RLXIB-IHN
802.11n
Industrial Hotspot
April 8, 2011
USER MANUAL
Your Feedback Please
We always want you to feel that you made the right decision to use our products. If you have suggestions, comments,
compliments or complaints about our products, documentation, or support, please write or call us.
How to Contact Us
ProSoft Technology
5201 Truxtun Ave., 3rd Floor
Bakersfield, CA 93309
+1 (661) 716-5100
+1 (661) 716-5101 (Fax)
www.prosoft-technology.com
support@prosoft-technology.com
Copyright © 2011 ProSoft Technology, Inc., all rights reserved.
RLXIB-IHN User Manual
April 8, 2011
ProSoft Technology
Technology, Inc. All other brand or product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products
and services of, their respective owners.
®
, ProLinx ®, inRAx ®, ProTalk ®, and RadioLinx ® are Registered Trademarks of ProSoft
ProSoft Technology® Product Documentation
In an effort to conserve paper, ProSoft Technology no longer includes printed manuals with our product shipments.
User Manuals, Datasheets, Sample Ladder Files, and Configuration Files are provided on the enclosed CD-ROM,
and are available at no charge from our web site: www.prosoft-technology.com
Important Safety Information
The following Information and warnings pertaining to the radio module must be heeded:
WARNING – EXPLOSION HAZARD – DO NOT REPLACE ANTENNAS UNLESS POWER HAS BEEN SWITCHED
OFF OR THE AREA IS KNOWN TO BE NON-HAZARDOUS.
"THIS DEVICE CONTAINS A TRANSMITTER MODULE, FCC ID: . PLEASE SEE FCC ID LABEL ON BACK OF
DEVICE."
"THIS DEVICE USES AN INTERNAL COMPACT FLASH RADIO MODULE AS THE PRIMARY RADIO
COMPONENT. THE COMPACT FLASH RADIO MODULE DOES NOT HAVE AN FCC ID LABEL. THE COMPACT
FLASH RADIO MODULE HAS NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS."
"THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES. OPERATION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING
TWO CONDITIONS: (1) THIS DEVICE MAY NOT CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE, AND (2) THIS DEVICE
MUST ACCEPT ANY INTERFERENCE RECEIVED, INCLUDING INTERFERENCE THAT MAY CAUSE
UNDESIRED OPERATION."
"CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS NOT EXPRESSLY APPROVED BY THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR
COMPLIANCE COULD VOID THE USER’s AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT."
Industry Canada Requirements:
"THIS DEVICE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO OPERATE WITH AN ANTENNA HAVING A MAXIMUM GAIN OF 24 dB.
AN ANTENNA HAVING A HIGHER GAIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED PER REGULATIONS OF INDUSTRY
CANADA. THE REQUIRED ANTENNA IMPEDANCE IS 50 OHMS."
"TO REDUCE POTENTIAL RADIO INTERFERENCE TO OTHER USERS, THE ANTENNA TYPE AND ITS GAIN
SHOULD BE CHOSEN SUCH THAT THE EQUIVALENT ISOTROPICALLY RADIATED POWER (EIRP) IS NOT
MORE THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION."
"THE INSTALLER OF THIS RADIO EQUIPMENT MUST INSURE THAT THE ANTENNA IS LOCATED OR
POINTED SUCH THAT IT DOES NOT EMIT RF FIELD IN EXCESS OF HEALTH CANADA LIMITS FOR THE
GENERAL POPULATION; CONSULT SAFETY CODE 6, OBTAINABLE FROM HEALTH CANADA."
Recommended Antennas
Part Number
Max
Part number Max gain
Part Number Max gain
Gain
A2503S6-O 3 dBi A2406S3-DP 6 dBi A5017NJ3-DP 17 dBi
A2408NJ-DP 8 dBi A2419NJ-DP 19 dBi A5024NJ-DP 24 dBi
A2506NJ6-0 6 dBi A2503S6-O 3 dBi A2412NJ3-DP 12 dBi
A5007S3-DP 7 dBi A2415NJ-OC 15 dBi A082503-80-OBH 3 dBi
A2402S-OS 2 dBi A2402S-OSLP 2 dBi A2403NBH-OC 3 dBi
A2404NBHW-OC 4 dBi A2404NJ-OC 4 dBi A2405S-OA 5 dBi
A2405S-OM 5 dBi A2405S-OS 5 dBi A2406NJ-OC 6 dBi
A2406NJ-OCD 6 dBi A2408NJ-OC 8 dBi A2409NJ-OCD 9 dBi
A2502S-OA 2 dBi A2504S-OA 4 dBi A2506NJ-OC 6 dBi
A5003S-OBH 3 dBi A5006NJ-OC 6 dBi A5009NJ-OC 9 dBi
A2508NJ-DP 8 dBi A2413NJ-DP 13 dBi A2416NJ-DS 16 dBi
A5019NJ-DP 19 dBi A2419NJ-DB 19 dBi A2424NJ-DB 24 dBi
A5829NJ-DB 29 dBi A2410NJ-DY 10 dBi A2415NJ-DY 15 dBi
A5812NJ-OC 12 dBi
An adapter may be needed for some of the listed antennas to operate with the specified radio.
Antenna spacing requirements for user safety
It is important to keep the radio's antenna a safe distance from the user. To meet the requirements of FCC part
2.1091 for radio frequency radiation exposure, this radio must be used in such a way as to guarantee at least 20 cm
between the antenna and users. Greater distances are required for high-gain antennas. The FCC requires a
minimum distance of 1 mW *cm2 power density from the user (or 20 cm, whichever is greater).
If a specific application requires proximity of less than 20 cm, the application must be approved through the FCC for
compliance to part 2.1093.
Agency Approvals and Certifications
Wireless Approvals
Visit our web site at www.prosoft-technology.com for current wireless approval information.
Hazardous Locations
ANSI/ISA 12.12.01 Groups A, B, C, D
UL/cUL C22.2 No. 213-M1987
ATEX EN60079-0 and EN60079-15
Ordinary Locations
CSA/CB EN60950 N. America & W. Europe
FCC/IC Part 15, Class A and ICES-003
ETSI ETSI EN300 328 and ETSI EN301 893
CSA C22.2 213-M1987 and N. American Standard ANSI/ISA 12.12.01 listing
In accordance with Canadian Standard CSA C22.2 213-M1987 and ANSI Standard ISA 12.12.01, the RLXIB-IHN
radios have been UL listed for operation in Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, and D Locations.
THIS EQUIPMENT IS SUITABLE FOR USE IN CLASS I, DIVISION 2, GROUPS A, B, C, AND D, HAZARDOUS
LOCATIONS ONLY IF INSTALLED IN AN APPROVED ENCLOSURE AND POWERED BY A CLASS 2 POWER
SUPPLY.”Limited Power Source”.
WARNING: EXPLOSION HAZARD! SUBSTITUTION OF ANY COMPONENTS MAY IMPAIR SUITABILITY FOR
CLASS I, DIVISION 2.
WARNING – EXPLOSION HAZARD – Do not disconnect equipment unless power has been removed or the area is
known to be non-hazardous.
AVERRTISSEMENT - RISQUE D'EXPLOSION - LA SUBSTITUTION DE COMPOSANTS PEUT RENDRE CE
MATERIEL INACCEPTABLE POUR LES EMPLACEMENTS DE CLASSE I, DIVISION 2.
WARNING: EXPLOSION HAZARD! DO NOT DISCONNECT EQUIPMENT UNLESS POWER HAS BEEN
SWITCHED OFF OR THE AREA IS KNOWN TO BE NON HAZARDOUS.
AVERRTISSEMENT - RISQUE D'EXPLOSION - AVANT DE DECONNECTER L'EQUIPEMENT, COUPER LE
COURANT OU S'ASSURER QUE L'EMPLACEMENT EST DESIGNE NON DANGERUEX.
This radio has been designed to operate with the Omnidirectional Multi-Band Articulating Antenna, model A2502SOA and having a maximum gain of 3dBi @ 2.4GHz and 4dBi @ 5.0GHz. Antennas not listed herein having a gain
greater than that listed are strictly prohibited. The required antenna impedance is 50ohms nominal. This statement is
in accordance with RSS-Gen Section 7.1.4.
The following label is applied to the radio to indicate that it is listed under ANSI/ISA standard 12.12.01 and CSA
standard C22.2 213-M1987.
Conforms to ANSI/ISA Std. 12.12.01 – Certified to CSA Std. C22.2 No. 213-M1987
Class I Division 2 10-24 Volts DC 6 Watts
48 Volts DC using the PoE Injector
Groups A, B, C & D
Max. Ambient: 60ºC
A TEX Approval
II 3 G
Ex nA nL IIC X
-30° C <= Ta <= 60° C
ProSoft Technology, Inc., Bakersfield, CA USA
Model: RLXIB
S/N: XXXXXXXXXX
Caution: Read instructions before operating in Hazardous Areas
N. America
All RLXIB 802.11n radios must be installed inside an IP54 enclosure which requires a special tool for access; except
the RLXIB-IH2N-W, which is made so that no special enclosure is required for this specific model.
Explosive Atmosphere
Power, Input, and Output (I/O) wiring must be in accordance with the authority having jurisdiction
A Warning – Explosion Hazard – Do not make or break connections in an explosive atmosphere.
B Caution – Use only approved recommended power supply.
C Warning - Power supply should be installed in a non-hazardous area.
D Warning – DO NOT OPEN WHEN ENERGIZED.
E These products are intended to be mounted in an IP54 enclosure. The devices shall provide external means to
prevent the rated voltage being exceeded by transient disturbances of more than 40%. This device must be used
only with ATEX certified backplanes.
United States FCC & Industry Canada rules
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: The device
may not cause harmful interference, and it must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
European CE certification
The radio modem has been approved for operation under the RTT&E directive, passing the following tests: ETS300826 (EMC), ETS300-328 (Functionality), and EN60950 (Safety).
The following is the appropriate label that is applied to the radio modem product line to indicate the unit is approved
to operate with CE certification:
The following is the appropriate label that is applied to the radio modem product line shipping package to indicate the
unit is approved to operate with CE certification:
AUS B DK FIN
F D GR IRE
I LUX NL P
E S UK
Note: Member states in the EU with restrictive use for this device are crossed out. This device is also authorized for
use in all EFTA member states (CH, ICE, LI, and NOR).
EU Requirements
1. For outdoor use, France has a frequency restriction of 2.4 GHz to 2.454 GHz for an output power greater than 10
mW and below 100 mW.
2. For outdoor use in France, the output power is restricted to 10 mW in the frequency range of 2.454 GHz to 2.4835
GHz.
3. 5.15 GHz to 5.35 GHz is restricted to 200 mW EIRP throughout the European Union.
Power Supply and Accessories Warning
The certifications listed in this document apply to only the radio mentioned herein. These certifications do not extend
to any other items, including accessories or any external means of supplying power to the radio. Accessories and
power supplies shipped with the radio have not been tested and are not covered by these certifications. Any noncertified items added to the radio, including any means of supplying power, must be located in an area known to be
non-hazardous. All wiring to and from the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) injector supplied with the radio must be routed
and installed inside the building or plant and never routed or installed outside of the building or plant.
