GE MDS
MDS iNET Series
MDS iNET-II 900
TM
MDS iNET 900
TM
Reference Manual
Wireless IP/Ethernet Transceiver
iNET-II 900 Firmware Release 2.3
iNET 900 Firmware Release 6.3
MDS 05-2806A01, Rev. H
NOVEMBER 2007
QUICK-ST
QUICK-ST
ARTT
AR
INSTRUCTIONS
INSTRUCTIONS
INSTALLATION SUMMARY
Step 1 Mount the Transceiver
Step 2 Install the Antenna
Step 3 Measure & Connect Primary Power (10.530 Vdc)
Step 4 Review the Tranceivers Configuration
Device ModeAccess Point, or Remote (Default)
Network NameUnique name for each radio network.
Required for Remotes to associate with Access Point.
IP AddressMust be a unique number to allow for IP access
through the Ethernet Port.
NOTE: A unique IP address is essential to access the browser-based
Management System.
RF Output PowerAdjust as necessary for regulatory compliance.
(Default = 1 Watt /+30 dBm)
PasswordUsed for remote access and some Management System
features. (Default = admin)
Step 5 Connect the Data Equipment
Step 6 Check for Normal Operation
Connect the data equipment to data port(s):
LAN10BaseT Ethernet-compatible equipment:
Ethernet Hub (Straight-Through Cable); Ethernet Node (Crossover)
COM2Serial, RS/EIA-232 compatible equipment
COM1Management System (Default); Serial (Alternate)
Observe the transceiver LED status panel for the proper indications. In a normally operating system, the following LED indications
will be seen within 30 seconds of power-up:
PWRLights continuously LANOn or blinks intermittently LINK On or blinks intermittently (Remotes: if associated)
Use PING command to test basic data link integrity between Access Point and Remotes.
If the PING command is successful, connect the RTU/data equipment to the data port and verify normal operation.
If the LINK LED on Remotes is not on after 20 to 30 seconds, the unit has failed to associate with the Access Point. It may be
necessary to reposition or redirect the radios antenna for better reception/signal strength.
Check connected data equipment for normal operation
DATA TERMINAL
EQUIPMENT OR
LAN/WAN
TRANSCEIVER
COMPUTER
W/ TERMINAL
EMULATOR
POWER SUPPLY
13.8 VDC @ 580 mA (Max.)
(10.530 Vdc)
Negative Ground Only
TYPICAL INSTALLATION
ANTENNA
SYSTEM
LOW-LOSS FEEDLINE
BASIC CONFIGURATION DEFAULTS
The Management System can be accessed through the COM1 Port using a terminal emulator. The basic items listed below, and
many other parameters and tools can be accessed through this tool. HTTP, Telnet access, and changing some parameters are
controlled by password.
ITEM MGT SYSTEM MENU
Device Mode Network Configuration
Unit Password Device Information
Network Name Network Configuration
IP Address Network Configuration
RF Output Power Radio Configuration
Detailed instructions for setting transceiver parameters are contained in Section 3 of this manual.
DEFAULT
Remote
admin
(lower case)
"Not Programmed"
192.168.1.1
+30 dBm (1.0 Watt)
VALUES/RANGE
Remote
Access Point
18 alphanumeric characters
Case-sensitive; can be mixed case
116 alphanumeric characters
Case-sensitive; can be mixed case
Contact your Network Administrator
2030 dBm @ 50W (0.11.0 Watt)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
PRODUCT OVERVIEW AND APPLICATIONS ........... 1
1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL.........................................................................................................3
1.1.1 Related Publication ....................................................................................................................3
1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION................................................................................................... 3
1.2.1 Model Offerings .......................................................................................................................... 5
1.2.2 Differences Between iNET and iNET-II Models .......................................................................... 6
1.2.3 GE MDS P21 Protected Network (Redundant) Configuration ....................................................6
1.3 APPLICATIONS .................................................................................................................... 7
1.3.1 Wireless LAN .............................................................................................................................. 7
1.3.2 Point-to-Point LAN Extension .....................................................................................................8
1.3.3 Backhaul for Serial Radio Networks ...........................................................................................8
1.3.4 Multiple Protocols and/or Services ............................................................................................. 9
1.3.5 Wireless LAN with Mixed Services ...........................................................................................10
1.3.6 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with
Serial Interfaces ..................................................................................................................................10
Replacing Legacy Wireless Products ............................................................................................ 11
Supplement legacy wireless network with IP services................................................................... 11
1.3.7 High-Speed Mobile Data ..........................................................................................................11
1.4 NETWORK DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.......................................................................... 12
1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with Repeaters .......................................................................... 12
What is a Repeater System? .........................................................................................................12
Option 1Using two transceivers to form a repeater station
(back-to-back repeater)..................................................................................................................12
Option 2Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward Packet
Repeater ........................................................................................................................................13
1.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple Access Points .....................................................14
1.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio Networks ........................................................................................14
The Network Name and the association process ..........................................................................14
Can radio frequency interference (RFI) disrupt my wireless network? ..........................................15
1.5 CYBER SECURITY ............................................................................................................15
1.6 ACCESSORIES .................................................................................................................. 17
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual i
ii
EMBEDDED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.................... 19
2
2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 23
2.1.1 Differences in the User Interfaces ............................................................................................ 23
2.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEM ................................................................................... 25
2.2.1 Methods of Control ................................................................................................................... 26
2.2.2 PC Connection & Log In Procedures .......................................................................................26
2.2.3 Navigating the Menus ............................................................................................................... 31
Via Terminal Telnet or SSH Sessions
Recommended for first-time log-in.................................................................................................31
Navigating via Web Browser..........................................................................................................31
2.3 BASIC DEVICE INFORMATION......................................................................................... 32
2.3.1 Starting Information Screen ...................................................................................................... 32
2.3.2 Main Menu ................................................................................................................................ 34
2.3.3 Configuring Basic Device Parameters ...................................................................................... 35
Device Information .........................................................................................................................35
Device Names Menu......................................................................................................................36
2.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS ..................................................................... 37
2.4.1 Network Configuration Menu ....................................................................................................37
2.4.2 Network Interface Configuration Menu .....................................................................................39
Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET ..................................................................................................... 40
Configuring for Operation with VLAN.............................................................................................41
Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status is Enabled ........................................................... 42
Configuring the IP Address When VLAN Status is Disabled.......................................................... 43
2.4.3 Ethernet Port Configuration Menu ............................................................................................45
2.4.4 DHCP Server Configuration .....................................................................................................46
2.4.5 SNMP Agent Configuration .......................................................................................................47
2.4.6 Prioritized AP Configuration Submenu ..................................................................................... 49
2.5 RADIO CONFIGURATION.................................................................................................. 51
2.5.1 Radio Configuration Menu ........................................................................................................ 51
2.5.2 Channel Config Menu ............................................................................................................... 54
2.5.3 Skip Zones Menu .....................................................................................................................55
2.5.4 Auto Data Rate Configuration Menu .........................................................................................56
2.5.5 Mobility Configuration Menu .....................................................................................................58
Additional Considerations for Mobile Operation.............................................................................59
At Every Mobile (Remote) Radio ...................................................................................................59
At Every AP Radio .........................................................................................................................60
2.6 CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORTS ............................................................................... 60
2.6.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................60
Com1 Port—Dual Purpose Capability .............................................................................................61
iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
TCP vs. UDP..................................................................................................................................61
Serial Encapsulation ......................................................................................................................61
TCP Client vs. TCP Server ............................................................................................................62
UDP Multicast ................................................................................................................................62
PPP................................................................................................................................................63
Data Buffering ................................................................................................................................63
Implementing Configuration Changes............................................................................................63
Serial Configuration Wizard ...........................................................................................................63
2.6.2 Serial Data Port Configuration Menu ........................................................................................ 63
2.6.3 Configuring for UDP Mode .......................................................................................................64
2.6.4 Configuring for TCP Mode ........................................................................................................ 68
2.6.5 Configuring for PPP Mode ........................................................................................................ 70
2.6.6 IP-to-Serial Application Example ..............................................................................................71
2.6.7 Point-to-Multipoint IP-to-Serial Application Example ................................................................72
2.6.8 Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application Example ................................................................. 74
2.6.9 Combined Serial and IP Application Example .......................................................................... 75
Operation and Data Flow ...............................................................................................................75
2.6.10 Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET ..............................................................................................77
Configuring for Operation with VLAN.............................................................................................78
2.7 CYBER SECURITY CONFIGURATION ............................................................................. 78
2.7.1 Device Security ........................................................................................................................79
2.7.2 Wireless Security ...................................................................................................................... 80
Local AuthenticationApproved Remotes/Access Points List Submenu......................................81
2.7.3 RADIUS Configuration .............................................................................................................82
Operation of Device Authentication................................................................................................83
Operation of User Authentication...................................................................................................83
2.7.4 RADIUS Configuration .............................................................................................................84
2.7.5 Certificate Management (Remote transceivers only) ............................................................... 84
2.8 PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION ...................................................................................... 85
2.8.1 RSSI by Zone Menu (Remotes Only) .......................................................................................87
2.8.2 Event Log Menu .......................................................................................................................88
Time and Date................................................................................................................................88
View Current Alarms ......................................................................................................................90
View Event Log ..............................................................................................................................91
2.8.3 Packet Menu ............................................................................................................................91
Wireless Packet Statistics..............................................................................................................91
Ethernet Packet Statistics ..............................................................................................................92
Packets Received by Zone ............................................................................................................93
2.8.4 Wireless Network Status (Remotes Only) ................................................................................ 94
The Transceivers Association Process .........................................................................................94
The Wireless Network Status Screen (Remotes Only) .................................................................. 95
2.8.5 Remote Listing Menu (Access Points Only) ............................................................................ 96
2.8.6 Endpoint Listing Menu (Access Points Only) ...........................................................................97
2.8.7 Remote Performance Listing Menu
(Access Points Only) .......................................................................................................................... 98
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual iii
iv
2.8.8 Serial Data Statistics Menu ......................................................................................................99
2.9 MAINTENANCE.................................................................................................................. 99
2.9.1 Reprogramming Menu ............................................................................................................ 100
Upgrading the Firmware ..............................................................................................................102
Error Messages During File Transfers ......................................................................................... 104
2.9.2 Configuration Scripts Menu .................................................................................................... 105
How Configuration Files Work .....................................................................................................105
Sample of Configuration Script File .............................................................................................106
Editing Configuration Files ...........................................................................................................107
2.9.3 Authorization Keys Menu ........................................................................................................108
2.9.4 Change the Type of Remote ...................................................................................................108
2.9.5 Auto-Upgrade/Remote-Reboot Menu ..................................................................................... 108
Firmware Upgrade (with AP Acting as a TFTP Server)................................................................ 109
2.9.6 Radio Test Menu ..................................................................................................................... 110
2.9.7 Ping Utility Menu .................................................................................................................... 111
2.9.8 Reset to Factory Defaults ....................................................................................................... 111
Password Reset........................................................................................................................... 111
3
TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................113
3.1 Interpreting the Front Panel LEDs .................................................................................... 115
3.2 Troubleshooting Using the Embedded Management System........................................... 116
3.2.1 Starting Information Screen .................................................................................................... 117
3.2.2 Packet Statistics Menu ........................................................................................................... 118
3.2.3 Serial Port Statistics Menu ..................................................................................................... 119
3.2.4 Diagnostic Tools ..................................................................................................................... 119
3.3 Using Logged Operation Events....................................................................................... 119
3.4 Alarm Conditions............................................................................................................... 120
3.5 Correcting Alarm Conditions ............................................................................................. 121
3.6 Logged Events .................................................................................................................. 123
iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
PLANNING A RADIO NETWORK........................... 127
4
4.1 INSTALLATION PLANNING ............................................................................................. 129
4.1.1 General Requirements ...........................................................................................................129
DIN Rail Mounting Option ............................................................................................................131
4.1.2 Site Selection .........................................................................................................................131
4.1.3 Terrain and Signal Strength .................................................................................................... 132
4.1.4 Antenna & Feedline Selection ................................................................................................ 132
4.1.5 How Much Output Power Can be Used? ...............................................................................135
4.1.6 Conducting a Site Survey .......................................................................................................136
4.1.7 A Word About Radio Interference ........................................................................................... 136
4.1.8 Notes on Using 28 VDC Power Supplies ............................................................................... 138
4.2 RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTS ....................................................................................... 139
4.2.1 Antenna System SWR and Transmitter Power Output ........................................................... 140
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................140
Procedure ....................................................................................................................................140
4.2.2 Antenna Aiming ...................................................................................................................... 141
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................141
Procedure ....................................................................................................................................141
4.3 dBm-WATTS-VOLTS CONVERSION CHART.................................................................. 143
4.4 PERFORMANCE NOTES................................................................................................. 144
4.4.1 Wireless Bridge ......................................................................................................................144
4.4.2 Distance-Throughput Relationship ......................................................................................... 144
4.4.3 Data LatencyTCP versus UDP Mode ................................................................................. 145
4.4.4 Data Compression .................................................................................................................. 145
4.4.5 Packets-per-Second (PPS) ....................................................................................................145
4.4.6 Station-to-Station Traffic .........................................................................................................145
4.4.7 Interference has a Direct Correlation to Throughput .............................................................. 145
4.4.8 Maximizing Throughput .......................................................................................................... 146
4.4.9 Placing an iNET Radio Behind a Firewall ............................................................................... 147
4.5 SNMPv3 NOTES .............................................................................................................. 147
4.5.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................147
SNMPv3 Accounts .......................................................................................................................148
Context Names ............................................................................................................................148
Password-Mode Management Changes......................................................................................149
5
TECHNICAL REFERENCE...................................... 153
5.1 DATA INTERFACE CONNECTORS ................................................................................. 155
5.1.1 LAN Port .................................................................................................................................155
5.1.2 COM1 Port .............................................................................................................................156
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual v
vi
5.1.3 COM2 Port .............................................................................................................................156
5.2 FUSE REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE ............................................................................ 157
5.3 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ....................................................................................... 158
5.4 CHANNEL HOP TABLE .................................................................................................... 161
6
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS... 165
Copyright Notice
This publication is protected by U.S.A. copyright law. Copyright 2007, GE MDS. All rights
reserved.
ISO 9001 Registration
GE MDS adheres to this internationally-accepted ISO 9001 quality system standard.
To our Customers
We appreciate your patronage. You are our business. We promise to serve and anticipate your
needs. We will strive to give you solutions that are cost effective, innovative, reliable and of the
highest quality possible. We promise to build a relationship that is forthright and ethical, one that
builds confidence and trust.
Products Covered in this Manual
This manual covers two members of the GE MDS iNET Transceiver Series, both of which are
designed to be operated under the FCCs Part 15 license-free rules. The iNET radio is a Frequency
Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) transceiver that operates at data speeds of 256 and 512 kbps.
The iNET-II is a similar design, but it is certified under the Digital Transmission System (DTS)
provisions of FCC Part 15 and can operate at data speeds of 512 or 1024 kbps. Operational differences between these two models are identified, as necessary, in this manual.
NOTE:
Other GE MDS i NET 900 Series Documentation
Startup Guide
vided with the transceiver and is limited to essential information needed for installers. The installation guide assumes some guidance to installers will be provided by the readers of this manual.
This includes such things as antenna selection, radio communication site survey tools and techniques, and network design.
GE MDS iNET and GE MDS iNET-II transceivers are
The associated GE MDS
i
NET 900 Series Startup Guide, P/N 05-2873A01, is pro-
not
over-the-air compatible.
Related Materials on the Internet
tion notes, firmware upgrades and other updated information is available on the GE MDS Web site
at www.GEmds.com.
iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Data sheets, frequently asked questions, case studies, applica-
About GE MDS
Almost two decades ago, GE MDS began building radios for business-critical applications. Since
then, weve installed nearly 100,000,000 radios in over 110 countries. To succeed, we overcame
impassable terrain, brutal operating conditions and disparate, complex network configurations. We
also became experts in wireless communication standards and system applications worldwide. The
result of our efforts is that today, thousands of utilities around the world rely on GE MDS-based
wireless networks to manage their most critical assets.
The majority of GE MDS radios deployed since 1985 are still installed and performing within our
customers’ wireless networks. Thats because we design and manufacture our products in-house,
according to ISO 9001 which allows us to control and meet stringent global quality standards.
Thanks to our durable products and comprehensive solutions, GE MDS is the wireless leader in
industrial automationincluding oil and gas production and transportation, water/wastewater
treatment, supply and transportation, electric transmission and distribution and many other utility
applications. GE MDS is also at the forefront of wireless communications for private and public
infrastructure and online transaction processing. Now is an exciting time for GE MDS and our customers as we look forward to further demonstrating our abilities in new and emerging markets.
As your wireless needs change you can continue to expect more from GE MDS. We’ll always put
the performance of your network above all. Visit us at www.GEmds.com for more information.
OPERATIONAL & SAFETY NOTICES
RF Exposure
Professional installation required. The radio equipment described in this guide emits radio
frequency energy. Although the power level is low, the concentrated energy from a directional antenna may pose a health hazard. Do not allow people to come closer than 23 cm
(9 inches) to the antenna when the transmitter is operating in indoor or outdoor environments. More information on RF exposure is on the Internet at
www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins
.
UL/CSA Notice
This product is available for use in Class 1, Division 2, Groups A, B, C & D Hazardous Locations. Such locations are
defined in Article 500 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publication
the National Electrical Code.
The transceiver has been recognized for use in these hazardous locations by two independent agencies Underwriters
Laboratories (UL) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The UL certification for the transceiver is as a Recognized Component for use in these hazardous locations, in accordance with UL Standard 1604. The CSA Certification is in accordance with CSA STD C22.2 No. 213-M1987.
UL/CSA Conditions of Approval: The transceiver is not acceptable as a stand-alone unit for use in the hazardous
locations described above. It must either be mounted within another piece of equipment which is certified for
hazardous locations, or installed within guidelines, or conditions of approval, as set forth by the approving agencies.
These conditions of approval are as follows:
The transceiver must be mounted within a separate enclosure which is suitable for the intended application.
NFPA 70
, otherwise known as
The antenna feedline, DC power cable and interface cable must be routed through conduit in accordance with the
National Electrical Code.
Installation, operation and maintenance of the transceiver should be in accordance with the transceiver’s installation
manual, and the National Electrical Code.
