ELPRO 905U-E User Manual

Page 1
ELPRO Technologies Pty Ltd, 9/12 Billabong Street, Stafford Q 4053, Australia.
Tel: +61 7 33524533 Fax: +61 7 33524577 Email: sales@elprotech.com
Web: www.elprotech.com
User Manual
905U-E Wireless Ethernet
DRAFT
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905U-E Wireless Ethernet User Manual
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Thank you for your selection of the 905U-E Wireless Ethernet Modem. We trust it will
give you many years of valuable service.
ATTENTION!
Incorrect termination of supply wires may
cause internal damage and will void warranty.
To ensure your 905U-E enjoys a long life,
double check ALL your connections with
the user’s manual
before turning the power on.
Caution!
For continued protection against risk of fire, replace the internal module fuse only with the same type and rating.
CAUTION:
To comply with FCC RF Exposure requirements in section 1.1310 of the FCC Rules, antennas used with this device must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons to satisfy RF exposure compliance.
DO NOT:
operate the transmitter when someone is within 20 cm of the antenna operate the transmitter unless all RF connectors are secure and any open connectors are properly
terminated. operate the equipment near electrical blasting caps or in an explosive atmosphere
All equipment must be properly grounded for safe operations. All equipment should be serviced only by a qualified technician.
Page 3
Important Notices
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FCC Notice:
This user’s manual is for the ELPRO 905U-D radio telemetry module. This device complies with Part
15.247 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
q
This device may not cause harmful interference and
q
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This device must be operated as supplied by ELPRO Technologies. Any changes or modifications made to the device without the written consent of ELPRO Technologies may void the user’s authority to operate the device.
End user products that have th is device embedded must be supplied with non-standard antenna connectors, and antennas available from vendors specified by ELPRO Technologies. Please contact ELPRO Technologies for end user antenna and connector recommendations.
Notices: Safety
Exposure to RF energy is an important safety consideration. The FCC has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC regulated equipment as a result of its actions in Docket 93 -62 and OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01.
Limited Warranty, Disclaimer and Limitation of Remedies
ELPRO products are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for a period of 24 months from the effective date of purchase by the end user. The effective date of purchase is decided solely by ELPRO Technologies.
This warranty does not extend to:
- failures caused by the operation of the equipment outside the particular product's specification, or
- use of the module not in accordance with this User Manual, or
- abuse, misuse, neglect or damage by external causes, or
- repairs, alterations, or modifications undertaken other than by an authorized Service Agent. ELPRO’s liability under this warranty is limited to the replacement or repair of the product. This warranty is
in lieu of and exclusive of all other warranties. This warranty does not indemnify the purchaser of products for any consequential claim for damages or loss of operations or profits and ELPRO is not liable for any consequential damages or loss of operations or profits resultin g from the use of these products. ELPRO is not liable for damages, losses, costs, injury or harm incurred as a consequence of any representations, warranties or conditions made by ELPRO or its representatives or by any other party, except as expressed solely in this document.
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Page 5
Important Notices
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Important Notice
ELPRO products are designed to be used in industrial environments, by experienced industrial engineering personnel with adequate knowledge of safety design considerations.
ELPRO radio products are used on unprotected license-free radio bands with radio noise and interference. The products are designed to operate in the presence of noise and interference, however in an extreme case, radio noise and interference could cause product operation delays or operation failure. Like all industrial electronic products, ELPRO products can fail in a variety of modes due to misuse, age, or malfunction. We recommend that users and designers design systems using design techniques intended to prevent personal injury or damage during product operation, and provide failure tolerant systems to prevent personal injury or damage in the event of product failure. Designers must warn users of the equipment or systems if adequate protection against failure has not been included in the system design. Designers must include this Important Notice in operating procedures and system manuals.
These products should not be used in non-industrial applications, or life-support systems, without consulting ELPRO Technologies first.
1. A radio license is not required in some countries, provided the module is installed using the aerial and equipment configuration described in the 905U-E Installation Guide. Check with your local distributor for further information on regulations.
2. Operation is authorized by the radio frequency regulatory authority in your country on a non­protection basis. Although all care is taken in the design of these units, there is no responsibility taken for sources of external interference. Systems should be designed to be tolerant of these operational delays.
3. To avoid the risk of electrocution, the aerial, aerial cable, serial cables and all terminals of the 905U ­D module should be electrically protected. To provide maximum surge and lightning protection, the module should be connected to a suitable earth and the aerial, aerial cable, serial cables and the module should be installed as recommended in the Installation Guide.
4. To avoid accidents during maintenance or adjustment of remotely controlled equipment, all equi pment should be first disconnected from the 905U-E module during these adjustments. Equipment should carry clear markings to indicate remote or automatic operation. E.g. "This equipment is remotely controlled and may start without warning. Isolate at the switchboard before attempting adjustments."
5. The 905U-E module is not suitable for use in explosive environments without additional protection.
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905U-E Wireless Ethernet User Manual
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................87
1.1 N
ETWORK TOPOLOGY
....................................................................................................87
1.2 G
ETTING STARTED QUICKLY
.......................................................................................109
CHAPTER TWO INSTAL LATION................................................................................1110
2.1 G
ENERAL
...................................................................................................................1110
2.2 A
NTENNA INSTALLATION
..........................................................................................1110
2.2.1 Dipole and Collinear antennas.............................................................................1312
2.2.2 Yagi antennas..................................................................................................... 1413
2.3 P
OWER SUPPLY
..........................................................................................................1514
2.4 S
ERIAL CONNECTIONS
...............................................................................................1514
2.4.1 RS232 Serial Port ..............................................................................................1514
2.4.2 RS485 Serial Port ..............................................................................................1615
CHAPTER THREE OPERATION..............................................................................1817
3.1 S
TART-UP
.................................................................................................................1817
3.2 D
EFAULT CONFIGURATION
........................................................................................1918
3.3 C
ONFIGURING THE UNIT FOR THE FIRST TIME
.............................................................2019
3.4 C
ONFIGURING ADDRESSES
.........................................................................................2524
3.5 E
THERNET DATA
....................................................................................................... 2726
3.6 N
ORMAL OPERATION
................................................................................................2726
3.7 S
PREAD-SPECTRUM OPERATION
............................................................................... 2827
3.8 R
ADIO CONFIGURATION MENU
..................................................................................2827
3.9 S
PANNING TREE ALGORITHM
/ R
EDUNDANCY
............................................................3029
3.10 W
IRELESS MESSAGE FILTERING
..................................................................................3130
3.11 S
ERIAL PORT CONFIGURATION
..................................................................................3331
3.12 M
ODULE INFORMATION CONFIGURATION
.................................................................. 3332
3.13 R
EMOTE CONFIGURATION
.........................................................................................3332
3.14 C
ONFIGURATION EXAMPLES
......................................................................................3433
CHAPTER FOUR DIAGNOSTICS .................................................................................4038
4.1 D
IAGNOSTICS CHART
................................................................................................4038
4.2 D
IAGNOSTIC INFORMATION AVAILABLE
.................................................................... 4038
4.2.1 Connectivity....................................................................................................... 4038
4.2.2 Monitor Communications ...................................................................................4038
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Contents
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4.2.3 Statistics............................................................................................................4139
4.2.4 Network Traffic Analysis....................................................................................4139
4.3 T
ESTING RADIO PATHS
..............................................................................................4139
4.4 U
TILITIES
...................................................................................................................4139
4.4.1 PING ................................................................................................................4139
4.4.2 IPCONFIG .......................................................................................................4240
4.4.3 ARP ..................................................................................................................4341
4.4.4 ROUTE.............................................................................................................4341
CHAPTER FIVE SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................4643
APPENDIX A FIRMWARE UPGRADE.........................................................................4744
APPENDIX B GLOSSARY...............................................................................................4946
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Chapter One INTRODUCTION
The 905U-E Wireless Ethernet module provides wireless connections between Ethernet devices or Ethernet wired networks (LAN’s). It has an internal 900MHz spread spectrum frequency hopping wireless transceiver, which can be used without a radio license in many countries.
The 905U-E has a standard RJ45 Ethernet connection which will operate at up to 100Mbit/sec. The module will transmit the Ethernet messages on the wireless band at up to 200 Kbit/sec.
1.1 Network Topology
The 905U-E is an Ethernet device, and must be configured as part of an Ethernet network. Each 905U-E must be configured as:
q
an “Access Point” or a “Client”, and
q
a “Bridge” or a “Router”.
Access Point vs Client
The Access Point unit acts as the “wireless master” unit. The Access Point sets up the wireless links to the Client units, and controls the wireless communications. The following diagram shows two Ethernet devices being linked. One 905U-E is configured as an Access Point and one as a Client
- in this example it doesn’t mater which unit is the Access
Point. The next diagram shows an existing LAN being
extended using 905U-E’s. In this example, the Access Point should be configured at the LAN end
- although the wireless link will still work if the Client
is at the LAN end.
An Access Point can connect to multiple Clients. In this case, the Access Point should be the “central” unit.
Client
Ethernet
Device
Access
Point
LAN
Ethernet Device
Client
Access
Point
LAN
Ethernet Device
Client
Access
Point
Client
Client
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Chapter One Introduction
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LAN A
Client
Bridge
Access Point
Router
192.168.0.34
169.254.102.54
LAN B
169.254.102.17
169.254.102.53
An Access Point could be used as a “Repeater” unit to connect two 905U-E Clients which do not have
direct reliable radio paths.
Bridge vs Router
Each 905U -E is configured with an IP address for the Ethernet side, and another for the wireless side. A
Bridge
connects devices within the same Ethernet network - for example, extending an existing Ethernet LAN. For a Bridge, the IP address for the wireless side is the same as the Ethernet side.
A
Router
connects devices on different LAN’s. The IP addresses for the Ethernet and wireless sides are different.
In the above example, the wireless link is part of LAN A, with the Client unit acting as a Router between LAN A and LAN B. Alternately, the Access Point could be configured as a Router - the wireless link is then part of LAN B.
LAN
Ethernet device
Client
Access
Point
Client
LAN
Client
Bridge
Access Point
Bridge
192.168.0.34
192.168.0.34 192.168.0.72
192.168.0.72
LAN A
Client
Router
Access Point
Bridge
192.168.0.
