Wi Lan EB03 Users Manual

AWE 120-24
Advanced Wireless
Ethernet Bridge Rev 2
Installation &
Configuration Guide
JUL 2001 Rev 3

Contents

Important Information ....................................................................vii
Safety Considerations ......................................................................................................................vii
Warning Symbols Used in this Book ...........................................................................................vii
Notices ................................................................................................ix
Copyright Notice ..............................................................................................................................ix
Regulatory Notice .............................................................................................................................ix
Other Notices .....................................................................................................................................x
Warranty & Repair .............................................................................................................................x
Customer Support Contacts ...........................................................................................................x
Distributor Technical Support .......................................................................................................xi
Wi-LAN Product Information ........................................................................................................xi
Publication History ............................................................................................................................xi
Description ..........................................................................................1
Features ................................................................................................................................................1
About Spread Spectrum ....................................................................................................................1
About AWE Units 2
Some System Applications ................................................................................................................3
Making a Simple Wireless Bridge 3 Creating a Simple Wireless Network 3 Creating a Network with Cells 5 Using a Repeater Base 6 Building a WAN 6
AWE 120-24 Unit ...............................................................................................................................7
AWE 120–24 Specifications .............................................................................................................9
Installation .........................................................................................11
Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 11
Shipping Package Contents 12
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Tools and Equipment 12
1 Obtain Network Plan ..................................................................................................................13
2 Assemble Units ..............................................................................................................................13
3 Configure Units .............................................................................................................................15
Configuring a Base Station 15
How to Use the Main Menu 16
Configuring a Remote Unit 18
4 Bench Test Units ...........................................................................................................................20
Establishing a Basic RF Link 20 Testing a Basic RF Link 22 Performing Simple Network Tests 23
5 Install Units .....................................................................................................................................26
Point-to-Multipoint Installation 27 Co-Location Installation 27
6 Test Network ...............................................................................................................................27
Adding to a Network ......................................................................................................................27
Preventative Maintenance
and Monitoring ..................................................................................................................................28
Configuration .................................................................................... 29
Overview ............................................................................................................................................29
Main Menu 29
Accessing the Main Menu ...............................................................................................................30
Accessing the Main Menu with HyperTerminal® 30 Accessing Units via telnet 31 Setting VT100 Arrows 31
Configuring with the Main Menu ..................................................................................................32
How to Use the Main Menu 32
Accessing Help 32
Unit Identification .............................................................................................................................34
Viewing Unit Identification 34 Assigning Unit Identification Information 35
Hardware/Software Revision .........................................................................................................36
Viewing System Revision Information 36
System Software ROM Images ......................................................................................................37
Viewing System Software ROM Images 37
System Current Status ....................................................................................................................38
Viewing System Current Status 38
Network Configuration ..................................................................................................................39
Viewing Internet IP Addresses and Subnet Mask 39 Setting the Internet IP Address 40 Setting the IP Subnet Mask 40
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Setting the Default Gateway IP Address (future) 41 Setting the SNMP NMS Trap IP Address (future) 41 Setting the MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes 41
IP Filter Configuration .................................................................................................................... 42
Viewing IP Filter Configuration 42 Enabling IP Packet Filtering 45 Enabling IP Address Filtering 45 Setting Default IP Address Filtering 45 Setting Up IP Address Filter 46
RF Station Configuration ............................................................................................................... 47
Viewing Current RF Station Configuration 47 Setting the Operating Mode 49 General Equipment Setup for Performing RF Tests 50 Setting Test Mode Timer Minutes 51 Performing Link Monitor Test (Normal Mode) 52 Performing Transmit and Receive Tests 55 Performing the RSSI Test 57 Setting the RF Transmit Status 58 Setting the Link Monitor Period 59 Setting Maximum Remote Distance (Base Station Only) 60 Setting Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 61 Adjusting Throttling (Remote Station Only) 62 Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote Station Only) 63
How Automatic Output Power Adjustment Works 63 Adjusting User Output Power Ceiling (Remote Station Only) 66 Setting Signal Margin (Remote Station Only) 67 Viewing Current Output Power Level Adjust 68
Radio Module Configuration ......................................................................................................... 69
Viewing the Radio Module Configuration 69 Setting Config Test Minutes 71 Setting the Station Type 72 Setting the Station Rank 73 Setting the Center Frequency 74 Setting Security Passwords 75 Setting the Scrambling Code 76 Setting the Acquisition Code 77 Adjusting the Tx Power Level 78 Setting a Base to Repeater Mode (Base Station Only) 79 Setting System Symmetry Type (Base Station Only) 81 Setting Dynamic Polling Level (Base Station Only) 82 Setting Remote Unit RF Group 83 Rebooting and Saving RF Module Configurations 86
RF/Ethernet Statistics ...................................................................................................................... 88
Viewing RF/Ethernet Statistics 88
System Security ................................................................................................................................ 91
Viewing System Security 91 Assigning Community Names 93 Setting Menu Passwords 94 Allowing Remote Access and Configuration 96 Setting the Auto Logout Minutes 97
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System Commands ...........................................................................................................................98
Viewing System Command Menu 98 Setting Default System Image 99 Setting the Reboot System Image 100 Rebooting the Current Image 100 Restoring Factory Configurations 101 Resetting Radio and Ethernet Statistics 102
Link Monitor Display .................................................................................................................... 103
Viewing Link Monitor Statistics 103
Logout .............................................................................................................................................. 104
Logging Out 104
Setting Operating Mode with the Mode Button .................................................................... 104
Selecting RF Tests with the Mode Button 105
Command Line Interface ............................................................................................................. 106
Troubleshooting ............................................................................. 107
Administrative Best Practices ..................................................................................................... 107
Troubleshooting Areas ................................................................................................................ 108
Troubleshooting Chart 109
Appendix A: Planning Your Wireless Link .................................. 113
Planning the Physical Layout ....................................................................................................... 113
Determine the Number of Remotes 113 Ensure LOS and Determine Coverage Area 113 Measure the Distance Between Units 114 Determine Shelter, Power and Environmental Requirements 114
Determining Antenna
and Cable Requirements ............................................................................................................. 114
Determining Unit Configuration Settings ................................................................................ 115
Calculating a Link Budget ............................................................................................................. 115
System Gain 116 EIRP (Effective Isotropically Radiated Power) 116 Antenna Gain 117 Propagation Loss 117 Fresnel Zone 117 Cable Loss 118 Path Loss 118 Fade Margin 118
iv
Link Budget Example .................................................................................................................... 119
Antenna Basics ............................................................................................................................... 120
Antenna Parameters 120 Implementation Considerations 121 Selecting Antennas 122 Wi-LAN’s Antenna Selection 122
AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Antenna Installation Factors 124
Minimal Clearance Above Obstructions 125 Installing Antennas 125 Fine-tuning Antennas 126 Co-locating Units 126
Appendix B: Using HyperTerminal ..............................................127
Starting HyperTerminal® ............................................................................................................ 127
Determining the Communications Port ................................................................................... 128
Appendix C: Configuring a Simple Data Network ......................129
Checking Network Adaptor Installation .................................................................................. 129
Configuring the Network ............................................................................................................ 130
Enabling the Sharing Feature
on the Hard Disk Drive ............................................................................................................... 133
Appendix D: SNMP ........................................................................135
About SNMP MIB .......................................................................................................................... 135
Wi-LAN Object Identifier Nodes .............................................................................................. 136
Using SNMP .................................................................................................................................... 136
Using Object Identifier Nodes ................................................................................................... 137
Appendix E: Technical Reference Information ...........................149
Front Panel LEDs ........................................................................................................................... 149
DC Power Plug Pinout ................................................................................................................. 150
Appendix F: Menu Map ..................................................................151
Appendix G: Upgrading Software .................................................153
Obtaining New Software Images ............................................................................................... 153
Downloading Image Software ..................................................................................................... 153
Activating New Software Images ............................................................................................... 155
Removing Old Software Images ................................................................................................. 155
Glossary ...........................................................................................157
Index ................................................................................................167
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Important Information

Please be aware of the following new features.
• Tx power of remote units can be monitored and adjusted automatically using Link Monitor/Output Power: Automatic Power Output or Dynamic Power Output (feature not available with SW revi­sion 0.0.0).
• Indoor antennas are not supplied with the shipping contents. To test and configure units you need to purchase a Bench Test Kit (9000-0035). For bench testing, antennas must be separated by at least 2 meters.
• IP Filter format has changed.
• On-screen Help is available for Main Menu items.
• new SNMP nodes have been added to set new features from a remote location.

Safety Considerations

This documentation must be reviewed for familiarization with the product, instructions, and safety symbols before operation.
Verify that a uninteruptable safety earth ground exists from the mainpower source and the product’s ground circuitry.
Verify that the correct AC power source is available for the AC adapter to produce 12 Vdc output from the adapter.
Disconnect the product from operating power before cleaning.

Warning Symbols Used in this Book

WARNING: Bodily injury or death may result from failure to heed a WARNING.
!
Do not proceed beyond a WARNING until the indicated conditions are fully understood
and met.
CAUTION: Damage to equipment may result from failure to heed a caution. Do not proceed beyond a CAUTION until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met.
! Important: Indicates important information to be aware of which may affect the completion of a task or successful operation of equipment.
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Important Information
All antennas and equipment must be installed by a knowledgeable and
Never operate a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator
Operating a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator connected
Antennas must be selected from a list of Wi-LAN approved antennas.
WARNING
!
professional installer.
CAUTION
connected to the antenna port.
to the antenna port can permanently damage a unit.
! Important
See Wi-LAN’s Antenna Selection , page 122 for list.
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Notices

Copyright Notice

Copyright© 2001 Wi-LAN, Inc.
All rights reserved.
This guide and the application and hardware described herein are furnished under license and are subject to a confidentiality agreement. The software and hardware can be used only in accordance with the terms and conditions of this agreement.
No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, including photocopying and recording—without the express written permission of Wi-LAN, Inc.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this guide is correct, Wi-LAN, Inc. does not warrant the information is free of errors or omissions.
Information contained in this guide is subject to change without notice.

Regulatory Notice

The AWE 120-24 product presented in this guide complies with the following regulations and/or regulatory bodies.
RSS-139 of Industry Canada
FCC Part 15
CEPT/ERC Recommendations, ETS 300-328, parts 1 and 2, and EN 60950
Operation is subject to the following two conditions.
This device may not cause interference
This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
This equipment generates, uses, and radiates radio frequency and, if not installed and used in accordance with this guide, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
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Notices
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following methods.
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
Connect equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
Selecting and testing different channels, if employing 2.4 GHz equipment
As the AWE 120-24 is used on a license-exempt (USA and Europe only), non-frequency coordinated, unprotected spectrum allocation, and thus can be subject to random unidentified interference, applications must not be those of a primary control where a lack of intercommunication could cause danger to property, process, or person. An alternative fail-safe should be designed into any system to ensure safe operation or shut down, should communication be lost for any reason.

Other Notices

Changes or modifications to the equipment not expressly approved by Wi-LAN, Inc., could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Appropriately shielded remote I/O serial cable with the metal connector shell and cable shield properly connected to chassis ground shall be used to reduce the radio frequency interference.
Radio frequency exposure limits may be exceeded at distances closer than 20 centimeters from the antenna of this device.
All antenna installation work shall be carried out by a knowledgeable and professional installer.
Use only a power adapter approved by Wi-LAN.

Warranty & Repair

Please contact the party from whom you purchased the product for warranty and repair information. Wi-LAN provides no direct warranty to end users of this product.

Customer Support Contacts

Users of Wi-LAN equipment who require technical assistance must contact their reseller or distributor. For information on distributors in your area, please visit www.wi-lan.com/channel.
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Distributor Technical Support

Distributor Technical Support
Distributors may contact Wi-LAN’s Technical Assistance Center (TAC) for technical support on Wi-LAN products. When requesting support, please have the following information available:
• Description of the problem
• Configuration of the system, including equipment models, versions and serial numbers.
• Antenna type and transmission cable lengths
• Site information, including possible RF path problems (trees, buildings, other RF equipment in the area)
• Configuration of units (base, remote, channels used, etc.) and Link Monitor statistics
Contact Wi-LAN’s Technical Assistance Center at the numbers listed below.
Canada and USA Call toll free: 1-866-702-3375
Business hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (GMT-7:00)
International Call: 1-403-204-2767
Business hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (GMT-7:00)
All locations Send an e-mail message to:
techsupport@wi-lan.com

Wi-LAN Product Information

To obtain information regarding Wi-LAN products, contact the Wi-LAN distributor in your region, call 1-800-258-6876 to speak with a Wi-LAN sales representative or visit our web site at www.wi-lan.com.

Publication History

Revision Date Description
Rev 1 SEP 2000 Initial release of manual.
Rev 2 DEC 2000 Major stuctural, text formatting, and software changes to manual.
Rev 3 JUL 2001 Product name change to AWE, Rev 2 version of manual, added features.
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Notices
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Description

Features

The AWE 120-24 is a wireless Ethernet bridge that provides high-speed, wireless connectivity at a fraction of the cost of wired solutions. It operates over the 2.4 – 2.48350 GHz ISM radio band and has a maximum raw wireless data rate of 12.0 Mbps.
• Provides wireless connectivity at speeds up to eight times faster than regular T1 lines, making the AWE 120­24 ideal for providing high-speed Internet access or for wirelessly extending existing communications infrastructures.
• Supports point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint networks. Contentionless polling
ensures efficient access to remote data networks.
• Is self-contained and easy to use. Simply connect a AWE 120-24 to each LAN segment, and the unit
automatically learns where nodes are located on the network and performs dynamic packet filtering to ensure the local LAN traffic does not overload the wireless connection.
• Uses Wi-LAN's patented Multi-Code Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (MC-DSSS) technology, which
makes the unit spectrally efficient and resistant to interference. MC-DSSS technology increases data throughput by as much as ten times compared to traditional spread spectrum technology.
• Other features include automatic Tx power level adjustment, IP address filtering, throughput throttling and
monitoring, high security and reliability, and a flash-code upgrade path. SNMP, Telnet and RS­232 management enable users to manage, configure and monitor their wireless network with ease.

