User's Guide

Rigado CA-55 User Guide v0.5

1 Planning

Planning is key to the success of any hardware installation. There are many things to consider when

installing a wireless system into a space. Key elements for consideration are listed in the sections below.

1.1 Coverage

In a typical commercial space, expected coverage area is about 6,000 sq. ft. per Cascade Antenna.

However, the area of coverage for each Cascade Antenna is dependent upon the application needs

as well as the layout and construction of the facility where it is installed. An open floor plan will

result in better coverage than a closed floor plan with many walls. Building construction materials

also affect coverage – drywall and glass permit more coverage than brick and concrete. Note that

brick or concrete walls should be planned around, as signals have poor penetration through these

types of walls. If coverage is required on both sides of a brick or concrete wall, plan to install a

Cascade Antenna on each side.

If a higher level of coverage planning precision is required, Rigado suggests using a Wi-Fi site

planning tool to simulate coverage. There are multiple planning tools available online, both free

and professional. For use in this application it should allow for changing the Access Points transmit

power and characteristics for the Cascade Antenna.

1.2 Connections

The types of connections required should be taken into consideration when planning a new install.

In order to function, the Cascade Antenna requires both power and network connectivity through

the RJ-45 (Ethernet) connector. Rigado suggests using PoE-enabled Ethernet that supports 100Mbit

throughput and is IEEE 802.3af compliant.

1.3 Placement

Correct placement of the Cascade Antenna is important for getting the desired coverage.

Generally, mounting up high and out of reach is recommended, as this improves line of sight while

making the units more difficult to tamper with. Special consideration should be given to the

orientation as the internal antennas are directional and will perform best when the unit is

horizontal. For some applications, wall mounting is also acceptable. Mounting on or near metal

objects will also affect performance and should be taken into consideration during installation.