical Reference Guide.
Chapter 3 Network Engineering
This chapter discusses the network design plan, calculation of latitude/longitude, RF considerations, field
studies and use of directional or gain antennas.
Network Design Plan
A UtiliNet network consists of two or more UtiliNet packet radios that communicate data to and from
points in the network. When designing a UtiliNet network, it is important to remember that UtiliNet
combines three different technologies: a connectionless (store and forward) mesh architecture, packet
switched data transfer, and spread spectrum radio techniques. Since this combination of technologies
affects the design layout and plays a part in the overall optimization of the network, each one is discussed
in this chapter.
OSI Layers
For those familiar with the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, the above technologies, or OSI
layers, also address why a UtiliNet network communicates like a computer network. In fact, it is often said
that UtiliNet radios are computers that use radio waves to communicate with each other, or that end devices
do not talk through UtiliNet radios but to them. From a certain point of view, this is true. UtiliNet radios
are computers first and spread spectrum radios second. Truly optimizing the benefits of a UtiliNet network
requires understanding the interaction and purpose of the physical, data-link, network, transport, and
session layers of the OSI model.
Traditional Radio Comparisons
Much of the work involved in the layout of a traditional voice or analog radio network deals with its
variability and uncertainties. Its design can be quite complex. This is simply the nature of analog
technology.
Digital radio, however, is different. System designers with a background in analog radio may find installing
a UtiliNet system to be somewhat simplistic. Network users, when field testing to determine how far radios
can communicate, describe it as either it does or it does not work. This is the nature of digital radio.
Network designers and users benefit from a UtiliNet radio’s intelligence in many seen and unseen ways.
The benefits of microprocessor-controlled communication algorithms are reduced installation time, reduced
cost, and reliability uncertainties. Because UtiliNet radios dynamically adapt to changing conditions,
designers can be confident that what will work today will work in the future.
UtiliNet also assures you that if the radios can communicate, then the data is correct. That is because,
unlike traditional pass-through radios that include no provisions for interference protection at the data level,
UtiliNet guarantees it through the benefits of packet switching.