Vykon VST5000W5028W User Manual

VST5000W5028W

Wireless Survey Tools

User Guide

August 30th, 2010

Product Overview

Index

Product Overview 2

VYKONStat Wireless Network Overview 2

Basic Initial Design And
Deployment Consideration 3

Site Survey Overview 5

Knowing and understanding
the 6A / 5H rule of ZigBee 8

6A stands for 6 addresses maximum
per device / node / controller 8

Orphan Nodes 8

5H stands for 5 hops maximum 9

The Vykon wireless survey tools are intended to verify
and validate the deployment and use of the Vykon
wireless thermostats on a potential job site.

Included in this package you will  nd the following items:

• 2 x Survey devices: SUR-A-5000 & SUR-B-5000

• 2 x 120 Vac charger for the tools

Before performing a survey, please insure that
both survey tools are fully charged overnight.

The survey tool will display a numerical percentage
value on the LCD screen which represents the wireless
network ZigBee RSSI dBi value (Receiving Signal Strength
Indicator).

Please note that it is normal for the value to
 uctuate slightly (up to 10-20%). The  nal
reading value is representative of the median
averaged values displayed.

• Any value from 10 to 100% indicates good
VYKONStat Wireless connectivity.

• Any value below 10% “may” indicate that
an extra Router VRP5000W1000W may need to
be installed.

Best practice VYKONStat Wireless initial
network start-up procedure 10

Disclaimer 11

SUR-A-5000 & SUR-B-5000

VYKONStat Wireless Network Overview

VYKONStat Wirelessis a speci cation for a suite of high
level communication protocols using small, low-power
digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard
for wireless personal area networks (WPANs).

Mesh networking is a type of network where each node
in acts as an independent router. It allows for continuous
connections and recon guration around broken or
blocked paths by “hopping” and “re-meshing” from node
to node until the  nal destination is reached.

General characteristics of the wireless physical
communication layer are:

• Uses a wireless physical layer of 2.4GHz with a data
rates of 250 kbps

• Yields high throughput and low latency

• Automatic topology con guration: star,
peer-to-peer, mesh

• Handshake protocol for transfer reliability

• Range: 50 feet / 15M typical (up to 100 feet / 30 M
based on environment)

VST5000W5028W Wireless Survey Tools User Guide

2

IEEE 802.15.4 along with ZigBee Networks and
Application Support Layer provide:

• Low cost installation deployment

• Ease of implementation

• Reliable data transfer

• Short range operation

• Very low power consumption

For a successful VYKONStat Wirelessdeployment, it is
important to understand that the wireless network
is in uenced by the same environmental factors that
a ect other wireless systems:

• Interference from radio emitters

• Various electronic devices

• Interference caused by solid objects that may
slow or stop communication between devices

Even with potential sources of signal interference,
the presence of these factors should not result in
noticeable network performance degradation.
Environmental issues will occur with any wireless
network installation.

Basic Initial Design And Deployment
Considerations

the use of 802.15.4 channels 15, 25 and 26 ONLY.

802.11 Wi-Fi transmissions overlap and may interfere
with other channel selections allowed by 802.15.4
(Channels 11 to 24 ).

• With Clear line of sight deployment, (no physical
obstacles between 2 communicating thermostats)
the maximum distance between each thermostat is a
maximum of 100 feet or 30 Meters (fig. 1).

Fig. 1

t

t

t

Line of sight
distance
between 2
nodes is a
maximum
of 100 feet

t

t

t

t

t t

(30 M)

t

t

G

The VYKON 2/6/7 JACE, VYKONStat Wireless
Communication option card, and installed wireless
software modules make up the VYKONStat Wireless
Gateway. (VWG).

• Vykon recommends using a per  oor horizontal
architecture vs. a vertical one. Transmitting from
one  oor to the other may be possible in certain
applications (such as going through stair ways),
but the design and optimization of the thermostat
antenna is designed for optimal horizontal distance
penetration and not a vertical one. As such, be
prepared to use AT LEAST ONE coordinator (VWG /
Jace-Driver) per  oor.

• Please note that radio transmissions CANNOT travel
through steel. If  oors are constructed with steel
joists or other steel materials it is highly unlikely
that the wireless thermostat transmissions will be
successful between  oors.

Clear line of sight deployment

• To avoid network interference with 802.11 Wi-Fi
devices in the 2.4GHz spectrum, Vykon recommends

Non-clear line of sight deployment

• The maximum non-clear line of sight distance
between thermostats for gypsum wall partitions
which may include metal stud framing is a maximum
of 50 feet or 15 meters (fig. 2).

Fig. 2

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

t

Maximum
50 feet
(15 M)
between 2
thermostat
nodes

t

t

G

VST5000W5028W Wireless Survey Tools User Guide

3

• In order to avoid interference from other wireless
devices such as (wireless routers, wireless adapters
or laptop using wireless networks, etc.) insure that a
minimum distance of 3 feet or 1 meter is maintained
between any Vykon node and any Wi-Fi devices.
Maintain a distance of 10 feet or 3 meters or more
would be preferable when possible (fig. 3).

the VWG in a metal box. If the VWG needs to be
installed inside a metal cabinet, use the remote antenna
accessory.

The recommended maximum number of wireless
thermostats per JACE is 30; a minimum of 3 thermostats
should be within 50 feet or 15 Meters of the VWG (fig. 4 -5).

Fig. 3

3 feet (1 M)

Minimum 3 feet (1 M) between Wi-Fi
equipment and Vykon wireless devices

10 feet (3 M)

Preferably 10 feet (3 M) or more between Wi-Fi
equipment and Vykon wireless devices

• Ensure that at least one thermostat
is within 50 feet (15 M) of the VWG
for every cluster of 10 thermostats
installed.

• Always install the VWG closest to
the center of all associated wireless
thermostats.

• Always locate the VWG near or in the
direct line of sight to as many wireless
thermostats as possible.

• Avoid metal, brick walls or concrete
obstructions between wireless devices
as much as possible.

• Make sure the antenna on the VWG is
perpendicular to the  oor.

• Avoid placing the VWG and the
thermostats near metal or enclosing

Fig. 4

50 feet (15 M)

maximum

21

3

Fig. 5

At least 1 Vykon
thermostat node

t

t

to be within
50 feet (15M)
of the VWG for
every other
10 thermostat

t

installed.

t

t

G

t

t

t t t

VST5000W5028W Wireless Survey Tools User Guide

4