Tampering or replacement with non-factory components may adversely affect the safe use of the transceiver in hazardous locations, and may void the approval.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual vii
(UL/CSA Notice continued on next page...)
A power connector with screw-type retaining screws as supplied by GE MDS must be used.
Do not disconnect equipment unless power has been switched off or the area is known to
be non-hazardous.
EXPLOSION
HAZARD!
Refer to Articles 500 through 502 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) for further
information on hazardous locations and approved Division 2 wiring methods.
FCC Part 15 Notices
The transceiver series complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation. This device is specifically designed to be used under Section 15.247
of the FCC Rules and Regulations. Any unauthorized modification or changes to this device without the express
approval of Microwave Data Systems may void the users authority to operate this device. Furthermore, the iNET
Series is intended to be used only when installed in accordance with the instructions outlined in this manual. Failure
to comply with these instructions may also void the users authority to operate this device.
Part 15 rules also require that the Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) from an GE MDS iNET Series installation
not exceed 36 dBm. Refer to
Antenna & Feedline Selection
on Page 132 for more information.
Industry Canada RSS Notices
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be chosen so that the Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) is not more than that permitted for successful communication.
This device as been designed to operate with the antennas listed below, and having a maximum gain of 12 dB.
Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than 12 dB are strictly prohibited for use with this device.
The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms. Refer to Table 4-3 on Page 138 for a list of antennas acceptable for use
with this transceiver.
Manual Revision and Accuracy
This manual was prepared to cover a specific version of firmware code. Accordingly, some screens and features may
differ from the actual unit you are working with. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy
of this publication, product improvements may also result in minor differences between the manual and the product
shipped to you. If you have additional questions or need an exact specification for a product, please contact our Customer Service Team using the information at the back of this guide. In addition, manual updates can often be found on
the GE MDS Web site at www.GEmds.com.
Environmental Information
The manufacture of this equipment has required the extraction and use of natural resources. Improper disposal may
contaminate the environment and present a health risk due to hazardous substances contained within. To avoid dissemination of these substances into our environment, and to limit the demand on natural resources, we encourage you to
use the appropriate recycling systems for disposal. These systems will reuse or recycle most of the materials found in
this equipment in a sound way. Please contact GE MDS or your supplier for more information on the proper disposal
of this equipment.
viii
iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
1
1 Chapter Counter Reset Paragraph
Contents
1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL ............................................................... 3
1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ......................................................... 3
1.3 APPLICATIONS ........................................................................... 7
AND APPLICATIONS
1.1.1 Related Publication ....................................................................... 3
1.2.1 Model Offerings ............................................................................. 5
1.2.2 Differences Between iNET and iNET-II Models ............................6
1.2.3 GE MDS P21 Protected Network (Redundant) Configuration ......6
1.3.1 Wireless LAN ................................................................................7
1.3.2 Point-to-Point LAN Extension .......................................................8
1.3.3 Backhaul for Serial Radio Networks .............................................8
1.3.4 Multiple Protocols and/or Services ................................................ 9
1.3.5 Wireless LAN with Mixed Services ..............................................10
1.3.6 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with
Serial Interfaces ..................................................................................... 10
Replacing Legacy Wireless Products ............................................... 11
Supplement legacy wireless network with IP services ..................... 11
1.3.7 High-Speed Mobile Data ............................................................. 11
1.4 NETWORK DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ................................ 12
1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with Repeaters ............................12
What is a Repeater System?............................................................12
Option 1Using two transceivers to form a repeater station
(back-to-back repeater) ....................................................................12
Option 2Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward Packet
Repeater...........................................................................................13
1.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple Access Points ....... 14
1.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio Networks ..........................................14
The Network Name and the association process ............................. 14
Can radio frequency interference (RFI) disrupt my wireless network?.
15
1.5 CYBER SECURITY ................................................................... 15
1.6 ACCESSORIES......................................................................... 17
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 1
2 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL
This Reference Manual is designed for use by professional installers and
technicians. It contains an in-depth description of the product, including
installation, configuration, and troubleshooting details.
1.1.1 Related Publication
A companion publication, the GE MDS iNET Series Start-Up Guide is
also available (Part No. 05-2873A01). This smaller guide contains the
essential information for installing the radio and placing it into operation. This guide is recommended for those primarily involved in the
installation and setup of the product.
1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The GE MDS iNET 900 transceiver (Figure 1-1) provides an
easy-to-install wireless local area network (WLAN) service with long
range and secure operation. It supports both Ethernet and serial data
interface options at over-the-air data speeds of up to 1 Mbps (iNET-II)
and 512 kbps (iNET).
Rugged Packaging
NOTE: For information on the GE MDS iNET 900 ENI, which
provides expanded gateway and protocol conversion capabilities not found in the GE MDS iNET 900 (DF1 to EIP, and
MODBUS to MODBUS TCP conversions), refer to the GE
MDS iNET/ENI Supplement (05-4131A01).
Invisible place holder
Figure 1-1. The GE MDS iNET 900 Transceiver
The transceiver is housed in a compact and rugged cast-metal case that
need only be protected from direct exposure to the weather. It contains
a single printed circuit board with all necessary components for radio
operation and data communications. The only user-serviceable component in the case is a fuse on the DC power input line.
Simple Installation Most installations employ an omni-directional antenna at the Access
Point (AP) location and a directional antenna at each Remote unit. The
antenna is a vital link in the system and must be chosen and installed
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 3
correctly. See “INSTALLATION PLANNING” on Page 129 for guidance on choosing suitable installation sites and antennas.
For basic services, simply connect an antenna, connect your Ethernet
LAN to the transceiver’s
LAN port, apply primary power, set a few oper-
ating parameters, and you are done. No license is required for operation
in the U.S.A., Canada, and many other countries. Check requirements
for your region before placing the transceiver in service.
Secure Operation Data network security is a vital issue in today's wireless world. GE MDS
iNET Series radios provide multiple tools to help you build a network
that minimizes the risk of eavesdropping and unauthorized access. Some
are inherent in the radio's operation, such as the use of 900 MHz
spread-spectrum transmissions; others include data encryption, enabling/disabling remote access channels, and password protection.
Remember, security is not a one-step process that can simply be turned
on and forgotten. It must be practiced and enforced at multiple levels,
24 hours-a-day and 7 days-a-week. See “CYBER SECURITY” on
Page 15 for more information about the transceiver’s security tools.
Robust Radio
Operation
The transceiver is designed for frequency-hopping spread-spectrum
operation in the license-free 900 MHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. It can provide reliable communications at distances up
to 25 miles (40 km) over favorable terrain, even in the presence of weak
signals or interference. Frequency hopping allows the transceiver to
avoid interference from other transmitters in the same band, and provides frequency diversity for more reliable transmission. The
over-the-air MAC increases reliability by adding retries to failed messages.
The iNET-II transceiver, which is certified to operate under DTS rules
(hopping not required), also hops in order to achieve the same benefits
that are realized with the iNET transceiver which is certified under
FHSS rules.
Flexible Services Users with a mixture of equipment having Ethernet and serial data inter-
faces can choose to use one or two of the user-configurable serial ports
through the use of a Remote Dual Gateway. This flexibility allows the
transceiver to provide services in data networks that are being migrated
from legacy serial/EIA-232-based hardware to the faster and more
easily interfaced Ethernet world.
Flexible
Management
Configuration, commissioning, troubleshooting and other maintenance
activities can be done locally or remotely. Four different modes of
access are available: local RS-232 console, local or remote Internet Protocol (IP) access via Telnet or SSH, web browser (HTTP, HTTPS), and
SNMP (v1/v2/v3). The text-based interface (RS-232 console Telnet and
SSH) is implemented in the form of easy-to-follow menus, and the terminal server configuration includes a wizard to help you set up the units
correctly.
4 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Transceiver
Features
The transceiver’s design makes the installation and configuration easy,
while allowing for changes in the future.
• Long Range—Up to 30 miles (48 km) nominal range in
line-of-sight conditions. Repeater stations may be used to
extend the operational range. (Refer to TECHNICAL SPECIFI-
CATIONS on Page 156 for more detailed information on
range.)
• Industrial-Grade Product—Extended temperature range for
trouble-free operation in extreme environments
• Robust Radio Communications—Designed to operate in dense,
high-interference environments
• Robust Network Security—Prevents common attack schemes
and hardware from gaining access or control of network. Common attack events logged and reported by alarms.
• High Speed—1 Mbps (iNET-II) is 100-times faster than 9.6
kbps radios. GE MDS iNET transceiver speed is 512 kbps.
• Plug-and-Play Connectivity—Ethernet bridge configuration
option requires minimal setup
• Serial Ports—Gateway for serial-based equipment to IP/Ethernet networks with embedded terminal server. Site-to-site configurations are also possible.
• Single hardware package provides configuration as Access
Point or Remote
1.2.1 Model Offerings
The transceiver comes in two primary models—Access Point and
Remote. Three types of Remote Gateways are available—the Ethernet
Bridge, the Serial Gateway, and the Dual Gateway supporting both
IP/Ethernet and serial services. Table 1-1 summarizes the different
interface abilities for each type.
A unit can be configured by the owner to operate as an Access Point or
as a Remote with some restrictions. Only the Dual Gateway Remote
units can be reconfigured as an Access Point. Ethernet Bridge and a
Serial Gateway Remotes cannot be reconfigured as an Access Point
unless they are first upgraded to Dual Gateway type. This is accomplished with an “Authorization Key” purchased from the factory. Each
one of these individual software keys is associated with the serial
number of the corresponding unit.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 5
Table 1-1. Transceiver Models and Data Interface Services
Model Type
Access Point
Remote… Ethernet
NOTES
1. Provides access to the embedded Management System on all units.
2. Can be upgraded to Dual Gateway with an Authorization Key.
3. Can be configured as an Access Point or Dual Gateway through the
embedded Management System.
3
N/A Yes Yes Yes
2
Bridge
Serial
Gateway
Dual Gateway
2
3
1
LAN
Yes No No
No Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes
COM1
1
COM2
1.2.2 Differences Between iNET and iNET-II Models
The iNET and iNET-II Transceivers, while similar in many respects, do
have some important differences. The main differences are summarized
in Table 1-2:
Table 1-2. Transceiver Differences (iNET vs. iNET-II)
Characteristic iNET iNET-II
Data Rate 256/512 kbps 512 kbps/1 Mbps
FCC Certification
Type
Encryption RC4-128 AES-128
Channel size 316.5 kHz 600 kHz
Channel operation Zones Channels
Firmware Specific for iNET Specific for iNET-II
FHSS DTS
NOTE: The GE MDS iNET and GE MDS iNET-II transceivers are not
1.2.3 GE MDS P21 Protected Network (Redundant)
For mission-critical applications, GE MDS also offers the Protected
Network Station. This radio incorporates two iNET Series transceivers,
two power supplies, and a switchover logic board that automatically
selects between Transceiver A and Transceiver B as the active radio.
Figure 1-2 shows a view of the protected chassis. For system-level
information on this product, see GE MDS publication 05-4161A01.
6 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
over-the-air compatible.
Configuration
Invisible place holder
Figure 1-2. GE MDS P21 Protected Network Station
(incorporates two Transceivers, with Automatic Switchover)
1.3 APPLICATIONS
The following sections provide illustrations of typical transceiver installations. This is meant as an overview only. It is recommended that a network manager be involved in all installation planning activities.
1.3.1 Wireless LAN
The wireless LAN is the most common application of the transceiver. It
consists of a central control station (Access Point) and one or more associated Remote units, as shown in Figure 1-3 on Page 8. A LAN provides
communications between a central WAN/LAN and remote Ethernet
segments. The operation of the radio system is transparent to the computer equipment connected to the transceiver.
The Access Point is positioned at a location from which it can communicate with all of the Remote units in the system. Commonly, this is a
high location on top of a building or communications tower. Messages
are exchanged at the Ethernet level. This includes all types of IP traffic.
A Remote transceiver can only talk over-the-air to an Access Point unit
(AP). Peer-to-peer communications between Remotes can only take
place indirectly via the AP. In the same fashion, an AP can only talk
over-the-air to associated Remote units. Exception: Two APs can communicate with each other “off-the-air” through their Ethernet connectors
using a common LAN/WAN.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 7
Invisible place holder
Remote
Remote
Remote
LAN
LAN
Access Point
WAN/LAN
LAN
Remote
LAN
Figure 1-3. Typical Wireless LAN
1.3.2 Point-to-Point LAN Extension
A point-to-point configuration (Figure 1-4) is a simple arrangement
consisting of an Access Point and a Remote unit. This provides a communications link for the transfer of data between two locations.
Invisible place holder
Access Point
Remote
LAN/WAN
LAN
Figure 1-4. Typical Point-to-Point Link
1.3.3 Backhaul for Serial Radio Networks
One of the primary design features of the transceiver is to provide a path
for serial devices to migrate to IP/Ethernet. Many radio networks in
operation today still rely on serial networks at data rates of 9600 bps or
less. These networks can use the transceiver as a means to continue
using the serial service, while allowing the rest of the infrastructure to
migrate to an IP format.
A Remote transceiver using one serial port for the data stream, and the
other for network-wide diagnostics can support operational radio networks built with GE MDS serial-based radios, such as GE MDS
x790/x710, GE MDS TransNET and others. In the case of radios using
a single port for data and diagnostics, the capabilities are doubled. The
data streams are delivered to an IP socket in an application, or in serial
format using the Access Point.
8 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
NETWORK
ROUTER
HUB
NMS Control
Point
ROUTER
SCADA Host
Modbus/IP
Access Point
Remote Serial
Remote Serial
Remote Serial
Diagnostics
Data
Diagnostics
Data
Diagnostics
Data
MDS 4790
Master
MDS 9790
Master
MDS 9810
MDS 4710 Remote
MDS 4710 Remote
MDS 9710 Remote
MDS 9710 Remote
MDS 9810 Remote
Master
MDS 9810 Remote
Figure 1-5. Backhaul Network
1.3.4 Multiple Protocols and/or Services
Prior to the iNET Series, two radios were often used to service two different types of devices (typically connected to different SCADA hosts).
An iNET or iNET-II radio provides this functionality with a single
remote radio. Each of the two serial ports can be connected via IP to different SCADA hosts, transporting different (or the same) protocols.
Both data streams are completely independent and the transceiver provides seamless simultaneous operation as shown in.
Invisible place holder
RTU
EIA-232
Flow Meter
EIA-232
EIA-232
EIA-232
EIA-232
EIA-232
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
Serial
Device
NETview
HUB
HUB
WAN
ROUTER
HUB
HUB
Remote Serial
SCADA Host
Modbus/IP
Remote Serial
Access Point
Remote Serial
Access Point
SCADA Host
Total Flow
Figure 1-6. Multiple Protocol Network
By using a single radio, the cost of deployment is cut in half. Beyond
requiring only one radio instead of two, the biggest cost reduction comes
from using half of the required infrastructure at the remote site: one
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 9
antenna, one feedline, one lightning protector and ancillary hardware.
Other cost reductions come from the system as a whole, such as reduced
management requirements. And above all, the radio offers potential for
future applications that run over Ethernet and IP, such as video for
remote surveillance.
1.3.5 Wireless LAN with Mixed Services
The iNET transceiver is an excellent solution for a long-range industrial
wireless LAN. It offers several advantages over commercial solutions—
primarily improved performance over extended distances. The rugged
construction of the radio and its extended temperature range make it an
ideal solution even in harsh locations. In extreme environments, a
simple NEMA enclosure is sufficient to house the unit.
The transceiver trades higher speed for longer range. Commercial
802.11a/b/g solutions are designed to provide service to relatively small
areas such as offices, warehouses and homes. They provide high data
rates but have limited range. The iNET transmits at a higher power level,
uses a different frequency band, has higher sensitivity, and a narrower
channel to concentrate the radio energy and reach farther distances. It is
designed for industrial operation from the ground up.
IP-based devices that may be used with the transceiver include a new
breed of more powerful Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). These, as well as other devices, may
be used in applications ranging from SCADA/telemetry monitoring,
web-based video, security monitoring, and voice over IP. Figure 1-7
shows a typical wireless IP network.
Invisible place holder
Remote Bridge
Access Point
Remote Bridge
NMS Control
Point
SCADA Host
Modbus/IP
Printer
IP/Ethernet Device
Figure 1-7. Extended-Range LAN with Mixed Applications
IP Camera
IP/Ethernet Device
IP/Ethernet Device
1.3.6 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with
Millions of wireless data products have been sold in the last two decades
for licensed and license-free operation, many of them manufactured by
10 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Serial Interfaces
Microwave Data Systems. There are several ways that these systems can
benefit from incorporating iNET equipment. The chief advantages are
interface flexibility (serial and Ethernet in one unit), and higher data
throughput. By taking advantage of its built-in serial and Ethernet interfaces, the transceiver is well suited to replace leased lines, dial-up lines,
or existing MAS 900 MHz data transceivers.
Replacing Legacy Wireless Products
In most cases, legacy radio transceivers supporting serial-interface
equipment can be replaced with iNET transceivers. Legacy equipment
can be connected to the transceiver through the
a DB-25 to DB-9 cable wired for EIA-232 signaling. The
COM1 or COM2 port with
COM2 port
supports all standard EIA-232 signaling and acts as a data-terminal
equipment device (DTE).
NOTE: Several previous GE MDS-brand products had non-standard
signal lines on their interface connectors (to control sleep functions and alarm lines, for example). These special functions are
not provided nor supported by the iNET Series. Consult equipment manuals for complete pinout information.
Supplement legacy wireless network with IP services
The iNET Dual Gateway model can support up to two serial devices and
one Ethernet connection at the same time. The serial interfaces (
and
COM2) operate in two different modes: Connectionless UDP and
COM1
connection-oriented TCP.
In the UDP mode, the transceiver supports point-to-multipoint
serial-port to serial-port connectivity. In the TCP mode, it supports
point-to-point Ethernet/IP to serial port connectivity.
For further details on the transceiver’s Serial Gateway interface modes,
see “CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORTS” on Page 61.
1.3.7 High-Speed Mobile Data
The iNET radios support high-speed data communications in a mobile
environment. Remote radios roam between different access points, providing seamless transitions and continuous coverage. For additional
information on configuring a mobile network, refer to Mobility Config-
uration Menu on Page 58.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 11
1.4 NETWORK DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS
1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with Repeaters
What is a Repeater System?
