Cabletron Systems 9033073 User Manual

RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna

Title Page

Installation Guide

9033073

RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna

Installation Guide

Notice

Cabletron Systems reserves the right to make changes in specifications and other information contained in this document without prior notice. The reader should in all cases consult Cabletron Systems to determine whether any such changes have been made.

The hardware, firmware, or software described in this manual is subject to change without notice.

IN NO EVENT SHALL C ABLETRON SYSTEMS BE L IABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOST PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS MANUAL OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, EVEN IF CABLETRON SYSTEMS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF, KNOWN, OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Order Number: 9033073

Cabletron Systems and RoamAbout are registered trademarks of Cabletron Systems, Inc.

PC Card is a trademark of PCMCIA. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of

their respective holders.

Web Site: http://www.cabletron.com/wireless

Regulatory Informa tion

Canada

The products included with the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit for outdoor antenna installations comply with GL-36 of Industry and Science Canada.

USA - Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The devices included with this outdoor kit comply with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation of the devices in a RoamAbout Outdoor System is subject to the following conditions:

• This device may not cause undesired interference.

• This device must accept any interference that may cause undesired operation.

Europe - EU Declaration of Conformity

Cabletron Systems declares that the RoamAbout products included in the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit conform to the specifications listed below, following the provisions of the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC:

• EMC prETS 300-826 General EMC requirements for Radio equipment.

• Radio ETS300-328 Technical requirements for Radio equipment.

User Information

To comply with the regulations listed above, you must install and use each of the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit components (Lightning Protector, Cables and Antennas) in strict accordance with the instructions in this guide.

This equipment may cause exposure to Radio Frequency radiation. Antennas

WARNING

When connecting RoamAbout devices to equipment other than the Cabletron Systems RoamAbout products described in this guide, the antenna installation may no longer comply with the regulations as defined above. In this case, it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the entire antenna installation complies with local radio regulations.

shall be mou nt ed in such a mann er to minimiz e the potential for hu m an contact during normal operation. To avoid the possibility of exceeding FCC radio frequency exposur e limits, do not touch the antenna during operation.

• Consult the user documentation that came with the other equipment to determine

whether additional instructions, cautions, or regulations apply.

• Verify that the antenna installer is aware of these issues and regulations.

There is no guarantee that interference to radio communications will not occur in a particular commercial installation.

• If this device does cause interference, which can be determined by turning the

host equipment off and on, the user should refer to the host equipment documentation, or contact the local equipment supplier.

• In case the device does cause interference with an authorized radio service, the

user/operator shall promptly stop operating the device until interference is eliminated.

• Cabletron Systems is not responsible for any radio or television interference

caused by unauthorized modification of the devices included with the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit, or the substitution or attachment of connecting cables and equipment other than that specified by Cabletron Systems.

• The correction of interference caused by such unauthorized modification,

substitution or attachment is the responsibility of the user.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide iii

Notes, Cautions and Warnings

This guide uses the following conventions for notes, cautions and warnings:

NOTE

CAUTION

WARNING

The NOTE symbol calls the reader’s attention to important information.

The CAUTION symbol cautions against actions that could result in equipment damage.

The WARNING symbol warns against actions that could result in personal injury or death.

The ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING symbol warns against electrical hazards that could result in personal injury or death.

iv Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Getting Help

Before calling your service provider for assistance, have the following information ready:

• Your servic e co ntr ac t numbe r

• A description of the problem

• A description of any action(s) already taken to resolve the

problem.

• The serial and revision numbers of all involved products in the

network

• A description of your network environment (layout, cable type,

etc.)

• Network load and frame size at the time of trouble (if known)

• The device history (i.e., have you returned the device before,

is this a recurring problem, etc.)

• Any previous Return Material Authorization (RMA) number.

If you purchased your system through a Channel Partner, contact that Channel Partner for assistance.