34
192.168.0.34
LAN B
169.254.102.17
192.168.0.72
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There is limit of two Routers within the same radio network. There is no limit to the number of Bridges in the same network - although there is a limit of 255 Client units linked to any one Access Point.
1.2 Getting Started Quickly
Most applications for the 905U-E require little configuration. The 905U-E has many sophisticated features, however if you don’t require these features, this section will allow you to configure the units quickly.
First, read Section 2, “Installation”. The 905U -E requires an antenna and a power supply.
q
Power the 905U-E and make an Ethernet connection to your PC (for further information on how to do this, refer to section 3.3)
q
Set the 905U-E address settings as per section 3.4 - also select Access Point / Client and Bridge / Router
q
Save the configuration - the 905U-E is now ready to use.
Before installing the 905U -E, bench test the system. It is a lot easier to locate problems when the equipment is all together.
There are other configuration setting which may or may not improve the operation of the system. For detail on these settings, refer to section 3.
Client
Router
LAN C
169.254.102.17
192.168.0.73
LAN A
Client
Bridge
Access Point
Bridge
192.168.0.34
192.168.0.34
192.168.0.72
192.168.0.72
Client
Router
LAN B
169.254.109.40
192.168.0.74
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Chapter Two Installation
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Chapter Two INSTALLATION
2.1 General
The 905U-E module is housed in an rugged aluminum case, suitable for DIN-rail mounting. Terminals will accept wires up to 12 gauge (2.5 sqmm) in size.
All connections to the module must be SELV. Normal 11 0-240V mains supply should not be connected to any terminal of the 905U -E module.
Refer to Section 2.3
Power Supply
.
Before installing a new system, it is preferable to bench test the complete system. Configuration problems are easier to recognize when the system units are adjacent. Following installation, the most common problem is poor communications caused by incorrectly installed antennas, or radio interference on the same channel, or the radio path being inadequate. If the radio path is a problem (ie path too long, or obstructions in the way), then higher performance antennas or a higher mounting point for the antenna may rectify the problem. Alternately, use an intermediate 905U -E Module as a repeater.
The foldout sheet 905U -E
Installation Guide
provides an installation drawing appropriate to most
applications. Further information is detailed below. Each 905U-E module should be effectively earthed via the "GND" terminal on the 905U-E module -
this is to ensure that the surge protection circuits inside the 905U-E module are effective.
2.2 Antenna Installation
The 905U-E module will operate reliably over large distances. The distance which may be reliably achieved will vary with each application - depending on the transmit power (user configurable), type and location of antennas, the degree of radio interference, and obstructions (such as hills or trees) to the radio path. Typical reliable distances for 1W transmit power are :
USA/Canada 15 miles 6dB net gain antenna configuration permitted (4W ERP) Australia/NZ 12 km unity gain antenna configuration (1W ERP) Longer distances can be achieved if one antenna is mounted on top of a hill. To achieve the maximum transmission distance, the antennas should be raised above intermediate
obstructions so the radio path is true “line of sight”. Because of the curvature of the earth, the antennas will need to be elevated at least 15 feet (5 metres) above ground for paths greater than 3 miles (5 km). The modules will operate reliably with some obstruction of the radio path, although the reliable distance will be reduced. Obstructions which are close to either antenna will have more of a blocking affect than obstructions in the middle of the radio path. For example, a group of trees around the antenna is a larger obstruction than a group of trees further away from the antenna. The 905U -E modules provide a diagnostic feature which displays the radio signal strength of transmissions.
Line-of-sight paths are only necessary to obtain the maximum range. Obstructions will reduce the range, however may not prevent a reliable path. A larger amount of obstruction can be tolerated for
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shorter distances. For very short distances, it is possible to mount the antennas inside buildings. An obstructed path requir es testing to determine if the path will be reliable - refer the section 6 of this manual.
In certain circumstances, much longer distances can be achieved by reducing the transmitter power and using higher gain antennas. Although the effective radiated power at the transmitter end is the same, the additional antenna gain at the receiver gives increased distance. This is only true for locations of low background noise as the antenna gain will also increase the noise level. For example, in America where 4W ERP power is permitted, a combination of 0.1W transmitter power and 16dB antenna gain (giving 4W ERP) can give distances of more than 60 miles (100km). However antennas will need to be elevated to give line-of-sight. This is a special installation and advice from ELPRO should be sought.
Where it is not possible to achieve reliable communications between two 905U modules, then a third 905U module may be used to receive the message and re-transmit it. This module is referred to as a repeater. This module may also have a host device connected to it.
An antenna should be connected to the module via 50 ohm coaxial cable (eg RG58, RG213 or Cellfoil) terminated with a male SMA coaxial connector. The higher the antenna is mounted, the greater the transmissi on range will be, however as the length of coaxial cable increases so do cable losses. For use on unlicensed frequency channels, there are several types of antennas suitable for use. It is important antenna are chosen carefully to avoid contravening the maximum power limit on the unlicensed channel
- if in doubt refer to an authorized service provider. The net gain of an antenna/cable configuration is the gain of the antenna (in dBi) less the loss in the
coaxial cable (in dB). The maximum net gain of the antenna/cable configuration permitted is Country Max. gain (dB) USA / Canada 6 Australia / New Zealand 0 for 1W transmit power 10 for 0.1W transmit power The gains and losses of typical antennas are
Antenna Gain (dB) Antenna Gain (dB)
Dipole with integral 15’ cable 0 6 element Yagi 10 5dBi Collinear (3dBd) 5 9 element Yagi 12 8dBi Collinear (6dBd) 8 16 element Yagi 15
Cable type Length (m) Loss (dB)
CC10/900 10 3 CC20/900 20 6
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Chapter Two Installation
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The net gain of the antenna/cable configuration is determined by adding the antenna gain and the cable loss. For example, a 6 element Yagi with 70 feet (20 metres) of Cellfoil has a net gain of 4dB (10dB
– 6dB). Connections between the antenna and coaxial cable should be carefully taped to prevent ingress of
moisture. Moisture ingress in the coaxial cable is a common cause for problems with radio systems, as it greatly increases the radio losses. We recommend that the connection be taped, firstly with a layer of PVC Tape, then with a vulcanizing tape such as “3M 23 tape”, and finally with another layer of PVC UV Stabilized insulating tape. The first layer of tape allows the joint to be easily inspected when trouble shooting as the vulcanizing seal can be easily removed.
Where antennas are mounted on elevated masts, the masts should be effectively earthed to avoid lightning surges. For high lightning risk areas, surge suppression devices between the module and the antenna are recommended. If the antenna is not already shielded from lightning strike by an adjacent earthed structure, a lightning rod may be installed above the antenna to provide shielding.
2.2.1 Dipole and Collinear antennas.
A collinear antenna transmits the same amount of radio power in all directions - as such that are easy to install and use. The dipole antenna with integral 15 ‘ cable does not require any additional coaxial cable, however a cable must be used with the collinear antennas.
Collinear and dipole antennas should be mounted vertically, preferably 3 feet (1 metre) away from a wall or mast to obtain maximum range.
1m minimum
COLINEAR
ANTENNA
MAST
EARTH STAKE IF GROUND CONDITIONS ARE POOR, INSTALL MORE THAN
INSTALL AERIAL ABOVE LOCAL OBSTRUCTIONS
ANT
905U
SURGE ARRESTOR (OPTIONAL)
COAXIAL CABLE
WEATHERPROOF CONNECTORS WITH “3M 23” TAPE
STRESS RELIEF LOOP
PROVIDE GOOD GROUND CONNECTION TO MAST, MODULE AND SURGE ARRESTOR
GND
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2.2.2 Yagi antennas.
A Yagi antenna provides high gain in the forward direction, but lower gain in other directions. This may be used to compensate for coaxial cable loss for installations with marginal radio path.
The Yagi gain also acts on the receiver, so adding Yagi antennas at both ends of a link provides a double improvement.
Yagi antennas are directional. That is, they have positive gain to the front of the antenna, but negative gain in other directions. Hence Yagi antennas should be installed with the central beam horizontal and must be pointed exactly in the direction of transmission to benefit from the gain of the antenna. The Yagi antennas may be installed with the elements in a vertical plane (vertically polarized) or in a horizontal plane (horizontally polarized). For a two station installation, with both modules using Yagi antennas, horizontal polarization is recommended. If there are more than two stations transmitting to a common station, then the Yagi antennas should have vertical polarization, and the common (or “central” station should have a collinear (non -directional) antenna.
Also note that Yagi antennas normally have a drain hole on the folded element - the drain hole should be located on the bottom of the installed antenna.
905U
Antenna installed with drain holes
down
Coax feed looped
at connection
90
o
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Chapter Two Installation
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2.3 Power Supply
The 905U-E module can be powered from a 10 - 30VDC power supply. The power supply should be rated at 1 Amp and be CSA Certified Class 2. The negative side of the supply should be connected to a good “ground” point for surge protection. The supply negative is connected to the unit case internally.
The positive side of the supply must not be connected to earth. The DC supply may be a floating supply or negatively grounded. The power requirements of the 905U-E unit is 280mA @ 12V or 150mA @ 24VDC. This is inclusive of radio and Ethernet ports active, & serial port plugged in. Transmission current (1W RF) is nominally 500mA at 12V, 250mA at 24VDC.
2.4 Serial Connections
2.4.1 RS232 Serial Port
The serial port is a 9 pin DB9 female and provides for connection to a host device as well as a PC terminal for configuration, field testing and for factory testing. This port is internally shared with the RS485 - ensure that the RS485 is disconnected before attempting to use the RS232 port. Communication is via standard RS232 signals. The 905U-E is configured as DCE equipment with the pinouts detailed below.
905U-E
DB9
MALE
DTE HOST
DB9
FEMALE
905U-E
DB9
MALE
DCE HOST
DB9
MALE
Hardware handshaking using the CTS/RTS lines is provided. The CTS/RTS lines may be used to reflect the status of the local unit’s input buffer, or may be configured to reflect the status of CTS/RTS lines at the remote site. The 905U-E does not support XON/XOFF.
Example cable drawings for connection to a DTE host (a PC) or another DCE hosts (or modem) are detailed above.