A repeater works by re-transmitting data from outlying remote sites to
the Access Point and vice-versa. It introduces some additional
end-to-end transmission delay but provides longer-range connectivity.
In some geographical areas, obstacles can make communications difficult. These obstacles are commonly large buildings, hills, or dense
foliage. These obstacles can often be overcome with a repeater station.
Option 1—Using two transceivers to form a repeater station
(back-to-back repeater)
Although the range between transceivers can be a nominal 40 km (25
miles) over favorable terrain, it is possible to extend the range considerably by connecting two units together at one site in a “back-to-back”
fashion to form a repeater, as shown in Figure 1-8. This arrangement
should be used whenever the objective is to utilize the maximum range
between stations. In this case, using high-gain Yagi antennas at each
location will provide more reliable communications than their counterparts—omnidirectional antennas.
Overview
Invisible place holder
REPEATER
Access
Point
POINT-TO-POINT LINK
Access Point
LAN/WAN
Remote
Ethernet
Crossover Cable
Remote
Figure 1-8. Typical LAN with a Repeater Link
LAN
Remote
LAN
Remote
LAN
Two transceivers may be connected “back-to-back” through the LAN
Ports to form a repeater station. (The cable must be a “cross-over”
Ethernet cable for this to work). This configuration is sometimes
required in a network that includes a distant Remote that would otherwise be unable to communicate directly with the Access Point station
due to distance or terrain.
The geographic location of a repeater station is especially important. A
site must be chosen that allows good communication with both the
Access Point and the outlying Remote site. This is often on top of a hill,
building, or other elevated terrain from which both sites can be “seen”
12 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
by the repeater station antennas. A detailed discussion on the effects of
terrain is given in Section 4.1.2, Site Selection (beginning on Page 131).
The following paragraphs contain specific requirements for repeater
systems.
Antennas Two antennas are required at this type of repeater station—one for each
radio. Measures must be taken to minimize the chance of interference
between these antennas. One effective technique for limiting interference is to employ vertical separation. In this arrangement, assuming
both are vertically polarized, one antenna is mounted directly over the
other, separated by at least 10 feet (3 Meters). This takes advantage of
the minimal radiation exhibited by most antennas directly above and
below their driven elements.
Another interference reduction technique is to cross-polarize the
repeater antennas. If one antenna is mounted for polarization in the vertical plane, and the other in the horizontal plane, an additional 20 dB of
attenuation can be achieved. (Remember that the corresponding stations
should use the same antenna orientation when cross-polarization is
used.)
Network Name The two radios that are wired together at the repeater site must have dif-
ferent network names.
Option 2—Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward Packet
Repeater
A wireless network can be extended through the use of an alternate
arrangement using the Access Point as a repeater to re-transmit the signals of all stations in the network. The repeater is a standard transceiver
configured as an Access Point, and operating in Store and Forward
mode. (See Figure 1-9.)
Invisible place holder
Remote
LAN/WAN
Remote
Access Point
REPEATER
Remote
Remote
LAN
LAN
LAN
Figure 1-9. Typical network with store-and-forward repeater
As with the conventional repeater described in Option 1 above, the location of a store and forward repeater is also important. A site must be
chosen that allows good communication with both the Access Point and
the outlying Remote site. This can be on the top of a hill, building, or
other elevated terrain from which all sites can be “seen” by the repeater
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 13
station antenna. A detailed discussion on the effects of terrain is given
in Section 4.1.2, Site Selection (beginning on Page 131)
1.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple
Access Points
Although GE MDS transceivers have a very robust design and have
undergone intensive testing before being shipped, it is possible for isolated failures to occur. In mission-critical applications, down time can
be virtually eliminated by using some, or all, of the following configurations:
In a point-to-multipoint scenario, the Access Point services multiple
remotes. A problem in the Access Point will have an effect on all
remotes, since none will have access to the network. When operation of
the network does not tolerate any down time, it is possible to set up a
protected configuration for the Access Point to greatly reduce the possibility of this occurrence.
Two or more Access Points can be configured with the same Network
Name and kept active simultaneously, each with its own independent
antenna. In this scenario, Remotes will associate with either one of the
available Access Points. In case of a failure of one of the AP’s the
Remotes will quickly associate with another of the remaining Access
Points re-establishing connectivity to the end devices.
The Access Points are unaware of the existence of the other AP’s.
Because the hopping algorithm uses both the Network Name and the
Wireless MAC address of the AP to generate the hopping pattern, multiple AP’s can coexist—even if they use the same network name. The
collocated AP’s will be using different hopping patterns and frequencies
the great majority of the time. Although some data collisions will occur,
the wireless-MAC is built to tolerate and recover from such occurrences
with minimal degradation.
1.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio Networks
Many networks can operate in relatively close physical proximity to one
another provided reasonable measures are taken to assure the radio
signal of one Access Point is not directed at the antenna of the second
Access Point.
The Network Name and the association process
The Network Name is the foundation for building individual radio networks. It is part of a beacon signal broadcast by the Access Point (AP)
to any Remote units with the same Network Name. Remotes that join the
network are referred to as being “associated” with the Access Point unit.
Multiple APs with the same Network Name should be used with care.
Using the same Network Name in multiple APs may result in Remotes
14 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
associating with undesired APs and preventing data exchange from
occurring as planned.
The use of a different Network Name does not guarantee an interference-free system. It does however, assure that only data destined for a
unique network is passed through to that network.
Co-Location for
Multiple Networks
It may be desirable to co-locate Access Points at one location to take
advantage of an excellent or premium location that can serve two independent networks. Each network should have unique Network Name
and each AP unit’s antenna should be provided as much vertical separation as is practical to minimize RFI.
NOTE: All transceivers are shipped with the Network Name set to
“Not Programmed.” The Network Name must be programmed
in order to pass data and begin normal operations.
Can radio frequency interference (RFI) disrupt my wireless
network?
When multiple radio networks operate in close physical proximity to
other wireless networks, individual units may not operate reliably under
weak signal conditions and may be influenced by strong radio signals in
adjacent bands. This radio frequency interference cannot be predicted
with certainty, and can only be determined by experimentation. If you
need to co-locate two units, start by using the largest possible vertical
antenna separation between the two AP antennas on the same support
structure. If that does not work, consult with your factory representative
about other techniques for controlling radio frequency interference
between the radios. (See “A Word About Radio Interference” on
Page 136 for more details.)
1.5 CYBER SECURITY
Today the operation and management of an enterprise is becoming
increasing dependent on electronic information flow. An accompanying
concern becomes the cyber security of the communication infrastructure
and the security of the data itself.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 15
The transceiver is capable of dealing with many common security
issues. Table 1-3 profiles security risks and how the transceiver provides a solution for minimizing vulnerability.
Table 1-3. Security Risk Management
Security Vulnerability GE MDS Cyber Security Solution
Unauthorized access to the backbone
network through a foreign remote radio
“Rogue” AP, where a foreign AP takes
control of some or all remote radios and
thus remote devices
Dictionary attacks, where a hacker runs a
program that sequentially tries to break a
password.
Denial of service, where Remote radios
could be reconfigured with bad
parameters bringing the network down.
Airsnort and other war-driving hackers in
parking lots, etc.
• 802.1x authentication
• Approved Remotes List (local)
Only those remotes included in the
AP list will associate
• 802.1x authentication
• Approved AP List
A remote will only associate to those
AP included in its local authorized
list of AP
• Failed-login lockdown
After 3 tries, the transceiver ignores
login requests for 5 minutes. Critical
event reports (traps) are generated
as well.
•Remote login with SSH or HTTPS
•Local console login
•Disabled HTTP & Telnet to allow
only local management services
•900 MHz operation is not
interoperable with standard 802.11b
wireless cards
•The transceiver cannot be put in a
promiscuous mode
•Proprietary data framing
Eavesdropping, intercepting messages
Key cracking software
Replaying messages
16 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
•AES-128 encryption (iNET-II)
•RC4-128 encryption (iNET)
• Automatic Rotating Key algorithm
• Automatic Rotating Key algorithm
Table 1-3. Security Risk Management
Security Vulnerability GE MDS Cyber Security Solution
Unprotected access to configuration via
SNMPv1
Intrusion detection
•Implement SNMPv3 secure
operation
• Provides early warning via SNMP
through critical event reports
(unauthorized, logging attempts,
etc.)
• Unauthorized AP MAC address
detected at Remote
• Unauthorized Remote MAC
address detected at AP
• Login attempt limit exceeded
(Accessed via: Telnet, HTTP, or
local)
• Successful login/logout
(Accessed via: Telnet, HTTP, or
local)
1.6 ACCESSORIES
The transceiver can be used with one or more of the accessories listed in
Table 1-4. Contact the factory for ordering details.
Table 1-4. Accessories
Accessory Description GE MDS Part
AC Power
Adapter Kit
OmniDirectional
Antennas
Yagi Antenna
(Directional)
TNC Male-to-N
Female Adapter
TNC Male-to-N
Female Adapter
Cable
Ethernet RJ-45
Crossover
Cable (CAT5)
2-Pin Power
Plug
A small power supply module designed for
continuous service. UL approved. Input:
120/220; Output: 13.8 Vdc @ 2.5 A
Rugged antennas well suited for use at Access
Point installations. Consult with your factory
Sales Representative for details
Rugged antennas well suited for use at Remote
installations. Consult with your factory Sales
Representative for details.
One-piece RF adaptor plug. 97-1677A161
Short length of coaxial cable used to connect
the radio’s TNC antenna connector to a Type N
commonly used on large diameter coaxial
cables.
Cable assembly used to cross-connect the
Ethernet ports of two transceivers used in a
repeater configuration.
(Cable length ≈ 3 ft./1M)
Mates with power connector on transceiver.
Screw terminals provided for wires, threaded
locking screws to prevent accidental disconnect.
No.
01-3682A02
Call factory
Call factory
97-1677A159
(3 ft./1m)
97-1677A160
(6 ft./1.8m)
97-1870A21
73-1194A39
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 17
Table 1-4. Accessories (Continued)
Accessory Description GE MDS Part
Ethernet RJ-45
Straight-thru
Cable (CAT5)
EIA-232
Shielded Data
Cable
EIA-232
Shielded Data
Cable
Fuse Small, board-mounted fuse used to protect
Flat-Surface
Mounting
Brackets &
Screws
DIN Rail
Mounting
Bracket
COM2 Interface
Adapter
GE MDS
NETview MS
Software
Bandpass Filter Antenna system filter that helps eliminate
Ethernet Surge
Suppressor
Cable assembly used to connect an Ethernet
device to the transceiver. Both ends of the cable
are wired identically.
(Cable length ≈ 3 ft./1M)
Shielded cable terminated with a DB-25 male
connector on one end, and a DB-9 female on the
other end. Two lengths available (see part
numbers at right).
Shielded cable terminated with a DB-9 male
connector on one end, and a DB-9 female on the
other end, 6 ft./1.8m long.
against over-current conditions.
Brackets: 2˝ x 3˝ plates designed to be screwed
onto the bottom of the unit for surface-mounting
the radio.
Screws: 6-32/1/4˝ with locking adhesive.
(Industry Standard MS 51957-26)
Bracket used to mount the transceiver to
standard 35 mm DIN rails commonly found in
equipment cabinets and panels.
DB-25(F) to DB-9(M) shielded cable assembly
(6 ft./1.8 m) for connection of equipment or other
EIA-232 serial devices previously connected to
“legacy” units. (Consult factory for other lengths
and variations.)
PC-based network management system for
new-generation GE MDS transceivers. Allows
radio control and diagnostics in a hierarchal
map perspective.
interference from nearby paging transmitters.
Surge suppressor for protection of Ethernet port
against lightning.
No.
97-1870A20
97-3035L06
(6 ft./1.8m)
97-3035L15
(15 ft./4.6m)
97-1971A03
29-1784A03
82-1753-A01
70-2620-A01
03-4022A02
97-3035A06
03-3938A01
20-2822A02
29-4018A01
18 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
EMBEDDED
2
2 Chapter Counter Reset Paragraph
Contents
2.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 23
2.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEM .......................................... 25
2.3 BASIC DEVICE INFORMATION................................................ 32
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
2.1.1 Differences in the User Interfaces ............................................... 23
2.2.1 Methods of Control ...................................................................... 26
2.2.2 PC Connection & Log In Procedures .......................................... 26
2.2.3 Navigating the Menus .................................................................31
Via Terminal Telnet or SSH Sessions
Recommended for first-time log-in ...................................................31
Navigating via Web Browser ............................................................31
2.3.1 Starting Information Screen ........................................................32
2.3.2 Main Menu ..................................................................................34
2.3.3 Configuring Basic Device Parameters ........................................35
Device Information............................................................................ 35
Device Names Menu ........................................................................36
2.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS ............................ 37
2.4.1 Network Configuration Menu ......................................................37
2.4.2 Network Interface Configuration Menu .......................................39
Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET........................................................ 40
Configuring for Operation with VLAN ...............................................41
Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status is Enabled..............42
Configuring the IP Address When VLAN Status is Disabled ............43
2.4.3 Ethernet Port Configuration Menu ..............................................45
2.4.4 DHCP Server Configuration ........................................................46
2.4.5 SNMP Agent Configuration .........................................................47
2.4.6 Prioritized AP Configuration Submenu ........................................49
2.5 RADIO CONFIGURATION ........................................................ 51
2.5.1 Radio Configuration Menu ..........................................................51
2.5.2 Channel Config Menu .................................................................54
2.5.3 Skip Zones Menu ........................................................................ 55
2.5.4 Auto Data Rate Configuration Menu ........................................... 56
2.5.5 Mobility Configuration Menu .......................................................58
Additional Considerations for Mobile Operation ...............................59
At Every Mobile (Remote) Radio ...................................................... 59
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 19
At Every AP Radio ............................................................................ 60
2.6 CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORTS ...................................... 60
2.6.1 Overview ..................................................................................... 60
Com1 Port—Dual Purpose Capability................................................61
TCP vs. UDP .................................................................................... 61
Serial Encapsulation.........................................................................61
TCP Client vs. TCP Server...............................................................62
UDP Multicast...................................................................................62
PPP ..................................................................................................63
Data Buffering................................................................................... 63
Implementing Configuration Changes ..............................................63
Serial Configuration Wizard..............................................................63
2.6.2 Serial Data Port Configuration Menu ..........................................63
2.6.3 Configuring for UDP Mode ..........................................................64
2.6.4 Configuring for TCP Mode ..........................................................68
2.6.5 Configuring for PPP Mode ..........................................................70
2.6.6 IP-to-Serial Application Example .................................................71
2.6.7 Point-to-Multipoint IP-to-Serial Application Example ...................72
2.6.8 Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application Example ....................74
2.6.9 Combined Serial and IP Application Example .............................75
Operation and Data Flow.................................................................. 75
2.6.10 Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET ................................................77
Configuring for Operation with VLAN ...............................................78
2.7 CYBER SECURITY CONFIGURATION .................................... 78
2.7.1 Device Security ........................................................................... 79
2.7.2 Wireless Security ........................................................................80
Local AuthenticationApproved Remotes/Access Points List
Submenu ..........................................................................................81
2.7.3 RADIUS Configuration ................................................................ 82
Operation of Device Authentication .................................................. 83
Operation of User Authentication......................................................83
2.7.4 RADIUS Configuration ................................................................ 84
2.7.5 Certificate Management (Remote transceivers only) ..................84
2.8 PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION............................................. 85
2.8.1 RSSI by Zone Menu (Remotes Only) ..........................................87
2.8.2 Event Log Menu ..........................................................................88
Time and Date .................................................................................. 88
View Current Alarms.........................................................................90
View Event Log................................................................................. 91
2.8.3 Packet Statistics Menu ................................................................ 91
Wireless Packet Statistics ................................................................91
Ethernet Packet Statistics................................................................. 92
Packets Received by Zone...............................................................93
2.8.4 Wireless Network Status (Remotes Only) ................................... 94
The Transceivers Association Process............................................94
20 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
The Wireless Network Status Screen (Remotes Only)..................... 95
2.8.5 Remote Listing Menu (Access Points Only) ............................... 96
2.8.6 Endpoint Listing Menu (Access Points Only) .............................. 97
2.8.7 Remote Performance Listing Menu
(Access Points Only) ............................................................................. 98
2.8.8 Serial Data Statistics Menu .........................................................99
2.9 MAINTENANCE......................................................................... 99
2.9.1 Reprogramming Menu ..............................................................100
Upgrading the Firmware ................................................................. 102
Error Messages During File Transfers............................................ 104
2.9.2 Configuration Scripts Menu ....................................................... 105
How Configuration Files Work ........................................................ 105
Sample of Configuration Script File ................................................ 106
Editing Configuration Files.............................................................. 107
2.9.3 Authorization Keys Menu .......................................................... 108
2.9.4 Change the Type of Remote .....................................................108
2.9.5 Auto-Upgrade/Remote-Reboot Menu .......................................108
Firmware Upgrade (with AP Acting as a TFTP Server) ..................109
2.9.6 Radio Test Menu ....................................................................... 110
2.9.7 Ping Utility Menu ....................................................................... 111
2.9.8 Reset to Factory Defaults .......................................................... 111
Password Reset ............................................................................. 111
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 21
22 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The transceiver’s embedded management system is accessible through
various data interfaces. These include the
(Ethernet) port, and via SNMP. Essentially the same capabilities are
available through any of these paths.
For SNMP management, the transceiver is compatible with GE MDS
NETview MS™ software. Refer to GE MDS publication 05-2973A01
for more information on this tool. For support of other SNMP software,
a set of MIB files is available for download from the GE MDS Web site
at www.GEmds.com. A brief summary of SNMP commands can be
found at SNMP Agent Configuration section on Page 47 of this manual.
The transceiver’s Management System and its functions are divided into
the following menu groups:
• Section 2.3, BASIC DEVICE INFORMATION (beginning on
Page 32)
• Section 2.4, CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS
(beginning on Page 37)
• Section 2.5, RADIO CONFIGURATION (beginning on Page
51)
• Section 2.6, CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORTS (beginning
on Page 61)
• Section 2.7, CYBER SECURITY CONFIGURATION (begin-
ning on Page 79)
• Section 2.8, PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION (beginning on
Page 85)
• Section 2.9, MAINTENANCE (beginning on Page 99)
COM1 (serial) port, LAN
Each of these sections has a focus that is reflected in its heading. The
section you are now reading provides information on connecting to the
Management System, how to navigate through it, how it is structured,
and how to perform top-level configuration tasks. Figure 2-1 on the following page shows a top-level view of the Management System (MS).
