Rajant LX4 2424, LX4 2495 User Manual
BreadCrumb® LX4
User Guide Version: 2.02
Software Version: 10.24
Date: June 21, 2011
USER GUIDE
Corporate Headquarters
Rajant Corporation
400 East King Street
Malvern, PA 19355
Tel: (484) 595-0233
Fax: (484) 595-0244
http://www.rajant.com
Document Part Number: 03-100117-001
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FCC Compliance Statements
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 this 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 their own expense.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Rajant Corp. could void the user's
authority to operate the equipment.
WARNING: This equipment complies with the FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an
uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum
distance of 30 centimeters between the radiator and all persons while the device is operating.
This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
The antennas used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least
30cm from all persons and must not be located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
IC Compliance Statements
1) 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.
2) Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may only operate using an antenna of a
type and maximum (or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce
potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the
equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that necessary for successful
communication.
Conformément à la réglementation d'Industrie Canada, le présent émetteur radio peut fonctionner
avec une antenne d'un type et d'un gain maximal (ou inférieur) approuvé pour l'émetteur par
Industrie Canada. Dans le but de réduire les risques de brouillage radioélectrique à l'intention des
autres utilisateurs, il faut choisir le type d'antenne et son gain de sorte que la puissance isotrope
rayonnée équivalente (p.i.r.e.) ne dépasse pas l'intensité nécessaire à l'établissement d'une
communication satisfaisante.
3) This radio transmitter has been approved by Industry Canada to operate with the antenna types
listed below with the maximum permissible gain and required antenna impedance for each antenna
type indicated. Antenna types not included in this list, having a gain greater than the maximum gain
indicated for that type, are strictly prohibited for use with this device.
Le présent émetteur radio (identifier le dispositif par son numéro de certification ou son numéro de
modèle s'il fait partie du matériel de catégorie I) a été approuvé par Industrie Canada pour
fonctionner avec les types d'antenne énumérés ci-dessous et ayant un gain admissible maximal et
l'impédance requise pour chaque type d'antenne. Les types d'antenne non inclus dans cette liste, ou
dont le gain est supérieur au gain maximal indiqué, sont strictement interdits pour l'exploitation de
l'émetteur.
Frequency Range
(MHz)
912 - 917 5 Omni-directional 50
2412 - 2462 5 Omni-directional 50
4810 - 4930 6 Omni-directional 50
5745 - 5825 6 Omni-directional 50
4) This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio
exempts de licence. L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l'appareil ne doit
pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en compromettre le fonctionnement.
5) High-power radars are allocated as primary users (i.e. priority users) of the bands 5250-5350 MHz
and 5650-5850 MHz and that these radars could cause interference and/or damage to LE-LAN
devices.
Antenna Gain (dBi) Antenna Type Impedance (Ohms)
De plus, les utilisateurs devraient aussi être avisés que les utilisateurs de radars de haute puissance
sont désignés utilisateurs principaux (c.-à-d., qu’ils ont la priorité) pour les bandes 5 250-5 350 MHz
et 5 650-5 850 MHz et que ces radars pourraient causer du brouillage et/ou des dommages aux
dispositifs LAN-EL.
Copyright Statement
You may use the software provided with the products only on personal computers owned by the
purchasing individual or entity, and may not use, load, or run any such software on any network or in
any type of service bureau, time-sharing operation, or non-purchasing individual or entity's
equipment.
BCAdmin and BCAPI are trademarks; Rajant, the Rajant logo, BreadCrumb, Instamesh,
BC|Commander, and Bring Your Network with You! are registered trademarks of Rajant Corp. in
the United States and certain other countries.