If you purchased your system from Cabletron, contact Cabletron using one of the following methods:

World Wide Web Phone (603) 332-9400 Internet mail FTP ftp://ftp.cabletron.com/

To send comments or suggestions concerning this document, contact the Cabletron Systems Technical Writing Department via the following email address: TechWriting@cabletron.com

Make sure to include the document Part Number in the email message.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide v

http://www.cabletron.com http://www.cabletron.com/wireless

http://www.cabletron.com/support/forms /email-support.form

anonymous your email address

• Notice ii

• Regulatory Information iii

• Notes, Cautions and Warnings iv

• Getting Help v

1 Introduction 1-1

About This Guide 1-1

• Who Should Use This Guide 1-1

• Organization of this Guide 1-2

The RoamAbout Outdoor Kit 1-4 Finding Additional Information 1-6

2 Installation Guidelines 2-1

Site Prerequisites 2-1 Pre-Installation Checklist 2-2 Overview of the Indoor Installation 2-2

• Selecting the Right RoamAbout PC Card 2-3

• Placement of the RoamAbout Access Point 2-6

• Placement of the Lightning Protector 2-8

• Antenna Cable Route 2-8

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide vii

Table of Contents

Overview of the Outdoor Installation 2-10

• Antenna Placement 2-11

• Antenna Mast/Wall Bracket 2-13

• Grounding System 2-15

• RoamAbout Antennas 2-15

• Antenna Alignment 2-17

• Antenna Cable Routing 2-18

• Before Climbing the Roof... 2-19

3 Determining Range & Clearance 3-1

The Fresnel Zone 3-1 Other Considerations 3-3

4 Installing the Antenna 4-1

Planning the Antenna Installation 4-1

• Safety Precautions 4-2

• Installation Overview 4-4

Mounting the Antenna 4-5

• Mounting the Directional Antenna 4-5

• Mounting the Omni-directional Antenna 4-8

Connecting the Antenna Cable 4-10

• Sealing the Cable Connectors 4-12

viii Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Table of Contents

A The RoamAbout 14-dBi Directional Antenna A-1

General Description A-1

• Contents of the Antenna Box A-1

B The RoamAbout 7-dBi Omni-Directional Antenna B-1

General Description B-1

• Contents of the Antenna Box B-1

C The Antenna Cabling System C-1

The Outdoor Cabling Components C-1

• Selecting the Correct Connector Type C-1

RoamAbout Cable Assembly C-4 RoamAbout Lightning Protector C-5

• Installation C-6

• Routine Maintenance C-7

Low-Loss Antenna Cable C-8

D Calculating Range & Clearance D-1

Introduction D-1 The Dynamic Range Budget D-2

• Link speed versus Range D-5

• Determine Line-of-Sight Clearance D-5

• Determine Typical Range D-8

Which Antenna do You Need D-10

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide ix

Introduction

About This Guide 1

This

RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

explains how to install and set up a RoamAbout Outdoor Antenna link. Information is also provided to verify the wireless link quality and correct any problems that may arise during installation or operation.

not

This guide does to install a safety grounding system. These are prerequisites that

must

be in place before the antenna is installed.

Who Should Use This Guide 1

The installation of Outdoor Antenna Links requires technical expertise. At the very least, you should be able to:

explain how to erect the antenna mast or how

• Install and configure the network components, such as the

RoamAbout Access Point and the RoamAbout Access Point Manager.

• Mount the outdoor antenna and lightning protector. Cabletron

Systems recommends that the installation is performed by a qualified antenna installation service.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 1-1

Introduction

About This Guide

Organization of this Guide 1

In this guide you will find information to prepare for and verify the antenna installation. The information is organized as follows:

Chapter 1 - Introduction (This Chapter) 1

Introduces the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit and describes where you can find the information to set up a wireless system.

Chapter 2 - Installation Guidelines 1

Describes the requirements that a site must meet before you start the antenna installation.