2.1.1 Differences in the User Interfaces
There are slight differences in navigation, but for the most part, the content is the same among different user interfaces. You will find a few differences in capabilities as the communications tool is driven by
limitations of the access channel. Below are examples of the Starting
Information Screen seen through a terminal and a Web-browser, respectively.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 23
Reprogramming
Maintenance/Tools
Signal-to-Noise
RF Power Output
Information
Performance
Device
Model Number
Information
Serial Number
Configuration
Auto Upgrade/Remote
Scripts
Authorization Key
Actual Data Rate
RSSI
Firmware Version
Hardware Version
Reboot
Radio Test
Ping Utility
Event Log
Packet Statistics
RSSI By Zone
Uptime
Device Names
Console Baud Rate
Reset to Factory
Defaults
(AP)
Remote Listing
Endpoint Listing (AP)
Remote Perf.
Listing (AP)
Date
Login Status
Time
UTC Time Offset
Date Format
• Bolded items indicate a menu selection
• Spacebar used to make some menu selections
• AP = Access Point Only
• RM = Remote Only
Security
MAIN MENU
Serial Gateway
Radio
Network
Wireless Security
Device Security
Configuration
Serial Config.
Wizard
Configuration
COM1 & COM2
(RM)
RF Output
Power
Data Rate
Configuration
Device Mode
Configuration
Network Name
RADIUS Config.
IP Protocol
Status
Serial Data Port
Compression (AP)
Dwell Time (AP)
Beacon Period (AP)
(AP)
Database Timeout (AP)
SNTP Server
Database Logging (AP)
Max. Remotes
Multicast IP Addr.
Local IP Port
Multicast IP Port
(AP)
Fragmentation
Mobility Config.
Hop Pattern Seed
Interface Config.
Ethernet Port Config.
DHCP Server Config.
Data Baud Rate
Time to Live
Packet Redund.
RTS Threshold
Threshold
SNMP Agent Config.
Rem-Rem Bridging
Flow Control
Serial Mode
Configuration
SNR Threshold
(RM)
RSSI Threshold
(RM)
Prioritized AP Config.
RF Hopping
(UDP Point-to-Point
example shown)
Seamless
Inter-Frame Delay
(AP)
Channel Config.
Format
Some models
Skip Zones (AP)
Auto Data Rate Config.
NOTES
• Char t shows top-level view only. Details are given on the following pages.
• Not all items are user-configurable
• Some menu items depend on the Device Mode selected
Figure 2-1. Embedded Management System—Top-level Flowchart
24 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-2. View of MS with a text-based program—
(Terminal Emulator shown—Telnet has similar menu structure)
Invisible place holder
2.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEM
The radio has no external controls. All configuration, diagnostics and
control is performed electronically using a connected PC. This section
explains how to connect a PC, log into the unit, and gain access to the
built-in menu screens.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 25
Figure 2-3. View of the MS with a Browser
(Selections at left provide links to the various menus)
2.2.1 Methods of Control
The unit’s configuration menus may be accessed in one of several ways:
• Local Console—This is the primary method used for the exam-
ples in this manual. Connect a PC directly to the
using a serial communications cable and launch a terminal communications program such as HyperTerminal. This method provides text-based access to the unit’s menu screens. Console
control is a hardware-based technique, and is intended for local
use only.
• Telnet or SSH*—Connect a PC to the unit’s
directly or via a network, and launch a Telnet session. This
method provides text-based access to the unit’s menu screens in
a manner similar to a Local Console session. Telnet sessions
may be run locally or remotely through an IP connection.
• Web Browser*—Connect a PC to the unit’s
directly or via a network, and launch a web browser session
(i.e., Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) This method provides a
graphical representation of each screen, just as you would see
when viewing an Internet website. The appearance of menu
screens differs slightly from other methods of control, but the
content and organization of screen items is similar. Web
browser sessions may be run locally or remotely via the Internet.
COM 1 port
LAN port, either
LAN port, either
* Telnet, SSH and Web Browser sessions require the use of a straight-through or
crossover Ethernet cable, depending on the whether the PC-to-radio connection is
made directly, or through an Ethernet switch. For direct connection, a crossover
cable is required; For connection using an Ethernet switch, a straight-through
type is needed.
Cable type can be identified as follows: Hold the two cable ends side-by-side and in
the same plug orientation (i.e., both locking tabs up or down). Now look at the
individual wire colors on each plug. If the wires on both plugs are ordered in the
same sequence from left to right, the cable is a straight-through type. If they are not
in the same order, it may be a crossover cable, or it may be wired for some other
application. Refer to
for detailed pinout information.
DATA INTERFACE CONNECTORS on Page 153
2.2.2 PC Connection & Log In Procedures
The following steps describe how to access the radio’s menu system.
These steps require a PC to be connected to the unit’s
as shown in Figure 2-4.
COM 1 or LAN port
26 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
To COM1 or LAN Port
(See Text)
Configuration PC
Figure 2-4. PC Configuration Setup
USB
LAN
COM1
COM2
COM3
PWR
Serial or Ethernet
Crossover Cable
(See Text)
Starting a Local
Console Session
(Recommended for
first-time log-in)
1. Connect a serial communications cable between the PC and the
unit’s
COM 1 port. If necessary, a cable may be constructed for this
purpose as shown in Figure 2-5.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-5. Serial Communications Cable (RJ-11 to DB-9)
(Maximum Recommended Cable Length 50 Feet/15 meters)
2. Launch a terminal emulation program such as HyperTerminal and
configure the program with the following settings:
• 19,200 bps data rate
• 8 data bits, no parity
• One stop bit, and no flow-control
• Use ANSI or VT100 emulation.
TIP: The HyperTerminal communications program can be accessed on
most PCs by selecting this menu sequence:
ries>>Communications>>HyperTerminal
NOTE: Early versions of PuTTY might not operate when using SSH
NOTE: If the unit is powered-up or rebooted while connected to a
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 27
Start>>Programs>>Accesso-
.
to connect to the transceiver. However, beta versions 0.59 and
later do work properly. Both the latest released and the latest
development snapshot can be downloaded from:
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.
terminal, you will see a series of pages of text information
relating to the booting of the unit’s microcomputer. Wait for
the log-in screen before proceeding.
3. Press the key to receive the login: prompt.
ENTER
ENTER
4. Enter the username (default username is iNET or iNET-II, in accor-
dance with radio model). Press .
5. Enter your password (default password is
password keystrokes do not appear on the screen.) Press .
admin). (For security, your
ENTER
NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation mark
characters. You may use up to eight alpha-numeric characters.
The unit responds with the Starting Information Screen (Figure 2-6).
From here, you can review basic information about the unit or press
G
to proceed to the Main Menu.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-6. Starting Information Screen—Local Console Session
Starting a Telnet
NOTE: This method requires that you know the IP address of the unit
Session
1. Connect a PC to the unit’s
28 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
(Telnet has similar menu structure)
beforehand. If you do not know the address, use the Local
Console method (above) and access the Starting Information
Screen. The address is displayed on this screen.
LAN port, either directly or via a network.
If connecting directly, use an Ethernet crossover cable; if
connecting via a network, use a straight-through cable. The
LED lights to indicate an active connection.
LAN
NOTE: When using Ethernet to access the unit, it may be necessary to
ENTER
ENTER
change your computer’s IP access to be compatible with the
radio IP address. You can identify or verify the unit’s IP
address by using a Local Console session to communicate with
the radio through its COM 1 Port and viewing the Starting
Information Screen.
2. Start the Telnet program on your computer targeting the IP address
of the unit to which you are connected. and press .
ENTER
TIP: A Telnet session can be started on most PCs by selecting:
Start>>Programs>>Accessories>>Command Prompt. At the command
prompt window, type the word
address (e.g., telnet 10.1.1.168). Press to receive the Telnet
telnet, followed by the unit’s IP
ENTER
log in screen.
NOTE: Never connect multiple units to a network with the same IP
address. Address conflicts will result in improper operation.
Starting a Web
Browser Session
3. Enter your username (default username is
iNET or iNET-II, in accor-
dance with radio model). Press .
Next, the
password is
Password: prompt appears. Enter your password (default
admin). (For security, your password keystrokes will not
appear on the screen.) Press .
The unit responds with a Starting Information Screen (see
Figure 2-6). From here, you can review basic information about the
unit or press
G to proceed to the Main Menu.
NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation mark
characters. You may use up to eight alpha-numeric characters.
NOTE: Web access requires that you know the IP address of the unit
you are connecting to. If you do not know the address, start a
Local Console session (see Starting a Local Console Session
(Recommended for first-time log-in) on Page 27) and access
the Starting Information Screen. The IP address is displayed
on this screen.
1. Connect a PC to the unit’s
2. Launch a Web-browser session on your computer (i.e., Internet
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 29
LAN port, either directly or via a network.
If connecting directly, use an Ethernet crossover cable; if
connecting via a network, use a straight-through cable. The
LED lights to indicate an active connection.
Explorer, Netscape Navigator, etc.).
LAN
3. Type in the unit’s IP address and press .
ENTER
4. A log-in screen is displayed (Figure 2-7) where you enter a user
name and password to access the unit’s menu system. Note that the
default entries are made in lower case. (Default username is
iNET-II, in accordance with radio model; Default Password is admin).
iNET or
Invisible place holder
iNET
Figure 2-7. Log-in Screen when using a Web Browser
NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation mark
characters. You may use up to eight alpha-numeric characters.
5. Click
OK. The unit responds with a startup menu screen similar to
that shown in Figure 2-8. From here, you can review basic information about the unit or click on one of the menu items at the left side
of the screen.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-8. Starting Information Screen—Web Browser Example
30 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
2.2.3 Navigating the Menus
SPACEBAR
ESCAPE
Via Terminal Telnet or SSH Sessions
Recommended for first-time log-in
Local Console Telnet and SSH sessions use multi-layered text menu
systems that are nearly identical. To move further down a menu tree,
you type the letter assigned to an item of interest. This takes you to an
associated screen where settings may be viewed, or changed. In most
cases, pressing the
menu tree.
In general, the top portion of menu screens show read-only information
(with no user selection letter). The bottom portion of the screen contains
parameters that can be selected for further information, alteration of
values, or to navigate to other submenus.
When you arrive at a screen with user-controllable parameter fields, you
select the menu item by pressing an associated letter on the keyboard. If
there is a user definable value, the field will clear to the right of the menu
item and you can type in the value you wish to use. Follow this action
by pressing the key to save the changes. If you make a mistake
or change your mind before pressing the key, simply press
ESCAPE
to restore the previous value.
ESCAPE
ENTER
key moves the screen back one level in the
ENTER
Logging Out Via
Terminal Emulator
or Telnet
In some cases, when you type a letter to select a parameter, you will see
a prompt at the bottom of the screen that says
Choose an Option. In these
screens, press the keyboard’s to step through the available
selections. When the desired option appears, press the key to
ENTER
choose that selection. In some cases, several parameters may be changed
and then saved by a single keystroke. The key can be used to
cancel the action and restore the previous values.
From the Main Menu screen, press Q to quit and terminate the session.
Navigating via Web Browser
Navigating with a Web browser is straightforward with a framed
“homepage.” The primary navigation menu is permanently located on
the left-hand side of this page. Simply click on a desired menu item to
bring it to the forefront.
NOTE: To maintain security, it is best to log-out of the menu system
entirely when you are done working with it. If you do not log
out, the session automatically ends after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Logging Out Via
Web Browser
Click on Logout in the left-hand frame of the browser window. The
right-hand frame will change to a logout page. Follow the remaining
instructions on this screen.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 31
NOTE: In the menu descriptions that follow, parameter options/range,
and any default values are displayed at the end of the text
between square brackets. Note that the default setting is
always shown after a semicolon: [available settings or range;
default setting]
2.3 BASIC DEVICE INFORMATION
This section contains detailed menu screens and settings that you can
use to specify the behavior of the unit.
2.3.1 Starting Information Screen
Once you have logged into the Management System, you will be presented with a screen that provides an overview of the transceiver and its
current operating condition. It provides an array of vital information and
operating conditions.
NOTE: Do not use a colon (:) or percent (%) symbol in the device
32 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-9. Starting Information Screen
• Device Mode—Current operating mode of the unit as it relates to
the radio network.
•
Device Name—This is a user-defined parameter that will appear
in the heading of all pages.
(To change it, see Network Configuration Menu on Page 37.)
name.
•
Network Name—The name of the radio network in which the unit
is associated [
9 to 15 characters; Not Programmed].
• IP Address—Unit’s IP address [192.168.1.1]
• Device Status—Condition of the unit’s association with an
Access Point.
At the Access Point:
• Alarmed—A alarm event has been logged and not cleared.
• Operational—Unit operating normally.
At a Remote:
• Scanning—The unit is looking for an Access Point beacon
signal.
• Exp(ecting) Sync(hronization)—The unit has found a valid
beacon signal for its network.
• Hop Sync—The unit has changed its frequency hopping pat-
tern to match that of the Access Point.
• Connected—The unit has established a radio (RF) connec-
tion with the Access Point, but has not obtained cyber-security clearance to pass data.
• Associated —This unit has successfully synchronized and
associated with an Access Point.
• Alarmed—The unit is has detected one or more alarms that
have not been cleared.
NOTE: If an alarm is present when this screen is displayed, an “A)”
appears to the left of the Device Status field. Pressing the “A”
key on your keyboard takes you directly to the “Current
Alarms” screen.
Uptime—Elapsed time since the transceiver was powered-up.
•
• Firmware Version—Version of firmware that is currently active in
the unit.
•
Hardware Version— Hardware version of the transceiver’s printed
circuit board.
•
Serial Number—Make a record of this number. It must be pro-
vided to purchase Authorization Keys to upgrade unit capabilities. (See “Authorization Keys Menu” on Page 108.)
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 33
2.3.2 Main Menu
The next screen, the Main Menu, is the entryway to all user-controllable
features. The transceiver’s
other screens as a reminder of the unit that is currently being controlled
• Starting Information Screen—Select this item to return to the
start-up screen. (See “Starting Information Screen” on Page 32)
•
Network Configuration—Tools to configure the data network layer
of the transceiver. (See “Network Configuration Menu” on
Page 37)
•
Radio Configuration—Tools to configure the wireless (radio)
layer of the transceiver. (See “Radio Configuration Menu” on
Page 52)
•
Serial Gateway Configuration—Tools to configure the two serial
ports. (See “Serial Data Port Configuration Menu” on Page 64)
•
Security Configuration—Tools to configure the security services
available with the transceiver’s environment. (See “CYBER
SECURITY” on Page 15)
•
Device Information—Top level user-specific and definable param-
eters, such as unit password. (See “Device Information” on
Page 35)
•
Performance Information—Tools to measure the radio and data
layer’s performance of the radio network.
(See “PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION” on Page 85)
•
Maintenance/Tools—Tools to use configuration files, change
firmware and use Authorization Keys to change major unit
capabilities. (See “Authorization Keys Menu” on Page 108)
•
Redundancy Configuration—For operation in protected (redun-
dant) mode. The radio must be in a P21 enclosure for this operation. See GE MDS publication 05-4161A01 for details,
available under the Downloads tab at www.GEmds.com.
Device Name appears at the top of this and all
Figure 2-10. Main Menu
34 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
2.3.3 Configuring Basic Device Parameters
Device Information
Below is the menu/screen that displays basic administrative data on the
unit to which you are connected. It also provides access to some userspecific parameters such as device names.
Figure 2-11. Device Information Menu
• Model Number (Display only)
• Serial Number (Display only)
• Hardware Version (Display only)
• Firmware Version (Display only)—Current firmware installed and
being used by the transceiver.
•
Uptime (Display only)—Elapsed time since powering up.
• Console Baud Rate—Used to set/display data communications
rate (in bits-per-second) between a connected console terminal
and the radio. [
19200]
• Device Names Menu—Fields used at user’s discretion for general
administrative purposes. The Device Name field is used by the
transceiver as the “Realm” name for network security and in the
MS screen headings. (See Figure 2-12 on Page 36)
NOTE: Do not use a colon (:) or percent (%) symbol in the device
name.
•
Date—Current date being used for the transceiver logs. User-set-
able. (Value lost with power failure if SNTP (Simple Network
Time Protocol) server not accessible.)
•
Time—Current time of day. User-setable.
Setting: HH:MM:SS
(Value lost with power failure if SNTP server not accessible.)
•
Date Format—Select presentation format:
• Generic = dd Mmm yyyy
• European = dd-mm-yyyy
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 35
• US = mm-dd-yyyy
Device Names Menu
Figure 2-12. Device Names Menu
• Device Name—Device Name, used by the transceiver as the
“Realm” name for network login (web browser only) and
menu headings.
NOTE: Do not use a colon (:) or percent (%) symbol in the device
name.
•
Owner—User defined; appears on this screen only.
• Contact—User defined; appears on this screen only.
• Description—User defined; appears on this screen only.
• Location—User defined; appears on this screen only.
36 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
2.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK
PARAMETERS
2.4.1 Network Configuration Menu
The Network Configuration Menu contains parameters related to the
operation of TCP/IP and Ethernet protocols. There are some differences
between AP and Remote type radios regarding these parameters and
they are noted where appropriate.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-13. Network Configuration Menu
From Access Point
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-14. Network Configuration Menu
From Remote Unit
• Device Mode—Either Access Point or a variation of a Remote.
[
Access Point, Remote; Remote]
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 37
NOTE: A serial Remote can be turned into an Ethernet Bridge and
vise-versa. See Change the Type of Remote on Page 108 for
details.
Network Name—Name of the radio network that this unit belongs
•
to. Essential for association of Remotes to the Access Point in a
network. The Network Name should be at least nine characters
long. [
9 to 15 characters; Not Programmed]
TIP: For enhanced security, consider using misspelled words, a combi-
nation of letters and numbers, and a combination of upper and
lower case letters. This helps protect against sophisticated hackers
who may use a database of common words (for example, dictionary attacks) to determine the Network Name.
•
SNTP Server—Address of SNTP server (RFC 2030) from which
the transceiver will automatically get the time-of-day startup
time. Without an SNTP server, the date and time must be manually set. An AP will try to get the time and date from the SNTP
server only if an IP address is configured. It will continue to
retry every minute until it succeeds.