BreadCrumb® LX4 User Guide
Copyright © 2009–2011 Rajant Corp. All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
FCC Compliance Statements.........................................................................................ii
IC Compliance Statements.............................................................................................ii
Copyright Statement......................................................................................................iv
Preface..................................................................................................................................vii
Purpose and Scope...........................................................................................................vii
User Information................................................................................................................vii
Related Documentation.....................................................................................................vii
1 Introduction to BreadCrumbs..........................................................................................1
1.1 What is a BreadCrumb?...............................................................................................1
1.2 Mobility through Meshing.............................................................................................2
1.2.1 Mesh – A Definition...............................................................................................2
1.2.2 BreadCrumb Mesh Connections..........................................................................2
2 Description of a BreadCrumb LX4...................................................................................5
2.1 Radios..........................................................................................................................5
2.2 Enclosure.....................................................................................................................9
2.3 Antenna Connectors..................................................................................................10
2.4 19-Pin Amphenol Connector......................................................................................10
2.4.1 Power..................................................................................................................11
2.4.2 Ethernet...............................................................................................................11
2.4.3 USB.....................................................................................................................12
2.5 Status LED.................................................................................................................12
2.6 LED Configuration / Zeroize Keys and Restore Factory Defaults Switch ................13
2.6.1 LED Configuration..............................................................................................13
2.6.2 Zeroize Keys and Restore Factory Defaults.......................................................14
3 Using BC|Commander....................................................................................................15
4 Deploying the BreadCrumb Wireless Network............................................................17
4.1 Addressing.................................................................................................................17
4.1.1 BreadCrumb Device Addresses.........................................................................17
4.1.2 DHCP..................................................................................................................17
4.2 Channel Assignments................................................................................................17
4.3 Physical Placement and other Considerations..........................................................18
4.3.1 Line-of-Sight.......................................................................................................18
4.3.2 Distance..............................................................................................................18
4.3.3 Weather..............................................................................................................19
4.3.4 Interference.........................................................................................................19
4.3.5 Placement of BCWN Components.....................................................................20
4.4 Deployment Guidelines and Methodology.................................................................20
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4.4.1 Deployment Guidelines......................................................................................20
4.4.2 Deployment Methodology...................................................................................21
5 BreadCrumb LX4 Firmware Upgrade............................................................................23
5.1 Over The Air Firmware Upgrade................................................................................23
5.2 USB Firmware Upgrade.............................................................................................23
6 Troubleshooting..............................................................................................................25
6.1 Sporadic Network Connectivity..................................................................................25
6.2 BreadCrumb Device Cannot Connect to BCWN.......................................................26
6.3 BreadCrumb Power and Start-Up Issues..................................................................26
Appendix A: Error and Warning Codes..........................................................................A-1
List of Figures
Figure 1: All BreadCrumbs use the same ESSID...................................................................3
Figure 2: ESSID of BreadCrumb C changes to "lonely.".........................................................3
Figure 3: BreadCrumb LX4 Enclosure Features (Front).........................................................9
Figure 4: BreadCrumb LX4 Enclosure Features (Rear).........................................................9
Figure 5: 19-Pin Amphenol Connector..................................................................................11
List of Tables
Table 1: 2.4 GHz Radio Channel and Frequencies...............................................................5
Table 2: 900 MHz Radio Channel and Frequencies..............................................................6
Table 3: 5 GHz Radio Channel and Frequencies...................................................................6
Table 4: 4.8 GHz Radio Channel and Frequencies...............................................................7
Table 5: 4.9 GHz Radio Channel and Frequencies...............................................................8
Table 6: Status LED Color Codes........................................................................................13
Table 7: Setting and alternate display states of the Status LED..........................................14
Table 8: Default Channel Assignments................................................................................18
Table 9: Sporadic Network Connectivity Issues...................................................................25
Table 10: BreadCrumb to BCWN Connectivity Issues.........................................................26
Table 11: BreadCrumb Power and Start-Up Issues.............................................................26
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Preface
Purpose and Scope
This manual provides information and guidance to all personnel who are involved with and use
Rajant Corporation’s BreadCrumb LX4.
This manual begins with an introduction to the BreadCrumb Wireless Network (BCWN). It then
characterizes the features of the BreadCrumb LX4. Finally, it describes common deployment
scenarios and provides concise step-by-step instructions for each scenario.
Note
Throughout this document, unless otherwise stated, the terms LX4 and BreadCrumb
are used to refer to Rajant BreadCrumb LX4.
User Information
The user of this manual is encouraged to submit comments and recommended changes to improve
this manual. Please send any comments or changes to support@rajant.com. Be sure to include the
version number of the manual you are using and please provide the page numbers related to your
comments wherever possible
Related Documentation
For additional information, refer to these documents:
● Rajant BC|Commander® User Guide: This document contains information on the
BC|Commander management application, which is used to configure BreadCrumbs before or
during a deployment. This now includes a BreadCrumb VLAN Guide.
● BreadCrumb® Video Guide
● Rajant Troubleshooting Range User Guide
● RF Component Installation and Verification in BreadCrumb® Networks
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1 Introduction to BreadCrumbs
Rajant Corporation's (http://www.rajant.com) BreadCrumbs utilize the 802.11 wireless networking
standards to form a wireless mesh network. The network is mobile, self-integrating, self-meshing,
self-healing, and secure. The focus is on flexibility, adaptability, and simplicity.