+
_
A B
-
+
COM
DIO
905U-E
10-30
VDC
RS485
SUPPLY
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DB9 Connector Pinouts
Pin Name Direction Function
1 DCD Out
Data carrier detect
- on when link is established in controlled mode
- on alway s in transparent mode
2 RD Out Transmit Data – Serial Data Output 3 TD In Receive Data – Serial Data Input 4 DTR In
Data Terminal Ready - DTR can be configured to initiate low power mode, or to force a link disconnection (“hang up” in controlled mode.
5 SG Signal Ground 6 DSR Out Data Set Ready - always high when unit is powered on. 7 RTS In Request to Send - hardware flow control configurable 8 CTS Out Clear to send - hardware flow control configurable 9 RI Ring indicator - indicates another module is attempting to connect in
controlled mode.
2.4.2 RS485 Serial Port
The RS485 port provides for communication between the 905U-E unit and its host device using a multi­drop cable. Up to 32 devices may be connected in each multi-drop network. N ote that the RS485 port is shared internally with the RS232 port - make sure that the RS232 port is disconnected before using the RS485 port.
As the RS485 communication medium is shared, only one of the units on the RS485 cable may send data at any one time. Thus communication protocols based on the RS-485 standard require some type of arbitration.
RS485 is a balanced, differential standard but it is recommended that shielded, twisted pair cable be used to interconnect modules to reduce potential RFI. It is important to maintain the polarity of the two RS485 wires. An RS485 network should be wired as indicated in the diagram below and terminated at each end of the network with a 120 ohm resistor. On-board 120 ohm resistors are provided and may be engaged by operating the single DIP switch in the end plate next to the RS485 terminals. The DIP switch should be in the “1” or “on” position to connect the resistor. If the module is not at one end of the RS485 cable, the switch should be off.
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Chapter Two Installation
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HOST 905U-E HOST
RS485 CONNECTIONS
120
RS485
SUPPLY
RS232
DIP SWITCH
FOR 120
120
HOST HOST
905U-E
+
+
+
RS485 CONNECTION USING TERMINATING RESISTOR
ETHERNET
DIO
DEFAULTS DIP SWITCH
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Chapter Three OPERATION
3.1 Start-up
“Access Point” Start-up
An Access Point unit starts and immediately begins transmitting periodic messages called beacons. These beacon messages are messages contain information for Clients on how to establish a link with the Access Point.
Any Client that hears the messages, which are not already linked to another Access Point unit, will respond and links will be established between the new Access Point and these Clients.
“Client” Start -up
When a Client powers up, it immediately scans for messages from Access Point units. The Client will continue to scan for twice the configured beacon interval in the Client. During the scan, the RX led will flicker now and again indicating messages received, perhaps from an Access Point. If the Client finds suitable Access Points during the scan, it will then attempt to establish a link with the Access Point with the strongest radio signal.
Link Establishment
When the Client wishes to establish a link with an Access Point it follows a two step process. The first step is “authentication”. During this step the Client and Access Point check if they can establish a secure link, based upon the configured security encryption.
Once the Client has been authenticated, it wil l then request a link. This step is called “association”. While no links have been established, the LINK led will be OFF. Once a single link has been
established, the LINK led is ON. After the link is established, data may be transferred in both directions. The Access Point will act as a
master-unit and will control the flow of information to the Clients linked to it. The maximum number of 255 Clients may be linked to an Access Point.
How a Link connection is lost
The 905U-E will reset the Link if:
Excessive retries: When a 905u-E unit transmit a wireless message to another unit, the destination unit will transmit back an acknowledgment. If the source unit does not receive an acknowledgment, it will re-send the message - this is known as a “re-try ”. Both Access Point and Client will drop the link if the number of retries for a single packet exceeds (7) times. Packets are retransmitted according to an increasing time delay between retries, with each attempt on a different frequency.
Inactivity: During periods of inactivity, Clients will periodically check that the link to the Access Point remains intact. This process is called “reassociation”, and will occur approximately (6) beacon intervals after the last packet was sent to the Access Point. If a Client unit does not get a response
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Chapter Three Operation
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from its Access Point, it will retry the reassociation request (7) times before resetting the link. If an Access Point does not receive any traffic from a Client, including reassociation requests, within
(12) beacon intervals, the Access Point will reset the link.
After a Client has reset it’s Link status, it will start scanning for an Access Point, as if it has just started up.
LED Indication
The following table details the status of the indicating LEDs on the front panel under
normal
operating
conditions.
LED Indicator Condition Meaning
OK GREEN Normal Operation OK RED Supply voltage too low.
Radio RX GREEN flash
RED flash
Radio receiving data
Weak radio signal
Radio TX Flash Radio Transmitting
Serial RX GREEN flash
RED flash
Serial Port Receiving
CTS low
Serial TX GREEN flash Serial Port Transmitting
LINK On On when a radio communications link is
established
LINK Off Communications failure or radio link not
established
DIO On Digital Output or Input is grounded. DIO Off Digital Output or Input is open circuit.
Other conditions indicating a fault are described in Chapter Six
Troubleshooting
.
3.2 Default Configuration
The default factory configuration of the 905U-E is a Bridge, Client, IP address 192.168. 123.123, netmask 255.255.255.0, gateway IP address 192.168.123.1.
The Username is always “user” and the default password is “user” for configuration. When powered up with the Factory Default switch in SETUP position, the 905U-E will start with
temporary settings of Ethernet IP address 192.168.123.123, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, gateway IP
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192.168.123.1, username and password “user” and the radio disabled. The previous configuration remains unchanged. This allows easy access to read configuration when detail has been forgotten. The existing configuration is only modified if the user makes changes and saves them.
Do not forget
to set the switch back to the RUN position and cycle power at the conclusion of
configuration for resumption of normal operation.
3.3 Configuring the Unit for the First Time
The 905U-E has a built-in webserver, containing webpages for analysis and modification of configuration. The configuration must be accessed using Microsoft® Internet Explorer. This program is shipped with Microsoft Windows or may be obtained freely via the Microsoft® website.
Configuration of IP address, gateway address and subnet mask may also be accessed via the RS -232 serial port.
Accessing Configuration for the first time
There are two methods for accessing the configuration inside a 905U-E. The first method requires changing your computer settings so that the configuring PC is on the same network as the 905U -E with factory default settings.
This is the preferred method
and is much less complicated than the second method. You will need a “straight-through” Ethernet cable between the PC Ethernet port and the 905U -E. The factory default Ethernet address for the 905U -E is
192.168.123.123. The second method requires setting an IP
address in the 905U -E such that it is accessible on your network without having to change your network settings.
Option 1 – Set PC to same network as 905U-E
Connect the Ethernet cable between unit and the PC configuring the module.
Set the Factory Default Switch to the SETUP position . This will always start the 905U-E with Ethernet IP address
192.168.123.123, subnet mask
255.255.255.0, gateway IP
192.168.123.1 and the radio disabled.
Do not forget
to set the switch back to the RUN position and cycle power at the conclusion of configu ration for resumption of normal operation.
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Power up the 905U-E module.
Open “Network Settings” on your PC under Control Panel. The following description is for Windows XP - earlier Windows operating systems have similar settings.
Open “Properties” of Local Area Connection.
Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on Properties.
On the General tab enter IP address 192.168.123.1, Subnet mask 255.255.255.0, and default gateway 192.168.123.1.
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Open Internet Explorer and ensure that settings will allow you to connect to the IP address selected. If the PC uses a proxy server, ensure that Internet Explorer will bypass the Proxy Server for local addresses. This option may be modified by opening Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections Tab
-> LAN Settings->Proxy Server -> bypass proxy for local addresses.
Enter the webpage http://192.168.123.123
A welcome webpage should be displayed as illustrated below.
Configuration and Diagnostics may be opened by clicking on any of the menu item s, and entering the username “user” and default password “user”. Configure the unit to your requirements (refer later sections of this manual).
When Configuration is complete, switch Factory Default dip-switch on 905U-E to RUN position, and cycle power to resume normal configured operation.
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Option 2 – Set 905U -E to same network as PC
Consult your network administrator for an IP address on your network, the gateway IP address, and network mask.
a) Switch Factory Default dip-switch on 905U-E to SETUP position. b) Connect the RS232 port on the 905U-E to the RS232 port on the PC using a “straight-through”
serial cable.
c) Open a terminal package (such as Hyperterminal) with 19200bps data rate, 8 data bit, 1 stop, no
parity and no flow control. Make sure that no ot her programs have control of the serial port.
d) Power up 905U-E. Basic network settings will be displayed on the terminal as illustrated below.
When prompted, hit enter key to stop automatic boot process. You have 5 seconds to abort the boot process.
My Right Boot 2.1 Copyright 1999-2004 Cybertec Pty Ltd, All rights reserved. This software is provided by Cybertec ``as is'' and with NO WARRANTY. http://www.cybertec.com.au/
ROM : 256KB @ 0xffe00000 RAM : 8192KB @ 0x00000000 (141KB / 0x0002360c )
ROM Configuration table ... PASSED. RAM address pattern check . PASSED.
RAM address bus check ..... PASSED.
Product : E900P Variant : E900P-8 Serial No. : 01052423 Release : epm_mrb_E900P_1.4 Released date : 25 May 2005 Released host : Anxosity Build date : Wed May 25 11:30:58 2005 Build host : Anxosity Boot Flags : no RAM test, no ROM test, bus timer on, wdog on static IP, auto-boot, net -boot, reset on local file, no binary load Boot delay : 0 Boot Filename : /memory/0xffe40000,0x60000 Boot Address : 192.168.123.118 Boot Netmask : 255.255.255.0 Boot Gateway : 192.168.123.1 Boot Host : 192.168.0.151 Boot Mac 0 : 00:12:af:00:00:93 Boot Mac 1 : 00:12:af:00:00:93
RTE data store .... no error
Setting bus timer (on) and watchdog (on) ... PASSED
Recovery Configuration : ip address : 192.168.123.123 net mask : 255.255.255.0 gateway : 192.168.123.1 host : 192.168.123.1
eip: mount point /memory fec0: connected at 10M Half Duplex. fec0: local ip = 192.168.123.123, server ip = 192.168.123.1
Press ENTER to abort automatic booting ... 5
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e) Check values for Boot Address, Boot Netmask, and Boot Gateway. These values should be set to
reflect those of the PC you are using to configure the unit. If these are correct skip to step (h). You may check settings again with the rct command. For further help, type the help command.
f) Set Boot Netmask to the same settings as the computer you have the Ethernet cable connected to.