Chapter 3 - Determining Range & Clearance 1

Provides a quick reference to determine antenna height and clearance requirements.

Chapter 4 - In stalling the A ntenna 1

Describes how to mount a RoamAbout Outdoor Antenna to a mast or wall, and how to connect the antenna to the cable and to the Lightning Protector.

Appendix A - The RoamAbout 14-dBi Directional Antenna 1

Describes the RoamAbout 14-dBi Directional Antenna used to set up long-distance, point-to-point antenna links.

Appendix B - The RoamAbout 7-dBi Omni-Directional Antenna 1

Describes the RoamAbout 7-dBi Omni-Directional antenna used to set up point-to-point antenna links.

1-2 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Introduction

About This Guide

Appendix C - The Antenna Cabling System 1

Describes the hardware specifications of the certified RoamAbout Cable Assembly, Lightning Protector and Low-loss Antenna Cable, which you will need to connect a RoamAbout Access Point or other computing device to an outdoor antenna installation.

Appendix D - Calculating Range & Clearance 1

Describes how to calculate the typical and/or maximum distance that you can achieve using products available through the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit. Also describes how to determine which antennas and/or cables you need to cover a predefined distance.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 1-3

Introduction

The RoamAbout Outdoor Kit

The RoamAbout Outdoor Kit 1

The RoamAbout Outdoor Kit is a set of antenna products that enable you to connect multiple buildings or LANs via a wireless outdoor point-to-point link.

The kit provides a selection of high-gain, low-noise antennas and components to fully utilize the Spread Spectrum Technology features of the RoamAbout PC Card. If desired, the antenna products in the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit may be purchased separately.

Antenna choices include:

• The RoamAbout 14-dBi Yagi antenna designed to provide high

gain for your building-to-building communications link while still allowing for ease of use and installation of your outdoor equipment.

• The RoamAbout 7-dBi Omni-Directional antenna designed to

provide a wide range radio beam.

Together with the high sensitivity of RoamAbout PC Cards, the antenna products available through the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit provide the best solution to set up high-speed wireless point-topoint communication links.

1-4 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Introduction

The RoamAbout Outdoor Kit

1. The outdoor antennas supplied with your RoamAbout

WARNING

Outdoor Kit are intended for mounting on a roof or the side of a building.

2. Antennas should only be installed by a qualified installer or antenna installation service.

3. Site prerequisites should be verified by a person familiar with national codes, local electrical codes, and with other regulations governing this type of installation.

4. Cabletron Systems, its channel partners, resellers, and distributors assume no liability for personal injury, property damage, or violation of government regulations that may arise from failing to comply with the instructions in this guide.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 1-5

Introduction

Finding Additional Information

Finding Additional Information 1

Installing a RoamAbout Access Point 1

The installation of a RoamAbout Access Point is described in the

RoamAbout Access Point User’s Guide

RoamAbout Access Point.

included with each

Configuration and Management 1

The configuration and management of outdoor antenna links is controlled via the RoamAbout Access Point Manager, which is described in the with each RoamAbout Access Point.

RoamAbout Access Point User’s Guide

shipped

Context-Sensitive Help 1

Context-sensitive help for the RoamAbout Access Point Manager program is available by clicking the Help button on the screen or pressing the function key.

Hardware Specifications 1

• RoamAbout Access Point hardware specifications are

described in the

RoamAbout Access Point User’s Guide

• Radio Frequency specifications for the RoamAbout interface of

the RoamAbout Access Point are described in the

IEEE DS/PC Card and ISA Adapter Card User’s Guide

shipped with each RoamAbout PC Card.

RoamAbout

• Hardware specifications for the outdoor antennas and

RoamAbout Lightning Protector are listed in the Appendices of this guide.