A remote will get the time and date from the SNTP server, if an
IP address is configured. Otherwise it gets it from the AP at
authentication time. The transceivers use UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) with a configurable time offset. [
0.0.0.0]
• Maximum Remotes—(AP only)—Number of Remotes permitted
to be associated with this Access Point. [
50]
• Database Timeout (AP Only)—This sets the database “age time.”
See Remote Listing Menu (Access Points Only) on Page 96 to
determine when a remote is declared unavailable. The timer
may be set from 0 to 255 minutes and resets each time a message
is received from a remote. [
0–255 minutes; 5 minutes]
• Database Logging (AP Only)—Determines which types of
devices will be reported as “added” or “deleted” from the AP’s
database (see “PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION” on Page
85). In the case of deletions, this information is triggered by the
expiration of Database Timeout above. [
All
]. (Remote only reports the remote radios. Selecting All reports
Remote, All, Disabled;
endpoints and remotes).
•
Interface Configuration—Presents a menu for configuring the Vir-
tual LAN (VLAN) and IP address of the transceiver. Detailed
explanations are provided in the section titled Network Inter-
face Configuration Menu on Page 39.
NOTE: In GE MDS iNET radios (where VLAN is not available) this
38 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
option is shown as IP ADDRESS CONFIGURATION. Selecting this
option follows the description in Configuring the IP Address
When VLAN Status is Disabled on Page 43.
• Ethernet Port Configuration—Presents a menu for defining the status of the Ethernet port (enabled or disabled), the Ethernet rate
limit, link hardware watch (enabled/disabled), and the Ethernet
link poll address. Detailed explanations of this menu are contained in Ethernet Port Configuration Menu on Page 45.
•
DHCP Server Configuration—Menu for configuration of DHCP
services by the Access Point unit. DHCP provides “on-the-fly”
IP address assignments to other LAN devices, including GE
MDS iNET 900 units. See “DHCP Server Configuration” on
Page 46 for more information. [
Disabled]
• SNMP Agent Configuration—Contains SNMP configuration
parameters. See “SNMP Agent Configuration” on Page 47 for
more information.
•
Rem-to-Rem bridging—This option is only available on Access
Point radios. When this option is disabled communication can
only happen from Remote to Access Point. This setting prevents
a PC connected to one Remote radio to access a network connected to a different Remote within the same AP realm. [
disabled; enabled
]
enabled,
• Prioritized AP Configuration—This option is only available on
Remotes. It allows the definition of a Primary AP to which a
Remote radio should be connected. See “Prioritized AP Config-
uration Submenu” on Page 49 for more information.
•
Ethernet Address (Display Only)—Hardware address of the
unit’s Ethernet interface.
•
Wireless Address (Display Only)—Hardware address of the
unit’s wireless Ethernet interface.
2.4.2 Network Interface Configuration Menu
Because iNET-II and iNET radios support 802.1Q VLAN, the method
for configuring the IP address of a radio may vary depending on whether
the VLAN Status option is enabled or not.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-15. Network Interface Configuration Menu
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 39
• VLAN Status—Defines if the radio handles Ethernet frames in
“extended” 802.1Q mode or in “normal” mode in the Ethernet
port. [
enabled, disabled; disabled]
• Configure Interface—Allows configuration of IP Addressing
parameters. See Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status
is Enabled on Page 42, or Configuring the IP Address When
VLAN Status is Disabled on Page 43.
CAUTION:The VLAN Status parameter must be consistent at both the
Access Point and Remote radios in order for data to flow
correctly. Failure to do so may result in data not being transported correctly even when the radios are in an associated state
and able to communicate over-the-air.
Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET
A VLAN is essentially a limited broadcast domain, meaning that all
members of a VLAN receive broadcast frames sent by members of the
same VLAN but not frames sent by members of a different VLAN.
Additional details can be found in the IEEE 802.1Q standard.
The iNET-II and iNET support port-based VLAN at the Ethernet interface and over the air, according to the IEEE 802.1Q standard. When
VLAN Status is enabled, the wireless port of both AP and remote radios
act as a trunk port.
The Ethernet port of an Access Point radio is normally configured as a
trunk port. This type of port expects incoming frames to have a
VLAN ID
and sends outgoing frames with a VLAN structure as well.
The Ethernet port of a remote radio can be configured as an access port
or as a trunk port.
When the Ethernet port of a Remote radio is configured as VLAN
Access Port, the radio will tag incoming traffic with a VLAN ID, and
will strip the tag before sending out traffic. This VLAN is known as the
DATA VLAN. Additionally, a second VLAN is assigned for other
traffic that is terminated at the radio, such as SNMP, TFTP, ICMP,
Telnet, etc. This is known as the MANAGEMENT VLAN. Traffic
directed to the integrated terminal server that handles the serial ports is
assigned to the DATA VLAN.
When the Ethernet port of a remote radio is configured as a VLAN trunk
the radio expects all incoming Ethernet frames to be tagged, and passes
through all outgoing frames as received from the wireless link, with the
unchanged VLAN tag.
40 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
NOTE: The Ethernet port in an iNET-II and iNET is 10BaseT. Some
Ethernet switches allow a VLAN trunk port only on a
100BaseT interface and may not be able to communicate with
the radio.
Configuring for Operation with VLAN
When VLAN Status is enabled the radio uses an 802.1Q frame structure.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-16. Network Interface Configuration Menu
• VLAN Status—Defines whether the radio handles Ethernet
frames in “extended” 802.1Q mode or in “normal” mode in the
Ethernet port. Ethernet frames intended for the radio, but with a
VLAN ID not configured in the radio are discarded.
[
enabled, disabled; disabled]
NOTE: This parameter must be consistent at both Access Point and
Remote radios in order for data to flow correctly. Inconsistent
configuration may result in data not being transported
correctly and the loss of over-the-air communications.
NOTE: A change made to the above parameter will result in the
Commit Changes option appearing on screen. This will modify
the appearance of the screen depending on the option selected.
•
Ethernet Port Mode—Defines if the Ethernet port acts as a trunk
port or as an access port. Auto mode defines the port as an
access port in an AP, or a trunk port in a Remote radio. [
Trunk, Access; Auto
]
Auto,
• Management VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID for traffic directed
to the radio itself, other than the terminal server process. This
VLAN ID is used for filtering and for tagging purposes.
[
1-4094; 2]
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 41
• Data VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID assigned to traffic directed
to and from the Ethernet port and the terminal server process in
the radio. This VLAN ID is used for filtering and for tagging
purposes. [
1-4094; 3]
• Config Management IF—Calls up a menu to configure the IP
address associated with the Management VLAN ID.
•
Config Data IF—Calls up a menu to configure the IP address asso-
ciated with the Data VLAN ID.
•
Default Route IF—Defines the VLAN that contains the default
gateway in the radio. [
MGMT, DATA; MGMT]
Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status is Enabled
The radios require a local IP address to support remote management and
serial device (terminal server) services. When the radio is configured for
VLAN operation the IP address can only be set as a static IP address.
Invisible place holder
NOTE: Changes to any of the following parameters while communi-
42 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-17. Management VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu
• IP Address Mode—Defines the source of the IP address of this
device. Only static IP addressing mode is available when VLAN
Status is enabled [
Static; Static]
cating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause a
loss of communication with the unit being configured.
Communication will need to be re-established using the new
IP address.
•
Static IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. [192.168.1.1]
• Static IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This value is
used when the radio attempts to send a locally initiated message,
either from the terminal server, or management process.
[
255.255.0.0]
• Static IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the default gateway
device, typically a router. [
0.0.0.0]
The lower three lines of the screen show the current addressing configured at the transceiver.
NOTE: Any change made to the above parameters results in the
Commit Changes option appearing on screen. This allows all IP
settings to be changed at the same time.
Selecting option H from Figure 2-16 shows the screen below. Note that
the IP address is different although it is the same physical unit. This is
because this IP address is defined for a different VLAN.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-18. Data VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu
• IP Address Mode—Defines the source of the IP address of this
device. Only static IP addressing mode is available when VLAN
Status is enabled [
Static; Static]
NOTE: Changes to any of the following parameters while communi-
cating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause a
loss of communication with the unit being configured.
Communication will need to be re-established using the new
IP address.
•
Static IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. [192.168.1.1]
• Static IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This value is
used when the radio attempts to send a locally initiated message,
either from the terminal server, or management process.
[
255.255.0.0]
Configuring the IP Address When VLAN Status is Disabled
When the radio is not configured for operation with VLAN, it uses one
IP address to support remote management and serial device services.
The IP address of a radio can be set as a static IP address or as a dynamic
IP address. When static IP addressing is used, the user must manually
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 43
configure the IP address and other parameters. When dynamic
addressing is used, the radio uses a DHCP Client process to obtain an IP
address from a DHCP Server, along with other parameters such as a
subnet mask and a default gateway.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-19. IP Address Configuration Menu
CAUTION: Changes to any of the following parameters while commu-
nicating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause a
loss of communication with the unit being configured.
Communication will need to be re-established using the new
IP address.
IP Address Mode—Defines the source of the IP address of thisde-
•
vice. The IP address must be configured manually when set to
Static. A DHCP server must be available for the radio to obtain
a valid IP address when set to Dynamic. Only static IP addressing mode is available when VLAN Status is enabled [
Static, Dynamic
]
Static;
• Dynamic Mode—Enabling this option forces the transceiver (AP
or Remote) to obtain an IP address from any DHCP server available on the LAN. Dynamic Mode is also known as DHCP Client
mode. [
Disabled]
• Static IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. It need not be
defined if DHCP Client mode is enabled. [
192.168.1.1]
• Static IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This value is
used when the radio attempts to send a locally initiated message,
either from the terminal server, or management process. You
don’t have to define it if DHCP Client mode is enabled.
[
255.255.0.0]
• Static IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the default gateway
device, typically a router. [
0.0.0.0]
44 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
The lower three lines of the screen show the actual addressing at the
transceiver, whether it was obtained from static configuration or from a
DHCP server.
NOTE: Any change made to the above parameters results in the
Commit Changes option appearing on screen. This allows all IP
settings to be changed at the same time.
2.4.3 Ethernet Port Configuration Menu
The transceiver allows for special control of the Ethernet interface, to
allow traffic awareness and availability of the backhaul network for
redundancy.
NOTE: The Ethernet port in iNET and iNET-II radios support
10BaseT connections only. This should not present a problem
because most hubs/switches auto-switch between 10BaseT
and 100BaseT connections. Confirm that your hub/switch is
capable of auto-switching data rates.
To prevent Ethernet traffic from degrading performance, place
the transceiver in a segment, or behind routers.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 45
Figure 2-20. Ethernet Port Configuration Menu
• Ethernet Port Status—Allows enabling/disabling Ethernet traffic
for security purposes. Setting it to
Follows Link Status enables the
port if there is a connection established with the AP, but disables
it otherwise. [AP:
[Remote:
Always On, Follow Radio Link, Disabled; Always On]
Enabled, Disabled; Enabled]
• Ethernet Rate Limit—The transceiver will send alarms (SNMP
traps) when the rate reaches 50%, 75%, and 100% to help identify potential problems with traffic.
• Ethernet Link (H/W) Watch (AP Only)—Detects the lack of an Ether-
net connection to the LAN port at the electrical level (link integrity). The current AP will broadcast a beacon signal indicating
its “NOT AVAILABLE” status so Remotes that hear it do not
try to associate to it. Once the Ethernet connection is restored,
this beacon signal changes to “AVAILABLE” and Remotes are
allowed to join in. [
Disabled]
• Ethernet Link Poll Address (AP Only)—When an IP address is pro-
vided, the Access Point pings the remote IP device every 60 seconds to test the integrity of the backhaul link. If this link is not
available, the AP will advertise its “NOT AVAILABLE” status
in the beacon signal so Remotes do not try to associate to it.
Once the IP address is reachable, this beacon signal changes to
“AVAILABLE” and Remotes are allowed to join in. 0.0.0.0 disables this function. Any other valid IP address enables it.
[
0.0.0.0]
2.4.4 DHCP Server Configuration
A transceiver can provide automatic IP address assignments to other IP
devices in the network by providing DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) services. This service eliminates setting individual device
IP address on Remotes in the network, but it still requires thoughtful
planning of the IP address range. One drawback to network-wide automatic IP address assignments is that SNMP services may become inaccessible as they are dependent on fixed IP addresses.
The network can be comprised of radios with the DHCP-provided IP
address enabled or with DHCP services disabled. In this way, you can
accommodate locations for which a fixed IP address if desired.
Figure 2-21. DHCP Server Configuration Menu
46 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
NOTE: There should be only one DHCP server active in a network
(GE MDS iNET 900 or other DHCP server). If more than one
DHCP server exists, network devices may randomly get their
IP address from different servers every time they request one.
NOTE: Combining DHCP and RADIUS device authentication may
result in a non-working radio module if the DHCP server is
located at a remote radio. The DHCP server should be placed
at the AP location, if possible.
•
Server Status—Enable/Disable responding to DHCP requests to
assign an IP address. [
Disabled/Enabled; Disabled]
• DHCP Netmask—IP netmask to be assigned along with the IP
address in response to a DHCP request. [
0.0.0.0]
• Starting Address—Lowest IP address of the range of addresses to
be provided by this device. [
0.0.0.0]
• Ending Address—Highest IP address in the range of addresses to
be provided by this device. A maximum of 256 addresses is
allowed in this range. [
0.0.0.0]
• DNS Address—Domain Name Server address to be provided by
this service.
•
WINS Address—Windows Internet Naming Service server
address to be provided by this service.
•
Restart DHCP Server—Selecting this option forces the transceiver
to start servicing DHCP requests using the Starting Address.
Payload data will not be interrupted but may experience some
delays as new addresses are distributed.
2.4.5 SNMP Agent Configuration
The transceiver contains over 100 custom SNMP-manageable objects as
well as the IETF standard RFC1213 for protocol statistics, also known
as MIB II. Off-the-shelf SNMP managers such as Castle Rock Computing SNMPc™ and Hewlett Packard HP OpenView™ may also be
used to access the transceiver’s SNMP Agent’s MIB. The transceiver’s
SNMP agent supports SNMPv3.
The objects are broken up into several MIB files. There are textual conventions, common files and specific files. This allows the flexibility to
change areas of the MIB and not affect other existing installations or
customers.
•
msdreg.mib—GE MDS sub-tree registrations
• MDS_comm.mib—GE MDS Common MIB definitions for
objects and events which are common to the entire product family
•
inet_reg.mib—GE MDS sub-tree registrations
• inettrv1.mib—SNMPv1 enterprise-specific traps
• inettrv2.mib—SNMPv2 enterprise-specific traps
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 47
• inet_comm.mib— MIB definitions for objects and events which
are common to the entire iNET Series
•
inet_ap.mib—MIB definitions for objects and events for an
Access Point transceiver
•
inet_sta.mib—Definitions for objects and events for a Remote
radio
•
inet_sec.mib—For security management of the radio system.
SNMPv3 allows read/write operation. SNMPv1/2 allows only
for read-only access.
•
inet2.mib—Additional objects specific to iNET-II.
NOTE: SNMP management requires that the proper IP address,
network and gateway addresses are configured in each transceiver of the associated network.
In addition, some management systems may require the MIB
files to be compiled in the order shown above.
Invisible place holder
This menu provides configuration and control of vital SNMP functions.
48 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-22. SNMP Server Configuration Menu
From Access Point
•
Read Community String—SNMP community name with
SNMPv1/SNMPv2c read access. This string can be up to 30
alpha-numeric characters.
•
Write Community String—SNMP community name with
SNMPv1/SNMPv2c write access. This string can be up to 30
alpha-numeric characters.
•
Trap Community String—SNMP community name with
SNMPv1/SNMPv2c trap access. This string can be up to 30
alpha-numeric characters.
• V3 Authentication Password—Authentication password stored in
flash memory. This is used when the Agent is managing passwords locally (or initially for all cases on reboot). This is the
SNMPv3 password used for Authentication (currently, only
MD5 is supported). This string can be up to 30 alpha-numeric
characters.
¥
V3 Privacy PasswordPrivacy password stored in flash memory.
Used when the SNMP Agent is managing passwords locally (or
initially for all cases on reboot). This is the SNMPv3 password
used for privacy (DES encryption). This string can be between
8 and 30 alpha-numeric characters.
•
SNMP Mode—This specifies the mode of operation of the radio’s
SNMP Agent. The choices are: disabled, v1_only, v2_only,
v3_only. v1-v2, and v1-v2-v3. If the mode is disabled, the
Agent does not respond to any SNMP traffic. If the mode is
v1_only, v2_only, or v3_only, the Agent responds only to that
version of SNMP traffic. If the mode is v1-v2, or v1-v2-v3, the
Agent responds to the specified version of SNMP traffic.
[
v1-v2-v3]
• Trap Version—This specifies what version of SNMP will be used
to encode the outgoing traps. The choices are v1_traps,
v2_traps, and v3_traps. When v3_traps are selected, v2-style
traps are sent, but with a v3 header. [
v1 Traps, v2 Traps, v3 Traps]
• Auth Traps Status—Indicates whether or not traps will be gener-
ated for login events to the transceiver. [
abled
]
Disabled/Enabled; Dis-
• SNMP V3 Passwords—Determines whether v3 passwords are
managed locally or via an SNMP Manager. The different behaviors of the Agent depending on the mode selected, are described
in
SNMP Mode above.
• Trap Manager #1–#4— Table of up to 4 locations on the network
that traps are sent to. [
Any standard IP address]
NOTE: The number in the upper right-hand corner of the screen is the
2.4.6 Prioritized AP Configuration Submenu
The Prioritized AP feature (Figure 2-23) allows the definition of a Primary AP to which a Remote radio should be connected.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 49
SNMP Agent’s SNMPv3 Engine ID. Some SNMP Managers
may need to know this ID in order interface with the transceiver’s SNMP Agent. The ID only appears on the screen
when SNMP Mode is either v1-v2-v3 or v3_only.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-23. Prioritized AP Configuration Submenu
• Prioritized AP—Shows status of the prioritization option.
[
enabled, disabled; disabled]
• Scan Time—Number of seconds that a Remote waits to receive
beacons from an AP included in the Approved AP List. After
this time, the list will be expanded to include the next entry and
the cycle will be repeated until association is achieved.