About Spread Spectrum

The FCC allocates three frequency bands (called the ISM bands) to a radio technique known as spread spectrum communication. The bands are located at 900MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.7 GHz (shown in the following illustration). The AWE 120-24 operates with spread spectrum technology over the
2.4 – 2.4835 GHz band.
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1
Description
License-Free ISM Bands
26 MHz Wide
900 MHz North America
2.4 GHz Worldwide
5.8 GHz Worldwide
2.4 GHz 2.4835 GHz
5.725 GHz 5.85 GHz
902 MHz 928 MHz
83.5 MHz Wide
125 MHz Wide
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology converts a data stream into packets and spreads the packets across a broad portion of the RF band. The particular spread pattern depends upon a code. With multi-code DSSS (MC-DSSS), multiple codes and spread patterns are employed. A spread spectrum receiver reconstructs the signal and interprets the data.
Some advantages of DSSS are as follows.
Fast throughput: A wide bandwidth means fast data throughput.
Resistant to interference: DSSS overcomes medium levels of interference and multipath problems.
Security: There must be a decoder at the receiving end to recover data (a AWE can only talk to
another AWE). Data is transmitted at irregular time intervals. Upon request, Wi-LAN can assign a customer a data packet security code so that a customer can only receive transmissions from another AWE with the same code.
Low probability of detection: Due to a low amplitude signal and wide bandwidth.
No license fee: A license fee is not required if used in the specified radio bands, transmitter power is
limited, and a non-standard antenna connector is used.

About AWE Units

AWE units can function as base stations, remote units or repeater bases.
Base Station: At least one unit in your wireless network must be a base station. A base station acts as the
central control unit of the wireless network. The base station polls all remote units and controls how traffic is routed to and from remotes. The base usually connects to a major access point of the wired network. The antenna of the base station must be capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from all the remote units in a system. If remotes are spread over a large area, an omni-directional antenna is usually required. See Configuring a Base Station , page 15 for information about setting up a base station.
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AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Some System Applications

Remote Units: Remote units receive and transmit wireless data to the base station. You need at least one remote unit for each wireless link. Remotes can limit the amount of data passed by the remote (a function called throttling), and they can filter data packets based on their IP address. Because remote units communicate only with the base station, their antennas can be more directional and have higher gains than base antennas. See Configuring a Remote Unit, page 18 for information about setting up a remote unit.
Repeater Base: A base station can be configured as a repeater base. A repeater is needed when remote units cannot communicate directly with each other, but direct transfers of data between them are necessary (as in a true WAN). When configured as a repeater, the base station passes data packets between remote stations based on the remote group status and a list of MAC (Media Access Control) addresses that the base station automatically builds. The repeater uses a method called "store and forward" to receive data from the orignating remote and to pass data to the destination remote. See Setting a Base to Repeater Mode (Base
Station Only), page 79 for more information.
Some System Applications
You can build a wireless network from AWE units and various other components such as cables and antennas. The following section shows some simple examples of AWE applications.

Making a Simple Wireless Bridge

The simplest example of using a AWE 120-24 is a point-to-point wireless bridge that connects two wired network segments or LANs. Two AWE units are required: a base station and a remote unit.
Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge
Wireless Link
Wired Network
Switch
Hub
Firewall
RemoteRouter
Base
Main Wired Network
Router
Hub
Switch
Firewall

Creating a Simple Wireless Network

You can create a point-to-multipoint wireless network by adding several remote units to a base station. A base station can support up to 1000 remotes, however, Wi-LAN recommends no more than 225 remotes per base station to esnure high levels of data throughput. See Determine the Number of Remotes, page 113 for more information.
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3
Description
Point-to-Multipoint Wireless Network
Wired Network
Switch
Hub
Firewall
Wired Network
Switch
Hub
Firewall
Wired Network
RemoteRouter
Wireless Links
Main Wired Network
RemoteRouter
Base
Router
Hub
Switch
Firewall
Base station polls Remote Units
Hub
Switch
Firewall
RemoteRouter
Direct remote-to-remote communication can occur if a direct RF link can be established between remotes, and if remotes are in the same RF group.
Remote-to-Remote Communication
Remote
Wireless Links
Main Wired Network
Remote
Base
Remotes must be in the same RF group to communicate directly
Remote
4 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Some System Applications

Creating a Network with Cells

Cells or data nodes can be created with AWE units to maxmimize coverage, minimize interference, and increase data throughput. Directional antennas are mounted on a mast to divide cells into sectors.Each sector is connected to an antenna and a base station. Directional antennas increase signal gain within the sector and increase the distance possible between base stations and remotes. Center frequency, acquisition code and antenna polarization techniques are used to isolate sectors. The increase in data rate depends on the number of sectors. For example, the data rate of Cell 1 in the diagram below is 36 Mbps (12 Mbps x 3 sectors). Cells are distributed across a service area and can be linked to each other via a wireless link or a fiber optic cable.
LAN with Cells and Sectors
Cell 2
Remote
Remote
Remote
Cell 1
Remote
Base Stations (3)
Remote
Fiber Optiic Cable or Wireless Link
Remote
Remote
Wireless Link
Fiber Optiic Cable or
Remote
Remote
In this example, cells are divided into120 degree sectors. Cells are linked to other cells by a wired or wireless link.
Cell 3
Remote
Remote
Base Stations (3)
Base Stations (3)
Remote
Remote
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Internet
Remote
Remote
5
Description

Using a Repeater Base

A base station can function as a repeater to enable wireless data communication around physical obstacles such as tall buildings or mountains. The repeater passes data around the obstacle to any remote in the same RF group. The single unit repeater slows data throughput due to the "store and foreward" process where each packet is handled twice. A dual unit repeater does not slow data throughput.
Base Station as a Repeater
Single Unit Repeater
Wired Network
3
Remote
Wired Network
Dual Unit Repeater
Wired Network
3
Remote
Wireless Links
2
Remote
Wireless Links
Repeater
Mountain
Ethernet
Base Base
Mountain
Wired Network
1
Remote
Wired Network
1
Remote
Wired Network
2
Remote

Building a WAN

LAN segments can be linked with AWE units to build a WAN (Wide Area Network). Wi-LAN networks are installed in many locations around the world. You can contact Wi-LAN for help designing your network.
6 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

AWE 120-24 Unit

The AWE 120-24 has indicator LEDs on the front panel.
Front Panel
Air Mode Wire Power
Air
Mode Wire Power
AWE 120-24 Unit
The front panel connector and LEDs are described below. The color of a LED indicates its status. See Front
Panel LEDs, page 149 for detailed information
Air LED Color of LED indicates the transmit/receive status of the wireless link:
Red = transmitting data to the air Green = receiving data from the air Orange = transmitting and receiving approximately equal amounts of
data over the air
Off = listening to the air
Mode LED Color of LED indicates the operating mode of a unit:
Green = Receive Test mode Red = Transmit Test mode Orange= RSSI Test mode (measures fade margin, which is indicated by LED color) Off = Normal mode
Wire LED Color of LED indicates the transmit/receive status of the wire link:
Green = receiving data from wire Red = transmitting data to wire Orange = transmitting and receiving data on the wire Off = listening to wire or no wire connected
Power LED Green = power is connected to transceiver
Off = no power is connected to transceiver
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Description
Connectors for serial maintenance port, power, antenna and wired network are located on the back panel, as well as a mode button and a link LED.
Rear Panel
Power
Power
Antenna
Port
Antenna
Mode
Mode Button
Air Vent
Serial Port
Serial Port
Link LED
Link
Ethernet
Ethernet
Items located on the back panel are described below.
Antenna N-type female connector antenna port is located at the top left of the rear
panel. This port should always be connected to an antenna directly or through a 50 ohm coaxial cable
Serial Port RS-232, DB9 connector used to communicate with a PC. Use this port to
locally configure and test a AWE
Power 3-pin power connector. See DC Power Plug Pinout, page 150 for detailed
pinout illustration
Mode Button Mode button can be used to set the operating mode of a unit without a
terminal. See Setting Operating Mode with the Mode Button, page 104 for information about the mode button
Ethernet Standard RJ45 female connector. To connect to a PC Ethernet card, you must
use the crossover twisted-pair cable. To connect to a hub, use a straight­through twisted-pair cable
Link Color of LED indicates the data rate and status of the twisted-pair
connection Green = 10BaseT link, functioning properly Orange = 100BaseT link, functioning properly Off = No link
Air Vent Air vent for unit’s internal cooling fan
8 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

AWE 120–24 Specifications

AWE 120–24 Specifications
General Specifications
Modulation Method: Multi-Code Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (MC-DSSS), time
division duplexing (TDD)
Wireless Data Rate: 12 Mbps raw data rate/up to 9 Mbps operational
RF Frequency Range: 2.4 - 2.4835 MHz (unlicensed ISM band)
Power Requirements: 12Vdc (via 110/240 VAC 50/60 Hz adaptor)
30W (2.5A) maximum power consumption
Physical: Size: 19.3 x 4.4 x 25.5 centimeters
(7.6 x 1.75 x 10.0 inches) Weight: TBD
Radio Specifications
Antenna Connector: N-type female
Output Power: +20 dBm to –11 dBm
Receiver Sensitivity:
Processing Gain: >10 dB
Center Frequencies (GHz) 2.4258, 2.4302, 2.4345, 2.4400, 2.4455, 2.4498, 2.4542
Channel Width 33 MHz
Network Support
Packet Format: IEEE 802.3 and Ethernet II
LAN Connection: 10/100BaseT (autonegotiates)
Bridge Functionality: Local Packet Filtering (self-learning)
– 81 dBm (1 x e
(High-level protocol transparent)
Static IP address filtering Dynamic polling of remotes User configurable data rate (throttling) Software is upgradeable online via ftp
–6
BER) mid-channel
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Description
Wireless Networking Protocols
Network Topologies: Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint, Multipoint-to-Multipoint
Repeater Mode: User Configurable
Private Network User configurable using repeater and RF Group
RF Collision Management: Dynamic Polling with Dynamic Time Allocation
Security
Data Scrambling: User Configurable
Data Security Password: Security password of up to 20 bytes in length
48
combinations)
(10
Configuration, Management, and Diagnostics
Configuration Methods: SNMP, telnet and RS-232 Serial Port
SNMP: Version I compliant (RFC 1157), MIB standard and enterprise
(RFC 1213)
Management Port Functionality: Supports system configuration, security, access control,
wireless LAN diagnostics and management, menu-driven ASCII interface via RS-232 DB-9 connector
Environment
Units must be operated in a weatherproof environment with an ambient temperature from 0 to 40º Celsius and humidity 0 – 95% non-condensing
10 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Installation

Overview

This section explains how to install AWE units. You will assemble, configure and test units in a controlled environment so that any problems can be solved easily, and then install units in the field. By going through this process, you will help ensure a successful installation, save time spent on-site, and reduce travel between sites.
The following basic process should be followed.
1
2
3
Obtain
Network Plan
Assemble
Units
Configure
Units
4
5
6
Bench Test
Units
Install
Units
Test
Network
1. Obtain the network plan, equipment and tools.
2. Assemble units
—Check the contents of each AWE shipping package to ensure that you have received the required parts. —Connect the indoor antenna, connect the power supply unit, and check the power.
3. Configure units—Configure units according to the network plan.
4. Bench test units—Test basic RF and network operation of units in a controlled environment.
5. Install units—Place the tested units in their field locations and connect them to antennas, the wired
network, and DC power.
6. Test Network—Test the operation of the installed network.
Before you start testing, ensure that you have all the required parts, tools and equipment you will require.
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Installation

Shipping Package Contents

The shipping package contains the following items.
AWE unit
Power supply, table top adapter (12 Vdc)
Power supply cord
ferrite block(s)
Installation and Configuration Guide
Warranty Card
If any of the above items are not included in the AWE 120-24 shipping package, contact Wi-LAN customer support.
You may also require the following items.
Cable, straight-through ethernet RJ45, when connecting a unit to a hub
Cable, crossover ethernet cable RJ45, when connecting directly to the Ethernet port of a PC
Cable adapter, DB25F to DB9M
RS-232 DB25 serial cable
You can purchase these items and other parts from Wi-LAN or any authorized supplier.

Tools and Equipment

Ensure that you have all the required parts and equipment specified in the network plan. You will require a Bench Test Kit (9000-0035) and some tools to install and configure units–in addition to a standard tool kit,
you will require a laptop PC with HyperTerminal® or other terminal emulation software and RS-232 cable. You may require a spectrum analyzer, Site Master® communication test set, digital multimeter, 2-way radios,
binoculars, strobe lights, ladder, and weatherproof caulking.
12 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

1 Obtain Network Plan

1 Obtain Network Plan
The network plan describes the network in detail, including the following.
• Type and number of units
• Physical layout
• Configuration settings for each unit
• Site names, IP addresses and links
• Antenna types, RF cables and cable lengths, surge suppressors, terminators
• Network cable types and lengths
• Grounding kits and backup power requirements
• Link budget
• Floor plans and equipment cabinet requirements
The network plan should be completed before any equipment is installed in the field. See Appendix A: Planning
Your Wireless Link, page 113 for more information about network planning.