This may be performed with the command: bnm <Type the netmask>
g) Set Boot Gateway to the same settings as the computer you have the Ethernet cable connected to.
This may be performed with the command: bgw <Type the gateway IP address>
h) Choose an IP address for the 905U-E being upgraded. This IP address must be on the same
network as the computer you have connected the Ethernet cable to. This may be performed with
the command: bip <Type the IP address> i) Switch dip-switch on 905U-E to RUN position. j) Type the command reset, or cycle power to the unit. The 905UE will reset and start with the
network settings you have entered. k) Open Internet Explorer and ensure that settings will allow you to connect to the IP address
selected. If the PC uses a proxy server, ensure that Internet Explorer will bypass the Proxy Server
for local addresses. This option may be modified by openin g Tools -> Internet Options ->
Connections Tab -> LAN Settings->Proxy Server -> bypass proxy for local addresses. l) Enter the webpage http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/ where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address selected
for the module. A welcome webpage should be display ed as illustrated. m) Clicking on any of the menu items, and entering the username “user” and password “user” may
open Configuration and Diagnostics. If the password has previously been configured other than the
default password, then enter this instead.
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3.4 Configuring Addresses
Open Internet Explorer to the IP address set for the 905U-E module. (ie http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/), and select the “Network” menu. When prompted for username and password, enter “user” as the username, and the previously configured password in the password field.
If IP address or password has been forgotten, the Factory Default switch may be used to access the existing configuration. Refer to section 3.3 above.
If your system is connecting individual devices which are not connected to an existing Ethernet LAN, then you can use the factory default IP values. If you are connecting to an existing LAN, then you need to change the IP addresses to match your LAN addresses.
After the addresses are configured, it is important to save the configuration by selecting “Save and Reboot”.
Network Settings Webpage Fields
Device Mode Used to select Bridge or Router mode.
By default this is set to Bridge.
Operating Mode Used to select Access Point or Client mode.
By default this is set to Client.
Bri dge Priority The priority of the 905U-E, if configured as a bridge, in the Bridge
Spanning Tree algorithm. By default this is set to the lowest priority at
255. This setting will have no effect and should not be used unless the
redundant wireless links ar e being used. This is explained in Section 3.9
MAC Address This is the unique hardware address of the 905U -E, assigned in the
Factory. For the majority of systems, this item should not be changed. If the device is to be connected to equipment that will only communicate
with a set MAC Address, the 905U-E may clone that MAC address. The MAC Address may be modified by following the procedure outlined in Section ??.
Gateway IP Address This is only required if the wired LAN has a Gateway unit which connects
to devices beyond the LAN - for example, Internet access. If there is no Gateway on the LAN, set to the same address as the Access Point - that is, the “Ethernet IP Address” below.
Ethernet IP Address The IP address of the 905U-E on its Ethernet port. This should be set to
the IP address you require.
Ethernet IP Subnet Mask The IP network mask of the 905U-E on its Ethernet port. This should be
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set to the IP address you require.
Wireless IP Address The IP address of the 905U-E on the wireless port. If the unit is
configured as a bridge this address must be the same as the Ethernet IP address. If configured as a router, the IP address must be different from the Ethernet IP Address - it must be consistent with the LAN it is connecting to on the wired side.
Wireless IP Subnet Mask The network mask of the 905U-E on the radio port. If configured as a
Bridge, this must be the same as the Ethernet IP Subnet Mask.
System Address A 905U-E network comprises modules with the same "system address”.
Only modules with the same system address will communicate with each other. If you are adding another module to an existing system, use the
same “address” as the existing modules. If you are starting a new system,
select an “address” and use the same value for each module. The system address is a text string 1 to 31 characters in length. For
security reasons, a random string should be used - for example “3blindmice47”
The Factory default System Address is “905U-E”.
Do not use this
system address
- change it to another value.
Radio Encryption Select “None”, “64-bit” or “128 AES” security encryption of the
wireless data. For more information, refer to Section ?? The default setting is “None”.
Encryption Keys 1 to 4 These are the keys used to encrypt radio data to protect data from
unwanted eavesdroppers. These keys must be set the same for all 905U­E units in the same system. If encryption is not selected, the Key values can be ignored.
Each of the fields are 5 bytes in length for 64-bit encryption and 4 bytes for 128-bit AES encryption. These keys must be entered as hexidecimal numbers separated by colons.
For example, 12:AB:EF:00:56. for 64bit encryption, and 12:AB:EF:00 for 128bit AES encryption
Encryption keys must not be all zeros, ie 00:00:00:00:00 64bit encryption uses each keys alternatively for each radio packet. 128bit AES encryption combines these keys to form a single 128bit key,
used on all radio packets.
Save and Reboot. Save settings to non-volatile memory, and reboot 905U-E.
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3.5 Ethernet Data
All Ethernet devices are uniquely identified by a MAC Address that identifies the hardware device. These addresses are factory-set and are six bytes in size and are expressed in hexadecimal in the form xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
Ethernet messages can be addressed to a single device (a point-to-point message) or can be directed towards multiple destinations by using Multicast addresses and Broadcast addresses. The broadcast address is used to send data to all devices. The broadcast address is FF:FF:FF :FF:FF:FF.
Multicast addresses are used to direct data at a set of devices. Multicast addresses may be recognized as they are always have the least significant bit of the first byte of the MAC Address set. For example, 01:00:5E:00:00:00 is a multicast a ddress, 01:80:C2:00:00:00 is also a multicast address.
3.6 Normal
Operation
After addresses are configured, the units are ready for operation. Refer to section 1 for an explanation on the operation of a Bridge and Router.
Transparent Bridge Operation
Bridges are typically used to connect sections of the same IP network together. By default, the 905U-E is configured as a transparent bridge. When a transparent bridge is started, it
learns the location of other devices by monitoring the source address of all incoming traffic. Initially it forwards all traffic between the wired Ethernet port and the wireless port, however by keeping a list of devices heard on each port, the transparent bridge can decide which traffic must be forwarded between ports - it will only transfer a message from the wired port to the wireless port if it is required.
A bridge will forward all Broadcast traffic between the wired and wireless ports. If the wired network is busy with broadcast traffic, the radio network on the 905U-E can be unnecessarily overburdened. Filtering may be used to reduce broadcast traffic sent over the radio. Refer Section 3.10 for how to configure a filter.
A transparent bridge does not handle loops within the network. There must be a single path to each device on the network. Loops in the network will cause the same data to be continually passed around that loop. Redundant wireless links may be set up by using the Spanning Tree Algorithm function - refer to section 3.9.
Router Operation
A router joins separate Ethernet networks together. The router has different IP addresses on its wired and wireless ports, reflecting the different IP addresses of the separate Ethernet networks. All the devices in the separate networks identify the router by IP address as their gateway to the other network. When devices on one network wish to communicate with devices on the other network, they direct their packets at the router for forwarding.
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As the router has an IP address on each of the networks it joins, it inherently knows the packet identity. If the traffic directed at the router can not be identified for any of the networks to which it is connected, the router must consult its routing rules as to where to direct the traffic to.
The 905U-E has one routing rule which may be configured. This routing rule is the gateway address. The 905U-E will direct all unknown IP network traffic to this gateway IP address.
3.7 Spread-Spectrum Operation
The 905U-E operates on the 902-928MHz license-free radio band using a frequency-hopping spread­spectrum technique. Devices on this radio band must use a spread spectrum technique to allow multiple users to share the band with minimal interference. The Access Point changes frequency (hops) in a specific sequence, and the Clients linked to it hop with it.
In some countries, the radio band is limited to a sub-set of the 902-928 MHz band to suit local regulations.
In countries which allow the full 902-928MHz band (such as USA and Canada), there are eight hopping sequences (numbered 0 to 7, user-configurable). Each sequence uses only half of the frequencies available in the band. Sequences 0-3 use the same frequencies, but in a different sequence. Sequences 4-7 use the other frequencies.
For example, consider two systems close together. If the systems have hopping sequences in the same group (0 -3 or 4-7), then there is some degree of isolation because of the different hopping sequence, however they will occasionally hop onto the same frequency and cause momentary interference. However if one system uses a sequence in the first group (0-3) and the second system uses the second group(4 -7), each system is isolated from each other. Note that this is only true if the antennas are at least 30 metres (100 feet) apart to prevent “blocking” - that is, saturation of the other receiver when one unit transmits.
Client units must be configured to the same group
(0-3 or 4-7)
as the Access Point.
In countries which only allow a sub-set of the 902 -928 MHz band, it is not possible to separate systems in this way because the band is smaller and all hopping sequences use all frequencies available.
3.8 Radio Configuration
Menu
The 905U-E can be configured to different radio transmission rates. A reduction in rate increases the reliable range (transmission distance). An “automatic rate” function is provided which automatically selects the highest data rate for reliable operation. This feature starts at the highest rate and reduces rate if the received radio signal strength is below a user-configurable limit.
With the exception of the frequency hopset , the factory-default settings for the radio port will be correct for the majority of applications. Only make changes if you experience operating problems.
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Select the “Radio” Menu to change the following configuration parameters. If a change is made, you need to select “Apply Changes and Save” to retain the changes.
Power Level The transmitter power level desired in mW.
By default this is set to maximum power of 1 Watt (1000mW). The lowest setting is 100mW.
Data Rate The radio baud rate in bits per second (bps). Available rates are 19200,
38400, 100000, 200000bps and Auto. The default value is Auto. In Auto mode, the 905U -E will automatically
adjust the data rate to the fastest rate for reliable operation i n each radio
path. Fade Margin This is the difference (in
dB) between the received radio signal and the receiver sensitivity (minimum radio signal).
When automatic rate is selected, the 905U-E chooses a rate based on the
received signal strength of transm issions. The Fade Margin value is used
by the 905U-E to determine when to change data rates. A larger Fade
Margin means that the 905U-E will reduce rates at higher signal levels.