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Contents
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Contents
Your Feedback Please........................................................................................................................ 2
How to Contact Us ..............................................................................................................................2
ProSoft Technology® Product Documentation.................................................................................... 2
Important Safety Information...............................................................................................................3
Antenna spacing requirements for user safety ................................................................................... 4
Agency Approvals and Certifications ..................................................................................................4
CSA C22.2 213-M1987 and N. American Standard ANSI/ISA 12.12.01 listing .................................5
ATEX Approval ...................................................................................................................................5
United States FCC & Industry Canada rules ...................................................................................... 6
European CE certification ................................................................................................................... 7
EU Requirements................................................................................................................................ 7
Power Supply and Accessories Warning............................................................................................7
1 Start Here 13
1.1 About the RadioLinx® RLXIB-IHN ...........................................................................14
1.1.1 Radio Specifications................................................................................................ 15
1.1.2 Agency Approvals & Certifications .......................................................................... 16
1.2 Package Contents ................................................................................................... 17
1.3 System Requirements ............................................................................................. 18
1.4 Install the WirelessN Discovery Tool....................................................................... 19
1.5 Install ProSoft Wireless Designer............................................................................ 20
1.6 Planning the Network .............................................................................................. 21
1.6.1 Installation Questions.............................................................................................. 22
1.6.2 ProSoft Wireless Designer ......................................................................................22
1.6.3 Planning the Physical Installation............................................................................23
1.7 Configuring the Radios............................................................................................ 24
1.7.1 Personality Module.................................................................................................. 25
1.7.2 Start WirelessN Discovery Tool ..............................................................................25
1.7.3 Plug In the Cables................................................................................................... 26
1.7.4 Detecting the Radio................................................................................................. 27
1.7.5 Assign an IP Address.............................................................................................. 28
1.7.6 Set up the Master Radio..........................................................................................29
1.7.7 Save the Radio Configuration ................................................................................. 32
1.7.8 Set the Date and Time ............................................................................................32
1.7.9 Set up a Repeater ...................................................................................................33
1.7.10 Set up a Client......................................................................................................... 35
1.8 Verify Communication ............................................................................................. 36
2 Installing the Radios 37
2.1 Connecting antennas ..............................................................................................39
2.1.1 Using Multiple Antennas (MIMO) ............................................................................ 39
2.2 Test the Network Installation Plan........................................................................... 40
3 Diagnostics and Troubleshooting 41
3.1 Diagnostics.............................................................................................................. 42
3.2 Check the Ethernet cable........................................................................................ 43
3.3 LED display ............................................................................................................. 44
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 9 of 171
May 23, 2011
Contents RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
3.4 Retrieve the Default Password ............................................................................... 45
3.5 Troubleshoot missing radios................................................................................... 46
3.6 Improve signal quality ............................................................................................. 47
3.6.1 Understanding Signal to Noise Ratio...................................................................... 47
4 RadioLinx Configuration Manager 49
4.1 Login ....................................................................................................................... 52
4.1.1 Login User Name and Password............................................................................ 52
4.1.2 Session Timeout ..................................................................................................... 52
4.2 Configuration........................................................................................................... 53
4.2.1 Overall..................................................................................................................... 53
4.2.2 Radio 1.................................................................................................................... 55
4.2.3 IPv6 Configuration .................................................................................................. 58
4.2.4 Radio Configuration ................................................................................................ 59
4.2.5 Security Configuration ............................................................................................ 61
4.2.6 Parent Selection ..................................................................................................... 64
4.2.7 RSTP Configuration................................................................................................ 68
4.2.8 VLAN Configuration ................................................................................................ 72
4.2.9 IGMP / Multicast Configuration............................................................................... 78
4.2.10 Access Configuration .............................................................................................. 80
4.2.11 SNMP Configuration ............................................................................................... 81
4.3 Diagnostics ............................................................................................................. 86
4.3.1 Radio Status ........................................................................................................... 86
4.3.2 Address Table......................................................................................................... 87
4.3.3 Statistics.................................................................................................................. 87
4.3.4 Child Links .............................................................................................................. 88
4.3.5 802.11 Traffic.......................................................................................................... 89
4.3.6 Tools ....................................................................................................................... 90
4.4 Utilities .................................................................................................................... 93
4.4.1 Saving and Restoring Settings ............................................................................... 93
4.4.2 Factory Reset.......................................................................................................... 96
4.4.3 Rebooting the Radio ............................................................................................... 99
4.4.4 Upload................................................................................................................... 100
4.4.5 View Event Logs ................................................................................................... 105
4.4.6 Logs Settings ........................................................................................................ 105
5 WirelessN Discovery Tool 107
5.1 View the List of Detected Radios.......................................................................... 108
5.2 View Radio Network Diagram(s)........................................................................... 109
5.3 Configure Radios .................................................................................................. 110
5.4 Scan the Network ................................................................................................. 111
5.5 Save and Load Snapshots.................................................................................... 112
5.6 Event Log.............................................................................................................. 113
5.7 Firewall Requirements .......................................................................................... 114
5.8 Radio List .............................................................................................................. 115
5.9 Topology View ...................................................................................................... 116
5.9.1 Display tools.......................................................................................................... 118
5.9.2 View Radio Details................................................................................................ 119
5.9.3 Download Radio Settings ..................................................................................... 119
5.9.4 Upload Radio Settings .......................................................................................... 120
5.9.5 Upgrade Radio Firmware...................................................................................... 120
Page 10 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Contents
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
5.9.6 Right click Context Menu.......................................................................................121
5.10 Radio Detailed View.............................................................................................. 122
5.10.1 Summary ............................................................................................................... 122
5.10.2 Radio # .................................................................................................................. 124
5.10.3 Ethernet Devices ...................................................................................................126
5.10.4 Bridges ..................................................................................................................127
5.11 Discovery Tool Menus and Toolbars..................................................................... 128
5.11.1 File Menu...............................................................................................................128
5.11.2 Scan Menu ............................................................................................................128
5.11.3 View Menu.............................................................................................................129
5.11.4 Help Menu ............................................................................................................. 130
5.11.5 Toolbars................................................................................................................. 130
6 Reference 133
6.1 Product Overview ..................................................................................................134
6.2 Radio hardware ..................................................................................................... 136
6.2.1 Radio Power Requirements .................................................................................. 136
6.2.2 Ethernet Cable Specifications ...............................................................................137
6.2.3 Ethernet Cable Configuration................................................................................137
6.3 Antennas ...............................................................................................................138
6.3.1 Antenna Pattern ....................................................................................................138
6.3.2 Antenna Gain ........................................................................................................139
6.3.3 Antenna Polarity.................................................................................................... 139
6.3.4 Whip antennas ......................................................................................................140
6.3.5 Collinear array antennas .......................................................................................140
6.3.6 Yagi Array Antenna ...............................................................................................141
6.3.7 Parabolic reflector antennas .................................................................................142
6.3.8 Antenna location, spacing, and mounting .............................................................143
7 Support, Service & Warranty 145
Contacting Technical Support......................................................................................................... 145
7.1 Return Material Authorization (RMA) Policies and Conditions..............................147
7.1.1 Returning Any Product ..........................................................................................147
7.1.2 Returning Units Under Warranty ...........................................................................148
7.1.3 Returning Units Out of Warranty ...........................................................................148
7.2 LIMITED WARRANTY...........................................................................................149
7.2.1 What Is Covered By This Warranty.......................................................................149
7.2.2 What Is Not Covered By This Warranty ................................................................ 150
7.2.3 Disclaimer Regarding High Risk Activities ............................................................150
7.2.4 Intellectual Property Indemnity..............................................................................151
7.2.5 Disclaimer of all Other Warranties ........................................................................151
7.2.6 Limitation of Remedies **...................................................................................... 152
7.2.7 Time Limit for Bringing Suit ...................................................................................152
7.2.8 No Other Warranties .............................................................................................152
7.2.9 Allocation of Risks................................................................................................. 152
7.2.10 Controlling Law and Severability........................................................................... 153
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 11 of 171
May 23, 2011
Contents RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Glossary of Terms 155
Index 169
Page 12 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1 Start Here
In This Chapter
About the RadioLinx® RLXIB-IHN.......................................................... 14
Package Contents ................................................................................. 17
System Requirements ........................................................................... 18
Install the WirelessN Discovery Tool ..................................................... 19
Install ProSoft Wireless Designer ..........................................................20
Planning the Network ............................................................................21
Configuring the Radios .......................................................................... 24
Verify Communication ...........................................................................36
For most applications, the installation and configuration steps described in the
following topics will work without additional programming. ProSoft Technology
strongly recommends that you complete the steps in this chapter before
developing a custom application.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 13 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.1 About the RadioLinx® RLXIB-IHN
The RadioLinx 802.11n Industrial Hotspot series provides enterprise-class
technology, optimized for rugged industrial performance and easy deployment in
the field. These 802.11n Hotspots use multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO)
technology supporting up to 3 antennas. This allows fast data rates up to
300Mbps with EtherNet/IP Requested Packet Interval (RPI) times as low as 2
ms. The Dual Radio (RLXIB-IH2N) is a great selection for use as a repeater
maintaining full bandwidth from each radio, repeating traffic without sacrificing
speed.
More than just a new 802.11 technology, the RLXIB-IHN family adds RADIUS
security for centralized management of security policies, VLANs for network
traffic segmentation, and data prioritization while continuing to include the
industrial wireless features that have made previous Industrial Hotspots
successful.
Page 14 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.1.1 Radio Specifications
Frequency Band Frequency Channel
(Varies by country)
Wireless Standards
Transmit Power (Programmable)
*Subject to Regional Regulatory
Limits
Channel data rates (802.11n) MCS0 – MCS15, 1-2 Channels & 1-2 Streams
7 Mbps 15 Mbps MCS0 1 Stream
72 Mbps 150 Mbps MCS7
14 Mbps 30 Mbps MCS8 2 Streams
144 Mbps 300 Mbps
Channel data rates (802.11a/g) 802.11a/g: 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9, 6 Mbps
Receiver Sensitivity (Typical)
Security
2.412 GHz to 2.462 GHz (FCC)
2.412 GHz to 2.472 GHz (ETSI)
5.150 GHz to 5.250 GHz
(FCC/ETSI)
5.250 GHz to 5.350 GHz
(FCC/ETSI)
5.470 GHz to 5.725 GHz
(FCC/ETSI)
5.725 GHz to 5.850 GHz (FCC)
802.11n, 802.11h, 802.11i,
802.11a, 802.11g (Legacy)
22 dBm @ MCS0, MCS8 (802.11an/gn)
17 dBm @ MCS7, MCS15 (802.11an/gn)
22 dBm @ 6 Mbps (802.11a/g)
17 dBm @ 54 Mbps (802.11a/g)
Antenna Impact:
3 Antennas/ MIMO: Use values above
2 Antennas: Subtract 3 dB from values above
1 Antenna: Subtract 5 dB from values above
1 Channel 2 Channels Rate Streams
-92 dBm @ MCS0, MCS8 (802.11an/gn)
-70 dBm @ MCS7, MCS15 (802.11an)
-74 dBm @ MCS7, MCS15 (802.11gn)
-92 dBm @ 6 Mbps (802.11an/gn)
-74 dBm @ 54 Mbps (802.11a)
-78 dBm @ 54 Mbps (802.11g)
WPA2 Enterprise – 802.11i AES w/ RADIUS
WPA2 Personal – 802.11i AES w/ Passphrase
Legacy WPA TKIP, WEP support
MAC ID filter
1-11
1-13
36 - 48
52 - 64
100 - 140
149 - 165
MCS1
5
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 15 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Physical
Enclosure Extruded aluminum with DIN and panel mount
Size
115 x 117 x 45 mm (W x H x D)
4.5 x 4.6 x 1.75 inches
Vibration IEC 60068 2-6 (20g, 3-Axis)
Shock IEC 60068 2-27 (5g, 10 Hz to 150 Hz)
Ethernet Ports
One 10/100 Base-T connector, shielded RJ45
IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3x
Antenna Port (3) RP-SMA connector
Personality Module Industrial SD Memory Module
Weight 1.1 lbs (499 g)
Environmental
Operating Temperature -40°C to +75°C
Humidity Up to 100% RH, with no condensation
External Power
PoE Injector
10 Vdc to 24 Vdc
802.3af PoE Powered Device
Average Power <9W
1.1.2 Agency Approvals & Certifications
Wireless Approvals
Visit our web site at www.prosoft-technology.com for current wireless approval information.
Hazardous Locations
ANSI/ISA 12.12.01 groups A, B, C, D
CSA C22.2 No. 213-M1987
ATEX EN60079-0 and EN60079-15
Ordinary Locations
CSA/CB EN60950 N. America & W. Europe
FCC/IC Part 15, Class A and ICES-03
ETSI ETSI EN300 328 and ETSI EN301 893
Page 16 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.2 Package Contents
The following components are included with your RLXIB-IHN radio, and are all
required for installation and configuration.
Important: Before beginning the installation, please verify that all of the following items are
present.
Qty. Part Name Part Number Part Description
1 RLXIB-IHN Radio RLXIB-IHN Industrial Hotspot
1 Cable 085-1007 6 foot RS232 serial cable
1 Cable RL-CBL025 5 foot Ethernet Straight-Thru Cable (Gray)
1 Antenna A2502S-OA 2 dBi Omni RP-SMA articulating, 2.4/5GHz
1 Power Supply RL-PS005-2
1 ProSoft Solutions CD
If any of these components are missing, please contact ProSoft Technology
Support for replacement parts.
AC Power Adapter, 12V1.25A w/2 pin & 4
plug Set
Contains sample programs, utilities and
documentation for the RLXIB-IHN module.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 17 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.3 System Requirements
The RadioLinx WirelessN Discovery Tool is designed for the following Microsoft
Windows versions:
Microsoft Windows XP,
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows 2003
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows 7
Minimum hardware requirements are:
Pentium
recommended
Supported operating systems:
o Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 or 2
o Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 1, 2, or 3
o Microsoft Windows Server 2003
o Microsoft Windows Vista
128 Mbytes of RAM minimum, 256 Mbytes of RAM recommended
CD-ROM drive
100 MB available hard drive space
Available RS-232 serial port and null modem cable
256-color VGA graphics adapter, 800 x 600 minimum resolution (True Color
1024 x 768 recommended)
Ethernet hub with standard RJ45 Ethernet cable
or
Ethernet port with RJ45 crossover cable for direct connection to module
A web browser, for example Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox
In addition, you will need
A connection to an existing wired or wireless Ethernet network, with a Static
or Dynamic IP address for your computer
Obtain from your system administrator an IP address, Subnet Mask and
Gateway address for each RadioLinx device you plan to install
®
II 450 MHz minimum. Pentium III 733 MHz (or better)
Page 18 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.4 Install the WirelessN Discovery Tool
1 Insert the ProSoft Solutions CD in your CD-ROM drive. On most computers,
a menu screen will open automatically. If you do not see a menu within a few
seconds, follow these steps:
a Click the Start button, and then choose Run.
b In the Run dialog box, click the Browse button.
c In the Browse dialog box, click "My Computer". In the list of drives,
choose the CD-ROM drive where you inserted the ProSoft Solutions CD.
d Select the file prosoft.exe, and then click Open.
e On the Run dialog box, click OK.
2 On the CD-ROM menu, select W
opens the Setup Wizard for WirelessN Discovery Tool.
3 Follow the instructions on the installation wizard to install the program with its
default location and settings.