2 Assemble Units

To assemble a unit and check the power
1. Connect the indoor antenna to the Antenna port at the back of the unit.
Note: Indoor antenna may be different from the illustration.
CAUTION
Never operate a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator
connected to the antenna port.
Operating a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator connected
to the antenna port can permanently damage a unit.
! Important
The AWE 120-24 must be connected only to a Wi-LAN approved power
supply unit with an output of 12 Vdc. See DC Power Plug Pinout, page 150 for
pinout information.
JUL 2001 Rev 03
13
Installation
Antenna and Power Connections
SMA to N-type Adaptor
DC Power Plug
12 Vdc
Power LED
Indoor Antenna
Antenna port
Coaxial Cable
Hint: To turn unit power ON or OFF, connect or disconnect the power cord here.
2. Check the power
a) Plug the AC power cord into the AC power outlet.
b) Plug the DC power plug (12 Vdc) to the unit’s power connector.
c) Plug the AC power cord into the power supply unit.
The green Power LED on the front of the unit turns ON and the Air, Mode and WIRE LEDs turn ON
briefly then turn OFF
The green Power LED stays ON. The Mode LED stays OFF (indicating Normal mode). The Air LED
is orange, green, red or OFF. See Front Panel LEDs, page 149 for more information about LEDs.
If the green Power LED does not turn ON, check your AC power source and the power supply unit.
Measure the power supply unit voltage at the DC Power Plug between pins 1 and 2. See DC Power
Plug Pinout, page 150. The output should be 12 Vdc and the power supply unit power LED should be
ON.
Power Supply Unit
AC Power Cord
14 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

3 Configure Units

3 Configure Units
This section describes how to configure a base station and a remote unit, which are the two basic units required for a point-to-point wireless link. After you configure and test this basic equipment, you can configure and test all the remaining remote units. See Configuration, page 29 for detailed information about configuration settings.
Configuring a Base Station
When you configure a unit as a base station, you need to perform the following tasks.
• Check the Network Configuration information of the unit.
• Set the Station Type
• Assign the Station Rank
• Select a Center Frequency
• Select an Acquistion Code
• Set Tx Power Level Adjust level
• Set the security passwords
• Change the default menu passwords
These tasks are described below in detail.
To configure a unit as a base station
1. Connect a PC to the AWE unit that will be the base station. Connect the COM port of the PC to the
Serial port of the AWE with the adapter plug and straight through RS-232 cable.
Connecting PC to Serial Port
Detail
AWE
Serial Port (DB9)
RS-232 DB 25 to 9 pin Adapter
Serial Port (See detail)
AWE Unit
JUL 2001 Rev 03
RS-232 Serial Cable to PC COM port
RS 232 Serial Cable to PC COM port
PC
15
Installation
2. Start the terminal emulation program. Use the following communication settings: 9600 bps, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.
3. Press
Enter. The AWE Login window is displayed.
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Login
Software: Rev 0.0.0 (Aug 25 2000 10:13:37)
Hardware: Rev 0.0.0 (4MB SDRAM, 4MB Intel Flash)
Enter Password:
4. Type the default password (supervisor) and press
Enter.
The Main Menu is displayed.
Note: supervisor enables you to change the configuration settings with the Main Menu. See Setting Menu
Passwords, page 94 for more information about menu passwords.
Main Menu
How to Use the Main Menu
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Main Menu
To select an item from the Main Menu or a sub-menu, press the
-> Unit Identification Hardware/Software Revision System Software ROM Images Current System Status Network Configuration IP Filter Configuration RF Station Configuration Radio Module Configuration RF/Ethernet Statistics System Security System Commands Link Monitor Display
Logout
keyboard arrow keys to move the cursor –> next to item.
Press the
Enter key to
Enter
open the data entry field.
To scroll through items in the data
entry field, press .
Press to select an item
Enter
from the field.
To exit from a menu, press the
Esc
key.
Esc
5. Select Network Configuration. Check the network configuration information, the IP address and subnet mask settings. If necessary, change settings to match the network plan.
16 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
3 Configure Units
Success
6. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module
Configuration window is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
• Select Station Type. Choose Base Station.
• Select Station Rank. Enter the total number of remote units in your wireless network. For example, if you have only one remote unit, enter "1". If there are 20 remote units, enter "20".
• Select Center Frequency. Press the up or down arrow keys to choose the frequency. All wireless units must be set to the same center frequency.
• Select Security Password 1. Type security passwords in hexadecimal for the unit. All units in the same network must have the same set of security passwords.
• Select Scambling Code. Enter a hexadecimal value or leave the default at "0". All units in the same network must have the same scambling code.
• Select Acquistion Code. Enter a value from 0–15. (All units in the same network must have the same acquisiton code.)
• Select Config Test Minutes. Enter a time in minutes, for example, 10. The unit will automat­ically reboot when this time period expires, and uses the settings stored in flash memory instead of current settings.
• Select Tx Power Level Adjust. Choose an initial value of 0 dB, which means no Tx power attenuation.
• Select Reboot New RF configuration and press
Enter. The unit reboots and the Login
window is displayed.
7. Log in to the unit. (Type supervisor for the password). The Main Menu is displayed.
8. Select Radio Module Configuration and press
Enter. The Radio Module Configuration window
is displayed.
• Select Save Current Config to Flash and press
memory and displayed on the menu. The word appears on the screen.
9. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to go back to the Main Menu.
Enter. The new settings are stored in flash
17
Installation
10. Select Logout to exit or press Esc.
Note: At this time you may want to finish configuring the base station according to the network
plan. See Configuration, page 29 for instructions about viewing and changing various settings.
Configuring a Remote Unit
When you configure a unit as a remote unit, you need to do the following tasks.
• Check the Network Configuration information of the unit
• Set the Station Type of the unit to "Remote Unit"
• Assign the Station Rank (polling ID # of the remote unit)
• Select a Center Frequency (must be the same for all units in network)
• Select an Acquistion Code (must be the same for all units in network)
• Set Tx Power Level Adjust intially to "0 dB"
• Set the security passwords (must be the same for all units in network)
• Change the default menu passwords
These tasks are described below in detail.
To configure a unit as a remote unit
1. Connect a PC to a AWE remote unit. Connect the COM port of the PC to the Serial port of the remote unit using an adapter plug and RS-232 cable. See Configuring a Base Station, page 15 for cabling diagram.
2. Start the terminal emulation program (see Appendix B: Using HyperTerminal, page 127). Use the following commnication settings: 9600 bps, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.
3. Press
4. Select Network Configuration. Check the IP settings. If necessary, change the settings to match
5. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press
Enter. The AWE Login window is displayed. Type the default password supervisor and press
Enter. The Main Menu is displayed.
the network plan.
Enter. The Radio Module
Configuration window is displayed.
18 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
3 Configure Units
• Select Station Type. Choose Remote Unit.
• Select Station Rank. Enter the rank number of the remote unit. Enter a number from 1–1000.
• Select Center Frequency. Choose a frequency and press
Enter. Remote units must be set to
the same center frequency as the base station.
• Select Security Password 1. Type security passwords in hexadecimal for the unit. All units in the same network must have the same set of security passwords.
• Select Scambling Code. Enter a hexadecimal value or leave the default at "0". All units in the same network must have the same scambling code.
• Select Acquistion Code. Enter a value from 0–15. (All units in the same network must have the same acquisiton code.)
• Select Config Test Minutes. Enter a time in minutes, for example, 10. The unit will automat­ically reboot when this time period expires, and uses the settings stored in flash memory instead of current settings.
• Select Tx Power Level Adjust. Choose an initial value of 0 dB, which means no Tx power attenuation.
• Select Remote Unit RF Group. Enter a value from 0–63. (For testing purposes, you may leave the value = 0.)
• Select Reboot New RF configuration and press
Enter. The unit reboots and the Login
window is displayed.
6. Log in to the unit. (Type supervisor for the password). The Main Menu is displayed.
7. Select Radio Module Configuration and press
Enter. The Radio Module Configuration window
is displayed. The settings under Current change to values that were in the New column.
8. Select Save Current Config to Flash and press
memory and displayed on the menu. The word appears on the screen.
Success
Enter. The new settings are stored in flash
9. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to go back to the Main Menu.
19
Installation
10. Select Logout to exit or press Esc.
Note: At this time you may want finish configuring the unit according to the network plan. See Configuration,
page 29 for instructions about viewing and changing various settings.

4 Bench Test Units

In this section, you will perform the following tasks.
Ensure that a basic RF link exists between a base station and a remote unit
Test the ability of the link to carry test data
Perform a simple network test

Establishing a Basic RF Link

This test ensures that a basic RF link exists between a base station and a remote unit.
! Important
The quality of your digital data transmission depends greatly on the quality of your RF
link. Always try to establish a high-quality RF link first. A high-quality RF link will
result in high-quality data transmissions and a low BER. A low-quality RF link will result
in low-quality data transmissions and a high bit error rate (BER). Digital data can always
be sent across a high-quality RF link. If the RF link is of poor quality, data either cannot
be sent at all or will contain too many errors to be useful..
Tip: Configure one unit as a base station, then use it to test all the remote units.
To establish a basic RF link
1. Ensure that one unit is configured to a base station, select a center frequency and set the test minutes. See Configuring a Base Station, page 15.
2. Ensure that the other unit(s) are configured as remote units and with the center frequency the same as the base station. See Configuring a Remote Unit, page 18.
3. Place the base station and a remote unit at least two meters apart with a clear line of sight between antennas. For directional antennas, point antennas toward each other. For a dipole antenna, orient the antenna vertically.
20 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Basic Test Setup
4 Bench Test Units
Indoor
Antenna
2 m
Indoor Antenna
minimum
Coax Adapter Cable
Air
Mode Wire Power
Air LED = orange
Coax Adapter Cable
Air
Mode Wire Power
Air LED = orange
Base Unit Remote Unit
4. Power up the base station. The green Power LED is ON. The Air LED of the base unit is red. This Air LED
color indicates that the unit is transmitting data but is not receiving a response. (The reason is that the remote is powered off.)
5. Power up the remote unit. The green Power LED is ON. The Air LED of the remote unit turns orange
and the Air LED of the base station also turns orange as both units send and receive data from each other. Orange is the normal Air LED color.
The color of the Air LED during this step indicates the following conditions.
Orange (both stations) Units are continuously sending and receiving sync packets
Red (base station) Stations are configured incorrectly, and the base station is
transmitting without receiving acknowledgment
Green (remote station) Stations are configured incorrectly, and the remote station is
receiving packets to which it cannot respond
Off Nothing is being received (by the remote) or transmitted (from the
base)
Note: If antennas are placed too close together (< 2 m), the strong transmit signal can saturate the receiving
unit. Fine-tune antennas by changing antenna orientations until the Air LED is orange.
Next, you will test the link’s basic ability to carry data.
JUL 2001 Rev 03
21
Installation

Testing a Basic RF Link

When both the base station and remote unit can receive and transmit data to each another (indicated by orange Air LEDs on both units), a basic RF link is established. You can now test the link with Link Monitor. Link Monitor tests a link by sending and receiving test data over a link, in both directions, at the same time. For information about testing a link in the receive or transmit direction only, see Performing Link Monitor Test
(Normal Mode), page 52.
To test the RF link
1. Connect the test PC to the Serial port of the base station or remote unit. See Connecting PC to Serial Port, page 15.
2. Log in to the unit and go to the Main Menu.
3. Select RF Station Configuration and press displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Enter. The RF Station Configuration window is
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 1 Link Monitor/Output Power Normal User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
• Select Operating Mode. Press the arrow keys to select Normal mode.
• Select RF Transmit Status. Select unblocked.
• Select Link Monitor Remote Station Rank. Enter the rank of the unit that you want to link test. (The rank is the identification number of the unit. The rank of a remote can be any num­ber from 1 – 1000. The rank number of the the base station is always 0. See Setting the Station Rank, page 73.)
• Select Link Monitor/Output Power. Choose Normal
• Select Signal Margin and enter an initial value of 6.
• Select Link Monitor Period. Enter a link monitor period of 1. (A value of 1 means that 50% of available data packets will carry test data. The higher the period number, the fewer the number
22 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
of data packets that will carry test data. See Setting the Link Monitor Period, page 59 for more infor­mation.) The Link Monitor test starts as soon as a non-zero value is entered in the field.
4. From the Main Menu select Link Monitor Display and press Monitor Statistics window is displayed.
RF Background Link Monitor Statistics
Link Monitor Rank 1 Base to Remote BER 0.0E+00 Remote to Base BER 0.0E+00 Missed Packet Count 0 Base to Remote Env Power 27 Base to Remote Corr Power 28 Remote to Base Env Power 29 Remote to Base Corr Power 30
5. Check for the following statistics.
• Base to Remote BER = 0.0E+00
4 Bench Test Units
Enter. The RF Background Link
• Remote to Base BER = 0.0E+00
• Base to Remote Corr Power between 15 – 50 dB
• Remote to Base Corr Power between 15 – 50 dB
If the Corr Power is <15 dB the receive signal is probably too weak to be useful. If the power is
> 55 dB the receiving unit is probably being saturated. If you have problems ensure the unit is configured to its basic default settings (see Restoring Factory Configurations, page 101) and reconfigure the unit, or contact Wi-LAN technical assistance center.
6. When you finish viewing link monitor statistics, disable Link Monitor to remove the overhead test data from the wireless link. To disable Link Monitor, select RF Station Configuration from the Main Menu and press Enter. The RF Station Configuration window is displayed.
7. Select Link Monitor Period and press Enter. The field is highlighted.
8. Type 0 in the field and press Enter. The link monitor test ends.
9. Press Esc to exit to Main Menu.
Note: You can also set the Tx power automatically. See Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote Station Only),
page 63.
You have now established an RF link between two units, tested the ability of the link to carry test data, and adjusted the Tx power level. Next, you connect the units to a network and perform some simple network tests.