The default value is 10 dB.
Dwell Time The amount of time, in
milliseconds, the 905U-E remains on a particular frequency whilst frequency hopping
Reducing this value will improve performance if there is a high level of
radio interference This also has an impact on the maximum size of packet
that may be transmitted. Refer to “Fragmentation Threshold” for more
information.
The default value is 400 milliseconds.
Beacon Period This interval is the period
between beacon transmissions sent by an Access Point.
The Beacon Interval is also related to the scan period on a Client.
Reassociation interval is (6) times the Beacon Interval when the link has
been inactive.
Access Points will timeout after 12 times the Beacon Interval if no
response is heard.
Refer to Section 3.1 for more information.
The default value is 10 seconds. This should be adjusted to larger values
as the system is increased in size. This will reduce the overhead of
checking each link, at the expense of response time when a link is
dropped. Frequency Hopset There are eight hopsets
available (0-7)
Clients must be config ured with a value that is in the same group as the
Access Point. In USA/Canada, there are two groups, hopsets (0 to 3)
and hopsets (4 to 7). Clients will automatically adjust their hopset to
synchronize with any Access Point in the same band.
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The default value is 0. Fragmentation Threshold The maximum transmission
unit (MTU) of data over the radio.
This selects the maximum number of bytes that will be transmitted in one
message. If more than this number of bytes is input into the 905U-E, the
module will transmit more than one message.
The default value is 500 bytes.
If fixed radio rates are configured, this value can be increased and will
reduce radio transmission overhead. For 200Kbps and 100Kbps, the
fragmentation threshold can be increased to 2000, and at 38.4Kbps, to
1000. However if the radio path is poor, or there is high radio
interference, increasing this value will decrease system performance as
the number of re-try messages will increase. RSSI Threshold The received signal strength
level at which beacons from Access Points are to be ignored.
This should be used to prevent Clients and Access Points establishing
links beyond a sustainable range.
The default value is set below the noise floor at -150 dBm. This allows all
messages received to be processed.
If a value of –90 is entered, any beacons weaker than –90dBm will be
ignored, resulting in the link eventually resetting if the radio path continues
at less than –90. Apply Changes Update settings. Apply Changes and Save Update settings and save to non-volatile memory.
3.9 Spanning Tree Algorithm /
Redundancy
The “Spanning Tree Algorithm” function was introduced to handle network loops and provide redundant paths in networks. The Spanning Tree Algorithm can be configured, however the factory default setting is “disabled”.
For example, consider the following network with a redundant wireless link:
Client
Bridge
Access Point
Bridge
Access Point
Bridge
Client
Bridge
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If the Spanning Tree Algorithm function is enabled, one of the two wireless links will be disabled - that is, all wireless data will be transferred by one link only. If the active link fails, the other link will automatically start transferring the wireless data.
The Spanning Tree Algorithm implemented is IEEE802.1d compatible. The algorithm forms a loop-free network by blocking traffic between redundant links in the network. These blocked links are placed in a standby condition, and may be automatically enabled to repair the network if another link is lost. The Spanning Tree Algorithm maintains a single path between all nodes in a network, by forming a tree -like structure. The Bridge Priority determines where the node sits in the tree. A Bridge with the lowest priority configured (0) will become the root node in the network, and will direct traffic between each of its branches. The root node is typically the unit that handles the majority of traffic in the network. As a low bandwidth radio device, the 905U-E is configured with a Bridge Priority of (255) by default. The intention is reduce traffic that the 905U-E must handle, by placing it at the branch level in the network tree. As a branch, the 905U-E needs only pass traffic to devices that are its “leaves”.
There is some overhead in maintaining a network utilizing the Spanning Tree Algorithm. Users wishing to increase their throughput, at the expense of redundancy should disable Spanning Tree.
3.10 Wireless Message
Filtering
When configured as a Bridge, the 905U -E will transmit all broadcast messages appearing at its wired Ethernet port. When the 905U -E is configured as a Router, this does not occur.
In many cases, the intended recipient of the broadcast traffic does not lie at the opposite end of a proposed radio link. Reducing unnecessary broadcast traffic sent over the radio link, will increase available bandwidth for data. The 905U-E has a filtering feature to help reduce unnecessary wireless transmissions and enhance security.
To make an effective filter in a 905U-E it is necessary to have detail of MAC Addresses of devices intended to communicate across the wireless link. Design of the filter may be simplified by monitoring network traffic and forming a profile of traffic on the wired network. Network Analysis software, such as the freely available Ethereal program, will list broadcast traffic sent on the network.
The 905U-E may be configured to reject or accept messages to and from certain MAC Addresses. To accept wireless messages from particular devices a “Whitelist” of MAC Addresses must be made. Alternatively to reject messages from particular devices, a “Blacklist” of MAC Addresses must be made. The filtering applies only to messages appearing at the wired Ethernet port of the configured 905U-E.
You can configure
either
a Whitelist or a Blacklist, not both. If you configure a Whitelist, the 905U-E
will only accept messages from the Whitelist, and messages from
all
other devices will be rejected. If
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you configure a Blacklist, the 905U -E will accept messages from all devices
except
for the Blacklist
devices. When configuring a Whitelist, additional care must be taken, as it is more difficult to configure than a
Blacklist. When configuring a Whitelist it is important to add the MAC Addresses of all devices that communicate over the wireless link.
It is particularly important that the MAC Address of the
configuration PC, and the broadcast address FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF are added
to the Whitelist, if changes are made while the unit is in operation. Failure to add these addresses will prevent the configuration PC from making any further changes to configuration, and block all br oadcast traffic.
It is also important to add the addresses of any multicast traffic.
All bridges with Spanning Tree
enabled, must allow the spanning tree bridge multicast MAC Address 01:80:C2:00:00:00
.
It is advisable to use the Apply Changes button to test the configuration entered. Once the configuration is determined to be correct, the Apply Changes and Save button should be used. In the event that the configuration is incorrect, a power reset will revert the unit to previously saved configuration.
If an erroneous configuration has prevented all access to the module, SETUP mode may be used analyze what is wrong with the configuration.
Simply switch the dipswitch to SETUP and
cycle power. The 905U -E will retain its configuration, however will load up at IP address
192.168.123.123, netmask 255.255.255.0 with the radio and filter disabled. Configuration webpages will still show the original configuration. No changes are made to configuration until the user saves changes. To resume normal operation, set the dipswitch to RUN and cycle power.
When configuring a Blacklist, identify the MAC addresses of sources of unwanted broadcast traffic. Multicast traffic from these source may also be filtered.
To configure Filtering, select the Filter menu. Add Entries Enter the MAC addresses of devices to be added to the list. Multiple
entries must be separated by a semi-colon (;). Delete Entries Check the box alongside entries selected for removal from the list. Whitelist or Blacklist Uncheck the box to make the list a blacklist. This will ban all devices
with a MAC address in the list from communicating with the 905U-E or
utilizing the radio link.
Check the box to make the list a whitelist. This will only allow devices
with the MAC addresses listed to communicate with 905U-E and utilize
the radio link. Apply Changes Update settings. Apply Changes and Save Update settings and save to non-volatile memory.
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3.11 Serial Port Configuration
No serial port functionality is enabled in the initial release of firmware. Future firmware releases will additional features here. Firmware may be upgraded to take advantage of these new features, refer Section ?? for details of how to upgrade firmware.
3.12 Module Information Configuration
Module Information Webpage Fields
This configuration page is primarily for information purposes. With the exception of the password, the information entered here is displayed on the root webpage of the 905U-E.
Password Configuration password.
When changing the password on this screen, it will be sent unencrypted
over any wired network. If encryption is enabled on the 905U -E, any
radio communications are encrypted, and therefore hidden from radio
eavesdroppers. Caution must only be taken if there are potential
eavesdroppers on the wired network. Device Name A text field if you wish to label the particular 905U-E. Owner A text field for owner name. Contact A text field for owner phone number, email address etc. Description A text field used for a description of the purpose of the unit. Location A text field used to describe the location of the 905U -E.
3.13 Remote Configuration
Because a module configuration is viewed and changed in a web format (which is an Ethernet application), you can view or change the configuration of a remote module via the wireless link, provided the remote module is already “linked” to the local 905U-E.
To perform remote configuration, connect a PC to the local module, run Internet Explorer and enter the IP address of the remote unit - the configuration page of the remote modu le will be shown and changes can be made. If the remote module is configured as a Router, enter the wireless IP address of the router, not the Ethernet address.
Care must be taken if modifying the configuration of a module remotely
. If the Radio Configuration is changed, some changes made may cause loss of the radio link, and therefore the network connection.
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It is advisable to determine path of the links to the modules you wish to modify, and draw a tree diagram if necessary. Modify the modules at the “leaves” of your tree diagram. These will be the furthest away from your connection point in terms of the number of radio or Ethernet links.
In a simple system, this usually means modifying the Client modules first and the Access Point last.
3.14 Configuration Examples
Setting a 905U-E to Factory Default Settings
Access configuration webpages of 905U -E. Refer section Accessing Configuration inside a
module for the first time, or Modifying an existing configuration.
1. Click on System Tools Menu Item
2. Enter us ername “user” and password “user”,
when prompted for password.
Click on Factory Default Configuration Reset, and wait for unit to reset. When reset, the LINK LED will flash.
Extending a wired network
Access Point Configuration
Connect straight through Ethernet cable between PC and 905U-E.
Ensure configuration PC and 905U-E are setup to communicate on the same network
Set 905U-E to start with factory default settings. Refer to section Setting a 905U-E to Factory Default Settings.
Power up unit, and wait for LINK led to cease flashing.