4 When the installation finishes, you may be prompted to restart your computer
if certain files were in use during installation. The updated files will be
installed during the restart process.
IRELESSN DISCOVERY TOOL. This action
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 19 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.5 Install ProSoft Wireless Designer
1 On the CD-ROM, navigate to the folder containing ProSoft Wireless
Designer, and then double-click the file S
installation wizard.
2 Follow the instructions on the installation wizard to install the program.
3 Click FINISH to complete the installation. If you are prompted to restart your
computer, save your work in any applications that are running, close the
applications, and allow the computer to restart.
ETUP.EXE. This action starts the
Page 20 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.6 Planning the Network
Before you configure and install the network, you should create a plan for it. The
following points assume that you are creating a bridge network of a master and
repeaters, as needed, to work with devices on existing wireless LANs.
The simplest way to design the physical network of radios, antennas, connectors,
cables, amplifiers and other accessories, is to use ProSoft Wireless Designer
(page 22). This application determines your hardware needs based on your
answers to a few questions, and then generates a Bill of Materials specifying all
the components you will need for your installation.
To begin, determine where you need radios and then choose locations for
them accordingly. For example, you might decide to install your master radio
near a PC in a central plant location (You can use the PC to configure the
radios through the RadioLinx Configuration Manager). If the plant is an oil
refinery, for example, you might decide to install radios near the oil tanks.
The next important issue is how to link the radios. Unless the radios are very
close together, you must make sure that each pair of radio antennas in the
network has a line of sight between them. In other words, you must be able to
see from one antenna to another, either with the naked eye, or with
binoculars.
If a line of sight does not exist between antennas, you must choose a site for
installing a repeater radio, which will create a bridge between the radio
antennas.
Choose the appropriate antennas for the network. If an antenna will be
connected to the radio by a long cable, you might need to purchase a power
amplifier, which is available from ProSoft Technology. The more distance
between an antenna and its radio, the more signal loss the radio will have.
For more information, see Antennas (page 138).
Consider drawing up your network plans on paper. As part of the drawing,
you should assign a logical name to each radio. You can use these names
later when configuring the radios in the RadioLinx Configuration Manager.
As part of your planning, you might want to conduct a site survey. ProSoft
Technology can perform this survey, you can do it yourself, or you can hire a
surveyor.
Protect radios from direct exposure to weather, and provide an adequate,
stable power source. Make sure that your plan complies with the radio’s
power requirements and cable specifications (page 137, page 137).
Important: Radios and antennas must be located at least 8 inches (20 cm) away from personnel.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 21 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.6.1 Installation Questions
Answer the following questions to make your installation easier and to familiarize
yourself with your system and what you want to do.
How many radios in your network?
Master ID
Repeater ID
Client ID
Locations
Is there a Line of Sight between them?
Selected the appropriate antennas for
your network?
1.6.2 ProSoft Wireless Designer
ProSoft Wireless Designer simplifies the task of specifying a ProSoft Wireless
installation, and provides a variety of views containing an accurate description of
each site in a wireless network, including:
Visual diagram of site layout
Location (latitude/longitude, based on GPS coordinates)
Radio type, frequency range, and country-specific channel and power
requirements
Length, type and estimated signal loss for cables
Required accessories, including lightning protection, cable adaptors and
antennas
Complete parts list
Use ProSoft Wireless Designer when conducting a site audit for a customer, and
then provide the customer with a complete list of components and a detailed
description for each site and link. Customers can use this information to
understand and visualize their network, and provide necessary information for
technical support and maintenance.
Functional Specifications:
Contains a database of all currently available RadioLinx radios, antennas,
cables, connectors and accessories
Exports Parts List, Site and Link Details, and Wizard settings into a variety of
common file formats, for import into applications such as spreadsheets,
databases and word processors
Checks wireless link feasibility based on path length and recommended
accessories
Predicts signal strength based on distance, local regulations and hardware
choices
Page 22 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Fully documents your ProSoft Wireless network plan
1.6.3 Planning the Physical Installation
A network's performance is affected by attributes specific to the installation site.
Consider the following cautions, where possible, to optimize your network
installation:
Design the network to use less than 2048 radios (per network)
Place radios within the specified 15 miles of each other
Add repeater to extend distance or where line of sight is limited
Radios or antennas CANNOT be placed within 8 inches (20 cm) of where
people will be
Though radio frequency communication is reliable, sometimes its performance
can be affected by intangibles. A good network installation plan includes time
and resources for performance testing and installation changes.
Test the installation plan (page 40) before the network installation is complete.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 23 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.7 Configuring the Radios
To configure the network radios, follow these steps.
Use the WirelessN Discovery Tool to display all radios on the network, and then
use a Web browser or SNMP manager to view and change radio settings. The
radio package includes the program CD, power supply, Ethernet cable, and,
sometimes, a small antenna. You must install the antenna later, but it is not
needed to get started.
To configure the radios in a network
1 Start the WirelessN Discovery Tool configuration application (page 25).
The PC must have a wired or wireless Ethernet connection configured with a
static or dynamic IP address.
2 Plug in the power cable and Ethernet cable to the RLXIB-IHN radio, wait
about a minute for the radio to power up, and then examine the radio's LED
display to make sure the radio is working properly (page 44).
3 Assign an IP address: Right-click the radio listing in the WirelessN Discovery
Tool, and then choose A
from the list, and then click OK.
4 Double-click the radio listing again in the WirelessN Discovery Tool to open
the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility in your web browser. Enter
"admin" for the user name, and "password" for the password (lower case, no
quotes) in the next window, and then click A
When you have finished the initial configuration, you should change the
Administrator password to prevent unauthorized access to the radio
configuration (page 80).
5 Set up the master radio (page 29) first, using the R
the RadioLinx Configuration Manager.
6 Click A
PPLY to save the master radio settings.
To cancel the settings and start over, click the C
7 Unplug the Ethernet cable from the radio and plug it into the next radio to be
configured.
8 Set up a Repeater (page 33). Return to the WirelessN Discovery Tool. To be
sure that you are seeing the latest status of the radio(s), go to the toolbar
(page 130) and click the C
(magnifying glass). Double-click the listing of the next radio to configure, and
configure it as a repeater radio.
9 Save the Radio Configuration. Save the repeater radio settings by clicking
A
PPLY at the bottom of the Radio Settings screen. Repeat steps 7 through 9
to configure each repeater in the network.
10 After configuring the network and its radios, physically label each radio.
Labeling eliminates confusion about which radios correspond with which
radio configurations in the software. You should identify the radio's name,
network SSID, and IP address, if set.
11 Install the radios and antennas.
The rest of this section describes each of these steps in more detail.
Page 24 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
SSIGN IP. In the next window, select an IP address
PPLY.
ADIO SETTINGS window in
LEAR button.
LEAR icon (eraser) followed by the SCAN icon
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.7.1 Personality Module
The radio comes equipped with a Personality Module. The Personality Module
feature consists of an SD card and the radio’s capability to read and write
configuration information to that card. The Personality Module can be used for
disaster recovery for a failed radio site to bring it back into operation.
In the event of a failure, the SD card can be removed from a the radio that is no
longer operational and inserted into a new radio. When booted, that new radio
will take on the setting from the Personality Module, bringing the site back into
operational status without the difficulty of reprogramming all the necessary
settings manually. This will increase the uptime of the network.
When a radio is configured with a Personality Module , the radio writes the new
configuration to the Personality Module when those settings are applied. The
radio accesses the Personality Module on bootup, if present, and writes those
settings to its internal flash. The radio is able to function normally with or without
a Personality Module installed
1.7.2 Start WirelessN Discovery Tool
1 Click the START button, and then navigate to PROGRAMS / PROSOFT
TECHNOLOGY
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 25 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
2 Click to start RADIOLINX WIRELESSN DISCOVERY TOOL.
The window lists all the radios your computer can access. The MAC ID number is
essentially the serial number of the radio; this number is also printed on the side
of the radio. If a radio listing does not appear in the window, click the S
button. If you still do not see a radio listing, see Troubleshooting (page 46).
CAN
1.7.3 Plug In the Cables
You can configure the RLXIB-IHN using the Ethernet port on the radio. On the
underside are three ports: Ethernet, Serial, and Power (10 to 24 VDC).
From left to right: Power connector, Serial port, and Ethernet port.
Use the Ethernet cable to configure the radio for the first time.
Note: After you plug in the power cable and Ethernet cable, the radio performs a startup procedure
that includes a self-test, loading the main program, and initializing the radio. The front panel Power
LED will turn Amber immediately after power has been applied. When the radio has finished the
startup procedure, the power LED will turn Green.
Page 26 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
After the startup procedure has completed successfully, the Power LED should
be green, meaning that the radio has power. The Ethernet LED should also be
green, meaning that the Ethernet connection is working. The RF Transmit and
RF Receive LEDs should blink.
For information on making connections, see Radio Power Requirements and
Cable Specifications (page 137, page 137).
1.7.4 Detecting the Radio
After the radio has completed its startup procedure, the radio will appear in the
WirelessN Discovery Tool window.
The window lists all the radios your computer can access. The MAC ID number is
essentially the serial number of the radio; this number is also printed on the side
of the radio. If a radio listing does not appear in the window, click the S
CAN
button on the toolbar. If you still do not see a radio listing, refer to Diagnostics
and Troubleshooting (page 41) in the RLXIB-IHN User Manual.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 27 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.7.5 Assign an IP Address
You need the IP address to log into the RadioLinx Configuration Manager and
configure the radio settings. If the radio is connected to a network with a DHCP
server, the radio may already have an IP address assigned to it.
If a DHCP server is not available, or if you prefer to assign a static IP address,
you can enter an IP address here.
To assign an IP Address
1 In WirelessN Discovery Tool, click to select the radio.
Tip: If a radio listing does not appear in the window, click the Scan button on the toolbar. If you still
do not see a radio listing, refer to Diagnostics and Troubleshooting (page 41).
2 Right-click on the radio to open a shortcut menu, and then choose A
This action opens the Assign IP Address dialog box.
SSIGN IP.
3 Select one of the unused IP addresses, and then click OK.
Tip: You must also assign a Gateway address. The Gateway assigned to your PC’s Ethernet port
is offered as a suggestion. If your PC does not have a Gateway setting, the Gateway field in the
Assign IP Address dialog will be blank. You will need to enter a Gateway before clicking OK.
For information, see Radio Access settings (page 80).
Page 28 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.7.6 Set up the Master Radio
To configure the radio, double click on the radio (Radio1) in the WirelessN
Discovery Tool window. This action opens a web browser (for example Microsoft
Internet Explorer or Firefox) and loads the Radio’s web configuration interface.
Administrator login
With administrative privileges, you can view or modify the configuration of the
access point.
Enter the user name in lower case, no quotes.
The default administrator user name is "admin"
The default password is "password"
The user name and password are case sensitive
Guest login
With guest privileges, you can view the existing configuration, but you cannot
make changes.
Enter the user name in lower case, no quotes.
The default guest user name is "guest".
The default password is "password".
Important: You should change the default user names and passwords, write down the settings,
and keep a copy in a safe place, to protect the radio from being reconfigured or viewed by
unauthorized users.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 29 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Note: The master is the "root" or central radio in a network. You must have at least one master
radio per network. For redundancy, you can assign more than one master to a network.
Page 30 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
To configure a Master radio, make the following changes to the web
configuration form:
Overall Settings
Unit Name: Enter a unique name for the radio.
Obtain IP Address by: If a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) server is
configured on your local area network, the DHCP server can assign IP
addresses automatically.
If you prefer to assign a Static (Fixed) IP address, select S
TATIC, and then
enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway in the Overall area
of the Radio web configuration form.
Important: If you intend to assign IP addresses manually, you must not duplicate an IP address
that is already in use on your network. If you are not sure what IP addresses are available, ask
your network administrator for assistance.
Select M
ASTER as the radio mode.
SSID: Assign a network name (SSID) of up to 32 characters. The radio uses
this name in all network references. All radios in a network must have the
same SSID.
Channel Selection: Choose the channel selection mode.
Network channels allow radios to avoid sharing a frequency with other
networks in the same location. For most applications, you should choose a
specific channel number. If you choose A
UTO, the radio will scan available
channels, and will select a channel that appears to have little traffic.
Important: The RLXIB-IHN radio is supplied with a dual-band antenna that supports both
frequency ranges. If you use a different antenna with the RLXIB-IHN radio, you must choose a
channel and frequency range supported by the antenna.
Security: Encryption scrambles data so that only intended viewers can
decipher and understand it. Although "none" is an available encryption type,
ProSoft Technology strongly recommends encrypting all data sent and
received from every radio on your network with WPA2, to help prevent your
data from being intercepted and decoded.
WPA/WPA2 Key: To use AES encryption on packets sent between the
radios, select WPA2 - P
ERSONAL in the Encryption Type field. Next, in the
WPA phrase field, enter a pass phrase of between eight and 63 normal
keyboard characters. This phrase automatically generates an encryption key
of 128 hexadecimal characters. The default pass phrase is "passphrase"
(lower case, no quotes). For more information on encryption, see Security
settings (page 61).
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 31 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Because you must assign the same Network SSID and WPA phrase to the
repeater radios later in this procedure, you should write down the settings.
Note: Network SSID and WPA key are both case-sensitive.