•
Connection Time—Amount of time that a Remote waits before
breaking the connection and looking for an AP. This event happens only when the current AP is not the first entry in the
Approved AP List, which means that the remote is not connected to the primary AP.
•
Approved Access Points List—Displays the list of Approved AP
used for local authentication purposes. This table is not the same
as the Priority Table discussed here, and is only included as an
aid to facilitate configuration.
•
Import from Approved List—Copies the entries configured in the
Approved AP List to this priority table.
•
1-10—Priority Table of Access Points. This table should include
the Wireless MAC Address of the desired Access Point units.
When association to an AP is terminated for any reason, the Remote
enters Scanning mode. During this time it listens for beacons from an
AP that matches the network name. If the Prioritized AP option is
enabled, then the Wireless MAC Address of the AP must be part of the
list at the remote. The initial list includes only the first entry of the table.
If no beacon is received that matches the requirement and the Scan Time
is exceeded, then the list is expanded to include the first two entries.
When a beacon matches the requirements, then the association process
continues. It may be that the Remote associates to an AP that is not the
first entry in the table. In this case the Remote will wait for Connection
Time before breaking the connection and starting the process all over
50 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
again. This process will be repeated until the Remote associates to the
first entry in the list (the Primary Access Point).
2.5 RADIO CONFIGURATION
There are two primary data layers in the transceiver network—radio and
data. Since the data layer is dependent on the radio layer working properly, configuration of the radio items should be reviewed and set before
proceeding. This section explains the Radio Configuration Menu,
(Figure 2-24 for AP, Figure 2-25 for Remote).
2.5.1 Radio Configuration Menu
Figure 2-24. Radio Configuration Menu
(From Access Point Unit)
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 51
Figure 2-25. Radio Configuration Menu
(From Remote Unit)
• RF Output Power—Sets/displays RF power output level. Displayed in dBm. Setting should reflect local regulatory limitations and losses in antenna transmission line. (See “How Much
Output Power Can be Used?” on Page 135 for information on
how to calculate this value.)
[
20–30; 20]
• Data Rate—Shows the over-the-air data rate setting for the
Remote radio. Remotes can operate at one of two data rates
when communicating with an AP: 1024 kbps (1 Mbps) or 512
kbps for iNET-II and 256 kbps or 512 kbps for iNET. The fastest data rate is possible with strong RF signal levels, typically
stronger than –77 dBm RSSI including a 15 dB fade margin.
52 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
When the data rate is set to
AUTO, the remote radio is able to
change speeds based on the signal quality criteria set in the Auto
Data Rate submenu described later in this section (see Page 55).
[iNET:
256, 512, AUTO; AUTO] [iNET-II: 512, 1024, AUTO; AUTO]
• Compression (AP Only)—Enabling this option uses LZO com-
pression algorithm for over-the-air data. Varying levels of data
reduction are achieved depending on the nature of the information. Text files are typically the most compressible, whereas
binary files are the least compressible. On average, a 30%
increase in throughput can be achieved with compression
enabled.
•
Dwell Time—Duration (in milliseconds) of one hop on a particu-
lar frequency in the hopping pattern. (This field is only changeable on an Access Point. Remotes get their value from AP upon
association.)
[iNET:
[iNET-II:
16.4, 32.8, 65.5, 131.1, 262.1; 32.8]
8.2, 16.4, 32.8, 65.5, 131.1; 32.8]
TIP: If a packet is being transmitted and the dwell time
expires, the packet will be completed before hopping to the next
frequency.
Beacon Period—Amount of time between Beacon transmissions
•
(in msec).
Available Intervals:
ms),
Slow (508 ms), Moderate (208 ms). These values provide rel-
Normal (104 ms), Fast (52 ms), Faster (26
atively quick association times where Fast is very fast (≈ 5 sec)
and the other end, the largest recommended value, the 508 ms
period is slow (≈ 60 sec). [
mal
]
Normal, Fast, Faster, Slow, Moderate; Nor-
TIP: Increasing the Beacon Period will provide a small
improvement in network data throughput. Shortening it
decreases the time needed for Remotes to associate with
the AP. A short beacon period is usually only a benefit
when there are mobile Remotes in the network.
•
Hop Pattern Seed—A user-selectable value to be added to the hop
pattern formula. This is done in the unlikely event that identical
hop patterns are used with two collocated or nearby networks.
Changing the seed value will minimize the potential for RF-signal collisions in these situations. (This field is only changeable
on an Access Point. Remotes read the AP’s value upon association.) [
0 to 255; 1]
• Mobility Configuration—This selection brings up a submenu
where parameters related to mobile operation may be set. For
details, See “Mobility Configuration Menu” on Page 58
.
• Fragment Threshold—Before transmitting over the air, if a packet
exceeds this number of bytes, the transceiver sends the packet in
multiple fragments that are reassembled before being delivered
over the Ethernet interface at the receiving end. Only even numbers are acceptable entries for this parameter. Over-the-air data
fragmentation is not supported on AP units.
(See “PERFORMANCE NOTES” on Page 144 for additional
information.) [
256–1600 bytes; 1600]
NOTE: While the transceiver accepts RTS Threshold settings below
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 53
TIP: In an interference-free environment this value should be
large to maximize throughput. If interference exists then
the value should be set to smaller values. The smaller the
packet the less chance of it being interfered with at the cost
of slightly reduced throughput.
•
RTS Threshold—Number of bytes for the over-the-air RTS/CTS
handshake boundary. (See “PERFORMANCE NOTES” on
Page 144.) [
0 to 1600 bytes; 500]
100, the lowest functioning value is 100.
TIP: Lower the RTS Threshold as the number of Remotes or
overall over-the-air traffic increases. Using RTS/CTS is a
trade-off, giving up some throughput in order to prevent
collisions in a busy over-the-air network.
The
RTS Threshold should be enabled and set with a value
smaller than the
Fragmentation Threshold described above.
RTS forces the Remotes to request permission from the
AP before sending a packet. The AP sends a CTS control
packet to grant permission to one Remote. All other
Remotes wait for the specified amount of time before
transmitting.
•
RSSI Threshold (for alarm)—Level (dBm) below which the
received signal strength is deemed to have degraded, and a critical event (alarm) is generated and logged. Under these conditions, the
configured SNMP manager. [
PWR lamp flashes, and an SNMP trap is sent to the
0 to -120; -90]
• SNR Threshold (for alarm)—Value (dB) below which the sig-
nal-to-noise ratio is deemed to have degraded and a critical
event is generated and logged. Under these conditions, the
lamp flashes, and an SNMP trap is sent to the configured SNMP
manager. [
0 to 40; Not Programmed]
PWR
• Channel Config (Only applies to iNET-II)—Brings up the submenu
discussed in Channel Config Menu on Page 55.
•
RF Hopping Format (Only applies to iNET)—This option must be
specified when the order is placed and cannot be modified in the
field by the user. Operation must be compliant with country-specific restrictions. The available formats are:
•
ISM: 902–928 MHz band
• GSM: 915–928 MHz band
• SPLIT: 902-907.5 and 915-928 MHz bands
• CHANNELS: 902–928 MHz, individual channels selectable
within this range
•
Skip Zones (Only applies to iNET. Editable at AP Only.)—This selection
brings up a submenu discussed in Skip Zones Menu on Page 56.
•
Auto Data Rate Configuration—This selection brings up a submenu
as shown in Figure 2-28. For the settings in this submenu to
have any effect, the Data Rate menu item (Page 52) must be set
to
AUTO.
2.5.2 Channel Config Menu
The Channel Configuration menu displays the utilization of channels in
the 902–928 MHz range. This selection is available only on iNET-II or
specially provisioned iNET units. The radio hops only on the channels
selected in this menu.
54 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-26. Channel Config Submenu
Key to channel indicators:
n (no) = Radio channel is not used
y (yes) = Radio channel is used
Invisible place holder
NA (not available) = Radio channel is not available
•
Clear All—This command clears all entries in the Channel
Config Menu, resetting the available channels to “no usage.”
Channels that are not available for use will appear with a
notation of or
NA. These channels are not available because
of pre-existing conditions, and are not user-configurable.
•
Enter Channels—This allows selection of the channels used
for frequency hopping operation. The selection of particular
channels will result in an indication of
channels do not become active until the
y. Be aware that these
Commit Changes
selection is invoked.
•
Commit Changes—This re-boots the radio and loads the active
channels into the frequency list for frequency hopping operation.
2.5.3 Skip Zones Menu
• Skip Zones (Does not apply to iNET-II. Editable at AP Only.)—This
selection brings up a submenu (Figure 2-27) that displays the
current utilization of zones. Each zone consists of eight RF
channels. In some instances there may be a part of the spectrum
used by another system, that results in “continuous” or “persistent” interference to your system. To alleviate this form of interference, the transceiver may be programmed to “block out”
affected portions of the spectrum using the Skip Zones Menu.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 55
Figure 2-27. Skip Zone Options Submenu—GE MDS iNET Only
(“Commit changes” displayed only on Access Point radios)
Figure 2-27 displays the utilization of 10 zones, each having
eight RF operating frequencies. Zones can be toggled between
Active and Skipped at Access Point units by first keying in the let-
ter of the zone to be changed, and then pressing the spacebar to
toggle between the two options for each zone. Select the
Changes
menu item to implement changes. These changes will
Commit
be forwarded to all units in the network through the Access
Point’s beacon signal.
With an iNET radio (non-iNET-II), a maximum of three zones
can be skipped and still be compliant with FCC regulations.
2.5.4 Auto Data Rate Configuration Menu
The Auto Data Rate Configuration submenu is typically for use in environments where signal quality is variable, and you wish to maintain the
highest possible over-the-air data rate as conditions change.
56 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-28. Auto Data Rate Submenu
• ADR RSSI Threshold—A specified received signal strength
value, which, if exceeded by the range of the
ting, causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [
-87 dBm
]
RSSI Delta set-
-50 to -100;
• ADR RSSI Delta—A user-specified difference from the RSSI
Threshold
in the transceiver. [
figure which, if exceeded, causes a data rate change
0-10; 5]
• ADR SNR Threshold—A user-specified signal-to-noise ratio,
which, if exceeded by the range of the
causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [
SNR Delta setting,
10-30; 26]
• ADR SNR Delta—A user-specified difference from the SNR
Threshold
in the transceiver. [
figure which, if exceeded, causes a data rate change
0-10; 2]
NOTE: In the description below, “high speed” refers to 512 kbps for
Using the example of Figure 2-28, assume the current RSSI is -87 dBm.
An RSSI reduction of more than 5 dBm (more negative RSSI number)
would cause a data rate change from high speed to standard speed. Once
the data speed has changed to standard speed, an RSSI increase to the
level of -82 dBm would be required for the radio to switch back to high
speed. This provides an operational “window” or hysteresis range over
which the data speed stays constant despite minor changes in signal
strength.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 57
the iNET radio and 1 Mbps for the iNET-II radio.
“Standard speed” refers to 256 kbps for the iNET radio and
512 kbps for the iNET-II.
The SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) threshold and delta operate in the same
manner described above, with the exception that the units are expressed
in relative dB instead of dBm. In the example of Figure 2-28, a drop of
2 dB from a level of 26 dB would result in a data rate change from high
speed to standard speed. For the radio to return to high speed, the SNR
would need to increase to 28 dB. (See Glossary for definition of SNR.)
RSSI or SNR figures alone mean little when determining signal quality.
Both parameters must be considered to get a true understanding of signal
quality. For example, a strong, but noisy signal would likely be less
useful than a weak signal with low noise levels. Proper use of the
threshold and delta settings will result in smoother, more reliable performance from your wireless link.
Figure 2-28 shows the default values for RSSI and SNR parameters but
these may be changed to optimize performance in your environment. In
properly designed systems, experience has shown that RSSI levels
between -50 dBm and -90 dBm provide reliable operation, provided the
signal-to-noise ratio is 17 dB or above. Tailoring the thresholds with
these baseline values in mind, can provide improved performance in
your system.
NOTE: The RSSI is an average of the last 20 RSSI samples. The RSSI
value is reset every time the radio returns to scanning mode.
2.5.5 Mobility Configuration Menu
A mobile environment requires special considerations that are not a
factor in fixed installations. Use the following menu to set Remote
radios for mobile operation.
Invisible place holder
58 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-29. Mobility Screen Showing Blacklist Timer Value
• Mobility Mode—Selects whether or not mobility-specific parameters are active. [
enabled, disabled; disabled]
• Blacklist Timer—Sets/displays the number of seconds an AP stays
on the blacklist after association is lost. [
10-120; 10]
• Settling Timer—Sets/displays the number of seconds the radio
waits before evaluating the signal quality of a newly acquired
AP. [
5-120; 10]
After association is lost with an AP, and scanning for an alternate AP is
started, the former AP is placed on a “blacklist” to avoid linking immediately back to the same AP. If no alternate AP is found, a link will be
attempted with the same AP as before.
An Access Point is added to the blacklist when the Remote detects that
the RSSI has dropped below the
RSSI Threshold set in the Radio Config-
uration menu and should try to find an alternate AP to connect to.
An Access Point is removed from the blacklist table when it has been in
the table longer than the time set by the
Blacklist Timer.
Additional Considerations for Mobile Operation
The following key points should be considered for all mobile installations:
• Use middleware—The use of middleware in the mobile laptops is
highly recommended for better operation of a mobile data system.
GE MDS provides middleware from one of the vendors in this market. Contact your GE MDS representative for details.
• Plan your network coverage—Deploy Access Points so that they
provide overlapping coverage to each other. Access Points must use
the same network name to enable roaming
• Set the Remote radios to the lower speed (512 kbps for iNET-II, 256
kbps for iNET) to optimize coverage
• Set the RSSI Threshold to -85 dBm—This level is typically used for
mobile systems with good performance. Make sure there is overlapping coverage of more than one AP to provide a good user experience and continuous coverage.
At Every Mobile (Remote) Radio
Fragmentation Threshold [256]—Set to a small value. This param-
•
eter defines the size of the message packets transmitted over the
wireless media. These fragments are reconstructed into the original packet before delivery to the external device at the remote
end of the link. In a mobile environment with rapidly changing
conditions, setting this value to a minimum value improves the
probability of packets being sent complete on the first try.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 59
At Every AP Radio
Parameter settings that should be reviewed for AP radios providing service to mobile remotes:
•
Compression [disabled]—Disable radio compression. Data com-
pression is best performed by the middleware running on the
mobile laptop PC. Gains in efficiency are made because middleware compresses data at a higher stack level, and it aggregates
multiple data frames and streams into a single packet. Compression at the radio level, although highly efficient, works at the
individual packet level.
•
Dwell Time [Set to the minimum value]—This setting controls the
amount of time that the unit spends on each frequency between
hops. Although overall throughput appears to decrease by this
setting the effects of multipath fading are minimized through
frequency diversity.
•
Beacon Period [Set to the fastest value]—This parameter defines
the interval at which the Access Point transmits a synchronization beacon to all remotes. A faster setting minimizes resynchronization times when remote radios roam between access
points or in highly interrupted coverage areas (dense buildings,
for example).
•
RTS Threshold [0 -1600 bytes]—Enable RTS flow at a small value.
This setting is a wireless equivalent to RTS/CTS flow control in
a wired communications circuit. This mechanism prevents
packet collisions caused by the “Hidden Node” scenario, in
which remotes can’t hear each other before transmitting. When
this value is set below 100 or above 1500, it is effectively disabled.
2.6 CONFIGURING THE SERIAL
PORTS
2.6.1 Overview
The transceiver includes an embedded serial device server that provides
transparent encapsulation over IP. In this capacity, it acts as a gateway
between serial and IP remote devices. Two common scenarios are PC
applications using IP to talk to remote devices, and serial PC applications talking to remote serial devices over an IP network.
Essentially the same data services are available for both serial ports:
COM1 and COM2. Note that the transceiver’s COM1 port is DCE and
COM2 is DTE. Therefore, if the RTU to be connected is also DTE, then
a null-modem cable will need to be used when connecting to
60 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
COM2.
NOTE: In the discussion that follows, COM1 and COM2 will be treated
alike unless noted.
Com1 Port–Dual Purpose Capability
The COM1 port is used as a local console connection point and to pass
serial data with an external device. Setting the
COM1 port status to Enable
prevents access to the Management System (MS) through this port.
However, the MS can still be accessed via the LAN port using Telnet or
a web browser.
To restore the COM1 port to support Management System services,
connect a terminal to the port, select the proper baud rate (19,200 is
default), and enter an escape sequence (
+++) to reset it to the console
mode.
TCP vs. UDP
Both types of IP services are used by the transceiver embedded serial
device server—TCP and UDP. TCP provides a connection-oriented link
with end-to-end acknowledgment of data, but with some added overhead. UDP provides a connectionless best-effort delivery service with
no acknowledgment.
Most polled protocols will be best served by UDP service as the protocol
itself has built-in error recovery mechanisms. UDP provides the needed
multidrop operation by means of multicast addressing.
On the other hand, TCP services are best suited for applications that do
not have a recovery mechanism (error-correction) and must have the
guaranteed delivery that TCP provides despite the extra overhead. The
IP-to-Serial example shows how to do this. (See “IP-to-Serial Applica-
tion Example” on Page 72.)
Serial Encapsulation
Transparent encapsulation, or IP tunneling, provides a mechanism to
encapsulate serial data into an IP envelope. Basically, all the bytes
received through the serial port are put into the data portion of a TCP or
UDP packet (TCP or UDP are user configurable options). In the same
manner, all data bytes received in a TCP or UDP packet are output
through the serial port.
When data is received by the radio through the serial port it is buffered
until the packet is received completely. There are two events that signal
an end-of-packet to the radio: a period of time since the last byte was
received, or a number of bytes that exceed the buffer size. Both of these
triggers are user configurable.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 61
One radio can perform serial data encapsulation (IP-to-Serial) and talk
to a PC. Two radios (or one radio and a terminal server) can be used
together to provide a serial-to-serial channel.
TCP Client vs. TCP Server
A TCP session has a server side and a client side. You can configure the
transceiver to act as a server, a client, or both.
TCP servers listen and wait for requests from remote TCP clients to
establish a session. A TCP client is a program running on a device other
than the TCP server. Alternately, TCP clients actively attempt to establish a connection with a TCP server. In the case of the transceiver, this
happens whenever data is received on the serial port.
The transceiver operates in either client or server mode, depending on
which event occurs first, either receiving data on the serial port, or
receiving a request to open a TCP connection from a remote client.
