MaxStream XTend-PKG-U Quick Start Manual

Quick Start Guide

XTend-PKG-U™ USB RF Modem

Range Test Setup

Range Test Execution

Tips and Suggestions

Contact MaxStream

Create a long range wireless link in minutes!

© 2005 MaxStream, Inc. All rights reserved.

Range Test Setup

Requirements for Range Test

• One XTend-PKG-U™ USB RF Modem

• One XTend-PKG-R

• Accessories (USB cable, Loopback Adapter, 2 Power Supplies, 2 RPSMA Antennas)

• One computer (Windows 98 SE, 2000 or XP) that has an available USB port and
is loaded with the following software: X-CTU Software & USB RF Modem drivers

™ RS-232/485 RF Modem

MD0024

Install X-CTU Software

Select the 'Install X-CTU' button that is located on the MaxStream CD user interface
or double-click the 'setup_X-CTU.exe' file. This file is located on the MaxStream CD
and on the following web page: www.maxstream.net/helpdesk/download.php

Install USB RF Modem Drivers (Hardware USB Bus & Virtual Com Port drivers)

The following steps reflect usage of the Windows XP operating system.

1. Connect the XTend-PKG-U RF Modem to a PC using a USB cable.

--> The PKG-U RF Modem is a "plug-and-play" device that should automatically
be detected by the PC.

“Found New Hardware Wizard” dialog box appears

2. [Verify the MaxStream CD is inserted into the drive.]

3. Select the ‘Install from specific list or location (Advanced)’ option; then select
the ‘Next’ button.

4a. Select the "Search for best driver in these locations" option and check the
‘Search removable media (CD-ROM...)’ box.

4b. Select the ‘Next’ button.

Hardware Installation "Windows Logo Testing" alert box appears

5. Select the ‘Continue Anyway’ button.

6. Select the ‘Finish’ button.

7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 to install the second driver.

8. (Re-boot computer if prompted to do so.)

Range Test Setup (continued)

Verify Driver Installations

1. Connect the PKG-U RF Modem "Radio1" to the USB port of a PC.
[Figure 1 - Illuminated bottom-left red LED indicates a successful USB link.]

2. Launch the X-CTU Software and select the "PC Settings" tab.
[Start --> All Programs --> MaxStream --> X-CTU]

3. Under the ‘Com Port Setup’ section of the “PC Settings" tab, select the PKG-U
RF Modem that is connected to the USB port [Figure 2]. Com ports dedicated
to a USB RF modem have ”MaxStream-PKG-U” in the com port name.

This PC com port will be used when executing the range test.

Figure 1. LED indication of successful USB link
(Le-boom Red LED is illuminated.)

Figure 2. PC Seings tab

Com Port dedicated to the
PKG-U RF Modem ”MaxStream PKG-U (COM#)”

PC com port enumerations can also be viewed through
the “Ports (COM & LPT)” entry of the Microso Windows
Device Manager.

Hardware Setup

1. Verify PKG-U RF Modem ("Radio1") was
successfully connected to the USB port
of the PC [Figure 1].

2. Attach serial loopback adapter to the female
DB-9 serial connector of the PKG-R RF Modem (Radio2).

--> The serial loopback adapter configures Radio2 to function as a repeater
by looping data back into the modem for retransmission.

3. Configure Radio2 (PKG-R RF Modem) for RS-232 operation
using its built-in DIP Switch (Switches 1, 5 & 6 are ON (up)

1 2 3 4 5 6

O
N

and the remaining switches are OFF (down)).

4. Attach RPSMA antennas to Radio1 & Radio2.

5. Power Radio1 & Radio2 through their respective power connectors. Radio1
can be powered through the USB connection (Bus power mode); however,
its power output is limited to 100 mW.