Network SSID:_________________
WPA phrase:__________________
1.7.7 Save the Radio Configuration
Before browsing to other pages in the Radio Configuration window, you must
apply your changes. Click A
Note: To discard your changes and start over, click CLEAR.
PPLY to save your configuration and restart the radio.
1.7.8 Set the Date and Time
The radio has a real time clock (RTC) used to keep time. Accurate system time is
useful for logging, and is required as part of certificate validity confirmation;
expired certificates cannot be used in 802.1X authentication.
To set the date and time, click the U
Enter the date and time in the System Time box, and then click A
TILITIES button, and then click UPLOAD.
PPLY to save.
Page 32 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.7.9 Set up a Repeater
To configure a radio as a Repeater, make the following changes to the web
configuration form:
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 33 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Radio Network Settings
Unit Name: Enter a unique name for the radio.
Obtain IP Address by: If a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) server is
configured on your local area network, the DHCP server can assign IP
addresses automatically.
If you prefer to assign a Static (Fixed) IP address, select S
TATIC, and then
enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway in the Overall area
of the Radio web configuration form.
Important: If you intend to assign IP addresses manually, you must not duplicate an IP address
that is already in use on your network. If you are not sure what IP addresses are available, ask
your network administrator for assistance.
Select R
EPEATER as the radio mode.
SSID: Enter the SSID you configured for the Master radio. All radios in a
network must have the same SSID.
Security: Encryption scrambles data so that only intended viewers can
decipher and understand it. Choose the same encryption type you configured
for the Master radio.
WPA/WPA2 Key: Enter the pass phrase you configured for the Master radio.
Important: The Network SSID and WPA phrase are case sensitive. Use exactly the same
combination of upper case and lower case letters you entered for the Master radio, otherwise the
Repeater radio will not be able to connect to the Master radio.
By default, a repeater connects automatically to the best available parent radio
on the network. If necessary, however, you can click the Parent Link button and
specify how repeater radios connect to the network. See Parent Link settings
(page 64) for information.
Page 34 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Start Here
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
1.7.10 Set up a Client
Client mode is a special mode in the radio that allows a user to connect an
Ethernet device to a wireless network through any 802.11n access point. Any
Ethernet device that has an RJ45 Ethernet port can, in effect, be transformed into
an 802.11n wireless client by attaching the radio. Only a single device can be
connected to the radio in client mode. Do not connect to more than one Ethernet
device (using a switch or hub).
You only use client mode if you need to connect to another brand 802.11n
access point. If you are using RLXIB-IHN radios, you should always use them as
repeaters (and masters).
To connect a device to a radio in client mode, click the Client button for the radio
and try programming the radio’s client mode using the Auto setting. To test
whether the Auto setting will work:
1 Connect the cable between the device and the radio.
2 Turn ON the radio power, or cycle the power if the radio is already on.
3 Turn ON the device. Watch the radio to see if it initializes. The Auto setting
will work if the device advertises its MAC ID to the radio.
If the radio’s RF LEDs do not show consistent activity after a few minutes, then
you may need to modify the radio’s client settings. Click the Specify radio button,
determine the MAC ID of the Ethernet device, and type the ID into the Client
MAC field.
Client devices are identified in the R
OLE column in the WirelessN Discovery Tool.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 35 of 171
May 23, 2011
Start Here RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
1.8 Verify Communication
When configured, the Roles column identifies each radio as a Master, Repeater,
or Client.
Observe the LEDs to ensure good link quality, as explained in LED display (page
44).
Page 36 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Installing the Radios
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
2 Installing the Radios
If possible, you should configure all the radios side by side in an office setting
and make sure they link before you install them in the field. If feasible, it would be
even better if you could set up the entire system in the office and make sure your
equipment communicates properly through the radio network.
Important: If the radios are close enough to each other that their received signal strength is
greater than -40dBm, performance may be degraded. Disconnect antennas from radios during
bench testing, or move the radios further apart from each other.
Tip: To make it easier to physically identify the radios you are configuring, apply a label to each
radio indicating the radio name and IP address.
After you have configured each radio using WirelessN Discovery Tool and the
web configuration form, you can install the radios and test their performance.
Install the radios in their proposed permanent locations, and then temporarily
place each radio’s antenna near its proposed mounting location. The temporary
placement of the antenna can be by hand; however, with this testing method, one
person must hold the antenna while another monitors the radio’s signal strength.
To see how a radio is linked in the network, make sure that the radio is
connected to a PC, and then select T
WirelessN Discovery Tool.
OPOLOGY VIEW from the View menu in the
The Topology view shows a diagram of the network’s wireless connections. Use
this view to see whether all the radios are linked, and that you approve of the
way the radios are linked.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 37 of 171
May 23, 2011
Installing the Radios RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Devices connected to the wireless network are identified by an arrow. The arrow
points from the child radio (supplicant) to the parent radio. To view available
alternate parents, right-click on the network diagram to open the context menu,
and then select S
HOW ALTERNATE PARENTS. A dashed green line indicates
eligible potential parents in the network. To change how radios link to the
network, see Parent Link settings (page 64).
Refer to Improve Signal Quality (page 47) for more information on overcoming
poor connectivity.
Page 38 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Installing the Radios
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
2.1 Connecting antennas
Each radio must have an antenna connected to the Main antenna port on the
RLXIB radio; without an antenna for each radio, the network will not function.
All antennas for radios that communicate directly with each other should be
mounted so they have the same antenna polarity. Small antennas with a reversepolarity SMA connector can be mounted directly on the radio. Screw the antenna
onto the antenna port connector until it is snug.
Larger antennas and antennas that do not have a reverse-gender SMA
connector must be mounted separately and connected to the radio using a
coaxial antenna cable. Because the antenna cable attenuates the RF signal, use
an antenna cable length that is no longer than necessary to ensure optimum
performance.
Important: If the radio is to be used in a hazardous location, the radio must be mounted in an
enclosure approved for hazardous locations. The radio requires a separate cable connection to the
SMA connector that leads to an internal antenna.
2.1.1 Using Multiple Antennas (MIMO)
802.11n radios can use up to 3 antennas at a time. MIMO antennas contain three
antennas within a single enclosure, providing three antenna connections to the
radio. You can use these antennas for several purposes depending on the
configuration.
You can use multiple antennas to:
send more data simultaneously (streams)
1 Antenna 2 Antennas 3 Antennas
1 Stream 1 Antenna - Stream 1 2 Antenna - Stream 1 3 Antenna - Stream 1
2 Streams N/A 1 Antenna - Stream 1
improve the ability of the radio to receive weak signals, therefore giving better
range.
1 Antenna 2 Antennas 3 Antennas
17dBm 20dBm 22dBm
1 Antenna - Stream 2
1 Antenna - Stream 1
2 Antenna - Stream 2
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 39 of 171
May 23, 2011
Installing the Radios RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
2.2 Test the Network Installation Plan
Test proposed installations before finalizing the installation.
After you have configured the network and the radios:
install the Master radio in its proposed permanent location
cable the Configuration PC to the Master radio
place the Remote radios in their proposed locations
temporarily place each radio's antenna near its proposed mounting location.
The temporary placement of the antenna can be by hand, however, with this
testing method, one person must hold the antenna while another monitors the
Remote radio's signal strength as displayed on the Configuration PC.
To improve the signal quality of each Remote's communication:
increase the height of the antenna's placement
use higher-gain antennas
increase the radio's transmission power, cable the radio to the Configuration
PC, and reconfigure it
select a new location for the Remote radio and/or its antenna
decrease the length of antenna cable
determine and resolve sources of "electrical" noise which may be interfering
with the radio transmission
add a repeater between the radios that are not communicating, or reconfigure
an existing radio as a repeater if line of sight is available
Page 40 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
3 Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
In This Chapter
Diagnostics............................................................................................ 42
Check the Ethernet cable ...................................................................... 43
LED display ...........................................................................................44
Retrieve the Default Password ..............................................................45
Troubleshoot missing radios.................................................................. 46
Improve signal quality............................................................................ 47
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 41 of 171
May 23, 2011
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
3.1 Diagnostics
The Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility (the web configuration form for the
radio) provides information that can help you troubleshoot problems with the
radio.
Use the program’s diagnostic and signal strength settings in the Main
Configuration window to make sure the network is working properly.
RSSI / SNR graph: This setting graphically shows the radio’s signal strength.
Link Status field
Master: The radio is configured as a Master.
Connected: The radio is currently connected to a Parent
Associated: The radio is associated with a Parent, but is not currently
connected
Connecting: The radio is attempting to connect to a Parent
Disconnected: The radio is unable to connect to a Parent
The following configuration forms in the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility
provide information about current radio operation:
Unit Status (page 53)
Radio 1/2 Status (page 86)
Statistics (page 87)
802.11 Traffic (page 89)
Event Logs (page 105)
The following topics describe troubleshooting routines:
Check the Ethernet cable (page 43)
Retrieve the default password (page 45)
Troubleshoot missing radios in the WirelessN Discovery Tool (page 46)
For more troubleshooting information, visit the ProSoft web site at
www.prosoft-technology.com
Page 42 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
3.2 Check the Ethernet cable
If you connect a radio and the Ethernet LED does not light on the radio, there
may be a problem with the Ethernet cable. Verify that the cable is plugged into
the radio at one end, and to an Ethernet hub or a 10/100 Base-T Ethernet switch
at the other end.
Note: The RLXIB-IHN radio auto-detects the Ethernet connection type, and does not require a
crossover cable for direct connection to a PC.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 43 of 171
May 23, 2011
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
3.3 LED display
The RLXIB-IHN front panel includes a set of LEDs that indicate the radio’s status:
LED Description
Power This green LED indicates that the radio has power.
RF Transmit This yellow LED indicates RF transmission.
RF Receive This green LED indicates RF reception.
Serial Reserved for future use.
Ethernet
Signal Strength
If a radio is configured as a master, the middle light of the three Signal Strength
LEDs will always be on, and the bottom Signal Strength LED will always be off.
The top LED on the master will flash if any radios are linked to this master.
After you first plug in the power cable and Ethernet cable to the radio, the
Power/Status LED should be green, meaning that the radio has power. If the
Ethernet LED is green, then the Ethernet connection is working. The RF Transmit
and RF Receive LEDs should blink.
All three LEDs will blink just after the radio links to the Master’s signal but before
it has been fully authenticated. Normally you will see this last only a few seconds.
If it blinks longer, or never turns on, it usually means the encryption keys are not
correct.
If this green LED is on, the Ethernet cable is connected. If this LED is flashing,
an Ethernet packet is being transmitted or received.
If only one of these three LEDs is on, then the radio is linked. If two LEDs are on,
the radio’s signal strength is fair. If all three LEDs are on, the signal strength is
good.
Page 44 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
3.4 Retrieve the Default Password
If you forget your password, you will be unable to change the radio settings. You
can retrieve the default password to use the software again, but you will lose all
the settings you programmed before. To retrieve the default password and return
the radio to its default settings, follow these steps:
1 Turn off power to the radio.
2 Locate the reset hole, located to the left of the power connector.
3 Turn on power to the radio.
4 Insert the end of a paperclip or similar device into the hole, and wait for the
Power LED to turn green.
5 When the Power LED turns green, press and hold the reset button for at least
five seconds.
6 The radio will reload its default settings, including the password. You should
now be able to log in using the default password, which is "password".
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 45 of 171
May 23, 2011
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
3.5 Troubleshoot missing radios
If radios are not visible in the WirelessN Discovery Tool, try the following:
First, click the S
which can be dropped in RF connections, requiring the user to scan again.
Second, disable any software firewall running on your PC (This is most
common in Windows XP and newer). Open the N
folder in your Windows Control Panel, then open the L
CONNECTION PROPERTIES window and verify that the check box under
NTERNET CONNECTION FIREWALL is not checked.
I
If the preceding approaches do not help, the PC running the WirelessN
Discovery Tool and the radios are probably not connected to the same local
network. Verify your connections.
If you are in topological view, any unlinked radios may be at the bottom of the
window. Scroll down to see all radios. If you still cannot see radios with the
WirelessN Discovery Tool, call technical support.
CAN button again. Scans are sent as broadcast messages,
ETWORK CONNECTIONS
OCAL AREA
Page 46 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
3.6 Improve signal quality
If you need to improve a radio’s signal quality, try the following steps:
Adjust the direction of the high-gain antennas.
Increase the height of the antenna’s placement.
Use higher-gain antennas or external preamplifiers.
Select a new location for the radio and/or its antenna.
Decrease the length of the antenna cable.
Determine and resolve sources of interfering electrical noise.
Add a repeater between radios that are not communicating.
3.6.1 Understanding Signal to Noise Ratio
All radio networks experience background "noise", known as Electromagnetic
Interference (EMI), which consists of such things as stray signals from other
radios on the same frequency, or random interference generated by non-radio
devices that "leak" or emanate EMI as a by-product or side effect of their actual
function. There are also natural sources of EMI, including atmospheric
disturbances and sunspots. The "snow" on an unused or distant television
channel, or "static" on a car radio when passing under high voltage power lines,
are two common examples of background noise.
Unwanted noise, or EMI, on a data network can cause data transmission errors,
or stop a radio network from functioning at all. Most modern devices, including
RadioLinx radios, are designed to prevent unwanted emanation of EMI from the
device. Radios are also typically designed to tolerate a certain amount of
interference from other devices, however when the amount of noise reaches a
certain threshold, typically within 10dB of a link's RSSI, the radio may be unable
to distinguish between wanted and unwanted signals.