The transceiver keeps a TCP session open until internal timers that monitor traffic expire. Once a TCP session is closed, it must be opened again
before traffic can flow.
UDP Multicast
IP provides a mechanism to do a limited broadcast to a specific group of
devices. This is known as “multicast addressing.” Many IP routers, hubs
and switches support this functionality.
Multicast addressing requires the use of a specific branch of IP
addresses set apart by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
for this purpose.
UDP multicast is generally used to transport polling protocols typically
used in SCADA applications where multiple remote devices will
receive and process the same poll message.
As part of the Multicast implementation, the radio sends IGMP membership reports and IGMP queries, and responds to membership queries.
It defaults to V2 membership reports, but responds to both V1 and V2
queries.
You must configure the multicasted serial port as the target for the multicast data (for example, multipoint-to-multipoint mode, or
point-to-multipoint mode where the inbound data is multicast). This
restriction is because a host that only sends data to a multicast address
(for example, point-to-multipoint mode where the iNET acts as a point)
will not join the group to receive multicast data because the host’s
inbound data is directed unicast data.
62 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
The serial-to-serial example which follows shows how to provide multicast services. (See “Point-to-Multipoint IP-to-Serial Application
Example” on Page 73.)
PPP
External devices can connect to the transceiver using PPP
(Point-to-Point Protocol). The transceiver works as a server and assigns
an IP address to the device that connects through this interface.
To gain access to the transceiver from a PC even if the network is down,
a modem may be connected to one of the transceiver’s COM ports that
has been configured with PPP.
Data Buffering
Data buffering is always active regardless of the selected mode. When
Seamless mode is selected, a buffer size of 256 bytes is used. When
custom mode is selected, the size options are: 16. 32, 64, 128, and 256
bytes. The Inter-Frame Delay is settable in either Seamless or Custom
modes.
Implementing Configuration Changes
There are several configuration parameters for the Serial Gateway found
under the Serial Configuration Menu of the Management System. After
making changes to the configuration, you must use the menu’s “Commit
Changes” to assert the changes.
If you are connecting EIA-232 serial devices to the transceiver, review
these parameters carefully.
Serial Configuration Wizard
The Serial Configuration Wizard available through the
Configuration Menu
is recommended for configuration of serial ports. The
Serial Gateway
wizard uses a step-by-step process, will eliminate possible conflicting
settings, and streamline complex configurations.
The wizard can be bypassed by selecting option
B) View Current Settings
and adjusting the individual settings of the appropriate parameter
2.6.2 Serial Data Port Configuration Menu
The first two menu items present the identical parameter fields for each
port with one exception—Flow Control. This is available only on
COM2.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 63
Figure 2-30. Serial Configuration Wizard
• Begin Wizard—Tool for configuration of serial ports using a
step-by-step process.
•
View Current Settings—Displays all settable options. Depend-
ing on the selected IP protocol.
2.6.3 Configuring for UDP Mode
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-31. UDP Point-to-Multipoint Menu
Use UDP point-to-multipoint to send a copy of the same packet to multiple destinations, such as in a polling protocol.
64 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
•
Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.
• IP Protocol—Point to Multipoint [TCP, UDP PPP; TCP]. This is
the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s
serial device server.
•
Multicast IP Address (used instead of Local IP Address when
using UDP Point-to-Multipoint.)— Must be configured with
a valid Class D IP address (224.0.0.0–239.255.255.255). IP
packets received with a matching destination address will be
processed by this unit [
Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0].
• Multicast IP Port (used instead of Local IP Port when using UDP
Point-to-Multipoint.)—This port number must match the
number used by the application connecting to local TCP or
UDP socket. [
1-64,000; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]
• Local IP Port—Receive IP data from this source and pass it
through to the connected serial device. The port number must
be used by the application connecting to local TCP or UDP
socket. [
Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]
• Time to Live (TTL)—An IP parameter defining the number of
hops that the packet is allowed to traverse. Every router in the
path will decrement this counter by one.
•
Packet Redundancy Mode— For proper operation, all radios’
Serial Packet Redundancy mode must match (Single Packet
mode vs. Packet Repeat mode). This is because a transceiver,
when in Packet Repeat mode, sends 12 extra characters
(sequence numbers, etc.) to control the delivery of the
repeated data. Misconfigurations can result in undesired
operation.
•
Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in
bits-per-second. [
1,200–115,200; 19200]
• Configuration—Formatting of data bytes, representing data
bits, parity and stop bits. [
7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1
7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2,
]
• Flow Control [Com2 Only]—RTS/CTS handshaking between
the transceiver and the connected device. [
abled
]
Serial Mode—When seamless mode is selected data bytes
•
Enable, Disable; Dis-
entering the serial data port are sent over the radio link without delay, but the receiving end will buffer the data until
enough bytes have arrived to cover worst-case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range
from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the
output data stream. This permits operation with protocols
such as MODBUS™ that do not allow gaps in their data
transmission. [
Seamless, Custom; Seamless]
• Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Amount of time (in number of
characters) that signal the end of a message (inter-character
time-out). UDP packet sizes are delimited and sent out based
on the Seamless Inter-Frame Delay only when receiving data
through the serial port. MODBUS defines a “3.5-character”
setting. [
1–65,535; 4]
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 65
TIP: To convert this delay into milliseconds, multiply the
number of characters configured here by 10 (there are usually 10 bits in each byte) and divide the result by the data
rate of the serial port (in kbps).
•
Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-
mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer
locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port.
[
16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]
• Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes
made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been
entered.)
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-32. UDP Point-to-Point Menu
Use UDP point-to-point configuration to send information to a single
device.
•
Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.
• IP Protocol—UDP Point-to-Point. This is the type of IP port
that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server.
[
TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]
• Remote IP Address—Data received through the serial port is
sent to this IP address. To reach multiple Remotes in the network, use UDP Point-to-Multipoint.
[
Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]
• Remote IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets
received through the serial port on the transceiver. [
COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011
]
1–64,000;
• Local IP Port—Port number where data is received and passed
through to the serial port. This port number must be used by
the application connecting to this transceiver. [
COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011
]
1–64,000;
66 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
• Packet Redundancy Mode— For proper operation, all radios’
Serial Packet Redundancy mode must match (Single Packet
mode vs. Packet Repeat mode). This is because a transceiver,
when in Packet Repeat mode, sends 12 extra characters
(sequence numbers, etc.) to control the delivery of the
repeated data. Misconfigurations can result in undesired
operation.
•
Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in
bits-per-second. [
1,200–115,200; 19200]
• Configuration—Formatting of data bytes. Data bits, parity and
stop bits [
8E2, 8O2; 8N1
7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2,
].
• Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between
the transceiver and the connected device.
[
Enable, Disable; Disabled]
• Serial Mode— When seamless mode is selected, data bytes
will be sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the
receiver will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived
to cover worst case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the
radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This
mode of operation is required for protocols such as MODBUS™ that do not allow gaps in their data transmission.
[
Seamless, Custom; Seamless]
• Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that represent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MODBUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [
1–65,535; 4]
• Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maximum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer
locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port.
[
16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]
• Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes
made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been
entered.)
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 67
2.6.4 Configuring for TCP Mode
Figure 2-33. TCP Client Menu (Remote)
Invisible place holder
• Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.
• IP Protocol—TCP Client. This is the type of IP port that will
be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [
PPP; TCP
]
• Primary Host Address—The IP address to be used as a destination for data received through the serial port.
[
Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]
• Primary IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets
received through the serial port on the transceiver.
[
Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]
• Secondary Host Address—The IP address to be used as a destination for data received through the serial port in case the primary host address is not available.
[
Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]
• Secondary IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets
received through the serial port on the transceiver used along
with the secondary host address above.
[
Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]
• Client Inactivity Timeout (sec)—Amount of time (in seconds)
that the transceiver will wait for data before terminating the
TCP session. [
0–600; 600]
• Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in
bits-per-second. [
1,200–115,200; 19200]
• Configuration—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, parity and stop bits
[
7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2;
8N1
].
• Flow Control [Com2 Only]—RTS/CTS handshaking between
the transceiver and the connected device.
[
Enable, Disable; Disabled]
TCP, UDP,
68 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
• Serial Mode— If data buffering is Enabled, the radio will operate in seamless mode. Data bytes will be sent over the air as
quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until
enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range
from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the
output data stream. This mode of operation is required for
protocols such as MODBUS™ and some variants which do
not allow gaps in their data transmission.
[
Seamless, Custom; Seamless]
• Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that represent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MODBUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter.
[
1–65,535; 4]
• Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maximum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer
locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port.
[
16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]
• Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes
made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been
entered.)
Invisible place holder
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 69
Figure 2-34. TCP Server Menu (AP)
• Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.
• IP Protocol—TCP Server. This is the type of IP port that will
be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server.
[
TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]
• Local Listening IP Port—Receive IP data from this source and
pass it through to the connected serial device. The port number must be used by the application connecting to local TCP
or UDP socket.
[
Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]
• Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in
bits-per-second. [
1,200–115,200; 19200]
• Configuration—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, parity and stop bits
[
7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2;
].
8N1
• Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between
the transceiver and the connected device.
[
Enable, Disable; Disabled]
• Serial Mode— If data buffering is Enabled, the radio will operate in seamless mode. Data bytes will be sent over the air as
quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until
enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range
from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the
output data stream. This mode of operation is required for
protocols such as MODBUS™ and some variants which do
not allow gaps in their data transmission.
[
Seamless, Custom; Seamless]
• Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that represent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MODBUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [
1–65,535; 4]
• Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maximum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer
locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port.
[
16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]
• Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes
made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been
entered.)
2.6.5 Configuring for PPP Mode
Figure 2-35. PPP Menu
70 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
• Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.
• IP Protocol—PPP. This is the type of IP port that will be offered
by the transceiver’s serial device server. [
TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]
• Device IP Address—IP address that will be assigned to the dialing
device once the connection is established. [
0.0.0.0]
• Data Baud—The baud rate of the serial port of the transceiver to
which the external device is connected.
[
1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200; 19200]
• Configuration—Byte format of the serial port
[
7N1, 7E1, 701, 7N2, 7E2, 702, 8N1, 801, 8N2, 8E2, 802; 8N1]
• Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between the
transceiver and the connected device.
[
Enable, Disable; Disabled]
• Serial Mode—When seamless mode is selected, data bytes will be
sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the receiver will
buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst
case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any
gaps in the output data stream. This mode of operation is
required for protocols such as MODBUS™ that do not allow
gaps in their data transmission. [
Seamless, Custom; Seamless]
• Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that represent
the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MODBUS
defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [
1–65,535; 4]
• Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maximum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer
locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port.
[
16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]
• Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made
on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.)
A PPP session shows the following possible states:
2.6.6 IP-to-Serial Application Example
You have a choice to use UDP or TCP to establish communications.
This will depend on the type of device you are communicating with at
the other end of the IP network. In this example we will use TCP to illustrate its use.
In TCP mode, the transceiver remains in a passive mode offering a
socket for connection. Once a request is received, data received at the
serial port will be sent out through the IP socket and vice versa, until the
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 71
•
Sending LCP Requests—The PPP server is querying for any cli-
ents that need to connect.
•
Link Established—A successful PPP connection has been negoti-
ated and an IP address is assigned.
•
Port not Enabled—The serial port is disabled.
connection is closed, or the link is interrupted. In this mode, the transceiver behaves the same, whether it is an Access Point or a Remote.
(See Figure 2-36 and Table 2-1)
NOTE: The TCP session has a timeout of 10 minutes (600 seconds). If
inactive for that time, it will be closed. The transceiver will
offer the port again for connection after this time expires.
Establishing a
Connection
From the PC, establish a TCP connection to the IP address of the
Remote transceiver and to the IP port as configured above (30010—
COM1, 30011—COM2). A Telnet client application can be used to
establish this connection. Data can now be sent between the PC and the
RTU or other connected device.
Invisible place holder
192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2
Ethernet
Crosssover
Computer
or Network
Access Point
Figure 2-36. IP-to-Serial Application Diagram
Table 2-1. Serial Port Application Configuration
IP-to-Serial Connection
Transceiver
Location
Access Point None is required None is required
Remote Unit IP Address 192.168.0.2
Menu Item Setting
Status Enabled
IP Protocol TCP
Baud Rate 9,600 (Example)
Flow Control None
Local IP Port 30011
LA
N
COM
1
COM
2
Remote
PW
R
LIN
K
EIA-232
RTU
2.6.7 Point-to-Multipoint IP-to-Serial Application
The operation and data flow for this mode is very similar to
Point-to-Point serial-to-serial application, except that it uses multicast
addressing. The primary difference is that the PC uses UDP to communicate with all of the Remotes. Upon receiving the packet, each Remote
strips the data out of the UDP packet and sends it from its
Likewise, data presented at any of the Remotes’
etized, sent to the PC using the Access Point (see Figure 2-37 and
Table 2-2 on Page 73.
72 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Example
COM port.
COM ports is pack-
192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1
Et h e r n e t
Terminal
or Computer
Acc ess Point
Invisible place holder
192.168.0.2
EIA -23 2
Remote
192.168.0.3
Remote
RTU
EIA -23 2
RTU
192.168.0.4
EIA -23 2
Remote
RTU
Figure 2-37. Point-to-Multipoint Serial-to-Serial Application
Diagram
Invisible place holder
Table 2-2. Serial Port Application Configuration
Transceiver Location Menu Item Setting
PC IP Protocol UDP
Remote IP Address 224.254.1.1—
Multicast Address
Local IP Port 30011
Access Point (COM2)
Remote Units (COM2)
2
N/A None required
1
Enable Enabled
Baud Rate 2,400 (Example)
Serial Mode Custom
Flow Control Hardware (Example)
IP Protocol UDP
Remote IP Address 192.168.0.1
Remote IP Port 30011
Local IP Port 30011
Local Multicast
Address
224.254.1.1 —
Multicast Address
1. This address is an example only. Any Class D IP address
(224.0.0.0–239.255.255.255) will work.
2. Either COM port can be used, but they must be the same ones at
both ends of the link. Both COM ports can be used simultaneously for
two independent data channels.
1
2
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 73
Figure 2-38. Remote Radio Serial Port Configuration
2.6.8 Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application
Example
Once the transceivers are configured and the changes have been executed, they begin processing any data presented at the
presented at the Access Point’s
COM port will be packetized and sent via
UDP to the Remote. Upon receiving the packet, the Remote strips the
data out of the UDP packet and sends it out its
presented at the Remote’s
COM port is packetized, sent to the Access
Point, stripped, and sent out the Access Point’s
COM port. Likewise, data
COM port. Note, this
configuration does not use multicast addressing.
COM ports. Data
192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2
Invisible place holder
LA
N
COM
1
COM
2
EIA-232
Terminal
or Computer
Access Point
Figure 2-39. Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application Diagram
Table 2-3. Serial Port Application Configuration
Transceiver Location Menu Item Setting
1
Access Point (COM2)
74 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Status Enabled
Data Baud Rate 9,600 (Example)
Flow Control Hardware (Example)
Serial Mode Seamless
SIFD 4
IP Protocol UDP
PW
R
LIN
K
Remote
EIA-232
RTU
Table 2-3. Serial Port Application Configuration (Continued)
Transceiver Location Menu Item Setting
Remote IP
Address
Remote IP Port 30011
Local IP Port 30011
Remote Unit (COM2)
1. Either COM port can be used, but they must be the same ones at both ends
of the link. Both COM ports can be used simultaneously for two independent
data channels.
1
Status Enabled
Data Baud Rate 9,600 (Example)
Flow Control X-ON/X-OFF (Example)
Serial Mode Seamless
SIFD 4 (Characters)
IP Protocol UDP
Remote IP
Address
Remote IP Port 30011
Local IP Port 30011
192.168.0.2
(IP address of the Remote radio)
192.168.0.1
(IP address of the AP)
2.6.9 Combined Serial and IP Application Example
Note that in this example, the TCP mode does not involve the Access
Point. Thus, the transceiver in a single network can run in both modes at
the same time. In other words, some Remotes can be configured for TCP
mode while others can be configured (along with the Access Point) for
UDP mode.
In this configuration, the Host PC can use both data paths to reach the
RTUs. This may be helpful when a mixed collection of RTUs is present
where some RTUs can operate in a broadcast form while others cannot
(see Figure 2-40 on Page 76 and Table 2-4 on Page 76).
Operation and Data Flow
• Communicate with RTU A by Telneting to Remote 1, port 30011.
• Communicate with RTU B by Telneting to Remote 2, port 30011.
• Communicate with RTUs C and D by sending and receiving data
from the Access Point’s
• All communication paths can be used simultaneously.
COM port.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 75
Invisible place holder
LA
N
CO
M
1
COM
2
PW
R
LIN
K
iNET 900
Remote 1
COM
2
PW
R
LIN
K
iNET 900
Remote 2
COM
2
PW
R
LIN
K
iNET 900
Remote 3
COM
2
PW
R
LIN
K
iNET 900
Remote 4
Terminal
or Computer
Ethernet
Crosssover
EIA-232
iNET 900
Access Point
LA
N
COM
1
LA
N
COM
1
LA
N
COM
1
Figure 2-40. Mixed-Modes Application Diagram
Table 2-4. Serial Port Application Configuration
Transceiver Location Menu Item Setting
Access Point Status Enabled
Baud Rate 9,600
Flow Control Disabled
IP Protocol UDP
Remote Units 1 & 2
(COM2)
Remote Units 3 & 4
(COM2)
Send to Address A multicast IP address such as
Send to Port 30011
Receive on Port 30011
Receive on Address 0.0.0.0 (Not Used)
Status Enabled
Baud Rate 2,400
Flow Control Disabled
IP Protocol TCP
Receive on Port 30011
Status Enabled
Baud Rate 9,600
Flow Control Disabled
IP Protocol UDP
Send to Address IP address of the AP
Send to Port 30011
Receive on Port 30011
Receive on Address 224.254.1.1
224.254.1.1
(The multicast IP address used
for the AP’s Send To Address
above)
RTU–A
EIA-232
EIA-232
RTU–C
EIA-232
EIA-232
RTU–B
RTU–D
76 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
2.6.10 Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNET
The iNET-II and iNET radios support port-based VLAN at the Ethernet
interface and over the air, as specified by the IEEE 802.1Q standard.