1-6 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Introduction

Finding Additional Information

Additional files on your diskettes 1

All software diskettes that come with your RoamAbout products include a software version and/or drivers on the diskette.

readme.txt

file which contains information about the

You are advised to print and read the installing your RoamAbout products, as it may contain additional information that was not available when this document was printed.

readme.txt

file prior to

Other Sources of Information 1

All documentation listed above can be downloaded from the RoamAbout website at:

http://www.cabletron.com/wireless

You are advised to visit the website at regular intervals for the latest available information, documentation and software updates and other RoamAbout news.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 1-7

Installation Guidelines

Site Prerequisites 2

Please review all requirements outlined within the sections listed below before the installation process begins:

•

Pre-Installation Checklist

•

Overview of the Indoor Installation

•

Overview of the Outdoor Installation

•

Before Climbing the Roof...

Prior to climbing on the roof or any other area where you intend to install the outdoor antenna, you are advised to:

• Verify you have arranged all safety measures for outdoor/

rooftop installation.

• Verify you have all equipment and tools required to install the

outdoor antennas.

• Install and verify proper operation of the equipment.

WARNING

Carefully plan your antenna installation. Do not install the antenna in wet, windy, icy, or otherwise unsafe weather conditions.

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 2-1

Installation Guidelines

Pre-Installation Checklist

Pre-Installation Checklist 2

Before you install the RoamAbout antenna system, you must configure the communications link as follows:

RoamAbout Access Point (AP) Configuration:

Bridge Mode - LAN-to-LAN (same setting for each AP)

√ √

Remote Wireless MAC Address - MAC address of the wireless device at the remote AP

√

Transmit Rate - same setting for each AP (typically Auto Rate)

√

Channel Selection - same frequency setting for each AP

√

Management Software - RoamAbout Access Point Manager V3.4 (minimum) installed on PC

√

AP Firmware - Version 3.4 (minimum)

Refer to the about AP configuration.

RoamAbout Access Point User’s Guide

for details

Overview of the Indoor Installation 2

Figure 2-1 shows an overview of the hardware setup for the indoor installation. On each end of the wireless link you will need:

• A RoamAbout PC Card (A). Refer to

RoamAbout PC Card

on page 2-3.

Selecting the Right

• A RoamAbout Access Point (B).

• The 50-cm RoamAbout Cable Assembly (C) to connect the

RoamAbout PC Card (A) to the lightning protector (D).

• A lightning protector (D) to protect your RoamAbout equipment

from static discharge and transients that may be received from your antenna (see Figure C-1 on page C-6 for details).

2-2 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

Installation Guidelines

Overview of the Indoor Installation

• A low-loss antenna cable (E) to connect the indoor installation

to the outdoor antenna.

All of these components are included in the RoamAbout Outdoor Kit. Each component can be purchased separately.

The RoamAbout Access Point, lightning protector, and the

WARNING

antenna mast must be connected to the same grounding system as described in Grounding System on page 2-15.

Figure 2-1 Indoor Installation Overview

100_07

Selecting the Right RoamAbout PC Card 2

Wireless communication is usually subject to local radio regulations. To comply with such regulations, Cabletron Systems offers two types of RoamAbout Cards to connect a RoamAbout Access Point to an outdoor antenna installation (see Figure 2-2).

Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide 2-3

Installation Guidelines

Overview of the Indoor Installation

Figure 2-2 RoamAbout PC Card Identification

Wireless

LANs

Wireless LANs

Black Background

• In countries that adhere to FCC regulations

RoamAbout PC Card with the

• In France, Japan, and countries that adhere to ETSI

regulations antenna that is used:

— You can use the RoamAbout PC Card with the

background label

RoamAbout 7-dBi Omni-Directional Antenna.

— You

background label

RoamAbout 14-dBi Directional Antenna for outdoor use.

1 As defined by the United States Federal Communications Commission

(FCC)

2 As defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute

(ETSI)

, you

must

select the card-type based upon the

when connecting the PC Card to the

must

use the RoamAbout PC Card with the

when connecting the PC Card to the

White Background

, use the

black-background label

black-

white-

2-4 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

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