The Main Diagnostics tab in the RadioLinx Configuration Manager shows the
current Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) in dB. This data can help determine if there
is a signal that is interfering with radio communications. You can use this
diagnostic information during a site survey to check for RF signals already
present in an area, or to detect network issues caused by RF interference.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 47 of 171
May 23, 2011
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Page 48 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4 RadioLinx Configuration Manager
In This Chapter
Login ..................................................................................................... 52
Configuration .........................................................................................53
Diagnostics............................................................................................ 86
Utilities................................................................................................... 93
The RadioLinx Industrial Hotspot radio has a built-in Configuration Manager
(radio web configuration form) that allows you to configure the radio from any
computer that can connect to the radio, through a wired Ethernet connection, or
through a Wireless connection.
You can use a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox on
your network-enabled desktop computer, laptop or Personal Data Assistant
(PDA) to monitor and change the settings within the RadioLinx Industrial Hotspot
radio.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 49 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
To open the RadioLinx Configuration Manager
1 In the WirelessN Discovery Tool, select the radio to configure from the list
view or topography view, and then click the right mouse button to open a
shortcut menu.
2 On the shortcut menu, choose M
ANAGE. The Radio Configuration / Diagnostic
Utility will open in your web browser.
Or,
Double-click the selected radio to launch the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic
Utility.
You can also open the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility directly from your
web browser.
Important: Your desktop computer, laptop, or PDA must be connected to the same network as the
RadioLinx Industrial Hotspot radio.
1 Open your web browser.
2 In the address bar, type "
http://", followed by the IP address for the radio,
and then click the "Go" button. For example,
http://192.168.6.10
Read-Only fields
Some of the fields on the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility form are readonly, meaning that the content of the field is provided for information only, and
cannot be directly modified. Notice also that depending on the way the radio is
configured, some fields and buttons may be unavailable because they do not
affect the configuration you have selected. Review the topics in this section for
more information on when and how to use each configuration option.
Page 50 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Configuration Help
Help is available for each page in the Radio Configuration / Diagnostic Utility.
To view help about the current page, click the
button. This action
opens a help page in a new browser window.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 51 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.1 Login
The login page authenticates users and ensures that only authorized users can
view or modify this device's settings.
4.1.1 Login User Name and Password
The RLXIB-IHN accepts two types of logins:
Administrator
Guest
Administrator login
With administrative privileges, you can view or modify the configuration of the
radio.
Enter the user name in lower case, no quotes to login to the device and view/edit
its configuration.
The default administrator user name is "
The default password is "
The user name and password are case sensitive.
Guest login
With guest privileges, you can view the existing configuration, but not change it.
The default guest user name is "
The default password is "
admin".
password".
guest".
password".
4.1.2 Session Timeout
For extra security, administrators will be logged out of the radio automatically,
after a period of inactivity. The inactivity timeout is five minutes. You can change
the inactivity timeout on the Access Configuration tab (page 80).
Page 52 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.2 Configuration
4.2.1 Overall
The radio's Home Page contains an overview of the radio's configuration and
status. It also contains navigation links (tabs) to other configuration pages.
Note: Different versions of the RLXIB Radios support different functionality. You may see more or
fewer options on this page, depending on the version of the radio you purchased.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 53 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Important: In order to connect to a RLXIB-IHN radio from a web browser or SNMP agent, both
your computer and the radio must have IP addresses, and these IP addresses must be on the
same subnet.
Parameter Description
Unit Name The name of the selected radio.
MAC ID
Unit up time
Firmware
Obtain IP address by
IP Address
IP Subnet Mask Enter the Subnet Mask provided by your Network Administrator.
Gateway IP Address
The MAC address of the selected radio. The MAC ID is also printed on
the side of the radio.
The length of time the radio has operated since the last system powerup, or the last system reset.
The version of firmware currently installed. All radios on the network
must have the same firmware versions installed. For more information
on firmware versions, refer to Update firmware (page 101)
If a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) server is configured on your
local area network, the DHCP server can assign IP addresses
automatically.
If you prefer to assign a Static (Fixed) IP address, select STATIC, and
then enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway in the
Overall area of the Radio web configuration form.
Note: You must assign a static IP address If you are using the radio in
client mode.
If you are using a static IP address for this radio, enter an IP address
that will not interfere with any other devices on the network. Your
network administrator can provide a block of IP addresses you can use.
Enter the Default Gateway address provided by your Network
Administrator.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) is a service provided by a server
(typically a router or a firewall) on a local area network. Devices on a network
that supports DHCP can request and receive an IP address from the DHCP
server. RLXIB radios support DHCP; by default, they attempt to obtain an IP
address from a DHCP server.
If a DHCP server is not available, the radio will not be able to acquire an IP
address automatically, therefore you must assign an IP address, subnet mask
and default gateway to the radio so that it can communicate on the network.
You can also assign a Static (fixed or permanent) IP address to the radio to
make it easier to identify and configure the radio. Static IP addresses are
particularly useful when configuring radios to serve as Access Points, or for
radios that must be accessible through a firewall.
A detailed discussion of TCP/IP networking is beyond the scope of this manual.
Refer to the following Microsoft knowledgebase article for more information:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/164015
Page 54 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.2.2 Radio 1
The following fields appear in the Radio Status area of the Main Configuration
page.
Note: Each Radio's configuration is unique. If the hardware supports two radios, there will be two
instances of the Radio Configuration/Status area, one per radio.
For advanced radio configuration, click the Radio tab (page 59).
Parameter Description
Link Status
Parent The MAC address of the parent radio, if connected
Link Time The amount of time the parent link has been active
RSSI
SNR This is the signal to noise ratio of the parent link.
Current Channel The frequency channel used by the parent link, if connected
11h status
Radar event
Master: The radio is configured as a Master.
Connected: The radio is currently connected to a Parent
Associated: The radio is associated with a Parent, but is not
currently connected
Connecting: The radio is attempting to connect to a Parent
Disconnected: The radio is unable to connect to a Parent
The received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value in dBm from the
parent link; this is a measurement of how strong the connected parent's
signal is as seen by this device.
Select this check box to enable 802.11h dynamic frequency detection
when operating in the 5 GHz band.
If 802.11h is enabled, this field indicates if a radar event has been
detected on the 5 GHz channel in use by the parent link
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 55 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Parameter Description
Mode Choose the mode for this radio in the wireless network
Master (there can be only 1 per wireless network)
Repeater
Client
Use host MAC address
Use this MAC address Select this option to enter a custom MAC address for the device.
SSID
Hide SSID Select this option to prevent broadcast of the SSID.
Channel Selection
Select this option to use the MAC address of the Ethernet device
connected to the client radio, rather than the radio's own MAC address.
Use this setting if devices communicating to the host require a
connection to a specific MAC address.
Note: This setting is only applicable in client mode.
Note: This setting is only applicable in client mode. In all other roles,
the Radio1 MAC address is applied to all traffic from the radio.
Assign a network name (SSID) of up to 32 characters. The radio uses
this name in all network references. All radios in a network must have
the same SSID. SSID names are case-sensitive.
The Master devices in the wireless network define the channel of
operation; this field is not available for repeater or client roles. If
configuring an 802.11n radio, select a channel from the list of 2.4 GHz
or 5 GHz channels or choose "auto" to let system determine the best
channel to use based on the environment noise levels for the available
channels.
Page 56 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Parameter Description
Security
WPA/WPA2 Key
WEP Key
Power Constraint
The RLXIB-IHN supports a variety of consumer and enterprise security,
encryption, and authentication options. The Master device in the
wireless network defines the security. If this RLXIB-IHN radio is a
Repeater or Client mode, you must use the same security settings as
the network defined by the Master. Choose from one of the following
options:
Parameter Description
None
WEP 64 bit
WEP 128 bit
WPA - Personal
WPA - Enterprise
WPA2 - Personal
WPA2 - Enterprise
Enter the alphanumeric password for WPA or WPA2 PSK
authentication. Upstream parents or downstream clients must also be
configured with the same password.
Choose any alphanumeric phrase (longer than 8 characters for optimal
security) that is shared with upstream parents or downstream clients.
This limits the maximum power that the client can use. This parameter
is applicable only for MASTER/REPEATER mode.
Open/no security. Any wireless device can
connect to this AP (subject to an ACL policy).
Select this to use WEP (Wired Equivalent
Privacy) encryption on the data packets. WEP is
not considered secure, and can be easily
broken. Select this only if there are clients that
can only support WEP security. The 64-bit
encryption type is the least strong of WEP
encryption options.
This uses 128 bit-encryption for WEP security.
The larger size WEP keys provide stronger
encryption, thus making the key more difficult to
crack (i.e. 64 WEP has a 40 bit key, which is
less secure than the 128 WEP, which has a 104
bit key).
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is part of the
wireless security standard (802.11i)
standardized by the Wi-Fi Alliance. It supports
TKIP/CCMP encryption (default is TKIP). The
personal authentication is the pre-shared key
(PSK) that is an alphanumeric pass phrase
shared with the wireless peer.
This selection allows you to use WPA with
RADIUS server authentication. The
Configuration > Security pages contain
configuration parameters to enable RADIUS
server authentication.
WPA2 is the implementation of the security
standard specified in final 802.11i. It supports
AES encryption, and uses pre-shared key (PSK)
based authentication.
WPA2 is the implementation of the security
standard specified in final 802.11i. It supports
TKIP/AES encryption (default is AES), and uses
RADIUS server (Enterprise) based
authentication.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 57 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.2.3 IPv6 Configuration
The RLXIB-IHN can operate as an IPv6 host. When this mode is enabled, and
the static IPv6 networking parameters are configured, the management interface
is accessible in an IPv6 network.
To use the RLXIB-IHN in an IPv6 network, select (check) the E
C
ONFIGURATION checkbox.
Enter the following parameters to configure the static IPv6 networking:
Parameter Description
IPv6 Address The static IPv6 address to assign to the RLXIB-IHN Device.
IPv6 Prefix Length
IPv6 Gateway
The IPv6 network (subnet) is identified by the initial bits of the address
called the prefix. All hosts in the network use the same initial bits for
their IPv6 address; the number of common initial bits in the network's
addresses is set by the prefix length field.
Note: If you change the LAN IP address of the device, the browser will
not respond when you 'Apply' changes. You must use the new IP
address to connect to the web management interface of the device.
IPv6 address of the gateway through which the destination host or
network can be reached.
NABLE IPV6
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 58 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.2.4 Radio Configuration
Use the settings in the Radio Configuration tab to configure advanced settings for
the radio. Here you can define the wireless link rate of the radio's connection to
parents or children, and set 802.11 channels, power levels, and bands to use for
the link.
Parameter Description
Channel Selection
Channel Width
Tx antennas
Basic Rate
Parent Rate
Transmit Power
'n' only Mode
Select a channel from the dropdown list, or choose 'auto' to let the radio
determine the best channel to use based on the environment noise
levels for the available channels.
Select the channel width: either 20 MHz or 40 MHz channel bonding
(spacing), or choose 'auto' to let the radio determine the best channel
spacing to use.
Note: This setting applies to 802.11n traffic only.
This field allows you to limit the number of transmit antennas to use,
thereby limiting the potential 802.11 rates. Two transmit antennas are
required for full 802.11n speeds.
The basic rate governs the transmission speed to use in a wireless link
with a parent, child, or 802.11 true client.
Select 'auto' from the dropdown list to let the radio determine the
optimal rate to use based on environmental conditions and the endpoint
capabilities.
You can also select 802.11a and 802.11g rates (6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48,
and 54 Mbps), as well as 802.11n MCS index values ranging from 0 to
15, assuming both Tx antennas are available for use. If the Tx antenna
field is set to 1, or only a single antenna is installed, the 802.11n MCS
index values are from 0 to 7.
This parameter is for radios in a Repeater or Child role, and defines the
maximum rate to use when connecting to the parent. Select 'auto', or
choose the 802.11 link rate from the dropdown list.
Select the output power from the dropdown list. Higher transmit power
allows the radio to connect over greater distances. The maximum
output power is determined by the region in which the radio is sold.
Select (check) this check box to disable legacy (802.11a or 802.11g)
connections. This will ensure that the radio's bandwidth is only available
for clients connecting at 11n rates.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 59 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Parameter Description
Enable AMSDU
Range
QoS Enable
Default CoS
Sub Bands
Select (check) this check box to aggregate small size TCP packets.
Small frames with the same physical source and destination endpoints
are combined into a single, larger frame to improve overall throughput
and decrease transmission overhead.
The Range setting allows the radios to account for round trip delays.
The Range settings should be the same in all radios in the network and
should be at least large enough to account for the length of any links.
Increasing the Range beyond what is necessary can cause a slight
decrease in throughput.
CAUTION: Decreasing the Range setting to less than the actual range
can prevent the radios from linking.
Select this check box to enable Quality of Service (QoS) for this radio.
When this is selected, the radio will use one of the following Default
CoS selections.
Class of Service (CoS) prioritizes data traffic over the wireless link.
Select the default Class of Service that best matches the type of data
on your wireless network.