Performing Simple Network Tests

To test units within a simple network you require two AWE 120-24 units, a LAN connection, a PC and a crossover ethernet cable or hub connection.
To perform network tests
JUL 2001 Rev 03
23
Installation
1. Connect the Ethernet port of the remote unit to the wired LAN.
2. Place a ferrite block on the Ethernet cable and power cord, approximately 4 cm from jacks.
Ethernet Connection
A
n
te
n
n
a
Power
Ferrite block
E
thernet
Ethernet Port
Power cord
Ferrite block
To wired LAN or PC Internet port
Ethernet cable
3. Connect the Ethernet port of the base station to the internet port of the PC. You can either connect via a network hub or connect directly using an RJ45 crossover ethernet cable.
Network Test Setup
2 m
minimum
Cable connects to Ethernet port
Base Unit
Air
Mode Wire Power
Air
Mode Wire Power
10/100 BaseT Cable (Straight Through)
Direct 10/100 BaseT Cable (Crossover)
10/100 BaseT HUB
10/100 BaseT Cable
PC
LAN
24 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
4 Bench Test Units
4. Power up both AWE units. Initially the LEDs should appear as follows.
Power LED Green
Mode LED Off
Air LED Orange
5. Configure the AWE units within your network. See Network Configuration, page 39 for information about
AWE Internet addresses. See Appendix C: Configuring a Simple Data Network, page 129 for information about configuring simple peer-to-peer networks.
6. Create some network traffic to test the wireless link. For example, use ping or ftp put and get to
transfer a large test files, in both directions, across the link. The WIRE LED on the AWE indicates link file transfer activity to the wired LAN. When the file transfer is done, ftp displays the size of the file and the time it took to transfer the file. This information can be used to measure the data throughput of the wireless link, and is very useful for troubleshooting.
Using ping and ftp
ping
ftp
7. Test all units in the network.
From the command line prompt, type: C:> ping IP Address
Example:
ping 192.163.2.88
To connect to the node, from the DOS prompt, type:
C:> ftp IP Address
For instructions about using ftp, type "help" at the ftp prompt.
ftp> help
Follow the instructions.
JUL 2001 Rev 03
25
Installation

5 Install Units

This section provides some guidelines about installing units in the field.
Install the units at locations identified in the network plan. Some units will simply sit on a table or
desk and do not require any special antenna work. Other units must be installed inside communication cabinets or racks and will require professional antenna installation.
CAUTION
Never operate a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator
connected to the antenna port.
Operating a unit without an antenna, dummy load, or terminator connected
to the antenna port can permanently damage a unit.
WARNING
!
Antennas must be professionally installed following accepted safety,
grounding, electrical, and civil engineering standards.
Verify that there is no interference at the site by performing spectrum sweeps with a spectrum
analyzer. Perform sweeps at various times of the day (for example, 9AM, noon, and 3 PM are peak telephone traffic times.) If there are problems, contact the network planner, who may need to change the system configuration or design.
Sweep antennas and cables with the Site Master® communications test set, before securing antennas
and cables to towers, while they are on the ground and easy to access. Sweeping helps to ensure that antennas and cables will operate as expected.
Initially install equipment with flexibility—do not tie down cables, antennas should be free to move,
allow some slack in cables, avoid drilling and do not seal connections.
Align antennas. (Two people are required, one at the base station and one at the remote unit. When
in the field, you may require binoculars and 2-way radios to communicate.) When aligning antennas, adjust the orientation of the remote antenna while running a link monitor test between the remote and the base station. Adjust the antenna until you achieve the highest fade margin with no bit errors (BER = 0). See Performing the RSSI Test, page 57 and Performing Link Monitor Test (Normal Mode), page 52 for instructions. Repeat the antenna alignment procedure for each remote.
When antennas are aligned and cables are secured, sweep the antennas with the Site Master test set
a final time before connecting to AWE.
Perform diagnostic tests on the installed system. Compare field results to bench test results using
ping, ftp, fade margins, etc. Document your results (these results will be very useful when troubleshooting and monitoring the system’s performance).
When the system works as specified in the network plan, lock down and weatherproof all equipment
and connnections.
26 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

6 Test Network

Point-to-Multipoint Installation

The procedure for installing a point-to-mulitpoint system is the same as the procedure for installing a point­to-point system. Treat each link in a point-to-multipoint system as a single, point-to-point wireless link.

Co-Location Installation

When you install a system with sectors and co-located base stations (see Creating a Network with Cells, page 5 for an example), you install and test sectors as if they were point-to-point systems; however, in this case you must ensure that individual sectors are not interfering with each other.
Align and test the first sector. Measure the fade margin and run the link monitor test. Document your results, then turn off the radio in the first sector.
Align and test the second sector. Measure the fade margin and run the link monitor test. Leave the link monitor test running in the second sector.
Turn on the radio in the first sector again and run the continuous tranmit test. See Performing Transmit
and Receive Tests, page 55.
Observe the BER and fade margin of the second sector radio. Look for changes to determine if the first sector is interfering with the second sector.
Repeat the tests for all sector/pair combinations.
6 Test Network
Run the link monitor test, transmit test and network tests such as ping and ftp file transfers to verify operation when the units are installed in the field. See Performing Link Monitor Test (Normal Mode), page 52.

Adding to a Network

Always add to your network one link or device at a time, working from a known base network. Measure and document changes to the system and changes in performance. For example, you can transfer files with ftp and measure the performance with LAN analyzer software. The key to a successful network is to proceed one step at a time and to understand your network!
JUL 2001 Rev 03
27
Installation
Network Test Setup
Indoor
Antenna
Base Unit
Air
Mode Wire Power
10/100 BaseT HUB
Preventative Maintenance
Remote Unit
Air
PC
PC with LAN analyzer software
Mode Wire Power
Indoor Antenna
LAN
and Monitoring
You should set up a preventative maintenance schedule for your network. Wi-LAN recommends that the following preventative maintenance be performed at least semi-annually.
Regularly run link monitor tests across the network and measure BER and fade margin. You can also test the network with ping, ftp and file transfers. Other resources are available on the Internet that can help you monitor the performance of your link.
If you have SNMP application software, you can check unit operation from a remote location. See
Appendix D: SNMP, page 135 for more information.
You should periodically perform a physical inspection of each site.
• Check that antennas and cables are secure and have not become loose.
• Check for physical obstructions in the line-of-sight radio path, such as trees and buildings.
• Sweep antennas and cables to ensure that antennas and cables are intact and operating properly.
• Check that there are no water leaks in cabinets.
• Check weatherproofing.
• Check for new sources of electromagnetic interference.
28 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Configuration
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Main Menu
-> Unit Identification Hardware/Software Revision System Software ROM Images Current System Status Network Configuration IP Filter Configuration RF Station Configuration Radio Module Configuration RF/Ethernet Statistics System Security System Commands Link Monitor Display
Logout

Overview

This section explains how to use the Main Menu to configure and test your AWE unit, and to obtain useful statistical and maintenance information.

Main Menu

In this section, each item in the Main Menu is described in the order that it appears in the menu. See Appendix F: Menu Map, page 151 for a complete listing of submenus. Use the Main Menu and your keyboard keys to select, view or change settings. Some items in the menu simply display information, while others ask you to enter data or make a selection from a list.
Main Menu
JUL 2001 Rev 03 29
Configuration

Accessing the Main Menu

You can access the Main Menu of a AWE unit with a HyperTerminal® session or other terminal emulation software or a telnet session. Most instructions provided in this chapter assume that you have opened a HyperTerminal session.
You can also configure the AWE 120-24 remotely with the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). See Appendix D: SNMP, page 135 for information about SNMP.
Accessing the Main Menu with HyperTerminal
To access the Main Menu with HyperTerminal
1. Disconnect power from the AWE unit.
2. Connect a serial cable from a DB9 serial port on the PC to the Serial port on the AWE. See Configuring a
Base Station, page 15.
3. Start Hyperterminal or another terminal emulation program on the PC. See Appendix B: Using
HyperTerminal.
4. Set the terminal emulation program to emulate a VT100 terminal with the following settings.
COM port PC serial port connected to AWE unit
Bits per second: 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: none
Stop bits: 1
Flow control: none
5. Reconnect the power to the AWE unit.
6. Press
Enter. The Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Login menu is displayed.
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Login
®
Software: Rev 0.0.0 (May 25 2000 10:13:37)
Hardware: Rev 0.0.0 (4MB SDRAM, 4MB Intel Flash)
Enter Password:
7. Type a default password (user or supervisor) or type your personal password if already have one.
Login Account Default Password Privileges
User user Read Only
Supervisor supervisor Read and Write
The Main Menu is displayed.
30 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Accessing the Main Menu

Accessing Units via telnet

To access units via telnet
1. Ensure that the unit’s Internet IP address has been configured, the unit has a working Ethernet connection, and wire and remote access has been enabled (see Allowing Remote Access and Configuration, page 96).
2. Ensure that the VT100 Arrows feature in your telnet session is enabled. See Setting VT100 Arrows, page 31.
3. From the DOS prompt, type C:>telnet <IP address> where <IP address> is the IP address of the unit that you want to configure.
4. Press
Enter. The Login menu is displayed.
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Login
Software: Rev 0.0.0 (May 25 2000 10:13:37)
Hardware: Rev 0.0.0 (4MB SDRAM, 4MB Intel Flash)
Enter Password:
5. Type the default password (user or supervisor) or type your personal password. The Main Menu is displayed.

Setting VT100 Arrows

To set the VT100 arrows in Microsoft telnet
1. In the active Microsoft telnet 1.0 session, select Terminal, Preferences from the menu bar. The Terminal Preferences window is displayed.
2. Click the VT100 Arrows checkbox.
3. Click OK. The VT100 arrows are enabled in the telnet session.
You can now use the keyboard arrow keys to navigate the configuration menus.
JUL 2001 Rev 03
31
Configuration
Configuring with the Main Menu
This section describes how to configure units using the Main Menu. Menu items are discussed below in the order that they appear in the menu.
Main Menu
How to Use the Main Menu
Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 Main Menu
To select an item from the Main Menu or a sub-menu, press the
-> Unit Identification Hardware/Software Revision System Software ROM Images Current System Status Network Configuration IP Filter Configuration RF Station Configuration Radio Module Configuration RF/Ethernet Statistics System Security System Commands Link Monitor Display
Logout

Accessing Help

On-screen help is available for items listed in the Main Menu.
keyboard arrow keys to move the cursor –> next to the
item.
Press the
Enter key to
Enter
open the data entry field.
To scroll through items in the data
entry field, press .
Press to select an item
Enter
from the field.
To exit from a menu, press the
Esc
key.
Esc
To access help
1. From the Main Menu, select an item from the list and press Enter. The screen for the item is displayed.
2. Press
3. Place the cursor next to an item on the Help Menu and press
H on the keyboard. The Help Menu for the screen is displayed.
Enter. The help text for that item is
displayed.
Note: To navigate to the next page or to the previous page, press the up or down arrow keys on the keyboard or follow instructions given at the top of the screen.
4. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
32 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Example:
Configuring with the Main Menu
1. From the Main Menu place the cursor The RF Station Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 1 Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB
-> next to RF Station Configuration and press Enter.
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
2. Press the "H" key on the keyboard. The Help screen for the menu is displayed.
Esc - Exit Help
RF Station Configuration Help Menu
Operating Modes
-> RF Transmit Status Link Monitor Period Test Mode Timer Minutes Maximum Remote Distance Link Monitor Remote Station Rank Throttling
3. Place the cursor next to an item on the Help Menu and press
Enter. The help text for the item is
displayed on the screen.
4. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
JUL 2001 Rev 03
33
Configuration
Unit Identification
Viewing Unit Identification
You can view a unit’s serial number, production date, and MAC address with the Unit Identification menu. The fields are view only and are set at the factory.
You can also view the Unit Name/Description, Unit Location, and Contact Name. These fields are optional and can be changed.
To view unit identification information
1. From the Main Menu, select Unit Identification and press Enter. The Unit Identification menu is displayed.