Option A – Adjust PC network settings
a) Set Configuration PC network card with network setting of IP address 192.168.123.1, netmask
255.255.255.0
b) Open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.123.123/
Option B – Adjust 905U -E network settings (assuming configuration PC is on existing network)
a) Open terminal program with settings with data rate 19200bps, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no
parity. b) Connect straight thr ough serial cable to 905U-E and power up unit. c) When prompted, strike the Enter key to abort automatic boot
LAN HUB
192.168.0.0
255.255.255.0
Ethernet Device
Access Point
Bridge
Client 1
Bridge
Client 2
Bridge
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d) Set IP address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.200 with command bip 192.168.0.200 e) Set netmask of 905U -E to 192.168.0.200 with command bnm 255.255.255.0 f) Set gateway address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.1 with command bgw 192.168.0.1 g) Reset 905U -E with reset command. h) Open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.0.200/ i) Click on Network settings menu option. j) When prompted for password, enter default username “user” and password “user” k) Set the Operating Mode to Access Point l) Device Mode should be set to Bridge. m)Set the Gateway IP address to 192.168.0.1 n) Set the Ethernet IP address to 192.168.0.200, network mask 255.255.255.0 o) Set the Wireless IP address to 192.168.0.200, network mask 255.255.255.0 p) Set the system address to “ExampleSystem1” q) Enable Radio Encryption and enter key 1 as 01:02:03:04:05, key 2 as 06:07:08:09:0A, key 3 as
0B:0C:0D:0E:0F, key 4 as 10:11:12:13:14.
r) Click on button Save to Flash and Reset. Webpage will display that message indicating details
are being written to flash. Wait for 905U-E to reboot before removing power.
Client 1 Configuration
Perform the same configuration steps as the Access Point configuration with the following differences:
At step d) in Option B, set IP address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.201 with command bip
192.168.0.201
At step h) in Option B, open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.0.201/
At step k), set the Operating Mode to Client.
At step n), set the Ethernet IP address to 192.168.0.201, network mask 255.255.255.0
At step o), set the Wireless IP address to 192.168.0.201, network mask 255.255.255.0
Client 2 Configuration
Perform the same configuration steps as the Access Point configuration with the following differences:
At step d) in Option B, set IP address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.202 with command bip
192.168.0.202
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At step h) in Option B, open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.0.202/
At step k), set the Operating Mode to Client.
At step n), set the Ethernet IP address to 192.168.0.202, network mask 255.255.255.0
At step o), set the Wireless IP address to 192.168.0.202, network mask 255.255.255.0
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Connecting two separate networks together
Network A Configuration
In this example, network A is connected to the internet via a router at IP address 192.168.0.1. Devices on Network A that only require access to devices on Networks A and B, should have their
gateway IP address set to the 905U -E Access Point as 192.168.0.200. Devices on Network A, that must interact with devices on Networks A and B and the internet must
have routing rules established. On PCs, this may be achieved with the MS-DOS command ROUTE. For this example use: ROUTE ADD 192.168.0.50.0 MASK 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.200
Network B Configuration
All devices on Network B should be configured so their gateway IP address is that of the 905U-E Access Point as 192,168.50.200.
Access Point Configuration
Connect straight through Ethernet cable between PC and 905U-E.
Ensure configuration PC and 905U-E are setup to communicate on the same network
Set 905U-E to start with factory default settings. Refer to Setting a 905U-E to Factory Default Settings.
Power up unit, and wait for LINK led to cease flashing.
Option A – Adjust PC network settings
a) Set Configuration PC network card with network setting of IP address 192.168.123.1,
netmask 255.255.255.0
b) Open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.123.123/
Option B – Adjust 905U -E network settings (assuming configuration PC is on network A)
a) Open terminal program with settings with data rate 19200bps, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no
parity. b) Connect straight through serial cable to 905U-E and power up unit. c) When prompted, strike the Enter key to abort automatic boot
LAN A
Internet
Client
Bridge
Access Point
Router
192.168.0.0
255.255.255.0
169.254.102.54
LAN B
169.254.102.53
192.168.50.0
255.255.255.0
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d) Set IP address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.200 with command bip 192.168.0.200 e) Set netmask of 905U -E to 192.168.0.200 with command bnm 255.255.255.0 f) Set gateway address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.1 with command bgw 192.168.0.1 g) Reset 905U -E with reset command. h) Open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.0.200/ i) Click on Network settings menu option. j) When prompted for password, enter default username “user” and password “user” k) Set the Operating Mode to Access Point l) Device Mode should be set to Router. m)Set the Gateway IP address to 192.168.0.1 n) Set the Ethernet IP address to 192.168.0.200, network mask 255.255.255.0 o) Set the Wireless IP address to 192.168.50.200, network mask 255.255.255.0 p) Set the system address to “ExampleSystem1” q) Enable Radio Encryption and enter key 1 as 01:02:03:04:05, key 2 as 06:07:08:09:0A, key 3 as
0B:0C:0D:0E:0F, key 4 as 10:11:12:13:14. r) Click on button Save to Flash and Reset. Webpage will display that message indicating details
are being written to flash. Wait for 905U-E to reboot before removing power.
Client Configuration
Perform the same configuration steps as the Access Point configuration with the following differences:
At step d) in Option B, set IP address of 905U-E to 192.168.0.201 with command bip
192.168.0.201
At step h) in Option B, open configuration webpage with Internet Explorer at address http://192.168.0.201/
At step k), set the Operating Mode to Client.
At step l), set Device Mode to Bridge.
At step m), set the Gateway IP address to 192.168.50.200
At step n), set the Ethernet IP address to 192.168.50.201, network mask 255.255.255.0
At step o), set the Wireless IP address to 192.168.50.201, network mask 255.255.255.0
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Extending range of a network with a Repeater hop
Configure units as described in Section Extending a wired network. Place the Access Point at the remote intermediate repeater location.
LAN
192.168.0.0
255.255.255.0
Client 2
Access
Point
Client 1
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Chapter Four DIAGNOSTICS
4.1 Diagnostics Chart
INDICATOR
CONDITION
MEANING
OK LED OFF Continuously
Power supply failure
CPU failure
OK LED ON Continuously
Normal Operation
Radio TX LED ON Flashes briefly
Radio transmitting
Radio RX LED ON GREEN flash
RED flash
Radio receiving data
Weak radio signal (< -95dBm)
Serial RX LED ON GREEN flash
RED flash
Serial Port Receiving
Input buffer almost full
Serial TX LED ON Flashes briefly
Serial port transmitting
LINK LED ON Continuously
A radio link has been established.
The green OK LED on the front panel indicates correct operation of the unit. This LED extinguishes on failure as described above. When the OK LED extinguishes shutdown state is indicated. On processor failure, or on failure during startup diagnostics, the unit shuts down, and remains in shutdown until the fault is rectified.
4.2 Diagnostic Information Available
4.2.1 Connectivity
The Connectivity webpage at an Access Point lists all units for which a transmission was received. The received signal strength, and radio data rate is listed for each Client or Access Point by their MAC
Address. The unit listed at an Access Point may not even be in the same system. This can provide an idea of how busy the radio band is.
4.2.2 Monitor Communications
The “Monitor Communications” function buffers the last 30 transmissions since the last enquiry was made. If there have not been 30 transmissions since the last enquiry, the 905U-E will wait 5 seconds for further transmissions to occur before completing the webpage. Use of this feature together with the Connectivity webpage will reveal the variability of communications over a link.
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4.2.3 Statistics
The Statistics webpage is used for advanced debugging of 905U-E. This webpage details the state of the 905U -E and its performance in the system.
4.2.4 Network Traffic Analysis
There are many devices and PC programs that will analyze performance of a Ethernet network. Freely available programs such as Ethereal provide a simple cost effective means for more advanced analysis. By monitoring traffic on the wired Ethernet, a better idea of regular traffic can be discovered.
Network Analysis programs make configuration of a filter for the 905U-E a simple task.
4.3 Testing Radio Paths
The general procedure for radio range testing a link is fairly simple. Configure two units to form a link using automatic radio rates. Install the Access Point at a fixed location. Take a laptop computer and the Client to each of the remote locations, and analyze the link using the Connectivity webpage. If a beacon is heard from the Access Point, the Client will update its Connectivity webpage with the received signal strength of beacon messages from the Access Point.
The RX led on the Client should also be observed. If the RX led flickers red, then the signal strength is weak. If the RX led is always green when a message is received, then the signal is strong.
If the signal is strong enough, a link may be established, and the Connectivity webpage of the Access Point may be opened. If the link is weak, the LINK led will go out, and the re mote Connectivity webpage of the Access Point will fail to load. Using this procedure, the signal strengths of units at both locations may be analyzed, and traffic is sent between the units whilst remote webpages are opened.
4.4 Utilities
4.4.1 PING
The Ping utility is essentially a system administrator's tool that is used to see if a computer is operating and also to see if network connections are intact.
Usage: ping [-t] [-a] [-n count] [-l size] [-f] [-i TTL] [-v TOS] [-r count] [-s count] [[-j host-list] | [-k host -list]] [-w timeout] destination-list Options:
-t Ping the specified host until stopped. To see statistics and continue - type Control-Break; To stop - type Control-C.
-a Resolve addresses to hostnames.
-n count Number of echo requests to send.
-l size Send buffer size.
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-f Set Don't Fragment flag in packet.
-i TTL Time To Live.
-v TOS Type Of Service.
-r count Record route for count hops.
-s count Timestamp for count hops.
-j host-list Loose source route along host -list.
-k host-list Strict source route along host-list.
-w timeout Timeout in milliseconds to wait for each reply.
4.4.2 IPCONFIG
IPCONFIG can be used to show your current TCP/IP information, including your address, DNS server addresses, adapter type and so on.
Usage: ipconfig [/? | /all | /release [adapter] | /renew [adapter] | /flushdns | /registerdns | /showclassid adapter | /setclassid adapter [classidtoset] ]
adapter Full name or pattern with '*' and '?' to 'match', * matches any character, ? matches one character. Options /? Display this help message. /all Display full configuration information. /release Release the IP address for the specified adapter. /renew Renew the IP address for the specified adapter. /flushdns Purges the DNS Resolver cache. /registerdns Refreshes all DHCP leases and re-registers DNS names /displaydns Display the contents of the DNS Resolver Cache. /showclassid Displays all the dhcp class IDs allowed for adapter. /setclassid Modifies the dhcp class id.
The default is to display only the IP address, subnet mask and default gateway for each adapter bound to TCP/IP.
For Release and Renew, if no adapter name is specified, then the IP address leases for all adapters bound to TCP/IP will be released or renewed.
For SetClassID, if no class id is specified, then the classid is removed.
Examples: > ipconfig ... Show information. > ipconfig /all ... Show detailed information
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> ipconfig /renew ... renew all adapters
> ipconfig /renew EL* ... renew adapters named EL....