Parameter Description
Voice
Video
Best Effort
Background
When in 802.11a mode (the 5 GHz band), you can allow the radio to
use one or more of the following available sub-bands for transmission:
5.150 to 5.250 GHz
5.250 to 5.350 GHz
5.470 to 5.725 GHz
5.725 to 5.850 GHz
The 5.25 and 5.47 bands require the radio to search for and avoid radar
from legacy systems. If radar is found, the radio must change to a
different band. You can disable these sub-bands if necessary, however
this limits the selection of channels the radio can use.
Another reason to disable some sub-bands is to prevent the radio from
moving to a band that is not supported by the antenna.
Highest priority queue, minimum delay. Used
typically to send time-sensitive data such as
Voice over IP (VoIP)
High priority queue, minimum delay. Used
typically to send time-sensitive data such as
Video and other streaming media
Medium priority queue, medium throughput and
delay. Most traditional IP data is sent to this
queue.
Lowest priority queue, high throughput. Bulk data
that requires maximum throughput and is not
time-sensitive is typically sent to this queue (FTP
data, for example).
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 60 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.2.5 Security Configuration
The security tab allows you to configure external authentication servers, for
example, RADIUS, or other servers that support 802.1X link authentication.
These options are only available when the wireless network uses WPA-
E
NTERPRISE or WPA2-ENTERPRISE security (page 55).
Note: A detailed discussion of RADIUS authentication and certificates is outside the scope of this
manual. Refer to the documentation for your RADIUS server to determine the proper procedure to
create and use authentication certificates.
Parameter Description
Outer EAP Method
Anonymous ID
Inner Authentication
Username
Password
EAP Server Name This option field is used to reference configured security servers.
Outer authentication establishes a secure tunnel, over which the
username and passwords (inner authentication) will be exchanged.
Select the outer authentication method from the dropdown list. This
method must match the configuration of your authentication server.
EAP-TTLS (Tunneled Transport Layer Security)
EAP-PEAP (Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol)
The Anonymous ID string is used as unencrypted identity with different
EAP types.
Inner Authentication is the second layer for authorizing a client. This
layer encrypts the username and password, and sends them to the
authentication server over the tunnel created as part of outer
Authentication.
Select the inner authentication method from the dropdown list. This
method must match the configuration of your authentication server.
EAP-MD5 (Message-Digest algorithm 5)
EAP-MSCHAPv2 (Microsoft Challenge Handshake Authentication
Protocol version 2)
Enter the username configured on the authentication server for this
wireless network. This value is CaSe SeNsItIvE, and can contain any
alphanumeric characters.
Enter the password configured on the authentication server for this
wireless network. The password is CaSe SeNsItIvE, and can contain
alphanumeric, '_', or '-' characters.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 61 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Configured Security Servers
To use Security Server authentication, you must add one or more RADIUS
servers to the list. To add a server, click the Add button, and enter the server
information.
Parameter Description
Authentication Server IP
Address
Authentication Port
Secret
Timeout
Retries
Select All Selects all configured security servers in the list
Delete Deletes the selected configured security servers from the list
Add Opens the Security Server Configuration page.
IP address on the network where the RADIUS server is located.
The most commonly used authentication ports for RADIUS are 1812
(the default for Microsoft RADIUS server), or 1645 (legacy, the default
for Cisco and Juniper Networks RADIUS servers).
Other configurations are possible. Refer to the documentation for your
RADIUS server to determine the UDP port number to use (0 to 65535).
Enter the Shared Secret for this RADIUS client (the RLXIB-IHN radio).
Obtain this information from the administrator for the RADIUS server.
The time in seconds for an authentication attempt to time out after no
response from the server. The value in seconds should be between 5
and 999.
This field sets the number of times to retry authentication with this
server after a timeout before the authentication attempt fails. This value
should be between 1 and 999.
The following illustration shows a security server configured for RADIUS
authentication (Port 1645).
Page 62 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Access Control List
This page allows you to define specific MAC addresses to permit or deny client
connections to this device.
The default is "open" access, which does no filtering on specific MAC addresses.
Parameter Description
ACL Policy Status Select Allow, Deny, or Open.
Allow: only MAC addresses in the list can connect to the radio.
Deny: clients with a MAC address in the may not connect to the
radio.
Open: Any client can connect.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
List of MAC Addresses
This list shows all MAC addresses of devices to include in the Access Control
List for this radio.
Parameter Description
Select All Selects all the MAC addresses in the list.
Delete Deletes the selected MAC address from the list.
Add Opens the MAC Filter Configuration page.
MAC Filter Configuration
Use this page to add MAC addresses to the Access Control List.
Parameter Description
MAC Address
Enter the hexadecimal MAC (Media Access Control) address of the
client that you would like to add to the list of MAC addresses, in the
format XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX where X is a number from 0 through 9 or A
through F.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 63 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.2.6 Parent Selection
Parent selection allows repeater or client mode RLXIB-IHN radios to join a
wireless network using a predefined link selection method as defined in these
pages. At least one radio in the wireless network must be configured as a
Master, in order to define the operating channel and security of the network.
The Automatic Parent Selection algorithm uses a calculation to create a cost for
each possible parent radio that it detects. The following graph describes how the
cost is calculated when the signal strength threshold is set to -60 dBm.
Once per second, the RLXIB-IHN radio evaluates the link it has to its parent to
determine if this link is the best parent to use. A cost is calculated for each entry
and can be seen in the column labeled "Cost" in the preceding table. The cost
calculation is based not only on the strongest signal, but on several other factors
to provide optimum network communication. There is built in hysteresis to
prevent frequent link fluctuations.
When a repeater is not associated in the network, it will scan the available
channels for potential parents.
The following parameters allow you to specify additional parent selection rules.
Page 64 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Parameter Description
Selection Method
Hop Count
Preferred List
When the "Available Parents List" is populated, the radio will use one of
the following selection methods to determine the parent to use for the
wireless network:
Parameter Description
Auto
Branch
List
The number of hops to allow between this radio and the Master (1 to
10)
A value of 1 requires this radio to connect directly to the Master
Select the preferred list type from the dropdown list. This selection only
applies If the selection method above is "List".
Parameter Description
Best in List
Follow List Priority
The auto mode uses a custom algorithm to assign
a cost of association to each detected potential
parent. This algorithm is a function of the potential
parent's signal strength, distance in hops from the
Master device.
This selection requires the radio to connect to
parents that are a specific number of hops away
from the Master, up to a maximum of 10 hops.
If Branch Length of 1 is chosen, the radio will link
only to the Master radio. If Branch Length of 2 is
chosen, the radio will link only to another RLXIBIHN that is linked to the Master radio, and so on.
Selection method using a preferred list of radio
MAC addresses. Parents are selected by priority
list or weighted list.
List/Priority: This selection method uses a
list of preferred parents. List/Priority
compares the list of detected available
parents to the prioritized list of parents to
determine the preferred parent connection
link.
List/Weight: This option combines the
automatic mode with the preferred list of
parents. If there are two or more available
parents that are also part of a user defined
preferred list, the automatic algorithm
chooses the parent from the preferred list.
The radio compares the list of radio MAC
addresses configured on this page with the
available parents. If two or more parents match
the MAC addresses on the preferred list, the
radio will select the best parent within the
preferred list.
The radio uses the list of radio MAC addresses
to a parent from the list, in order from 1 to 8.
If the MAC address in List 1 is available, the
radio will use this link. If this parent is
unavailable, the radio will attempt to connect
with the address in List 2, and so on.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 65 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Parameter Description
MAC Address List 1 to n
Custom MAC Address
Select the MAC address from the dropdown list for each potential
parent. The radio populates the dropdown list with all MAC addresses it
detects on the wireless network, or choose Custom MAC to enter an
address manually.
Use the Custom MAC Address field to enter a MAC address that is not
on the dropdown list.
Note: Each Radio's Parent Selection configuration is unique; if the hardware supports two radios,
there will be one instance of the configuration section for each radio.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Advanced Configuration
Use the Advanced Configuration tab to change the default parent selection
settings.
Note: In most cases, the default settings are appropriate, however you may need to tune these
parameters to overcome environment-specific issues.
Note: Each Radio's Parent Selection configuration is unique; if the hardware supports two radios
there will be two instances of the below configuration section, one per radio.
Page 66 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Parameter
Stale Time
Dwell Time
Scan Rounds
Selection Frequency
Strong RSSI Threshold
RSSI Averaging Factor
Hysteresis
Description
Enter the maximum age in seconds (1 to 60, default 15 seconds) to
remove an entry from the Available Parent List if a beacon frame is not
received within the stale time.
Enter the time in milliseconds (1 to 1000, default 15 milliseconds) that
the radio should scan each channel for parents.
Enter the number of times (1 to 5, default 2 rounds) the non-associated
repeater or client should scan all available channels to populate the
Available Parent List, before it connects to a parent candidate.
Enter the time in seconds (0.1 to 10 seconds, default 1 second) to
check for another parent candidate while the radio is already associated
to a parent.
Enter the RSSI value (-100 to -20 dBm, default -60 dBm) above which a
stronger signal is not beneficial in the cost calculation for an available
parent.
Enter a value from 2 to 128 to determine how long to average the RSSI
measured from a potential parent. Default is 32.
Enter a value from 1 to 10 dBm (default 3 dBm) to adjust the preference
given to the current parent to prevent inadvertent switching between
parent radios.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Available Parents List
This page displays the list of available parents for this RLXIB-IHN radio. This
page does not apply to a radio configured as a Master.
Select (check) the FILTER BY MY SSID checkbox and click APPLY to restrict the list
of available parents to those with the same SSID as the radio you are
configuring.
Both the selected parent and all other potential detected parents will be listed. A
green dot in the leftmost column indicates the selected parent.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 67 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Available Parents List (by radio)
Parameter Description
MAC ID A unique hexadecimal number that identifies any Ethernet device.
SSID Network Name (Service Set Identifier).
RSSI
Channel The radio channel on which the device is transmitting.
Security The encryption type enabled for the device.
Speed (Data Rate) This is the maximum possible data rate (in Mbps) of the parent link.
Hops
Weight
Age (sec)
Poll Interval
Start Click to start refreshing the list.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the list.
The received signal strength indicator (in dBm), or signal strength,
between this radio and the parent.
The number of hops to allow between this radio and the Master (1 to
10). A value of 1 indicates that the radio is directly connected to the
Master.
This is the calculated cost (or weight) given to this parent based on the
automatic parent selection rules. A lower cost is a better parent
candidate.
The length of time (in seconds) since the radio last saw a packet from
this MAC address
Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the list of available parents on
this page.
4.2.7 RSTP Configuration
The software’s built-in Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) functionality enables you to
set up full redundancy between radios or other devices.
Note: RSTP is not VLAN aware. If RSTP is enabled in a network that uses VLANs, there may be
paths that have unblocked loops thereby nullifying the effectiveness of RSTP.
Page 68 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Parameter Description
RSTP Status Use the dropdown menu to enable or disable RSTP for this device.
Ethernet Edge Port
Priority
Hello Time
Max Age
Forward Delay
Cost for Ethernet
Interface
Cost for Radio Interface 1 Cost of using a radio interface 1 based connection.
Cost for Radio Interface 2 Cost of using a radio interface 2 based connection (if applicable).
Specify whether Ethernet port on the device is connected to another
RSTP enabled device. If yes, the edge port property is set to Disable.
This is the priority component of the bridge identifier of this node. The
priority value should be a multiple of 4096.
Hello time of the bridge represents the time interval between
transmissions of RSTP BPDUs. The value should be between 1 and 10
seconds, with 2 seconds as the default.
Max age is the upper limit on the number of hops the information in a
BPDU can traverse. This can be between 6 and 28 seconds, with 20
seconds as the default.
Forward delay is the time spent by a port in Learning state before
moving to the Forwarding state. This can be between 15 and 30
seconds, with 15 seconds as the default.
Cost of using Ethernet interface on AP.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Spanning Tree shuts off ports as necessary to prevent loops. If loops are created
in an Ethernet network, packets can be circulated endlessly, consuming all the
bandwidth and making the network unusable.
RSTP allows users to create truly redundant connections between any two points
in the network. The radios detect the redundant paths and keep one connection
alive for communications. If the primary connection fails for any reason, the
secondary connection is quickly transitioned to a state to forward packets,
allowing the network to adapt itself to handle problems without customer
intervention.
RSTP uses active communications between network devices to propagate
changes in the network and to cause transitions to occur much more quickly.
Because RSTP is an IEEE standard, IH radios work in conjunction with wired
Ethernet switches to form a redundant network.
Each RSTP device (RLXIB-IHN Radio or Ethernet switch) communicates with
other RSTP devices in the network via packets called Bridge Protocol Data Units
(BPDUs). BPDUs are sent out each of the devices ports. In a wired switch this
would be from each of the Ethernet ports. In an RLXIB-IHN Radio, in addition to
the Ethernet port, each wireless link is considered a port. These BPDUs are the
communications means to allow each RSTP device in the network to make sure
that the proper connections still exist.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 69 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
BPDUs are sent out the port at a rate called the "Hello Time". The accepted
standard value for this is 2 seconds. If a radio (or any other RSTP device) does
not get a BPDU for 2 Hello Times, it assumes the RSTP device that had been
there is no longer available. It can then open an alternate path if one is available.
This process is much like the STP process. If other devices on the network are
not operating in rapid spanning tree mode, the radio will revert to normal
spanning tree operation on a per-port basis.