A VLAN creates independent logical networks within a physical network. It allows communications as if all stations and switches are connected to the same physical LAN segment. Members of a VLAN receive
frames only from other members of the same VLAN.
The iNET-II and iNET radios act as an Ethernet switch with two interfaces: the wireless interface is always a trunk port, while the Ethernet
interface is configured as either a trunk port or an access port. A trunk
port expects incoming frames to have a VLAN ID, and sends outgoing
frames with a VLAN tag as well. The radio’s trunk port also supports
Native VLAN, which allows the transmission and reception of untagged
frames. The radio does not support Generic Attribute Registration Protocol (GVRP).
The Ethernet port of an Access Point radio is normally configured as a
trunk port, and is connected to a VLAN-aware switch or router.
You can configure the Ethernet port of a remote radio as an access port
or as a trunk port:
• When the Ethernet interface is configured as an access port, incoming traffic is tagged with a VLAN ID, and outgoing traffic is sent
without a tag. This traffic is assigned to the DATA VLAN. A second
VLAN, known as the MANAGEMENT VLAN, is used for traffic
targeted at the radio, such as SNMP, TFTP, ICMP, Telnet, and so on.
Traffic directed to the transceiver’s integrated terminal server, which
controls the serial ports, is assigned to the DATA VLAN.
• When the Ethernet interface is configured as trunk port, the transceiver bridges all frames to and from the wireless link with the
unchanged VLAN tag. Untagged frames are also bridged transparently.
NOTE: The Ethernet port in an iNET-II or iNET radio is 10BaseT.
Some Ethernet switches allow a VLAN trunk port only on a
100BaseT interface, and might not be compatible with the
transceiver.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 77
Configuring for Operation with VLAN
Figure 2-41. Network Interface Configuration Menu
• VLAN Status—When enabled, the transceiver uses an 802.1Q frame
structure.
Data VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID assigned to the traffic that is
•
directed to and from the transceiver’s Ethernet port and the terminal
server process. The transceiver uses this VLAN ID for filtering and
tagging purposes. [1-4094; 3]
Management VLAN Mode—Defines whether frames belonging to the
•
management VLAN are tagged or untagged [Native].
Config Management IP—Opens the Configuration Management IP
•
menu.
Config Data IP—Opens the Configuration Management IP menu.
•
2.7 CYBER SECURITY
CONFIGURATION
The cyber security features of the transceiver are grouped into three general areas: controlling access to the radio itself for configuration and
management purpose (Device Security), controlling how and when
radios communicate with each other, as well as how data traffic is handled (Wireless Security) and a special section dealing with authentication and authorization using a central server (RADIUS Configuration).
Figure 2-42 shows the Security Configuration Menu, which is the entry
point for these categories.
78 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-42. Security Configuration Menu
(Access Point Version Shown)
2.7.1 Device Security
This group of features controls how the radios can be accessed either
locally or remotely for configuration and management.
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-43. Device Security Menu
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 79
• User Auth Method— Defines whether username and password is
verified locally or via a central server. [
Local, RADIUS; Local]
• User Auth Fallback— Defines the alternate authentication mode in
case the authentication server is not available.
[
Local, None; Local]
• User Password—Local password for this unit. Used at log-in via
COM1 Port, Telnet, SSH and Web browser. [
characters without spaces (case-sensitive); admin
Up to 8 alphanumeric
]
TIP: For enhanced security, consider using misspelled words, a combi-
nation of letters and numbers, and a combination of upper and
lower case letters. Also, the more characters used (up to eight), the
more secure the password will be. These strategies help protect
against sophisticated hackers who may use a database of common
words (for example, dictionary attacks) to determine a password.
•
SNMP Mode—This specifies the mode of operation of the radio’s
SNMP Agent. If the mode is disabled, the Agent does not
respond to any SNMP traffic. If the mode is v1_only, v2_only,
or v3_only, the Agent responds only to that version of SNMP
traffic. If the mode is v1-v2, or v1-v2-v3, the Agent responds to
the specified version of SNMP traffic.
[
disabled, v1_only, v2_only, v3_only, v1-v2, v1-v2-v3; v1-v2-v3]
• Telnet Access—Controls remote access through Telnet sessions
on Port 23 [
Enabled, Disabled; Enabled]
• SSH Access— Controls remote access through SSH (Secure
Shell) sessions on Port 22 [
Enabled, Disabled; Enabled]
• HTTP Mode— Controls remote access through HTTP sessions on
Ports 80 and 443. Selecting
Port 443. When
HTTP Mode is disabled, access through HTTP or
HTTPS is not allowed. [
HTTPS forces secure connections to
Disabled, HTTP, HTTPS; HTTP]
• HTTP Auth Mode—Selects the method of HTTP log-in authentication. This parameter functions only when
the previous menu item. Although the
HTTP is selected in
Basic Auth mode requests
a password, the actual password text is transmitted in the clear
(unencrypted). [
Basic Auth, MD5 Digest; Basic Auth]
2.7.2 Wireless Security
The features in the Wireless Security menu control the communication
of data across the wireless link. The radios can be authenticated locally
via a list of authorized radios, or remotely via a centralized RADIUS
server. RADIUS is a centralized authentication mechanism based on
standards.
80 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-44. Wireless Security Menu
• Device Auth Method—Controls whether device authentication is
executed locally, via a central server, or not at all. Selecting
Local uses the Approved Remotes List described later in this
manual. [
None, Local, RADIUS; None]
• Encryption— When enabled, it forces the transceiver to use
AES-128 encryption (RC4-128 on iNET) on all over-the-air
messages. This option requires the Encryption Phrase to be previously configured. Both the AP and the Remote radios must
use the same encryption phrase. (Some units may not be authorized to use encryption. “See “Authorization Keys Menu” on
Page 108” for additional details.) [
Enabled, Disabled; Disabled]
• Auto Key Rotation—When enabled, it forces the transceiver to use
the key rotation algorithm to generate a new encryption key
after 500 kilobytes of information has been transmitted, or one
hour has elapsed. [
Enabled, Disabled; Disabled]
• Approved Access Points/Remotes List —Displays a menu to man-
age the list of other radios with which this unit will be permitted
to communicate.
•
Encryption Phrase—Phrase (text & numbers) that will be used by
the encryption algorithm.
[
8 to 29 alphanumeric characters; Blank]
• Force Key Rotation— It triggers an immediate key rotation of the
encryption keys before the internal counters do it automatically.
Local Authentication—Approved Remotes/Access Points
List Submenu
Setting the
Approved AP List before a radio link can be established. In the case of a
Remote, the AP must be in the Approved Access Points List before it
accepts the beacon as being valid. In the case of an AP, a Remote must
be in the Approved Remotes List to be granted authorization. Before
enabling this option, at least one entry must already exist in the
Approved AP/Remotes List.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 81
Device Auth Method to Local forces the transceiver to check the
This menu is the same for both Access Points and Remotes and the
names change to reflect their mode. Replace “Remotes” with Access
Points” in the following description.
NOTE: The limit for Remotes (in an Access Point radio) is 255. The
limit for Access Points (in a Remote radio) is 104.
Figure 2-45. Approved Remotes List Menu
• Add Remote—Enter MAC address of Remote.
[
Any valid 6-digit hexadecimal MAC address; 00:00:00:00:00:00]
• Delete Remote—Enter MAC address of Remote. For security
purposes, you may want to delete a stolen or deprovisioned
radio from this list.
•
Add Associated Remotes—Add all currently associated remotes to
the approved remote list. Alternatively, you can enter each
Remote MAC manually.
•
Delete All Remotes—Remove (complete purge) of all Remotes
from current list.
•
View Approved Remotes—Simple listing of approved Remotes by
MAC address, of radios authorized to join this AP. If a Remote
is not in this list, it will not be able to associate with this AP.
•
Save Changes—Saves all changes made during the session with
this menu. Changes are implemented only if they are “saved”
before exiting this menu.
2.7.3 RADIUS Configuration
This section covers the authentication settings needed for the iNET
radios to access the RADIUS server, which is used for Device Level
Security and for Wireless Access Security. GE MDS does not provide
the RADIUS server software.
82 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Operation of Device Authentication
Device authentication forces the radio to authenticate before allowing
user traffic to traverse the wireless network. When Device Security is
configured to use RADIUS as the Authentication Method, Remote
radios need three types of certificates: public (client), private, and root
(Certificate Authority). These files are unique to each Remote radio and
need to first be created at the server and then installed into each unit via
TFTP. The certificate files must be in DER format.
Device authentication uses the serial number of each radio as the
Common Name (CN) in its certificate and in its RADIUS identity field.
Each Access Point and Remote radio must be identified/recognized by
the RADIUS Server through the Common Name (Serial number) and IP
address entries.
NOTE: Consult your RADIUS network administrator for assistance in
configuration, or for help with other issues that may arise.
To activate device authentication, select
RADIUS as the active mode. The behavior of this setting differs
Device Auth Method and set
depending on whether it is implemented on an Access Point or a Remote
transceiver. An explanation of these behaviors is given below:
Access Point: When
Device Auth Method is set to RADIUS, the AP disasso-
ciates all associated Remotes and waits for the RADIUS Server to
Authenticate the Remotes before allowing data to be passed from them.
When approval is received from the RADIUS Server, data from the
Remote is allowed to pass.
Remote: When
Device Auth Method is set to RADIUS, the Remote halts any
data it is passing, and requests Authentication from the RADIUS Server.
If accepted, data is allowed to be transmitted.
Operation of User Authentication
When user authentication is set to
Local or RADIUS, you must enter a
valid user name and password before being allowed to manage the radio.
In
RADIUS mode both of these fields may be up to 40 characters long. In
Local mode the user name is iNET and the password may be up to 8 char-
acters long.
When set to
RADIUS, all logins to the local configuration services are
required to be authenticated via the RADIUS Server, including telnet
and SSH (Secure Shell) sessions. Authentication must be accepted
before access to the radio menu is granted.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 83
2.7.4 RADIUS Configuration
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-46. RADIUS Configuration Menu
• Server IP Address—Used to set/display address of the Server
where the RADIUS application resides.
•
Server IP port—1812 is the standard port for authentication (RFC
2865, June 2000), but this setting may be changed if necessary
to any number between 1 and 65535. [
• Shared Secret—User authentication and Device authentication
require a common shared secret to complete a RADIUS transaction. This entry must match the string used to configure the
appropriate files on the RADIUS Server.
•
User Auth Mode—Should be set to PAP or CHAP depending on
the configuration of the server.
1-65535; 1812]
NOTE: CHAP is more secure than PAP. PAP may display the login
password in log files at the RADIUS Server while CHAP will
encrypt the login password.
NOTE: The security password may not exceed 40 characters in length.
2.7.5 Certificate Management (Remote transceivers only)
Use Certificate generation software to generate certificate files and then
install these files into each Remote unit via TFTP. The certificate files
must be in DER format. The Common Name (CN) field in the public
certificate file must match the serial number of the unit it will be
installed in.
84 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Invisible place holder
Figure 2-47. Manage Certificates Menu
(NOTE: The appearance of this screen differs from the others because a different
terminal program was used; Menu content is the same regardless of program.)
• Server IP Address—the IP address of the Server where the
RADIUS application resides.
•
TFTP Timeout should be set appropriately according to the layout
of the network.
Three certificate files (Root, Client, and Private Key) must be present in
each of the Remote radios. Use the commands described below to install
these files into each Remote radio.
•
Certificate Filename—Used to specify the filename of the certifi-
cate file residing on the TFTP server.
•
Certificate Type—Selects one of the three file types mentioned
above. [
Root Certificate
Root Certificate, Client Certificate, Private Key Certificate;
]
• Retrieve Certificate—Initiates the retrieval of the certificate file
from the storage location. A successful installation issues a
plete
status message.
Com-
NOTE: It is imperative that the three certificate files are installed
correctly into the Remote radio, in their respective file types.
If they are not, it will render the Remote un-authenticated for
data traffic. Consult your RADIUS network administrator if
issues arise.
2.8 PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION
After the basic operation of the radio has been checked, you may wish
to optimize the network’s performance using some of the following suggestions. The effectiveness of these techniques will vary with the design
of your system and the format of the data being sent.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 85
There are two major areas for possible improvement—the radio and the
data network. The following sections will provide you with a variety of
items to check and on many occasions, ways to correct or improve their
performance.
The menu/screen shown in Figure 2-48 is one of two primary sources of
information on the radio layer and radio network performance.
Figure 2-48. Performance Information Menu
(AP Version Shown)
• RF Output Power (Display only)—Measured power output.
(See “How Much Output Power Can be Used?” on Page 135)
•
Signal-to-Noise (Display only)—Current running-average SNR
value all active operating frequencies.
(No value displayed on APs)
NOTE: The RSSI is an average of the last 20 RSSI samples. The RSSI
value is reset every time the radio returns to scanning mode.
•
(Display only)—Current running-average Received Signal
Strength Indication for all active operating frequencies.
(No value displayed on APs.)
•
Actual Data Rate (Display only)—Over-the-air transmission rate (as
opposed to selected data rate) for the remote being monitored.
The fastest data rates can generally be achieved with stronger
signal levels.
•
RSSI by Zone—Received Signal Strength Indicator by Zone.
(See “RSSI by Zone Menu (Remotes Only)” on Page 87)
•
Event Log—Access the menu for managing the unit’s log of
operational activities.(See “Authorization Key—Alter the
unit’s overall capabilities by enabling the built-in resources.
(See “Authorization Keys Menu” on Page 108)” on Page 100)
86 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
• Packet Statistics—Multiple radio and network operating statistics. (See “Packet Statistics Menu” on Page 91)
•
Wireless Network Status (Displayed only at Remotes)—Current associ-
ation state and MAC address of the Access Point.
(See “Wireless Network Status (Remotes Only)” on Page 94)
•
Remote Listing (AP Display only) —List of basic information for all
Remote units currently associated with this Access Point.
(See “Remote Listing Menu (Access Points Only)” on Page 96)
•
Endpoint Listing (AP Display only)—List of units accessible by this
AP through associated Remote ports.
(See “Endpoint Listing Menu (Access Points Only)” on
Page 97)
•
Remote Performance Listing (AP Display only)—(See “Remote Per-
formance Listing Menu (Access Points Only)” on Page 98)
2.8.1 RSSI by Zone Menu (Remotes Only)
This screen displays the strength of RF signals received from the currently associated Access Point.
Network integrity depends in large part on stable radio signal levels
being received at each end of a data link. In general, signal levels
stronger than –80 dBm will provide reliable communication that
includes a 15 dB fade margin.
If you find there is a poor signal level on one zone, check the Packet Sta-
tistics Menu section on Page 91 and record the values. Then, set the
questionable zone to “Skipped” in the Radio Configuration Menu (Page
52) and look for an improvement in the Packet Statistics error rates. If
there is none, return the Zone to “Active.”
RSSI measurements and Wireless Packet Statistics are based on multiple samples over a period of several seconds. The average of these
measurements will be displayed by the Management System.
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 87
Figure 2-49. RSSI by Zone Menu
TIP: Under normal circumstances, the signal levels in each zone should
be within a few decibels of each other. If you see one that is significantly lower or higher, it may be a sign of radio frequency interference from another signal source on the 900 MHz band.
See “PERFORMANCE NOTES” on Page 144 for further infor-
mation.
2.8.2 Event Log Menu
The transceiver’s microprocessor monitors many operational parameters and logs them. Events are classified into four levels of importance,
which are described in Table 2-5. Some of these events will result from
a condition that prevents the normal of the unit—these are “critical”
events. These will cause the unit to enter an “alarmed” state and the
LED to blink until the condition is corrected. All events are stored in the
Event Log that can hold up to 8,000 entries
Table 2-5. Event Classifications
Level Description/Impact
Informational Normal operating activities
Minor Does not affect unit operation
Major Degraded unit performance but
still capable of operation
Critical Prevents the unit from operating
.
PWR
Time and Date
The events stored in the Event Log are time-stamped using the time and
date of the locally connected device. Remote units obtain this information from the Access Point when they associate with it. The Access Point
88 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
obtains the time and date from a Time Server. This server can generally
be provided by a standard Windows PC server SNTP application. In the
absence of the SNTP services, the user must manually enter it at the
Access Point. (See “Device Information” on Page 35 for SNTP server
identification.) The manually set time and date clock is dependent on the
unit’s primary power. A loss of power will reset the clock to January 1,
2002 but will not affect previously stored error events.
Figure 2-50. Event Log Menu
• Current Alarms (Telnet/Terminal only)—View list of root causes that
have placed the Device Status in the alarmed state. (See “Alarm
Conditions” on Page 120)
•
View Log—View a list of events stored in the current log. Some
of these events are stored in volatile memory and will be erased
with a loss of power. The events are numbered for easier identification and navigation.
•
Clear Log—Purges the log of all events
TIP: Save your Event Log before choosing to clear it in order
to retain potentially valuable troubleshooting information.
(See “Upgrading the Firmware” on Page 102 for an overview on how to transfer files from the transceiver to a computer on the network using TFTP.)
•
Send Log (Telnet/Terminal only)—Initiate TFTP transfer of the
unit’s event Event Log in a plain text (ASCII) file to a TFTP
server at the remote location.
•
TFTP Host Address (Telnet/Terminal only)—IP address of the com-
puter on which the TFTP server resides. This same IP address is
used in other screens/functions (reprogramming, logging, etc.).
Changing it here also changes it for other screens/functions.
[
Any valid IP address; 127.0.0.1]
05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 89
• Filename (Telnet/Terminal only)—Name to be given to the Event
Log file sent to the TFTP server for archiving.
[
Any 40-char alphanumeric string; Blank]
NOTE: You may want to change the filename to reflect the type
of log you intend to archive and/or its date.
•
TFTP Time-out (Telnet/Terminal only)—Time in seconds the TFTP
server will wait for a packet ACK (acknowledgment) from the
transceiver before canceling the file transfer.
[
10 to 120 seconds; 10]
• Syslog Server—IP address to which alarms are sent using the syslog message format. [
Any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]
View Current Alarms
Most events, classified as “critical” will make the
PWR LED blink, and
will inhibit normal operation of the transceiver. The LED will remain
blinking until the corrective action has been completed.
An alarm condition is different from a log event in the sense that an
alarm is persistent in nature. That is, an alarm condition remains as an
alarm until it has been cleared by correcting the cause (see Table 3-6 on
Page 122 for corrective action).
90 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H
Figure 2-51. Current Alarms Screen
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