Unit Identification

Serial Number Serial-Number Production Date Jun 07 2000 Ethernet MAC Address 001030000000 Factory Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB
Unit Name/Description ->System Name Unit Location System Location Contact Name System Manager's Name
Serial Number Unique serial number of unit (Read Only)
Production Date Date unit was produced (Read Only)
Ethernet MAC Address Unique Internet MAC (Media Access Control) address
of the unit (Read Only)
Factory Output Power Adjust Ceiling
Unit Name/Description Name of unit (optional)
Unit Location Location of unit (optional)
Contact Name Name of contact person (optional)
Factory-set value of output power ceiling. (Read Only).
34 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Unit Identification
Assigning Unit Identification Information
You can assign a name, location and contact name to units. This information will help you to distinguish units by physical location or by meaningful names rather than station rank only. Unit identification information is optional.
To assign or change unit identification information
1. From the Main Menu, select Unit Identification and press
displayed.
Unit Identification
Serial Number Serial-Number Production Date 01-01-2000 Ethernet MAC Address 001030040502 Factory Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB
Unit Name/Description -> System Name Unit Location System Location Contact Name System Manager's Name
2. Select Unit Name/Description and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Type in a new name or description.
4. Press
5. Select Unit Location and press
Enter. The new name or description is displayed in the data field.
Enter. The data field highlights.
6. Type the location of the unit.
7. Press
8. Select Contact Name and press
Enter. The new location appears in the data field.
Enter. The data field highlights.
9. Type a contact or manager name.
10. Press
11. Press
Enter. The new name appears in the entry field. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Enter. The Unit Identification menu is
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35
Configuration

Hardware/Software Revision

Viewing System Revision Information

The System Revision Information window shows the revision information of the unit including memory revision number, memory size and software revision number.
To view system revision information
1. From the Main Menu, select Hardware/Software Revision and press Enter. The System Revision Information window is displayed. The menu is view only.
System Revision Information
Hardware Rev 0.0.0 (4MB SDRAM, 4MB Intel Flash) ROM Size 0x400000 RAM Size 0x400000
2. Press
Software Rev 0.0.0 (Wi-LAN AWE 120-24 WEBII) June 26 2000 10:13:37 318452 Bytes File Name FACTORY-IMAGE
Hardware Revision number of the unit, the amount SDRAM and
FLASH memory available in the unit
ROM Size Amount of Flash read-only memory in the unit = 4 MB
RAM Size Amount of random-access memory in the unit = 4MB
Software Revision number of the system image running on the unit,
the date of the revision, and the size of the image file (in this example FACTORY-IMAGE is about 318 Kbytes)
File Name File name of the system image running on the unit
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
36 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

System Software ROM Images

System Software ROM Images

Viewing System Software ROM Images

A ROM image is the software that a unit uses to operate. The System Software ROM Images window lists software images currently available in the unit. New images can be loaded into a unit’s Flash ROM from an outside source such as a PC or EPROMs inside the unit that contain the software can be replaced. The example below shows that only the "Factory-Image" is available, however, in the future other images may be available. If required, you can obtain a new image file from Wi-LAN Technical Assistance Center and download it to your AWE unit–see Appendix G: Upgrading Software, page 153 for instructions. See Setting Default System
Image, page 99 for instructions about selecting a default image.
To view system software ROM images
1. From the Main Menu, select System Software ROM Images and press Enter. The System Software
ROM Images window is displayed. The window is view only.
System Software ROM Images
File Name Revision Date Time Size Default Image
-------------------- -------- ----------- -------- ------ -------------
FACTORY-IMAGE 0.0.0 Aug 24 2001 10:13:37 306524 Current
File Name Name(s) of system image file(s) stored in the unit. To add or
delete images you must use ftp. See Appendix G: Upgrading
Software, page 153
Revision Revision number of the system image file. Each time the system
image is modified, the revision number increases by 1 unit. For example, the first revision to the file would make the revision number 0.0.1
Date Date image file was last revised
Time Time image file was last revised
Size Size of image file in bytes
Default Image Indicates which image file is the default. Default Image is used at
power up. See Setting Default System Image, page 99 to modify default image
2. Press Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
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37
Configuration

System Current Status

Viewing System Current Status

The System Current Status window provides administration information such as the amount of time a unit has been running and login statistics.
To view system current status
1. From the Main Menu, select System Current Status and press Enter. The System Current Status window is displayed. The window is view only.
System Current Status
Cumulative Run-Time Days: 0 Hours: 7 Current Run-Time Days: 0 00:38:38 Successful Logins 16 Unsuccessful Logins 1 Local User Logged In Supervisor Telnet User Logged In None FTP User Logged In None
2. Press
Cumulative Run-Time Number of hours the system has been running since it
was manufactured—information is required for maintenance purposes
Current Run-Time Time duration since the unit was last reset or power
cycled
Successful Logins Number of times the configuration menus have been
successfully accessed
Unsuccessful Logins Number of times access to the configuration menus has
failed
Local User Logged In Access level of user currently logged into the
configuration menus via the RS-232
Telnet User Logged In Access level of user currently logged into the
configuration menus via a telnet session
FTP User Logged In Access level of user currently logged into the host FTP
server
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
38 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Network Configuration

Network Configuration
Each AWE 120-24 unit in a system must have a valid Internet IP address and subnet mask to communicate via TCP/IP. You will need to know this information to remotely manage units. Your system administrator should be able to supply you with this information.

Viewing Internet IP Addresses and Subnet Mask

To view the Internet IP addresses and subnet mask
1. From the Main Menu, select Network Configuration and press Enter. The Network
Configuration menu is displayed.
Network Configuration
Internet IP Address 192.168.1.100 New IP Address (Reboot Reqd) -> 192.168.1.100 Internet IP Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway IP Address 0.0.0.0 SNMP NMS Trap IP Address 0.0.0.0 MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes (1-60) 5
Internet IP Address IP address of unit
New Internet IP Address (Reboot Reqd)
Internet IP Subnet Mask Number that is used to determine if a node is part of
Default Gateway IP Address Address of main entry point into the network
SNMP NMS Trap IP Address NMS (network management system) trap address
MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes
2. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
New IP address of unit. Required when changing IP address
LAN or whether a transmission must be handled by router (the subnet mask is logically ANDed with the IP address)
Collects alarms and events and passes them to the network administrator
Number of minutes after which the MAC (Media Access Control) filter entry will expire
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39
Configuration

Setting the Internet IP Address

To set the new Internet IP address
1. From the Main Menu, select IP Network Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Network Configuration
Internet IP Address 192.168.1.100
New IP Address (Reboot Reqd) -> 192.168.1.100 Internet IP Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway IP Address 0.0.0.0 SNMP NMS Trap IP Address 0.0.0.0 MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes (1-60) 5
2. Select New IP Address and press
3. Type the unique Internet IP address for the unit.
4. Press the Enter key. The new Internet IP address appears in the New IP Address (Reboot Reqd)field, but the old address remains in the Internet IP Address field.
5. To save the changes, reboot the unit or power the unit down and up.
6. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. The Network

Setting the IP Subnet Mask

To set the default IP subnet address
1. From the Network Configuration menu, select Internet IP Subnet Mask and press Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Type the Internet IP subnet mask for the unit.
3. Press
4. Press
Enter. The Internet IP subnet mask appears in the field and is assigned to the unit. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
40 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Network Configuration

Setting the Default Gateway IP Address (future)

You can define the IP address of the system gateway. This address designates the main entry point into the network and is usually in the same subnetwork as the unit IP address.
To set the default gateway IP address
1. From the Network Configuration menu, select Network Configuration. The Network
Configuration menu is displayed.
2. Select Default Gateway IP Address and press
3. Type the default gateway IP address for the unit.
4. Press
5. Press
Enter. The default gateway IP address for the unit appears in the field. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Enter. The data field highlights.

Setting the SNMP NMS Trap IP Address (future)

The SNMP (System Network Management Protocol) NMS (Network Management System) Trap IP address identifies the IP address of the network manager. This address passes alarms or events from the unit to the network manager. The network manager can define the types of traps or alarms that will be forwarded to the IP address.
To set the SNMP NMS trap IP address
1. From the Network Configuration menu, select SNMP NMS Trap IP Address and press Enter. The
data field highlights.
2. Type the SNMP NMS Trap IP address for the unit.
3. Press
4. Press
Enter. The SNMP NMS Trap IP address appears in the entry field and is applied to the unit. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.

Setting the MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes

The MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes setting enables you to control the number of minutes after which the MAC (Media Access Control) filter will expire. This feature enables you to set the MAC time period of a unit to a value that is most compatible with the MAC time period of other devices on a network.
To set the MAC Filter minutes
1. From the Network Configuration menu, select MAC Filter Entry Age Time Minutes and
press Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Type a value from 1–60 and press Enter. The number of minutes appears in the entry field and is applied
to the unit.
3. Press Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
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41
Configuration
IP Filter Configuration
Two different IP filters are available: a packet filter, and an address filter. The IP packet filter determines which type of packets are allowed to pass through a unit. If the IP Packet Filter is OFF, the unit passes all packets. If the IP Packet Filter is ON, the unit passes only IP and ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) packets.
IP address filters are actually tables that contain lists of IP addresses. If an address is listed in the table, the unit will pass data packets to other IP addresses. If it is not listed, the unit will not pass data packets.
IP Address Filter Table
xxx.xx.xx.x
xxx.xx.xx.x
xxx.xx.xx.x
IP Addresses
WireAir
Data packets pass only if the IP address is listed in the IP filter table
Each IP address filter is defined by a range and a base value. IP address filtering improves system security and helps manage data throughput.
Viewing IP Filter Configuration
To view current IP filter configuration
1. From the Main Menu, select IP Filter Configuration and press Enter. The IP Filter Configuration menu is displayed.

IP Filter Configuration

IP Packet Filtering -> off IP Address Filtering on Default IP Address Filtering Pass
Filter Entry Range (0-255) Base Address State
------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------
1 10 123.110.1.1 Pass
2 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
3 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
4 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
5 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
6 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
7 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
8 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
42 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
IP Filter Configuration
IP Packet
off (disabled) All packets are passed
Filtering
on (enabled) Only IP (Internet Protocol) packets and ARP packets can pass
IP Address
off (disabled) Packets from all LAN-side IP addresses can pass
Filtering
on (enabled) Packets from all LAN-side IP addresses are subject to IP filter
Default IP Address Filtering
Pass Block
If IP Address Filtering is off, this item is inactive. If IP Address Filtering is on, this item specifies the action to take when either no filter entry applies or where there is a conflict between filters.
Filter Entry n= 1–8 Entry number of the filter. Up to eight filters can be created.
Range n = 0–255 Defines how many contiguous IP addresses are in the filter’s list
of addresses
Base Address n = lowest IP
Lowest numbered address on the filter’s list of IP addresses
Address
State Pass
Block Disabled
Shows state of an individual filter. "Pass" allows packets to pass. "Block" stops packets from passing. "Disabled" enables you to make a particular filter inactive.
Two sample configurations below show how IP address-filtering works.
Example 1:
IP Filter Configuration
IP Packet Filtering -> off IP Address Filtering on Default IP Address Filtering Pass
Filter Entry Range (0-255) Base Address State
------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------
1 100 192.168.1.1 Block
2 10 192.168.1.51 Pass
Filter 1 blocks all packets containing a LAN-side IP address in the range 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.100 inclusive.
Filter 2 passes all packets containing a LAN-side IP address in the range 192.168.1.51 to 192.168.1.60. Note that this range partially overlaps the range of Filter 1, resulting in a conflict between filters. When a conflict
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43
Configuration
occurs, the action specified by Default IP Address Filtering takes precedent, which is "Pass". Therefore all packets with IP addresses that "overlap" will be blocked.
All packets containing a LAN-side IP addresses not within either filter range are subject to the action specified by Default IP Address Filtering (passed).
Example 2:
.
IP Filter Configuration
IP Packet Filtering -> off IP Address Filtering on Default IP Address Filtering Block
Filter Entry Range (0-255) Base Address State
------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------
1 50 192.168.1.1 Pass
2 10 192.168.1.21 Block
3 10 192.168.1.101 Pass
4 2 192,168.1.105 Block
5 10 192.168.1.150 Disabled
All packets containing a LAN-side IP addresses not within either filter range are subject to the action specified by Default IP Address Filtering (blocked).
Filter 1 passes all packets containing a LAN-side IP address in the range 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.50 (except for those IP addresses in the range specified in Filter 2).
Filter 2 blocks all packets with a LAN-side IP address in the range of 192.168.1.21 - 192.168.1.30,
Filter 3 passes all packets containing a LAN-side IP address in the range 192.168.1.101 - 192.168.1.110 (except for those IP addresses in the range specified in Filter Entry 4).
Filter 4 blocks all packets with a LAN-side IP address in the range of 192.168.1.105 – 192.168.1.106.
Filter 5 is disabled (not used).
All packets containing a LAN-side IP address for which no filter entry applies will be filtered.
Note: LAN-side IP address—If a packet arrives at the RF port, the LAN-side IP address is the destination IP address contained within the packet. If a packet arrives on the Ethernet port, the LAN-side IP address is the source IP address contained within the packet.
44 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
IP Filter Configuration

Enabling IP Packet Filtering

IP Packet filtering should initially be set to off so you can start from a known state and observe changes that result from using the IP packet filter.
To enable or disable IP packet filtering
1. From the IP Filter Configuration menu, select IP Packet Filtering and press highlights.
IP Filter Configuration
IP Packet Filtering -> off IP Address Filtering on Default IP Address Filtering Block
Filter Entry Range (0-255) Base Address State
------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------
1 100 192.168.1.1 Pass
2 10 192.168.1.51 Block
2. Scroll to choose on or off and press Enter to enable or disable packet filtering.
3. Press
Esc to save the setting and exit to the Main Menu.

Enabling IP Address Filtering

Enter. The data field
To enable IP address filtering
1. From the IP Filter Configuration menu, select IP Address Filtering and press Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Scroll to choose on or off and press
3. Press
Esc to save the setting and exit to the Main Menu.
Enter to enable or disable address filtering.