RSTP provides a performance enhancement over STP operation. By
comparison, the radio using the STP algorithm would revert its port to the
listening state, and then to the learning state, before returning to the forwarding
state. Each of these states takes at least 15 seconds, during which the STP
devices are listening for BPDUs to re-negotiate the network topology. The
advantage of using the RSTP functionality is that is uses active handshaking
between adjacent RSTP devices to re-negotiate the network topology. This
process takes one to two seconds.
Each RLXIB-IHN Radio contains a switch table, which tells it how to forward
Ethernet packets to get them to their proper destination. When the network
topology changes, the RLXIB-IHN Radio flushes its Ethernet switch table
immediately. This allows it to pass traffic immediately over the new network
topology and learn the configuration in the process. Until the learning is
complete, the packets are broadcast to their destination. As each packet is seen
and the switch table rebuilds, the radios return to directing packets to their
destinations.
The primary reason for creating a Spanning Tree is that it allows you to create
fully redundant paths. If any single radio in a redundant path loses its connection,
another path still exists, and the connection will be updated and communication
restored.
Page 70 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
RSTP Port Status
The RSTP Port Status tab lists all RSTP ports detected on the network.
Parameter Description
Connection
MAC Address
State
Designation
Cost
Designated Bridge The next bridge towards the root of tree on this connection.
Edge Port Edge port status of this connection.
Poll Interval Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the Port Status list on this page.
Start Click to start refreshing the list.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the list.
Name of the interface on which the connection to a peer has been
made on this device.
This is the identifier of a particular connection with this device. It is a
combination of interface name & MAC address based identifier. The
MAC address of the peer is zero for an Ethernet based connection.
The current Spanning Tree state of the port. Possible states are
Blocking, Learning, Listening, and Forwarding. Forwarding packets can
be transferred.
This field is the RSTP designation for the network branch off a
connection. Possible designations are Designated, Root, Alternate,
Backup, or Disabled.
The cumulative cost of all wired and wireless links from the port to the
Spanning Tree root.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 71 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.2.8 VLAN Configuration
The RLXIB-IHN can use VLAN tagging to divide wireless network traffic into
segments. Traffic originating from the Ethernet port can be filtered by VLAN tags
before being transmitted over the wireless network. This is accomplished on the
RLXIB-IHN with virtual APs.
A given radio can have multiple virtual APs (VAPs) configured on it, and these
virtual APs can be active concurrently. There is a general mode AP that is the
default link for parent and child connections. This general mode AP is VLANaware, in that there is filtering for VLAN tags enabled along this link.
When a new virtual AP is created it can be assigned a VLAN tag, and this can be
in use over a radio concurrently with the general mode AP. In this case, only
packets that match the VLAN tag will be sent over this new virtual AP link to
other endpoints in this VLAN. VLAN filtering is particularly useful to limit
broadcast packets of a device in a large network
Parameter Description
VLAN Status
Use the dropdown menu to enable or disable VLAN filtering support on
this device.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 72 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Virtual AP List
The Virtual AP list shows the configured Virtual Access Points on this device.
Parameter Description
AP Name This AP identifier uniquely identifies an AP in the list of configured APs.
Status
Radio This is the physical radio on which this AP is running on.
SSID
Security
Edit
An AP can be disabled if not in use and enabled when needed.
Disabling an AP does not delete the configuration, but stops the AP
from being broadcast over the configured radio. Enabling the AP
creates a wireless network, where computers and other devices can
join and communicate with the devices connected to the access point or
the devices on the Local Area Network (LAN). The AP must be enabled
for it to appear in the list of available VLANs.
The Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the name of the wireless network
serviced by this AP. In order for computers or devices to communicate
via this wireless network serviced by this AP, all devices must select the
same SSID from the list of wireless networks in the area.
This field has a brief description of the security, encryption and
authentication combination assigned to the AP.
Opens the APs Configuration page, allowing you to change the profile,
radio, mode, etc. that is used by this AP.
The actions that can be taken on APs are:
Parameter Description
Select All Selects all the APs in the table
Enable Enables the selected APs
Disable Stops the selected APs
The list of Available VLANs displays configured VLANs on this device. All
enabled APs as well as one or two Ethernet interfaces will appear in this list. The
PVID of the AP can be set as need by using the edit button to create a VLANaware wireless network.
Parameter Description
Link
PVID VLAN ID used to classify the traffic from VLAN unaware devices.
IP Based VLAN Displays whether IP based VLAN filtering is enabled on the link.
Edit
This is the SSID of the virtual AP link or the physical Ethernet port
identifier. For devices with two Ethernet ports, both will be unique Links
in this list.
Opens the VLAN Configuration page, allowing you to edit the fields
described above.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 73 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Virtual AP Configuration
VLAN support over the wireless network is provided by the use of virtual APs.
This configuration page allows you to create up to three unique VLANs on top of
the default (VLAN ID = 0) per radio, and so up to three unique Virtual APs can be
configured.
Parameter Description
Virtual AP Name The unique AP identifier displayed in the list of configured APs.
SSID
The Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the name of the wireless network
serviced by this AP. Each AP should have a unique SSID if it is to be
used to create a VLAN aware wireless network. In order for computers
or devices to communicate via this wireless network serviced by this
AP, all devices must select the same SSID from the list of wireless
networks in the area.
Page 74 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Parameter Description
Security
WPA/WPA2 Key
WEP Key
This defines the security parameters for the Virtual AP. The Master
device in the wireless network defines the security even for VAPs. If this
RLXIB-IHN radio is a Repeater or Client mode, you must use the same
security settings as the network defined by the Master. Choose from
one of the following options:
Parameter Description
None
WEP 64 bit
WEP 128 bit
WPA - Personal
WPA - Enterprise
WPA2 - Personal
WPA2 - Enterprise
Enter the alphanumeric password for WPA or WPA2 PSK
authentication. Upstream parents or downstream clients must also be
configured with the same password.
Choose any alphanumeric phrase (longer than 8 characters for optimal
security) that is shared with upstream parents or downstream clients.
Open/no security. Any wireless device can
connect to this AP (subject to an ACL policy).
Select this to use WEP (Wired Equivalent
Privacy) encryption on the data packets. WEP is
not considered to be secure and can be easily
broken. Select this only if there are clients that
can only support WEP security. The 64-bit
encryption type is the least strong of WEP
encryption options.
This uses 128-bit encryption for WEP security.
The larger size WEP keys provide stronger
encryption, thus making the key more difficult to
crack (i.e. 64 WEP has a 40-bit key which is less
secure than the 128 WEP, which has a 104-bit
key).
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is part of the
wireless security standard (802.11i)
standardized by the Wi-Fi Alliance. It supports
TKIP/CCMP encryption (default is TKIP). The
personal authentication is the preshared key
(PSK) that is an alphanumeric pass phrase
shared with the wireless peer.
This selection allows you to use WPA with
RADIUS server authentication. The
Configuration > Security pages contain
configuration parameters to enable RADIUS
server authentication.
WPA2 is the implementation of the security
standard specified in final 802.11i. It supports
AES encryption, and uses preshared key (PSK)
based authentication.
WPA2 is the implementation of the security
standard specified in final 802.11i. It supports
TCKP/AES encryption (default is AES), and
uses RADIUS server (Enterprise) based
authentication.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 75 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
VLAN Configuration
This configuration page allows you to modify the PVID of an available VLAN and
indicate if the VLAN is IP based.
Parameter Description
Link
PVID VLAN ID used to classify the traffic from VLAN unaware devices.
IP Based VLAN
This is the SSID of the virtual AP link or the physical Ethernet port
identifier. For devices with two Ethernet ports, both will be unique Links
in this list.
Displays whether IP based VLAN filtering is enabled on the link. The
default is enabled.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 76 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
IP Address / Port Mapping
In order to assign VLAN tags to packets according to source IP address, the IP
address must be mapped to VLAN in advance.
These mappings apply to the traffic originating from VLAN unaware devices, and
have higher preference over the PVID setting on the link.
Parameter Description
IP Address This is the IP address that will be mapped to a particular VLAN & CoS.
Subnet Mask Subnet mask of the IP Address.
VLAN VLAN ID to classify the traffic from the IP address.
Class of Service (CoS)
Edit
Class of Service (CoS) prioritizes data traffic over the wireless link.
Select the default Class of Service that best matches the type of data
on your wireless network.
Parameter Description
Voice
Video
Best Effort
Background
Opens the IP A
to modify the mapping for this IP address.
Highest priority queue, minimum delay. Used
typically to send time-sensitive data such as
Voice over IP (VoIP)
High priority queue, minimum delay. Used
typically to send time-sensitive data such as
Video and other streaming media
Medium priority queue, medium throughput and
delay. Most traditional IP data is sent to this
queue.
Lowest priority queue, high throughput. Bulk
data that requires maximum throughput and is
not time-sensitive is typically sent to this queue
(FTP data, for example).
DDRESS / PORT MAPPING configuration page, allowing you
The actions that can be taken on IP Address mappings are:
Parameter Description
Select All Selects all the address mapping entries in the table
Enable Enables the selected address mapping entries
Delete Stops and deletes the selected address mapping entries
Add Clicking this button will link to the address mapping configuration page.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 77 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.2.9 IGMP / Multicast Configuration
The device can be configured to ensure multicast traffic is sent out as directed
packets over the 802.11 network.
RLXIB-IHN radios support IGMP v1 and v2. The default operation of the RLXIBIHN radios is to have IGMP functionality enabled. Use this page to specify
settings associated with IGMP filtering and snooping.
Unknown multicast addresses can be sent to all ports (flood) or to none (filtered)
by selecting the Multicast Filtering option. You can also specify whether the radio
will generate IGMP queries, and configure the query interval time.
By RFC specification, only one device on a network should generate IGMP
queries. As such, RLXIB-IHW radios will only send a query if another device has
not sent a query within its Query Interval setting, even if Query Generation is
enabled.
Parameter Description
Multicast Filtering
IGMP Query Generation
IGMP Query Interval
Broadcast Threshold
Multicast Stale Timeout
Use the dropdown menu to enable or disable Multicast filtering support
on this device. Disabling filtering will cause the radio to flood multicast
packets to all ports.
Use the dropdown menu to enable or disable IGMP query generation
from this device.
Number of seconds between queries (if not pre-emptied by another
devices queries).
This is the number of interested clients (default is 10) for a multicast
group beyond which multicast packets are sent as multiple (3)
broadcasts instead of individually directed packets.
Number of queries generated before a device is removed from the
multicast group on this radio if no response is received (default 3). This
is applicable only to dynamically created multicast memberships.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 78 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Associated Ports
The section lists the multicast memberships of all the known multicast addresses
of the device.
Parameter Description
Multicast Address
Interface Name
Client MAC
Type
Multicast MAC address of the group. For example 01:00:5e:XX:XX:XX
where XX:XX:XX represents the multicast group address.
The interface for this port mapping is either Ethernet1 (the main port),
Parent 1 or AP 1.
The MAC address of the client to which the directed multicast packets
have to be sent
The type of the Multicast group address. The two possible values are static, dynamic. A static entry is created by the administrator from the
Associated Ports page. A dynamic entry is created as a result of
snooping IGMP messages that are being forwarded by the device. This
is done only when multicast filtering is enabled from the IGMP/Multicast
page.
The actions that can be taken on Associated Ports table are:
Parameter Description
Delete Deletes the static multicast membership mapping.
Add This button will link to the Add Associated Port configuration page.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 79 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Associated Port Configuration
This section allows the administrator to configure the static membership mapping
for a multicast address.
This mapping is used by the device to send directed multicast frames to the client
over the 802.11 link.
Parameter Description
Multicast Address
Interface Name
Client MAC
Multicast MAC address of the group. For example 01:00:5e:XX:XX:XX
where XX:XX:XX represents the multicast group address.
The interface for this port mapping is either the Ethernet interface,
Radio 1 or Radio 2. Some devices have two physical Ethernet ports, in
this case the Ethernet interface option covers traffic over both ports.
The MAC address of the client to which the directed multicast packets
have to be sent
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
4.2.10 Access Configuration
This section allows you to edit the configuration of an existing administrator or
guest user.
Page 80 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Admin Settings
Parameter Description
Old Password The current password is required to validate changes to the password
New Password The password may contain only alphanumeric, '-', or '_' characters.
Retype New Password
Idle Timeout
Guest Settings
Parameter Description
Old Password The current password is required to validate changes to the password
New Password The password may contain only alphanumeric, '-' or '_' characters.
Retype New Password
The password entered in this field must match the one above for the
password to be set.
This is the session timeout for the user. The default is 15 minutes of no
web activity and the timeout counter reset when the web GUI is being
navigated.
The password entered in this field must match the one above for the
password to be set.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
4.2.11 SNMP Configuration
SNMP is a network management protocol that is often used with TCP/IP and
Ethernet. As an alternative to using the RadioLinx Configuration Manager, you
can change radio settings and view diagnostics in an SNMP manager
application, if necessary.
The RLXIB-IHN SNMP agent supports the SNMPv2c and SNMPv3 protocol
versions, and can send traps to a specified community.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 81 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
The MIB (Management Information Base) fields settings on this tab populate the
current SNMP system information of the RLXIB-IHN.
Parameter Description
SysContact The name of the contact person for this device.
Examples
admin, John Doe.
SysLocation The physical location of the device
Example
Rack #2, 4th Floor.
SysName A name given for easy identification of the device.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Access Control List
The SNMP Access Control List is a table of access rules that enables read-only
or read-write access for select IP addresses in a defined SNMP agent's
community.