> ipconfig /release *ELINK?21* ... release all matching adapters, eg. ELINK-21, myELELINKi21adapter.
4.4.3 ARP
Displays and modifies the IP-to-Physical address translation tables used by address resolution protocol (ARP).
ARP -s inet_addr eth_addr [if_addr] ARP -d inet_addr [if_addr] ARP -a [inet_addr] [-N if_addr]
-a Displays current ARP entries by interrogating the current protocol data. If inet_addr is specified, the IP and Physical addresses for only the specified computer are displayed. If more than one network interface uses ARP, entries for each ARP table are displayed.
-g Same as -a. inet_addr Specifies an internet address.
-N if_addr Displays the ARP entries for the network interface specified by if_addr.
-d Deletes the host specified by inet_addr. inet_addr may be wildcarded with * to delete all hosts.
-s Adds the host and associates the Internet address inet_addr with the Physical address eth_addr. The Physical address is given as 6 hexadecimal bytes separated by hyphens. The entry is permanent. eth_addr Specifies a physical address. if_addr If present, this specifies the Internet address of the interface whose address translation table should be modified. If not present, the first applicable interface will be used. Example:
> arp -s 157.55.85.212 00 -aa-00-62-c6-09 .... Adds a static entry.
> arp -a .... Displays the arp table.
4.4.4 ROUTE
Manipulates network routing tables.
ROUTE [-f] [-p] [command [destination]
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[MASK netmask] [gateway] [METRIC metric] [IF interface]
-f Clears the routing tables of all gateway entries. If this is used in conjunction with one of the commands, the tables are cleared prior to running the command.
-p When used with the ADD command, makes a route persistent across boots of the system. By default, routes are not preserved when the system is restarted. Ignored for all other commands, which always affect the appropriate persistent routes. This option is not supported in Windows 95. command One of these: PRINT Prints a route ADD Adds a route DELETE Deletes a route CHANGE Modifies an existing route destination Specifies the host. MA SK Specifies that the next parameter is the 'netmask' value. netmask Specifies a subnet mask value for this route entry. If not specified, it defaults to 255.255.255.255. gateway Specifies gateway. interface the interface number for the specified route. METRIC specifies the metric, ie. cost for the destination.
All symbolic names used for destination are looked up in the network database file NETWORKS. The symbolic names for gateway are looked up in the host name database file HOSTS.
If the command is PRINT or DELETE. Destination or gateway can be a wildcard, (wildcard is specified as a star '*'), or the gateway argument may be omitted.
If Dest contains a * or ?, it is treated as a shell pattern, and only matching destination routes are printed. The '*' matches any string, and '?' matches any one char. Examples: 157.*.1, 157.*, 127.*, *224*. Diagnostic Notes: Invalid MASK generates an error, that is when (DEST & MASK) != DEST. Example> route ADD 157.0.0.0 MASK 155.0.0.0 157.55.80.1 IF 1 The route addition failed: The specified mask parameter is invalid. (Destination & Mask) != Destination.
Examples:
> route PRINT > route ADD 157.0.0.0 MASK 255.0.0.0 157.55.80.1 METRIC 3 IF 2
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destination^ ^mask ^gateway metric^ ^
Interface^ If IF is not given, it tries to find the best interface for a given gateway. > route PRINT
> route PRINT 157* .... Only prints those matching 157*
> route DELETE 157.0.0.0 > route PRINT
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Chapter Five SPECIFICATIONS
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Appendix A FIRMWARE UPGRADE
1. Install TFTP32 program, and start the program.
2. Copy binary files epm_E900P_ x.x.bin.gz and epm_905UE_x.x.bin.gz to the Base Directory
specified by the TFTP32 program. A different Base Directory may be selected by clicking the Settings button on the TFTP32 program.
3. Connect to 905U-E RS -232 serial port with “straight-though” serial cable.
4. Connect to 905U-E Ethernet port with “straight-through” Ethernet cable. This will usually be a blue
colour.
5. Switch dip-switch on 905U-E to ON position.
6. Open a terminal package with 19200bps data rate, 8 data bit, 1 stop and no parity.
7. Power up 905U -E. When prompted, hit enter key to stop automatic boot process.
8. Check values for Boot Address, Boot Netmask, Boot Gateway and Boot Host. These values
should be set to reflect those of the PC you are using to upgrade the unit. If these are correct skip to step 13. The command rct will display these settings again. Steps 9 to 12 perform temporary changes to network settings, and are not displayed with the rct command. For further help, type the help command.
9. Note address set for Boot Host. Set Boot Host to the ip address of the computer you have
connected the Ethernet cable to. This should be the same IP address shown by the TFTPD32 program in the Server Interface field. This may be performed with command: shost <Type the IP address>
10. Note address set for Netmask. Set Boot Netmask to the same settings as the computer you have
the Ethernet cable connected to. This may be performed with the command:
snm <Type the netmask>
11. Note address set for Boot Gateway. Set Boot Gateway to the same settings as the computer you
have the Ethernet cable connected to. This may be performed with the command:
sgw <Type the gateway IP address>
12. Note address set for Boot IP address. Choose an IP address for the 905U-E being upgraded. This
IP address must be on the same network as the computer you have connected the Ethernet cable to. This may be performed with the command:
sip <Type the IP address>
13. Ensure other settings are correct with the following commands:
bdelay 0 bflags +a bflags +r bflags –t bfile /memory/0xffe40000,0x60000
14. Program the new Application firmware to the module with the command:
flash -b 0xffe40000 /tftp/epm_905UE_x.x.bin.gz
where epm_905UE_ x.x.bin.gz is the filename of the new firmware.
15. Set the dipswitch to the OFF position.
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16. Program the new Bootloader firmware to the module with the command:
flash /tftp/epm_E900P_x.x.bin.gz
where epm_E900P_ x.x.bin.gz is the filename of the new firmware.
17. After programming the new Bootloader the unit will reset. The 905U-E now has new firmware
programmed.
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Appendix B GLOSSARY
ACK Acknowledgment. Access point An access point is the connection that ties wireless communication devices into a
network. Also known as a base station, the access point is usually connected to a wired network.
Antenna Gain Antennae don't increase the transmission power, but focus the signal more. So
instead of transmitting in every direction (including the sky and ground) antenna focus the signal usually either more horizontally or in one particular direction. This gain is
measured in decibels Bandwidth The amount of "transportation" space an Internet user has at any given time. Bridge
Collision avoidance
A network node characteristic for proactively detecting that it can transmit a signal
without risking a collision. Crossover cable A special cable used for networking two computers without the use of a hub.
Crossover cables may also be required for connecting a cable or DSL modem to a
wireless gateway or access point. Instead of the signals transferring in parallel paths
from one set of plugs to another, the signals "crossover." If an eight-wire cable was
being used, for instance, the signal would start on pin one at one end of the cable and
end up on pin eight at the other end. They "cross-over" from one side to the other. CSMA/CA is a "listen before talk" method of minimizing (but not eliminating)
collisions caused by simultaneous transmission by multiple radios. IEEE 802.11
states collision avoidance method rather than collision detection must be used,
because the standard employs half duplex radios—radios capable of transmission or
reception—but not both simultaneously. Unlike conventional wired Ethernet nodes, a
WLAN st ation cannot detect a collision while transmitting. If a collision occurs, the
transmitting station will not receive an ACKnowledge packet from the intended
receive station. For this reason, ACK packets have a higher priority than all other
network traffic. After completion of a data transmission, the receive station will begin
transmission of the ACK packet before any other node can begin transmitting a new
data packet. All other stations must wait a longer pseudo randomized period of time
before transmitt ing. If an ACK packet is not received, the transmitting station will
wait for a subsequent opportunity to retry transmission. CSMA/CD A method of managing traffic and reducing noise on an Ethernet network. A network
device transmits data after detecting that a channel is available. However, if two
devices transmit data simultaneously, the sending devices detect a collision and
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retransmit after a random time delay. DHCP A utility that enables a server to dynamically assign IP addresses from a predefined
list and limit their time of use so that they can be reassigned. Without DHCP, an IT
Manager would have to manually enter in all the IP addresses of all the computers on
the network. When DHCP is used, whenever a computer logs onto the network, it
automatically gets an IP address assigned to it.
Dial -up A communication connection via the standard telephone network, or Plain Old
Telephone Service (POTS). DNS A program that translates URLs to IP addresses by accessing a database maintained
on a collection of Internet servers. The program works behind the scenes to facilitate
surfing the Web with alpha versus numeric addresses. A DNS server converts a
name like mywebsite.com to a series of numbers like 107.22.55.26. Every website
has its own specific IP address on the Internet. DSL Various technology protocols for high-speed data, voice and video transmission over
ordinary twisted -pair copper POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) telephone wires.
Encryption key An alphanumeric (letters and/or numbers) series that enables data to be encrypted
and then decrypted so it can be safely shared among members of a network. WEP
uses an encryption key that automatically encrypts outgoing wireless data. On the
receiving side, the same encryption key enables the computer to automatically
decrypt the information so it can be read.
Firewall Keeps unauthorized users out of a private network. Everything entering or leaving a
system's internal network passes through the firewall and must meet the system's
security standards in order to be transmitted. Often used to keep unauthorized
people from using systems connected to the Internet. Hub A multiport device used to connect PCs to a network via Ethernet cabling or via
WiFi. Wired hubs can have numerous ports and can transmit data at speeds ranging
from 10 Mbps to multigigabyte speeds per second. A hub transmits packets it
receives to all the connected ports. A small wired hub may only connect 4
computers; a large hub can connect 48 or more. HZ The international unit for measuring frequency, equivalent to the older unit of cycles
per second. One megahertz (MHz) is one million hertz. One gigahertz (GHz) is one
billion hertz. The standard US electrical power frequency is 60 Hz, the AM
broadcast radio frequency band is 535—1605 kHz, the FM broadcast radio
frequency band is 88—108 MHz, and wireless 802.11b LANs operate at 2.4 GHz.