The BreadCrumb Wireless Network (BCWN) is intended for rapid deployment of a broadband
wireless network into a situation or “hot zone.” The network can be deployed as a stand-alone
wireless network, or bridged to another network (such as the Internet) utilizing available reach-back
communication links (such as a DSL, cable, or satellite modem).
BreadCrumbs provide high bandwidth for applications to stream video, audio as well as data over
large distances. The network traffic can be secured by using different security features offered by
the BCWN. This makes the network optimal for tactical deployments as well as emergency
response situations since it offers robustness, stability and ease of setup in mission critical activities.
1.1 What is a BreadCrumb?
A BreadCrumb is an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) and Ethernet compatible networking device which has the
capacity to connect to other BreadCrumbs or networking devices to form a BreadCrumb network. A
BreadCrumb is specifically designed for the following scenarios:
Temporary Wireless Networks
Networks that must be established quickly and with minimal effort for short-term use (e.g., a
network established to provide First Responder support at the site of a disaster).
Mobile Wireless Networks
Networks in which the network infrastructure itself is mobile, in addition to client devices (e.g., a
convoy viewing a video stream from a UAV).
Wireless Network Extension
Networks in which a wireless network must be quickly extended around or through obstacles that
block wireless communications (e.g., urban canyon networks, tunnels/caves, etc.)
Wired Network Extension
Networks in which two or more wired LANs at different locations must be connected wirelessly
(e.g., to securely connect combat service support computers with logistics bases)
Any Combination of the Above
Most BreadCrumb deployments include elements from more than one of the above scenarios.
In many cases, BreadCrumbs will perform all of these tasks as shipped with no configuration
necessary at all, providing an instant TAN (Tactical Area Network). Moreover, because
BreadCrumbs use industry-standard 802.11 communications, client devices such as laptops or
handheld computers require no special hardware, software, or configuration to access a BCWN.
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1.2 Mobility through Meshing
The key component to a BCWN is a technique known as Meshing. While this is generally handled
automatically by BreadCrumbs, complex deployment scenarios require a basic understanding of how
BreadCrumbs establish and maintain a mesh.
1.2.1 Mesh – A Definition
A mesh is a collection of network devices (in our case, BreadCrumbs), each of which is linked to one
or more other BreadCrumbs. Data can move between BreadCrumbs via these links, possibly passing
through several intermediate BreadCrumbs before arriving at its final destination.
The intelligence of a BCWN is in how it adapts rapidly to the creation or destruction of the links in
the mesh as devices are moved, switched OFF or ON, blocked by obstructions, interfered with by
other devices, or otherwise affected. This adaptation takes place automatically and immediately as
needed.
Although all BreadCrumbs can be access points, most access points do not provide
Note
mesh capability. Traditional access points simply allow wireless devices within
range to connect to a wired network; they do not extend range through other access
points.
1.2.2 BreadCrumb Mesh Connections
In order for two BreadCrumbs to establish a mesh link to each other, they must be set to the same
radio channel, and the same ESSID, and have the same InstaMesh key settings. An ESSID is
essentially a name for a wireless network. By default, BreadCrumbs use the ESSID "breadcrumb54v10” if programmed with version 10 firmware. InstaMesh key settings include the Network
Authentication Key (NAK) and the Network Encryption Key (NEK).
Assuming that the security settings are the same, the following examples illustrate how the use of
channels and ESSIDs can establish or break mesh links:
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CHANN EL 1
C
H
A
N
N
E
L
1
1
CHANNEL 8
RADIO 2
BREAD CRUMB B
RADIO 1
RADIO 1
BREAD CRUMB C
RADIO 2RADIO 1
BREAD CRUMB A
RADIO 2
CHANNEL 8
RADIO 2
BREADC RUMB B
RADIO 1
RADIO 1
BREADC RUMB C
RADIO 2RADIO 2
BREADC RUMB A
RADIO 1
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Example 1:
Suppose you have three BreadCrumbs, called A, B, and C. Each has two radios. BreadCrumb A’s
radios are on channels 1 and 8, B’s are on 8 and 11, and C’s are on 1 and 11. All three BreadCrumbs
are using the default ESSID of "breadcrumb54-v10." Assuming that all three BreadCrumbs are
within radio range of one another, the network will be connected, as shown below:
Figure 1: All BreadCrumbs use the same ESSID.
Example 2:
Now suppose that you change the ESSID of BreadCrumb C to "lonely". The network will adjust to
this change, resulting in the following configuration:
Note that BreadCrumb C can no longer communicate with A or B, and vice versa.
Figure 2: ESSID of BreadCrumb C changes to "lonely."
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