Setting Default IP Address Filtering

This setting is inactive unless IP Address filtering has been enabled.
To set default IP address filtering
1. From the IP Filter Configuration menu, select Default IP Address Filtering and press Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Scroll to choose Pass or Block and press
3. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to save the setting and exit to the Main Menu.
Enter.
45
Configuration

Setting Up IP Address Filter

To set up an IP address filter
1. From the IP Filter Configuration menu, select Range in the Filter Entry 1 row and press Enter. The data field in the Range column highlights.
IP Filter Configuration
IP Packet Filtering -> off IP Address Filtering on Default IP Address Filtering Pass
Filter Entry Range (0-255) Base Address State
------------------- ------------------- ------------------- -------------------
1 -> 100 0.0.0.0 Pass
2 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
3 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
4 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
5 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
6 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
7 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
8 0 0.0.0.0 Pass
2. Type the Range (a number from 0–255) of the filter and press Enter to close the data field.
3. Press the down arrow key to select Base Address and press Enter. The data field highlights.
4. Type the IP base address and press Enter.
5. Press the down arrow key to select State and press Enter.
6. Scroll through the list and choose Pass, Block or Disable. Press Enter to save the setting.
7. To add another filter, press the down arrow key to go to the next filter entry number and fill in the data fields.
8. Press Esc to save the filter settings and exit to the Main Menu.
46 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

RF Station Configuration

RF Station Configuration
The RF Station Configuration menu enables you to choose the operating mode, run some tests and optimize the RF link. Four tests can be run from this menu: link monitor test, transmit test, receive test and RSSI test. You can optimize a link by setting the maximum remote distance to a remote and by controlling the rate of data throughput (throttling). You can also block a unit so that it cannot pass any data.
Viewing Current RF Station Configuration
To view the current RF station configuration
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Operating Mode Four modes are available: Normal Mode, Receive Test,
Transmit Test, and RSSI Test
RF Transmit Status Determines if data transmissions through the unit will
be blocked or passed
Link Monitor Period Period determines the amount of test data that is used
to test the link. The smaller the number, the larger the amount of test data and test data overhead. A non­zero value starts the link monitor test
JUL 2001 Rev 03
47
Configuration
Test Mode Timer Minutes
Maximum Remote Distance
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank
Throttle Enable Turns throttling (data throughput control) on or off
Throttle Level Determines the data rate of a remote unit. When
Link Monitor/ Output Power
User Output Power Adjust Ceiling
Signal Margin (6-31) dB
2. Press Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Maximum time in minutes that a unit will be allowed to stay in test mode
Distance value compensates for polling delay due to large distances
Rank (or ID number) of the remote that you want to test
throttling is enabled, the data rate passed is equal to the throttling level times 64 kbps
Used to run Link Monitor test in Normal, Auto Output Power or Dynamic Output Power mode.
Used to limit the maximum transmit power output for a remote unit.
Desired transmit power safety margin measured with respect to the base station receive sensitivity theshold.
48 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Setting the Operating Mode

Four modes are available: Normal Mode, Receive Test, Transmit Test, and RSSI Test.
Normal Mode Normal operating mode of a unit. Unit transmits and receives data in both
directions across the RF link. Link Monitor test is run with the unit set to Normal mode. (You can view the link statistics with Link Monitor Display.)
RF Station Configuration
Receive Test
Receives test data only. Processes expected packet data and displays statistics on RS-232 monitor. Use this mode to test a unit’s ability to receive data.
Transmit Test
Transmits test data only. Sends known packet data to the receiving unit. Use this mode to test a unit’s abilty to transmit data.
RSSI Test RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) test–indicates signal strength. Unit
receives known data packets and displays fade margin data on the Air LED. Use this mode to get a quick visual indication of the signal strength. See Performing the RSSI Test, page 57 for more information.
To set the operating mode
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
2. Select Operating Mode and press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Enter. The data field highlights.
49
Configuration
3. Press the arrow keys to select the desired mode: Normal mode, Transmit mode, Receive mode, or RSSI mode.
4. Press
Enter. The screen clears, and the Mode LED on the unit is ON. The color of the Mode LED
indicates the current mode: Normal Mode = off, Transmit Test = red, Receive Test = green and RSSI Test = orange.
5. To exit a mode, briefly disconnect the power or press and hold the Mode button on the rear panel of the unit. The Mode LED goes off (Normal mode) and the Login menu is displayed.
Note: The operating mode can also be set with the Mode button on the back of the AWE. See Setting
Operating Mode with the Mode Button, page 104 for more information.

General Equipment Setup for Performing RF Tests

The general equipment setup is shown below. The specific setup depends on the test you want to run.
To perform the Normal Mode (Link Monitor) test you need to connect a PC to either the base
station or a remote unit.
To perform the Transmit Test or Receive Test you need at least one base station with PC, a remote
station with PC, and an RF link between units. See Establishing a Basic RF Link, page 20 for instructions about establishing an RF link.
To perform the RSSI test you need a PC for the unit that will transmit. The receiving unit does not
require a PC. You can also run this test with the Mode button.
General Equipment Setup
2 m
minimum
Base Unit
Air
Mode Wire Power
RS-232 Serial Cable
COM Por t
Remote Unit
Air
Mode Wire Power
To Serial PortTo Serial Port
RS-232 Serial Cable
COM Por t
PC PC
Before you run any tests, you should set the number of test minutes, as descibed below in Setting Test Mode
Timer Minutes, page 51.
50 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Setting Test Mode Timer Minutes

Before you run any of these tests, you should set the maximum time, in minutes, that a unit will be allowed to stay in test mode. When this time period expires, the AWE unit performs an automatic software reboot and returns to Normal mode. (Test mode timer minutes setting applies only to Transmit Test, Receive Test, and RSSI Test modes.)
Note: The test mode timer minutes can be changed only with this menu. This time period does not apply to
Normal mode or the Link Monitor test. See Setting Operating Mode with the Mode Button, page 104.
To set test mode timer minutes
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) -> 10
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Enter. The RF Station
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
2. Select Test Mode Timer Minutes and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Type the desired time in minutes (1-1000). (10 minutes is a suggested starting value.)
4. Press
5. Press
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Enter. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
51
Configuration

Performing Link Monitor Test (Normal Mode)

The link monitor test can be run from either a base station or a remote unit that is set to Normal Mode. The test operates in parallel with the message stream, so it consumes some of the link’s total data capacity. You can control the ratio of test data to message data (and thereby control the amount of test data overhead) by setting the link monitor period. See Setting the Link Monitor Period, page 59 for more information.
Note: Link monitor test stays in effect even if you power cycle or reboot units, so you must turn it off using
the Link Monitor Period (0 = OFF) setting.
To perform Link Monitor test from a base station
1. Connect the test PC to the Serial port of the base station. See General Equipment Setup for Performing RF
Tests, page 50.
2. Log in to the unit and go to the Main Menu.
3. Select RF Station Configuration and press displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Enter. The RF Station Configuration menu is
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Normal User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
4. Select Operating Mode and press
5. Press the arrow keys to select Normal mode and press
6. Select RF Transmit Status and press
7. Press the arrow keys to select unblocked and press
8. Select Link Monitor Remote Station Rank and press
9. Type the rank of the remote unit that you want to link to and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter.
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter.
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. (The rank is the identification
number of the remote unit. The rank of a remote can be any number from 1 – 1000. See Setting the
Station Rank, page 73.)
10. Select Link Monitor/Output Power and press
Enter. Set it to Normal.
52 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration
11. Select Link Monitor Period and press Enter. The data field highlights.
12. Type a link monitor period (1) and press
Enter. Link Monitor starts as soon as a non-zero value is
entered in the field. (A setting of 1 means that 50% of all data is test data.)
13. View the link statistics. From the Main Menu select Link Monitor Display and press
Enter. The RF
Link Monitor Statistics window is displayed.
RF Link Monitor Statistics
Link Monitor Rank 1 Base to Remote BER 0.0E+00 Remote to Base BER 0.0E+00 Missed Packet Count 0 Base to Remote Env Power 27 Base to Remote Corr Power 28 Remote to Base Env Power 29 Remote to Base Corr Power 30
14. Check for BER = 0.0E+00 and Corr Power between 15 – 50 dB. If the Corr Power is <15 dB the
receive signal is probably too weak. If the power is >55 dB the receiving unit is probably saturated. See
Viewing Link Monitor Statistics, page 103 for more information about Link Monitor Statistics.
If you have problems, ensure that the unit is configured to its basic default settings (see Restoring Factory
Configurations, page 101) and reconfigure the unit, or contact Wi-LAN Technical Assistance Center.
15. When finished viewing link monitor statistics, disable Link Monitor to remove the test overhead data
from the RF link. Select RF Station Configuration from the Main Menu and press
Enter. The RF
Station Configuration menu is displayed.
16. Select Link Monitor Period and press
17. Type 0 in the field and press
18. Press
Esc to exit.
Enter. The link monitor test ends.
Enter. The field is highlighted.
To perform Link Monitor test from a remote unit
1. Connect the test PC to the Serial port of the remote unit. See General Equipment Setup for Performing RF
Tests, page 50.
2. Log in to the unit and go to the Main Menu.
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Configuration
3. Select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode -> Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters
Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km
Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
4. Select Operating Mode and press
5. Press the arrow keys to select Normal mode and press
6. Select RF Transmit Status and press
7. Press the arrow keys to select unblocked and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter.
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter.
8. Select Link Monitor Remote Station Rank and press remote automatically connects with the base station.
9. Select Link Monitor/Output Power and press
10. Select Link Monitor Period and press
11. Type a link monitor period (1) and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. Link Monitor starts as soon as a non-zero value is
Enter. Set it to Normal.
entered in the field. (A setting of 1 means that 50% of all data is test data.)
Enter. The data field highlights and the
54 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration
12. View the link statistics. From the Main Menu select Link Monitor Display and press Enter. The RF
Link Monitor Statistics window is displayed.
RF Link Monitor Statistics
Link Monitor Rank 1 Base to Remote BER 0.0E+00 Remote to Base BER 0.0E+00 Missed Packet Count 0 Base to Remote Env Power 27 Base to Remote Corr Power 28 Remote to Base Env Power 29 Remote to Base Corr Power 30
13. Check for BER = 0.0E+00 and Corr Power between 15 – 50 dB. If the Corr Power is <15 dB the
receive signal is probably too weak. If the power is >55 dB the receiving unit is probably saturated. See
Viewing Link Monitor Statistics, page 103 for more information about Link Monitor Statistics.
If you have problems, ensure that the unit is configured to its basic default settings (see Restoring Factory
Configurations, page 101) and reconfigure the unit or contact Wi-LAN customer support.
14. When you finish viewing link monitor statistics, disable Link Monitor to remove the test overhead data
from the RF link. Select RF Station Configuration from the Main Menu and press
Enter. The RF
Station Configuration menu is displayed.
15. Select Link Monitor Period and press
16. Type 0 in the field and press
17. Press
Esc to exit.
Enter. The link monitor test ends.
Enter. The field is highlighted.
Note: When testing, it is possible to run the link monitor in both directions over one link by enabling link
monitor on the base and the remote at the same time. This situation should be avoided during normal operation because it causes needless overhead.

Performing Transmit and Receive Tests

When performing transmit or receive tests, one unit is set up to operate in Transmit Test mode and the other unit is set up to operate in Receive Test mode. The transmitting unit sends packets of known data to the receiving unit. The receiving unit analyzes the data and displays link statistics on the PC connected to the Serial port.
To set up the transmit unit
1. Connect a PC to the Serial port of the unit.
2. Log in to the unit and go to the Main Menu.
3. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
4. Select Operating Mode and press
5. Select Transmit Test and press
Enter. The field highlights.
Enter. The Mode LED on the unit is red, indicating that the unit is
transmitting.
Enter. The RF Station
JUL 2001 Rev 03
55
Configuration
To set up the receive unit
1. Connect a PC to the Serial port of the unit.
2. Log in to the unit and go to the Main Menu.
3. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press
Enter. The RF Station
Configuration menu is displayed.
4. Select Operating Mode and press
5. Select Receive Test and press
Enter. The field highlights.
Enter. The Mode LED on the turns green, indicating that the unit is
receiving. The link statistics are displayed on the receiving unit. Alternating lines of statistics across the screen indicate that data is incoming. See the following example.
Link Statistics Example
Previous Sample
Current Sample
- BER = 0.0E+00, MPC = 0, EnvP = 63, CorrP = 63 | BER = 0.0E+00, MPC = 0, EnvP = 63, CorrP = 63
Bit Error Rate
Missed Packet Count
Envelope Power
Correlation Power
BER Bit Error Rate
MPC Missed Packet Count
EnvP Envelope Power—the power of the received signal inlcuding noise,
measured in dB (0–63)
CorrP Correlation Power—the power of the received signal, excluding noise,
measured in dB (0–63)
6. Check for BER = 0.0E+00 and CorrP between 15 – 50 dB. If the CorrP is <15 dB the receive signal is probably too weak. If the power is >55 dB the receiving unit is probably saturated.
If you have problems ensure that the unit is configured to its basic default settings (see Restoring Factory
Configurations, page 101) and reconfigure the unit, or contact Wi-LAN customer support.
7. To end the test, briefly disconnect power from the unit or press and hold the Mode button to return to Normal mode.
56 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Performing the RSSI Test