Figure 3. Hardware Setup

(w/ loopback adapter)

PC Radio1

PKG-U (USB)

USB Cable

Radio2

PKG-R (RS-232)

Range Test Execution

Use the "PC Settings" and "Range Test" tabs of the X-CTU Software to:

• Assign which PC serial com port to use when communicating with
XTend RF Modems [step 2 of "Range Test" below]

[

• Measure XTend RF Modem's range

Range Test

steps 1-7 shown below]

1. Launch X-CTU Software: (Start --> Programs --> MaxStream --> X-CTU

2

Select the "PC Settings" tab [Figure 4], then select the PC com port

)

from the dropdown list that will be used to connect to Radio1.

Com ports dedicated to USB RF Modems will always begin with
“MaxStream PKG-U...”.

Select the Baud rate that matches the default RF data rate (over-the-air

3

baud) of Radio1. Use default values for remaining fields. [Figure 4]

4. Select the "Range Test" tab. [Figure 5]

(Optional) Check the check box in the ‘RSSI’ section to enable its display.

5

6

Select the "Start" button to begin range test.

7. Move Radio2 (with loopback adapter) away from Radio1 and observe
packet information to determine the range of the wireless link.

Figure 4. PC Se�ings tab

PC Com Port

2

Interface Data Rate (Baud)

3

By default, the XTend-PKG-U RF data rate
is set to 9600 baud (bps).

Remaining Default Values:

Flow Control = NONE
Data Bits = 8
Parity = NONE
Stop Bits = 1

(Packet Information)

Figure 5. Range Test tab

RSSI check box

5

RSSI stands for "Received Signal Strength Indicator".

Start/(Stop) button

6

Tips and Suggestions

Modify Interface Data Rate of RF Modem (Optional)

OEMs and integrators can interface with XTend RF Modems at different baud
rates than the modem defaults. To change the modem’s serial interfacing rate,
first select the PC com port baud rate that matches the modem’s default [steps
1-2 below]. Then change the baud rate of the modem itself [steps 3-7]. Lastly,
select the baud rate of the PC com port to match the newly set baud rate of the
modem [step 8].

Modify Interface Data Rate (Optional)

1. Setup a connection to a PC by following the steps of the installation
instruction outlined on page 1 of this guide.

2. Select the PC Com port baud rate that matches the RF Modem's fixed RF
data rate by following steps 1, 2 and 3 of the "Range Test". [page 3]

3. Select the "Modem Configuration" tab of the X-CTU Software.

4. Select the ‘Read’ button to view currently stored parameter values.

5. In the Commands/Parameters hierarchical tree, open the ‘Serial
Interfacing Options’ folder by selecting its plus (+) sign.

6. Select the ‘Baud Rate’ entry, then select a desired baud rate from the
dropdown list.

7. Select ‘Write’ button to save new settings to non-volatile memory.

8. Select the "PC Settings" tab [Figure 4], then select the value from the
‘Baud’ dropdown list that matches the newly set baud rate. This configures
the PC Com Port to communicate at the new baud rate.

Create a Wireless Link between Devices

A pair of RF Modems can be used in lieu of a cable to create a wireless link
between devices. The topology below illustrates a basic wireless strategy that can
be used when connecting to target devices such as automatic meter readers, fleet
management devices, remote weather stations and a host of other applications.
When connecting devices, consider the following:

• Use the male-to-male NULL modem adapter to connect Radio2 to a
target serial device [Figure 6]. Signals crossover inside the adapter.

• To verify cabling is functioning properly, insert a female-to-female
NULL modem adapter in place of Radio1 and Radio2, then test
communications without the RF modems in the link.

Figure 6. Wireless Link between Devices

serial cable

Host PC

USB cable

Radio1

PKG-U (USB)

RPSMA antennas

Radio2

PKG-R (RS-232)

male-to-male

NULL modem adapter

Target

Serial

Device

Contact MaxStream (Office hours are 8am – 5pm U.S. mountain standard time)

Phone: [phone], Live Chat: www.maxstream.net, E-mail: [e-mail]