Parameter Description
IP Address
Subnet Mask
Community
Access Type
!(Edit)
The IP Address of the specific SNMP manager or trap agent on which
to create an access rule.
The network mask used to determine the list of allowed SNMP
managers.
The community string to which the agent belongs to. Most agents are
configured to listen for traps in the Public community.
The SNMP manager or trap agent can either be allowed to read and
modify all SNMP accessible settings (rwcommunity) or be given readonly access (rocommunity).
The Edit button will link to the SNMP Access Control Configuration
page, allowing you to make changes to the selected access control
rule.
The actions that can be taken on SNMP access control rules are:
Parameter Description
Select All Selects all SNMP access control rules in the table.
Delete Deletes the selected SNMP access control rule or rules.
Add
Clicking this button will link to the SNMP Access Control Configuration
page.
Page 82 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Traps List
This table lists IP addresses of SNMP agents to which the device will send trap
messages and allows several operations on the SNMP agents.
Parameter Description
IP Address The IP Address of the SNMP manager or trap agent.
Port
Community
SNMP Version SNMP protocol version used by the defined trap agent.
Edit
The SNMP trap port of the IP address to which the trap messages will
be sent (typically UDP port 162).
The community string associated to the agent. Most agents are
configured to listen for traps in the Public community.
Opens the SNMP Trap Configuration page, allowing you to make
changes to the selected SNMP Agent.
The actions that can be taken on SNMP agents are:
Parameter Description
Select All Selects all the SNMP agents in the table.
Delete Deletes the selected SNMP agent or agents.
Add: Clicking this button will link to the SNMP Trap Configuration page.
SNMP Access Control Configuration
This configuration page allows you to add or modify an access control rule for a
given SNMP manager or trap agent as identified by its IP address and
community.
Parameter Description
IP Address
Subnet Mask
Community
Access Type
The IP Address of the specific SNMP manager or trap agent on which
to create an access rule
The network mask used to determine the list of allowed SNMP
managers.
The community string associated to the agent. Most agents are
configured to listen for traps in the Public community.
The SNMP manager or trap agent can either be allowed to read and
modify all SNMP accessible settings (rwcommunity) or be given readonly access (rocommunity).
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 83 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
SNMP Trap Configuration
This page allows you to add a new SNMP manager/trap agent or edit the
configuration of an existing SNMP manager/trap agent.
Parameter Description
IP Address The IP address of the SNMP agent.
Port The SNMP trap port to which the trap messages will be sent.
Community
SNMP Version This device supports SNMP protocols v1, v2c and v3.
The community string associated to the agent. Most agents are
configured to listen for traps in the public community.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
Page 84 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
SNMPv3 Configuration
SNMPv3 adds extra security and remote configuration enhancements to SNMP.
To use an SNMP v3 agent with the RLXIB-IHN, configure the options on this
page.
Parameter Description
SNMPv3 EngineID This is the SNMPv3 identifier common to all ProSoft RLXIB-IHN radios.
Username The SNMPv3 administrator level user has username admin.
Access Type The access privilege assigned to the admin is read-only (ROUSER).
Security Level
Authentication Algorithm
Authentication Password The authentication password for the user.
Privacy Algorithm Choose a privacy algorithm from the drop down list - DES or AES
Privacy Password The privacy password for the user.
The authentication and encryption requirements for this user are
defined here.
Parameter Description
NoAuthNoPriv
AuthNoPriv
AuthPriv
Choose an authentication algorithm from the drop down list - MD5 and
SHA
This allows the user to login without
authentication or encryption.
This requires only authentication for the user to
login. If selected, the Authentication Algorithm
and Password fields below must be set.
This requires both authentication and encryption
for access. If selected, the authentication and
privacy fields below must be set.
Click Apply to save your changes.
Click Clear to discard your changes.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 85 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.3 Diagnostics
The Main Diagnostics tab shows basic information about the radio.
Parameter Description
Unit Up Time
Firmware
The length of time the radio has operated since the last system powerup or last system reset.
The version of firmware currently installed. All radios on the network
must have the same firmware versions installed. For more information
on firmware versions, refer to Upload Code (page 101).
4.3.1 Radio Status
Parameter
MAC ID
Link Status
Parent
Link Time
RSSI Strength of the signal from the Parent radio, in dBm.
SNR
Poll Interval
Start Click to start refreshing the page.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the page.
Description
The MAC address of the selected radio. The MAC ID is also printed on
the side of the radio.
Master: The radio is configured as a Master.
Connected: The radio is currently connected to a Parent
Associated: The radio is associated with a Parent, but is not
currently connected
Connecting: The radio is attempting to connect to a Parent
Disconnected: The radio is unable to connect to a Parent
The MAC address of the parent radio to which the selected radio is
linked.
The length of time the radio has been continuously connected to a
parent radio.
The signal-to-noise ratio is displayed here in dB. Refer to
Understanding Signal to Noise Ratio (page 47) for more information on
how to interpret this value.
Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the status information on this
page.
Page 86 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.3.2 Address Table
The address table displays a list of all connected nodes in the network (more
specifically, the trunk/management network that is not VLAN aware).
Parameter Description
Filter by
Poll Interval Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the information on this page.
Start Click to start refreshing the page.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the page.
By default, the list shows all nodes that are detected by this device as
being part of the 802.11 network. You can filter the list with the following
options
Parameter Description
Radios Directly
Linked
Devices out
Ethernet Port
Devices available
over Radio Links
Shows only nodes that have a direct parent/child
connection to this device.
Shows nodes that are connected via Ethernet to
this device
Shows nodes that have a 802.11 link to this
device
4.3.3 Statistics
The Statistics tab shows traffic data for the radio and Ethernet ports on the
RLXIB-IHN.
Note: Each Radio's configuration is unique. If the hardware supports more than one physical radio,
and more than one Ethernet port, the traffic statistics are cumulative for each pair.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 87 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
Parameter Description
Interface The interface statistics for each physical Ethernet and Radio interface
Packets The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) wireless packets
Bytes The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) bytes of data
Errors
The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) packet errors reported to the
device, over all configured APs
Dropped
The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) packets dropped by the
device, over all configured APs
Multicast The number of multicast packets sent over this device
Collisions
The number of packet collisions reported to the device, over all
configured APs
Child Links
Click to open the interface statistics page for the child links (page 88).
The Child Links page shows traffic statistics for all downstream
children. listed by MAC address.
Poll Interval Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the information on this page.
Start Click to start refreshing the page.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the page.
4.3.4 Child Links
Parameter Description
Client MAC The MAC Address of each client detected by the RLXIB-IHN
Packets The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) wireless packets
Bytes The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) bytes of information
Errors
The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) packet errors reported to the
device, over all configured APs
Dropped
The number of transmitted/received (tx/rx) packets dropped by the
device, over all configured APs
Multicast The number of multicast packets sent over this device
Collisions
The number of packet collisions reported to the device, over all
configured APs
Poll Interval Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the information on this page.
Start Click to start refreshing the page.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the page.
Page 88 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.3.5 802.11 Traffic
The 802.11 Traffic tab contains a list of 802.11 devices detected by the radio.
This list is updated at intervals specified in the Poll Interval field.
Depending on the radio's Radio's configuration, this list may include 802.11
devices that are members of other SSIDs.
Parameter Description
MAC ID The detected node's MAC address.
SSID The detected node's SSID if available.
Channel The broadcast channel used by the detected node.
RSSI
Security
Speed (Data Rate)
MCS
Age This is the time since detected node was most recently heard.
Poll Interval Enter the interval in seconds to refresh the information on this page.
Start Click to start refreshing the page.
Stop Click to stop refreshing the page.
The received signal strength indicator (in dBm) between detected node
and this device
The security settings, if any, in place for connections to the detected
node.
This is the maximum possible data rate (in Mbps) of a connection to the
detected node.
If the radio is using 802.11n rates, the associated MCS value between
0 and 15 will be displayed.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 89 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.3.6 Tools
The Tools tab allows you to perform tasks for investigating network issues or
validating connectivity between nodes.
Ping
You can use the radio to ping other IP addresses on the network to test
connectivity between this radio and the network.
Parameter Description
IP Address The IP address where an ICMP echo request packet will be sent.
If the destination IP address is active, it will respond to the ping
command text similar to "64 bytes from
IP_Address:icmp……".
A "response timed out" message indicates that the
destination is either not active or is blocking ping requests.
Rate
This setting defines the number of seconds to wait between sending
ICPM echo request packets to the configured IP address.
Page 90 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
Capturing Packets
This utility allows you to capture all packets that pass through the selected
interface (Ethernet, Radio 1, or Radio 2).
Note: A detailed discussion of network packet analysis is outside the scope of this manual. Refer
to the documentation for your network protocol analyzer for more information on interpreting packet
captures.
To capture packets, click the P
ACKET TRACE button.
Select the interface from the dropdown list, and then click S
packet capture click S
TOP.
TART. To stop the
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 91 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
To view the contents of the captured packets, you must download the capture
file, and open it in a network protocol analyzer. Click D
OWNLOAD to retrieve and
open the capture file.
The following illustration shows the results of the capture in a in a network
protocol analyzer tool.
Note: The packet trace is limited to 1MB of data per capture session. When the capture file size
exceeds 1MB, it will be deleted automatically and a new capture file will be created.
Other Radio Devices
Radio traffic detected on the same 802.11 channel in use by the APs on this
device will be displayed here for reference. The MAC ID, IP address, device
mode (if a RLXIB-IHN radio) and device name will be displayed if detected. The
information on this page is for reference only, and cannot be modified.
Page 92 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.4 Utilities
The Utilities tab allows you to save and restore the the radio's settings, and
reboot (restart) the radio.
Parameter Description
Save Settings Saves the radio configuration to a backup file on your computer
Restore From The path and filename for the file to restore
Browse Opens a File Upload dialog box to locate and select the file to restore
Restore
Default Restores the radio to Factory Default Settings.
Reboot Reboots (restarts) the radio.
Restores the radio configuration from a saved backup file uploaded
from your computer.
User Name admin
Password password
LAN Port IP address 192.168.1.1
Note: Network operation will be interrupted while the radio reboots.
4.4.1 Saving and Restoring Settings
1 To save a backup of the current settings, click Backup. This action creates a
file in the format <radio name>.CFG, and saves the file to your computer.
2 Read and acknowledge the information window.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 93 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
3 Choose Save File when prompted.
4 The backup file will be stored in your web browser's default download folder,
for example, "My Downloads" or the Windows Desktop.
Restoring a backup file
Important! If you restore a saved configuration, or reset the radio to its default
configuration, your current settings will be deleted permanently. Always create a backup of
the radio's current settings before restoring or resetting the configuration. Settings cannot
be retrieved unless they have been backed up.
When the the restore operation is in progress:
Do NOT close the browser window.
Do NOT go online.
Do NOT turn off or power-cycle the device.
Do NOT shutdown the computer.
1 To restore a backup of the radio's settings, click B
ROWSE.
2 In the File Upload dialog box, locate the stored backup file, and then click
O
PEN.
Page 94 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
This action populates the RESTORE FROM field with the file name and location
of the backup file.
3 Click R
ESTORE, and acknowledge the information window.
The progress bar on the Save/Restore tab indicates that the backup file is
being transferred to the radio. When the file transfer is complete, the radio will
reboot automatically to reload the restored configuration.
Note: Network operation will be interrupted while the radio reboots.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 95 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4 When the radio finishes rebooting, log in with your username and password.
4.4.2 Factory Reset
Important! If you restore a saved configuration, or reset the radio to its default
configuration, your current settings will be deleted permanently. Always create a backup of
the radio's current settings before restoring or resetting the configuration. Settings cannot
be retrieved unless they have been backed up.
Caution: When the the factory reset operation is in progress:
Do NOT close the browser window.
Do NOT go online.
Do NOT turn off or power-cycle the device.
Do NOT shutdown the computer.
1 To restore the RLXIB-IHN to the factory default settings, save a backup copy
of your settings first (page 93), and then click R
ESTORE.
2 Read and acknowledge the information window, and then click OK to restore
the RLXIB-IHN to its factory default settings.
Page 96 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
The radio will reboot automatically to reload the default factory settings.
Note: Network operation will be interrupted while the radio reboots.
3 When the radio has finished rebooting, notice that it reappears in WirelessN
Discovery Tool, with an IP address of 0.0.0.0. You must re-assign the IP
address before you can connect to the Radio Configuration/Diagnostic Utility.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 97 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4 When the WirelessN Discovery Tool refreshes, right-click the radio and
choose Manage to open the Radio Configuration/Diagnostic Utility in your
web browser (page 121).
5 Log into the radio and restore your settings (page 93), or reconfigure the
radio as needed (page 29).
Page 98 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n RadioLinx Configuration Manager
Industrial Hotspot User Manual
4.4.3 Rebooting the Radio
Note: Network operation will be interrupted while the radio reboots.
ProSoft Technology, Inc. Page 99 of 171
May 23, 2011
RadioLinx Configuration Manager RLXIB-IHN ♦ 802.11n
User Manual Industrial Hotspot
4.4.4 Upload
Use the Upload tab to update the radio's firmware, set the system time and date,
or upload RADIUS security certificates.
Page 100 of 171 ProSoft Technology, Inc.
May 23, 2011
Loading...