RSSI mode is used to measure the signal strength (fade margin) of a system. When running the test between two units, the transmit unit is set to Transmit Test mode (using either the RF Station Configuration menu or the Mode button). The receive unit is put into RSSI Test mode (using either the RF Station Configuration menu or the Mode button). The Air LED on the receiving unit indicates the fade margin.
To run the RSSI test
1. Put the receiving unit into RSSI mode. See Setting the Operating Mode, page 49 or Setting Operating Mode
with the Mode Button, page 104. The Mode LED is orange when the unit is in RSSI mode.
2. Put the transmiting unit into Transmit Test mode. The Mode LED on the unit is red, indicating that
the unit is in transmit mode. See Setting the Operating Mode, page 49 or Setting Operating Mode with the
Mode Button, page 104.
3. Observe the color of the Air LED on the receiving unit. The Air LED is green when the signal strength is
acceptable.
Air LED Color Signal Strength
Green Reliable signal—greater than 15 dB fade margin
Orange Marginal signal—between 11 and 15 dB fade margin
Red Poor signal—less than 10 dB fade margin
Blank No signal at all
4. To exit from the test, briefly disconnect power from the unit or press and hold the Mode button to
return to Normal mode.
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57
Configuration

Setting the RF Transmit Status

This setting can block a unit (or link) from carrying data traffic. It is used to disable units and to discontinue service to customers if necessary.
To set RF transmit status
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status -> unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Select RF Transmit Status and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Select a setting.
unblocked Unit passes data in both directions(default setting)
blocked Will not pass data in either direction
4. Press
5. Press
Enter. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
58 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Setting the Link Monitor Period

The Link Monitor Period determines the ratio of test data to message data that is sent when you run the link monitor test. The higher the period number, the smaller the ratio of test data to message data. The following diagram shows the ratios of test data to link data
Link Monitor Period Settings
Period Setting
1
2
3
Test Msg
Test Msg Msg
Test Msg Msg Msg
Test = test data Msg = message data
Packet Ratio
(Test/Link)
50% (1/2)
33.3% (1/3)
25% (1/4)
See Performing Link Monitor Test (Normal Mode), page 52 for information about running the Link Monitor test.
To set Link Monitor Period
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) -> 1 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
59
Configuration
2. Select Link Monitor Period and press Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Type the period setting (0=OFF, 1-10000)
4. Press
5. Press
Enter. The test starts as soon as a non-zero value is entered. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.

Setting Maximum Remote Distance (Base Station Only)

The Maximum Remote Distance setting is used to optimize dynamic polling by compensating for time delays caused by long distances between the sending unit and the receiving unit.
! Important
In the base unit, the Maximum Remote Distance should always be set to the
distance between the base and the farthest remote.
To set the maximum remote distance
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance -> 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
2. Select Maximum Remote Distance and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Press the arrow keys to set the distance of the furthest remote unit (5 km increments are used).
4. Press
5. Press
Enter. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
60 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Setting Link Monitor Remote Station Rank

When you run the Link Monitor Test from a base station, you need to specify the rank (ID number) of the remote that you want to test. When you run the link monitor test from a remote, there is only one base, so the rank number does not need to be entered.
To set the link monitor remote station rank
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0-OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer Minutes (1-1000) 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank -> 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Select Link Monitor Remote Station Rank and press
3. Type the station rank (ID#) of the remote to test.
4. Press
5. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Enter. Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Enter. The data field highlights.
61
Configuration

Adjusting Throttling (Remote Station Only)

Throttling enables you to control the rate that data passes though a remote, so data throughput can be adjusted to make the data rate compatible with the rest of the system. Throttling restricts the flow of data from air to wire or from wire to air. When throttling is enabled, the amount of data passed is equal to the throttling level times 64 kbps, to a maximum of 6.4 Mbps. Throttling applies to both down link and up link traffic, so a throttle level of 1 means the unit will pass 64 kbps in each direction. A throttle level of 50 means that 50 x 64 kbps will be passed. When throttling is disabled, the unit uses the maximum available bandwidth. The default setting is to disable throttling.
To enable throttling
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable -> off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Select Throttle Enable and press
3. Scroll to select on or off, and press
4. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
To set the throttle level
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter.
1. Set Throttle Enable to on, then select Throttle Level from the RF Conguration menu and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Type a value from 1–100 to select the data throughput rate (where 1 = 1 x 64 kbps, 100 = 100 x 64 kbps) and press
3. Press
Enter. The data throughput in kbps is displayed beside the throttle level.
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
62 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote Station Only)

Link Monitor/Output Power can be used to adjust a remote unit’s Tx power automatically. Three modes of operation are available: Normal mode is used to run Link Monitor normally. Link Monitor tests the link and collects statistical information about link operation, which can be viewed with the Link Statistics screen. Automatic Output Power runs Link Monitor through one "cycle" and automatically adjusts Tx power based on measurements taken during that cycle. Power is automatically reduced by the unit if Tx power is too high and is increased if it is too low. Dynamic Output Power runs Link Monitor in the background and periodically adjusts Tx power in response to the current radio conditions and environment. The amount of bandwidth (test overhead) required by Link Monitor is set with Link Monitor Period. (See Setting the Link Monitor Period, page 59).
How Automatic Output Power Adjustment Works
Link Monitor tests a link by sending test packets and measuring the link’s performance (in terms of BER and power). The results of the test can be used to automatically adjust Tx power. Automatic power level adjustment is explained below.
The maximum Tx power output (factory-set power ceiling) of a unit is set at factory and cannot be changed with configuation menus (for more information see Unit Identification, page 34). A user-specified power ceiling or limit can be set by the user using screen. The user-specified ceiling is the maximum Tx power level with which the user allows the unit to operate.
User Output Power Adjust Ceiling on the RF Station Configuration
Factory-set Power Ceiling
User-specified Power Ceiling
Automatic power adjustment moves power level up and down
Signal Power
Signal Margin
Operating Tx Power Level
(Base Tx Power Level + Signal Margin)
Power Level
Base Tx PowerLevel
Noise Floor
0
The noise floor is the power level below which signal quality deteriorates rapidly due to random radio interference causing the link to not function properly. Base Tx Power level is the starting power level or "base" from which the adjustment is made. The operating Tx Power level is the sum of the base power level and the signal margin (fade margin)—the signal margin is added to the Tx base power level and moves with it. Both the base power level and the signal margin can be adjusted to reach the operating power level.
When a unit adjusts the power level, it begins at the base power level and runs Link Monitor. If no bit errors occur and the power level is satisfactory, the unit automatically drops the Tx power level by one dB and runs
JUL 2001 Rev 03
63
Configuration
Link Monitor again. If no bit errors occur again and power level is adequate, it once again drops the Tx power level by a dB and runs Link Monitor. This process repeats until a power level occurs where no bit errors occur and power level is satisfactory. This level is the minimum power level required for operation and is
When the unit
displayed numerically by
Current Output Power Level Adjust
on the screen
.
reaches this level, Tx Power (seen on the Radio Module Configuration screen) is automatically reset to the
(
new level.
Below this level, BER and power levels are unsatisfactory for data communication)
. If the intitial base Tx power level is below the noise floor, a unit will automatically increment the power level by one dB until the BER and power level become satisfactory.
In short, two methods of automatic power level adjustment are available: automatic and dynamic.
Automatic Power Output: Power is monitored and automatically adjusted once when the unit is powered up or rebooted.
Dynamic Output Power: Power is monitored and automatically adjusted periodically during regular operation. Some bandwidth for data is lost due to test packet overhead—the amount of overhead is determined by setting the Link Monitor Period (see Setting the Link Monitor Period, page 59).
Note: Tx Power Adjust on the Radio Module Configuration screen is used to set the initial or base Tx power level. After the level is set automatically, this value is automatically reset by the unit. The reset value can be read by viewing Current Output Power Level Adjust on the RF Station Configuration screen, or by viewing Tx Power Level Adjust on the Radio Module Configuration screen.
To set the link monitor/ output power
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Enter. The RF Station
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power -> Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
64 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration
2. Select Link Monitor/Output Power and press Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Scroll to choose Normal, Auto Power Output or Dynamic Output Power and press Enter where
Normal Tests packets are sent and received across an RF link and link
statistics are displayed (view with Link Monitor Statistics screen). This mode can be used for both base and remote units.
Automatic Output Power
Dynamic Output Power
4. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
Remote-only mode in which a remote unit’s transmit power is adjusted once after startup or reboot. While in this mode, Link Monitor statistics display "N/A". After the transmit power is determined, the unit automatically resets to Normal Mode.
Remote-only mode in which a remote unit’s transmit power is continuously monitored and adjusted to accommodate RF link disturbances. While in this mode, Link Monitor statistics display "N/A".
JUL 2001 Rev 03
65
Configuration

Adjusting User Output Power Ceiling (Remote Station Only)

The output power ceiling is used to limit the maximum output transmit power of a remote unit. The value entered is the amount of attenuation in dB below the factory-set power ceiling.
To adjust the user output power ceiling
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -> -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Select User Output Power Adjust Ceiling and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Press the down arrow key to scroll through the list. Select a values from 0 db (no power attenuation) to –31 dB (maximum power attenuation) and press Enter.
4. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
66 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
RF Station Configuration

Setting Signal Margin (Remote Station Only)

The signal margin is the output transmit power (measured in dB) desired for a remote unit with respect to the base station’s receive sensitivity threshold). This value is used by Output Power Control test modes to set the transmit power.
For example, if set to 10 dB, an Output Power Control test mode will attempt to adjust the output transmit power to a level at which the received signal at the base station is 10 dB greater than receiver sensitivity threshold.
To set the signal margin
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Select Signal Margin and press Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Enter the ceiling value (from 6 to 31 dB) and press Enter.
4. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
67
Configuration

Viewing Current Output Power Level Adjust

Current Output Power Level Adjust is a view-only item. It displays the current Tx power level, which was initially set using Tx Power Level Adjust (see Adjusting the Tx Power Level, page 78) and which is set automatically when performing an Automatic Output Power adjustment or Dynamic Output Power adjustment (see Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote Station Only), page 63).
To view the current output power
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
.
RF Station Configuration
Operating Mode Normal Mode RF Transmit Status unblocked Link Monitor Period (0=OFF, 1-10000) 0 Test Mode Timer (1-1000)mins 5
Base Station Only Parameters Maximum Remote Distance 5 Km Link Monitor Remote Station Rank 1
Remote Station Only Parameters Throttle Enable off Throttle Level (1-100) 10 (640 kps) Link Monitor/Output Power Dynamic Output Power User Output Power Adjust Ceiling -5 dB Signal Margin (6-31) dB 6
Current Output Power Level Adjust -21
Enter. The RF Station
2. Read the current power level.
3. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
68 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide

Radio Module Configuration

Radio Module Configuration
The Radio Module Configuration menu is used to change several key parameters, including station type, station rank and security passwords. Because these settings can affect service, they are changed in three progessive stages: new, current, and flash. (New and current are for temporary storage, while flash is for long-term storage.) The general procedure for changing settings with the Radio Module Configuration menu follows.
1. View the current Radio Module Configuration menu. See Viewing the Radio Module Configuration, page 69.
2. Select Config Test Minutes. To begin, enter a time of 15–20 minutes. See Setting Config Test
Minutes, page 71.
3. Select a parameter and, if necessary, change the value in the "New" column.
4. After making changes, select Reboot New RF Configuration and press Enter. The unit reboots
and the "New" settings become the "Current" settings of the unit. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
5. If the unit operates as expected, you can save the current settings to "Flash". See Rebooting and Saving
RF Module Configurations, page 86.
If current settings do not operate as expected, do not save them to "Flash". Change the current settings
or wait for the Config Test Minutes time period to expire. At expiry, the unit will automatically reboot and revert to the last-saved flash memory settings. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
Viewing the Radio Module Configuration
To view the current radio module configuration
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Enter. The Radio Module
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
JUL 2001 Rev 03
69
Configuration
Station Type Defines unit as either a base station or a remote station
Station Rank For a base station, the number of remotes that the base polls
For a remote, the polling ID # of the remote
Center Frequency Defines the channel the unit uses to transmit and receive
Security Password n Password(s) for the unit
Scrambling Code Code used to scramble messages
Acquisition Code Code used to reduce system-induced interferance in a multi-
sector system
Config Test Minutes Amount of time before unit returns to its pre-configuration state
Tx Power Level Adjust Reduces the power below maximum Tx power by the specified
amount in dB. This parameter determines the initial Tx power level. The value resets automatically when automatic power level adjustment is made. See Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote
Station Only), page 63.
Repeater Mode Sets up a base station to pass data to and from remotes rather
than function as a control unit
System Symmetry Type Defines the amount of priority the base unit has when polling the
remotes
Dynamic Polling Level Number of polling cycles that inactive remote units are ignored by
the base station
Remote Unit RF Group Identifies the goup number of the remote unit
Remote units with same RF group number can communicate directly with each other
Reboot new RF
Reboots unit to save New settings as Current settings
configuration
Save Current Config
Stores current settings in flash memory
to Flash
2. Press Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
70 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration
Setting Config Test Minutes
When changing Radio Module Configuration settings, you may enter settings that cause a unit or system to not function as expected. If this happens, you can return to the last-saved settings if you first set the Config Test Minutes test period. When this test period expires, the unit automatically reboots and returns to its last-saved flash memory settings. The time period can be fixed from 1 to 120 minutes.
Tip: To begin, enter a time period of 30 minutes. If the time period is too short, you will not have enough time to make configuration changes and save them to flash ROM. If the time period is long, you will have to wait a long time before the unit automatically reboots and restores the settings to the original flash ROM state.
To set the config test timeout period
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Config Test Minutes and press
3. Type the number of minutes (1-120) and press
4. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. The number of minutes is stored in the New state.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit will now use the current settings to operate, for the length of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
5. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
6. Press
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Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
71
Configuration