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IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, www.ieee.org. A
membership organization that includes engineers, scientists and students in electronics
and allied fields. It has more than 300,000 members and is involved with setting
standards for computers and communications. Infrastructure
mode
A client setting providing connectivity to an AP. As compared to Ad-Hoc mode,
whereby PCs communicate directly with each other, clients set in Infrastructure
Mode all pass data through a central AP. The AP not only mediates wireless
network traffic in the immediate neighborhood, but also provides communication
with the wired network. See Ad-Hoc and AP.
I/O The term used to describe any operation, program or device that transfers data to or
from a computer. Internet
appliance
A computer that is intended primarily for Internet access, is simple to set up and
usually does not support installation of third-party software. These computers
generally offer customized web browsing, touch-screen navigation, e-mail services,
entertainment and personal information management applications. IP A set of rules used to send and receive messages at the Internet address level. IP (Internet
Protocol) telephony
Technology that supports voice, data and video transmission via IP -based LANs,
WANs, and the Internet. This includes VoIP (Voice over IP).
IP address A 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent
across the Internet. An IP address has two parts: an identifier of a particular network
on the Internet and an identifier of the particular device (which can be a server or a
workstation) within that network.
IPX-SPX IPX, short for Internetwork Packet Exchange, a networking protocol used by the
Novell NetWare operating systems. Like UDP/IP, IPX is a datagram protocol used
for connectionless communications. Higher-level protocols, such as SPX and NCP,
are used for additional error recovery services. Sequenced Packet Exchange, SPX,
a transport layer protocol (layer 4 of the OSI Model) used in Novell Netware
networks. The SPX layer sits on top of the IPX layer (layer 3) and provides
connection-oriented services between two no des on the network. SPX is used
primarily by client/server applications. Whereas the IPX protocol is similar to IP,
SPX is similar to TCP. Together, therefore, IPX-SPX provides connection services
similar to TCP/IP. ISA A type of internal computer bus tha t allows the addition of card-based components
like modems and network adapters. ISA has been replaced by PCI and is not very
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common anymore. ISDN A type of broadband Internet connection that provides digital service from the
customer's premises to the dial-up telephone network. ISDN uses standard POTS
copper wiring to deliver voice, data or video. ISO Network
Model
A network model developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) that
consists of seven different levels, or layers. By standardizing these layers, and the
interfaces in between, different portions of a given protocol can be modified or
changed as technologies advance or systems requirements are altered. The seven
layers are: Physical , Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation,
Application. LAN A system of connecting PCs and other devices within the same physical proximity for
sharing resources such as an Internet connections, printers, files and drives. Receive
Sensitivity
The minimum signal strength required to pick up a signal. Higher bandwidth
connections have less receive sensitivity than lower bandwidth connections.
Router A device that forwards data from one WLAN or wired local area network to
another. SNR Signal to Noise Ratio. The number of decibels difference between the signal strength
and background noise. Transmit Power The power usually expressed in mW or db that the wireless device transmits at.
MAC Address A MAC address, short for Media Access Control address, is a unique code
assigned to most fo rms of networking hardware. The address is permanently
assigned to the hardware, so limiting a wireless network's access to hardware --
such as wireless cards -- is a security feature employed by closed wireless networks.
But an experienced hacker -- armed with the proper tools -- can still figure out an
authorized MAC address, masquerade as a legitimate address and access a closed
network.
Every wireless 802.11 device has its own specific MAC address hard-coded into it.
This unique identifier can be used to provide security for wireless networks. When a
network uses a MAC table, only the 802.11 radios that have had their MAC
addresses added to that network's MAC table will be able to get onto the network. NAT Network Address Translation: A network capability that enables a houseful of
computers to dynamically share a single incoming IP address from a dial-up, cable or
xDSL connection. NAT takes the single incoming IP address and creates new IP
address for each client computer on the network. NIC A type of PC adapter card that either works without wires (Wi-Fi) or attaches to a
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network cable to provide two-way communication between the computer and
network devices such as a hub or switch. Most office wired NICs operate at 10
Mbps (Ethernet), 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet) or 10/100 Mbps dual speed. High-
speed Gigabit and 10 Gigabit NIC cards are also available. See PC Card. Proxy server Used in larger companies and organizations to improve network operations and
security, a proxy server is able to prevent direct communication between two or
more networks. The proxy server forwards allowable data requests to remote
servers and/or responds to data requests directly from stored remote server data. RJ-45 Standard connectors used in Ethernet networks. Even though they look very similar
to standard RJ-11 telephone connectors, RJ-45 connectors can have up to eight
wires, whereas telephone connectors have only four. Server A computer that provides its resources to other computers and devices on a
network. These include print servers, Internet servers and data servers. A server can
also be combined with a hub or router.
Site survey The process whereby a wireless network installer inspects a location prior to putting
in a wireless network. Site surveys are used to identify the radio - and client-use
properties of a facility so that access points can be optimally placed.
SSL Commonly used encryption scheme used by many online retail and banking sites to
protect the financial integrity of transactions. When an SSL session begins, the server
sends its public key to the browser. The browser then sends a randomly generated
secret key back to the server in order to have a secret key exchange for that session
Subnetwork or Subnet
Found in larger networks, these smaller networks are used to simplify addressing
between numerous computers. Subnets connect to the central network through a
router, hub or gateway. Each individual wireless LAN will probably use the same
subnet for all the local computers it talks to. Switch A type of hub that efficiently controls the way multiple devices use the same network
so that each can operate at optimal performance. A switch acts as a networks traffic
cop: rather than transmitting all the packets it receives to all ports as a hub does, a
switch transmits packets to only the receiving port. TCP A protocol used along with the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in the form of
individual units (called packets) between computers over the Internet. While IP takes
care of handling the actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of
the packets that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet.
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For example, when a web page is downloaded from a web server, the TCP
program layer in that server divides the file into packets, numbers the packets, and
then forwards them individually to the IP program layer. Although each packet has
the same destination IP address, it may get routed differently through the network.
At the other end, TCP reassembles the individual packets and waits until they have
all arrived to forward them as a single file. TCP/IP The underlying technology behind the Internet and communications between
computers in a network. The first part, TCP, is the transport part, which matches the
size of the messages on either end and guarantees that the correct message has been
received. The IP part is the user's computer address on a network. Every computer
in a TCP/IP network has its own IP address that is either dynamically assigned at
startup or permanently assigned. All TCP/IP messages contain the address of the
destination network as well as the address of the destination station. This enables
TCP/IP messages to be transmitted to multiple networks (subnets) within an
organization or worldwide. VoIP Voice transmission using Internet Protocol to create digital packets distributed over
the Internet. VoIP can be less expensive than voice transmission using standard
analog packets over POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service). VPN A type of technology designed to increase the security of information transferred
over the Internet. VPN can work with either wired or wireless networks, as well as
with dial-up connections over POTS. VPN creates a private encrypted tunnel from
the end user's computer, through the local wireless network, through the Internet, all
the way to the corporate servers and database. WAN A communication system of connecting PCs and other computing devices across a
large local, regional, national or international geographic area. Also used to
distinguish between phone-based data networks and Wi-Fi. Phone networks are
considered WANs and Wi-Fi networks are considered Wireless Local Area
Networks (WLANs). WEP Basic wireless security provided by Wi-Fi. In some instances, WEP may be all a
home or small-business user needs to protect wireless data. WEP is available in 40-
bit (also called 64-bit), or in 108 -bit (also called 128-bit) encryption modes. As
108-bit encryption provides a longer algorithm that takes longer to decode, it can
provide better security than basic 40 -bit (64-bit) encryption. Wi -Fi Wireless Fidelity: An interoperability certification for wireless local area network
(LAN) products based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) 802.11 standard.
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Appendix B Glossary
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Ad-Hoc Mode A client setting that provides independent peer-to-peer connectivity in a wireless LAN. Also see Infrastructure Mode.
AH Authentication Header. A field that follows the IP header in an IP datagram and provides authentication and integrity checking for the datagram.
ARP Address Resolution Protocol. BER Bit Error Rate. BPS Bits Per Second. CCP Compression Control Protocol. Used to negotiate compression methods over PPP links. CSMA/CA Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance. CSMA/CA is the medium access
method used by IEEE 802.11 WLANs. DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DES Data Encryption Standard. A cryptographic algorithm for protecting data. DSSS Direct-Sequencing Spread-Spectrum. ECP Encryption Control Protocol. Used to negotiate data encryption over PPP links. ESA Encapsulating Security Payload. A mechanism which provides confidentiality and integrity
protection to IP datagrams. FHSS Frequency-Hopping Spread -Spectrum Fresnel Zone The area around the visual line-of-sight that radio waves spread out into after they leave
the antenna. This area must be clear or else signal strength will weaken. Infrastructure Mode A client setting providing connectivity to an Access Point (AP). As compared to
Ad-Hoc Mode where PCs communicate direc tly with each other, clients set in Infrastructure Mode all pass data through a central AP.
IP Address An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent across the Internet.
IP Spoofin g An attack whereby a system attempts to impersonate another system by using its IP network address.
LCP Link Control Protocol. MAC Medium Access Control. In a WLAN network card, the MAC is radio controller protocol. MAC Spoofing An attack whereby a system attempts to impersonate another system by using its MAC
address. NAT Network Address Translation. The translation of an IP address used within one network to a
different IP address known within another network. OSI Open Systems Interconnection. A set of international standards for networking.
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PPP Point-to-Point Protocol. PPP Provides a standard method for transporting multi-protocol datagrams over point-to-point links.
Sniffer A program to capture data from a computer network. SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol (also see TCP/IP). SSID Service Set Identifier - wireless network name. SSL Secure Sockets Layer. A session layer protocol that provides authentication and confidentiality to
applications. TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. Topology Describes how a network is structured. VPN Virtual Private Network. WPA Wi-Fi Protected Access. The Wi -Fi Alliance put together WPA as a data encryption method for
802.11 wireless LANs. WPA is an industry-supported, pre-standard version of 802.11i utilizing the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), which fixes the problems of WEP, including using dynamic keys. WPA will serve until the 802.11i standard is ratified in the third quarter of 2003.
WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy. Encryption-based security using a pre-shared key. WiFi (Wi-Fi) Wireless Fidelity. Wireless Local Area Networking standard. WLAN, W-LAN Wireless Local Area Network (LAN). WLL Wireless Local Loop.
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