Firetide 1000R 1 User Manual
wireless instant networks™
Installation and User Guide
HotPoint 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
Installation and User Guide
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HotPoint 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
Installation and User Guide
HotPoint 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
Copyright Notice
© 2003-2004 Firetide, Inc. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
Firetide, the Firetide logo, Wireless Instant Networks, HotPoint are trademarks of Firetide, Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FCC Class B Notice
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Note
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.
Modifications
Any modifications made to this device that are not approved by Firetide, Inc. may void the authority granted
to the user by the FCC to operate this equipment.
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement
The antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm
from all persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter. OEM Integrators, end-users and installers must be provided with antenna installation
instructions and transmitter operating conditions for satisfying RF exposure compliance.
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Installation and User Guide
Table of Contents
Firetide™ HotPoint™ 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router ........................................................5
Firetide Wireless Instant Network.....................................................................................................6
What is a Firetide Mesh Network?....................................................................................................6
Building a Firetide Mesh Network.....................................................................................................7
HotPoint 1000R Installation ..............................................................................................................9
HotPoint Manager™ Software........................................................................................................17
Troubleshooting and Support Information ......................................................................................20
Restoring Default Settings..............................................................................................................21
HotPoint Accessories .....................................................................................................................22
Specifications..................................................................................................................................23
FreeBSD Copyright ........................................................................................................................25
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Installation and User Guide
Firetide™ HotPoint™ 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
The Firetide HotPoint 1000R outdoor wireless mesh router brings all of
the benefits of Firetide’s instant mesh networking to outdoor and long
range applications. With its extended operating range and NEMA 4
certified enclosure, this rugged version of Firetide’s HotPoint wireless
mesh router enables mesh networks to operate in outdoor environments
and to span great distances for both rural and metro applications. The
HotPoint 1000R provides two weatherproof Ethernet ports for
provisioning Ethernet instantly without the need for a wired backhaul.
Eliminating the wired backhaul enables the installation of outdoor
networking equipment—such as weatherized access points, computers,
and surveillance cameras-virtually anywhere at a fraction of the time and
cost associated with installing wired outdoor solutions.
Firetide mesh networks provide a reliable, flexible, and scalable
alternative to standard LAN cabling. Because they form automatically
without wires, Firetide mesh networks do not require elaborate site
surveys or physical modifications to buildings and landscaping. Outdoor
network installation costs will drop dramatically because time-consuming
trenching and cable pulling between buildings is no longer needed.
Provisioning is also easy and fast because special drivers, setup,
interfaces, and configurations are not required for equipment to connect
to a Firetide instant mesh network.
Firetide HotPoint 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
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HotPoint 1000R Outdoor Wireless Mesh Router
Firetide Wireless Instant Network
Firetide developed the Wireless Instant Network, based on the HotPoint Wireless Mesh Router, to
enable faster, easier and more affordable network deployment. Firetide’s patented mesh
networking technology makes it possible to survey, plan and deploy an entire network in less than
one day rather than weeks. The Firetide network is also portable. Your entire network can be
relocated simply by taking your HotPoint routers with you to your new location.
What is a Firetide Mesh Network?
Firetide mesh networks feature a self-configuring, self-healing, multi-hop topology. Because of
these inherent self-organizing properties, a mesh network requires no manual configuration.
Thus, creating a new network or adding or relocating network equipment is as easy as powering
up new nodes. The network automatically discovers the new nodes and integrates them into the
mesh.
A big advantage of a mesh network is its robustness and ability to heal itself. If a node is
disconnected, congested, or fails to operate, neighboring nodes are notified, and data is routed
around it. There is no need for a network engineer to intervene, troubleshoot, and cure the
problem.
Firetide Mesh Network with Indoor and Outdoor Wireless Mesh Routers
Mesh networking can be compared to the Internet, where data can be rerouted on other paths if
one path becomes disabled or congested. Losing a node or two or a link won’t bring down the
entire mesh network. Unlike other WLAN technologies, a mesh network’s reliability and scalability
can actually improve by adding more nodes and enriching the density of the mesh. More
redundant paths means the network in aggregate can handle far more data traffic, and is
therefore quite scalable. Mesh networks are ideal whenever the network must be reliable,
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Installation and User Guide
scalable, and flexible. They are very portable and can adapt well to many different physical
environments.
Building a Firetide Mesh Network
Installing, expanding, or even relocating a Firetide Mesh network is easy and fast. Simply place a
HotPoint router wherever you need an Ethernet port and connect it to an AC power source. As
long as the HotPoint router is within operating range of other HotPoint routers, you can connect
and operate your network devices immediately. Although network planning is often not required
for basic installations, adhering to a few simple guidelines will help ensure that your network
performs reliably and gives you the full benefi ts and performance that mesh networking has to
offer.
Important! Use the Correct RJ-45 Ethernet Cable
The type of Ethernet cable to use depends on what you connect to the HotPoint router. End
devices such as video cameras and access points require crossover cables. Multi-user devices
such as hubs and switches as well as most cable and DSL modems require straight-through
(non-crossover) cables. Devices with auto-sensing MDI/MDIX ports can use either crossover or
straight-through cables. Both cable types with weatherproof connectors are available from your
Firetide dealer. See Accessories on page 22 for available cables.
Understand HotPoint Antenna Patterns
HotPoint 1000R outdoor mesh routers have omni directional antennas that radiate in a broad
circular pattern perpendicular to the antenna shaft. For optimum coverage, orient the antennas in
your mesh network vertically (perpendicular to the ground).
Line-of-Sight Improves Operating Distance
Although HotPoint wireless mesh routers can communicate between walls and buildings, you can
increase the working distance of your outdoor mesh router by avoiding obstacles made of dense
materials such as concrete and metal. Positioning the HotPoint 1000R units so the space
between them provides an unobstructed, line-of-sight view, will greatly increase the effective
range and reliability of transmission. They should be located high enough to prevent interruption
from passing motor vehicles or pedestrians.
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