Setting the Station Type

Each unit must be set up as either a base station or a remote station. In a given system there is only one base station, but there can be numerous remote stations. (A base station can also be set up as a repeater base.) You define the unit as a base station or remote unit by setting the Station Type.
To set the station type
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Station Type and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Scroll to select the Station Type (base station or remote unit).
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" station type for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
72 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting the Station Rank

Station Rank is defined two different ways, which depend on the station type: For a base station, rank is the total number of remotes that a base will poll. For a remote unit, rank is a unique polling ID number that identifies a remote to a base station.
When it polls remotes, the base station begins polling at the remote with rank number 1, then proceeds to the remote with rank number 2, then goes to the remote with rank number 3, and so on. The base continues polling remotes until it reaches the remote with the highest rank number. The base then repeats the polling cycle.
Note: Dynamic polling gives you some control over the polling process. See Setting Dynamic Polling Level (Base
Station Only), page 82.
To set the station rank
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Station Rank (1-1000).
3. Type the rank (a number from 1–1000) of the station.
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" rank for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
73
Configuration

Setting the Center Frequency

The center frequency defines the channel a unit uses to transmit and receive. To ensure communication between units, all units in a system must have the same center frequency value.
To set the center frequency
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Center Frequency and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Scroll to select the RF center frequency to apply to all units in the network.
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" center frequency for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
74 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting Security Passwords

Passwords are always exchanged between units when they communicate with each other. A set of five security passwords is assigned to each unit. The set of passwords must be exactly the same for all units in a system. (A convenient, but non-secure option is to set all passwords to "0".) The more password levels you use, the greater the security of your system. For example, using a set of five different passwords will result in a highly secure system. All units in the same network must use the same set of security passwords.
To set security passwords
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select Security Password 1 and press
3. Enter a password in Hex code and press
4. Select Security Password 2 and press
5. Enter a different password in Hex code and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. The password is stored in the New state.
Enter. The data field highlights.
Enter. The password is stored in the New state.
6. Repeat this process until you complete all five password levels.
7. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" set of passwords for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
8. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
9. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
75
Configuration

Setting the Scrambling Code

To protect the privacy of a wireless link, units can scramble messages—the message content is rearranged so that messages are difficult to read by unintended receivers. The scrambling code determines how messages are scrambled by a unit. Only units with the same scrambling code as the originating unit can de-scramble and read the message. The scrambling code can be 0-32 bits long. All units in the same wireless network must have this setting set to the same value.
To set scrambling codes
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select Scrambling Code and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Type the code.
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" scrambling code for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
76 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting the Acquisition Code

An acquisition code is a unique code contained within the preamble of a transmitted message. Units search the air for messages that begin with a particular acquisition code. Messages without the correct code are treated as interference and are rejected by a unit. Messages with the correct code are accepted and processed. Acquisition codes serve to isolate units from each other, especially when several units operate in close proximity or at the same frequency in a multiple-sector or multi-cell environment. All units in the same network must have the same acquisition code in order to communicate with each other.
To set the acquisition code
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select Acquisition Code and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Type the Acquisition code (0-15).
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" acquisition code for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
77
Configuration

Adjusting the Tx Power Level

Tx Power Level Adjust enables you to reduce the transmit power output level by up to 31 dB. For example, selecting a value of 0 sets the transmit power to maximum power, while selecting a value of –31 sets the transmit power to 31 dB below maximum power. The value is the intial Tx power level and is reset automatically when automatic power level adjustment is performed. See Setting Tx Power Automatically (Remote
Station Only), page 63.
To adjust the Tx power output level
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select Tx Power Level Adjust and press
3. Scroll through the list and press
Enter to select a power attenuation level. Choose a value between 0
Enter. The data field highlights.
and –31, where 0 means no Tx power attenuation and –31 means Tx power is attenuated by 31 dB.
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-58
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" acquisition code for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
78 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting a Base to Repeater Mode (Base Station Only)

When repeater mode is enabled at a base station, the base acts as a repeater in addition to performing its normal base station functions. As a repeater, the base station receives incoming messages from remotes, stores them and broadcasts them to all remotes within RF range. Remotes belonging to the same RF group (with the same RF Group number) can communicate via the repeater. (See Setting Remote Unit RF Group, page 83 for information about RF groups.) The following diagram expains the process.
Repeater Mode
Message is sent from
1
originating remote
Wired Network
RF Group n
n = 1–63
Rank = 1
(ID # of remote)
Wired Network
RF Group n
n = 1– 63 Rank = 2
(ID # of remote)
Remote
Remote
Message is stored
2
and broadcast to all remotes in RF Group n
Base
Repeater Mode = on
(number of remote units)
Rank = 4
Remote
(ID # of remote)
3
Remote
(ID # of remote)
Wired Network
RF Group n
n = 1– 63
Rank = 3
Message is received by destination remote
Wired Network
RF Group n
n = 1– 63
Rank = 4
When repeater mode is disabled (Repeater Mode = off), the base station functions normally (it polls remotes and links the various segments of the network). By definition, Repeater Mode does not apply to units of RF Group = 0.
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79
Configuration
To set base to repeater mode
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Repeater Mode and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Scroll to select the desired setting where:
off Base unit does not re-transmit messages—default setting
on Base unit re-transmits messages received from one remote to
other remotes in same RF group
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" repeater mode for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
80 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting System Symmetry Type (Base Station Only)

System symmetry type fixes the priority of the base unit when it polls remotes. The default "asymmetric" setting alots the base one time slot for each time a remote is polled—this setting is useful when the base is the access point to a large network. The "symmetric" setting alots the base one time slot per polling cycle. A symmetric system gives the base station the same polling priority as a remote unit.
To set system symmetry type
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select System Symmetry Type and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
3. Scroll to the desired setting where:
Enter. The Radio Module
asymmetric Base unit has higher priority than remotes: the base unit has one time slot
after every remote time slot. Default setting
symmetric Base unit has the same priority as all remotes: the base unit has one time
slot for every polling cycle
4. Press Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" symmetry type for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
JUL 2001 Rev 03
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
81
Configuration

Setting Dynamic Polling Level (Base Station Only)

Dynamic polling improves system performance by reducing overhead due to idle remote units. A base station automatically learns which remote stations are active and which are idle. The base station waits a brief time period for a remote to respond to a poll. If the remote doesn’t respond within the time period, the base considers the remote to be idle. (This process is called dynamic time allocation or DTA.) Idle remote units are ignored by the base station for the number of polling rounds entered in the Dynamic Polling Level field. The higher the dynamic polling level, the more efficient the throughput and the longer it takes to move a subscriber from an inactive state to an active state. Dynamic Polling improves system performance whenever there is more than one remote. When there are a large number of remotes system performance improves significantly.
Note: Polling level is set only at the base station.
To set the dynamic polling level
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Station Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The RF Station
1. Select Dynamic Polling Level and press
Enter. The data field highlights.
2. Type the desired polling level (1-60).
3. Press
4. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" dynamic polling level for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
5. To save the current setting(s) to flash memory, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
6. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
82 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration

Setting Remote Unit RF Group

The RF Group setting enables you to determine which units in a system can communicate with each other. For example, in a system consisting of a base station and associated remotes, you can: 1) assign units to different groups so that only members of the same group can communicate with each other and the base (an open system); 2) isolate remotes so they cannot talk to other remotes, but can talk only to the base (a closed system); 3) assign remote units to groups and configure the base station as a repeater (a closed system); and
4) combine closed units with open units in the same system. These configurations are explained below.
Remote units with the same RF group number (RF Group = 1– 63) can communicate directly with each other and with the base station (if there is a line-of-sight RF path between units and base station Repeater Mode = off.) An example is a company where the Human Resources department needs direct access to the Payroll department, but the two departments must be isolated from other departments. Since HR and Payroll are in the same RF group 14, they can talk directly to each other, but they cannot talk directly to other groups such as R&D, which belongs to RF Group 20.
Example 1: Open System
Repeater Mode = off
Base
Remote
RF Group = 20
R&D
Remote
RF Group = 14
Human Resources
Remote
RF Group = 14
Payroll
RF Group = n
n = 1 – 63
Remote units configured as RF Group = 0 are independent, closed units. Closed units cannot talk directly to each other, they can only talk directly to the base station. This setup acts to isolate remote units and the associated LANs from each other. Example 2 shows a situation where independent companies are connected wirelessly to a single base station and communication between the companies is prevented.
Example 2: Closed System
Repeater Mode = off
Base
Remote
RF Group = 0
Company 1
Remote
RF Group = 0
Company 2
Remote
RF Group = 0
Company 3
RF Group = 0
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83
Configuration
A repeater is used to bypass obstacles that block the RF path (for example, a mountain). When a base station is set to repeater mode (Repeater Mode = on), it can pass data from remotes in an RF group to other remotes in the same group. A system with a repeater is a closed system. Example 3 shows a repeater with four remotes. All the remotes are in the same RF Group 4, so they can talk to each other via the repeater base.
Example 3: Repeater Configuration (Closed System)
Repeater Mode = on
Base
Closed
System
Remote
RF Group = 4
n = 1 – 63
Remote Remote
RF Group = 4 n = 1 – 63
Mountain
No direct communcation possible due to obstacle
RF Group = 4
n = 1 – 63
Remote
RF Group = 4
n = 1 – 63
Closed remote units (RF Group = 0) can be combined with open remote units (RF Group = non-zero) within the same system. In this case each group in the system behaves according to its RF Group characteristics: closed remotes could communicate only with the base, remotes with the same (non-zero) group number could communicate with each other, and remotes with different (non-zero) group numbers could not communicate with each other. A base or repeater would not pass packets originating from a closed remote.
The following table summarizes the first three situations.
Repeater Mode
(Base only)
Repeater Mode = off
RF Group
(Remote only)
1–63 Open Remotes can communicate directly with
System Type
System Characteristics
the base and each other if remotes that have the same non-zero RF group number (if a LOS RF path can be established)
Repeater Mode = off
0 Closed Remotes can communicate only with the
base station—they cannot talk to each other
Repeater Mode = on1–63 Closed Remotes cannot communicate directly with
each other, they can only communicate via the repeater base with other remotes that have the same RF group number
84 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
Radio Module Configuration
In a mixed system, each RF group behaves according to the RF Group charactersitics assigned to it (0 = closed , 1–63 = open; same non-zero group number = communication, different non-zero group number = no communication).
To set remote unit RF group
1. From the Main Menu, select RF Module Configuration and press Enter. The Radio Module
Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
2. Select Remote Unit RF Group and press Enter. The data field highlights.
3. In the Remote Unit RF Group entry field, type the RF group number, using the following table as a guide.
4. Press
5. Select Reboot New RF Configuration and press
Enter. The new setting is displayed in the "New" column.
Enter. The unit reboots and the AWE 120-24
Login menu is displayed. The unit now runs using the "Current" remote unit RF group for the amount of time specified by the Current Test Minutes.
6. To save the current setting(s) to FLASH, log in, go to the Main Menu, and select Radio Module
Configuration, Save Current Config to Flash. See Rebooting and Saving RF Module
Configurations, page 86.
7. Press
Esc to exit to the Main Menu.
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85
Configuration
Rebooting and Saving RF Module Configurations
Because changes to Radio Module Configuration settings can affect service in a wireless system, changes are made in three progessive stages: new, current, and flash.
New Intended configuration changes. Temporary memory storage.
Current Configuration actually running on the unit. Temporary memory storage.
Flash Configuration stored in FLASH memory. Long-term memory storage.
A reboot of a unit is required to save New settings as Current settings. If Current settings are valid (and do not disrupt the system), they can be saved to Flash memory. If the changes disrupt the system, the original configuration will be restored automatically when the Config Test Minutes period expires.
To reboot a unit
1. From the Main Menu, select Radio Module Configuration and press Configuration menu is displayed.
Radio Module Configuration New Current Flash Station Type Remote Unit Remote Unit Remote Unit Station Rank (1-1000) 1 1 1 Center Frequency 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz 2.4400 GHz Security Password 1 (Hex) 1 1 1 Security Password 2 (Hex) 10 10 10 Security Password 3 (Hex) 100 100 100 Security Password 4 (Hex) 1000 1000 1000 Security Password 5 (Hex) 10000 10000 10000 Scrambling Code (Hex) 0 0 0 Acquisition Code (0-15) 0 0 0 Config Test Minutes (1-120) 30 30 30 Tx Power Level Adjust -> 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB Base Station Only Parameters Repeater Mode off off off System Symmetry Type Asymmetric Asymmetric Asymmetric Dynamic Polling Level (1-100) 1 1 1 Remote Station Only Parameters Remote Unit RF Group (0-63) 0 0 0
Reboot New RF configuration Press Enter to Execute Save Current Config to Flash Press Enter to Execute
Enter. The Radio Module
2. Select Reboot New RF configuration and press
Enter. The unit reboots with the with new
settings and with the Config Test Minutes timeout period in effect. The new settings can be viewed in the "Current" column of the Radio Module Configuration menu. The old, last-saved configuration remains in Flash memory.
If the configuration is the one you want and the unit operates as intended, you can save the current
changes to "permanent" flash memory by selecting Save Current Config to Flash from the Radio Module Configuration menu. When you save the current settings to "Flash" the new settings overwrite the old flash memory settings.
86 AWE 120-24 Installation & Configuration Guide
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