Wireless Internet Examples from the real world

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Wireless Internet Examples from the real world

• John M. Brown
• iHighway.net, Inc.
• john_at_ihighway.net
• (505-346-5000

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Overview

• Why Wireless
• Types of Technology
• Typical Installation
• Equipment
• Costs
• Problems / troubleshooting

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Why Wireless ?

• Better total Control of the Network
• Remove telco from the picture
• Increase Direct ISP Revenues
• Install in less than 10 days, start revenue flow
• Cheaper bandwidth

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Types of Technology

• Licensed and UN-licensed radios
• UN-licensed uses (No FCC permit needed)
• 900 MHz, 2400 MHz or 5560 MHz
• Spread Spectrum, either FH or DS
• Licensed is expensive and requires permits

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Typical Installation

• Equipment
• Two or more radios
• Antennas (depend on install requirements)
• Antenna Mount (skid, pole, wall mount, etc)
• COAX Cable 50 Ohm LMR400 or LMR 600
• RP-TNC and N style connectors
• Crimp and Soldering tools

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Typical Installation

• Before you install, DO A SITE SURVEY
• Plot on a good map your LOS
• Use a hand held GPS to get coordinates
• Use a good spotting scope and find the other end
• Look for other antennas on near by buildings
• If Avail, use a spectrum analyzer
• Do your Loss and Distance Calculations

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Typical Installation

• Make sure you follow local code and ords
• Make sure you know the TCs for communities,
  gated, etc.
• Adjust your AUP and or TCs to reflect
• not responsible for WX issues (lightning,etc)
• not responsible for interference
• MTBR for down links can vary, have spare parts

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Typical Installation

• Do a Test Install first
• take a 4-6 foot pole and attach a 23dBi dish
• connect to radio and search for other end
• verify connectivity quality and strength
• note general heading of antenna
• note elevation (did you have to lift it up, etc)
• now try antenna you plan to use

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Typical Installation

• Most important part of install (Antenna)
• Make sure the mount is STRONG
• Will NOT move in wind (antenna loads are high)
• Well grounded, ground rod or similar
• COAX is tied down with gentle sweeps
• Lightning arresting equipment is grounded
• Use a rubber mat for skids, to protect roof

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Typical Installation

• Keep COAX length S H O R T
• No more than 100 feet
• Extend reach on the Ethernet Side
• Use FIBER to extend reach
• Not affected by plant / electrical noise
• Wonderful lightning protection

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Typical Installation

• Tape and secure ALL connections
• Use 3M All Weather Tape
• NOT Electrical tape or duct tape
• Use BLACK Nylon Ties
• White ones will break down in UV
• If able, place COAX in conduit for protection

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Antenna on roof top 1
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Antenna on roof 2
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Types of Antennas (Grid Dishes)
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Types of Antennas (Panel Mount)
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Installation Examples

• Normal Installs
• Strange Installs
• Side Lobe RF Shielding

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Interference from other buildings

• Major building areas are big potential for
  problems

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Interference requires modifications

• Depending on the problem you can construct
  shields to block interference
• The following couple of slides show one such
  shield that was build in about 60 min.

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Before shield was added
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After shield was added
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Another shot of the shield
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Equipment Costs

• Radio Units typically cost (MSRP)
• 1-2 Mbps 1995
• 1-11 Mbps 2395
• Antennas typically cost (MSRP)
• Panel Mounts 295
• Grid Dishes 295 - 495
• Cable and hardware 300 to 700

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Troubleshooting / Problems

• Interference from other ISM/SS devices
• Weather (Rain, Snow, WIND, T-Storms)
• DoE Labs doing something funky
• Wind
• Frequency Congestion

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Troubleshooting / Problems

• When troubleshooting
• try slower speeds
• try different frequency ranges
• verify connections
• verify lightning arrest equipment
• know your environment
• Buildings along the path (new installs by others)

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Troubleshooting / Problems

• Wind was our biggest problem
• dish loads can exceed 200 LBS.
• Make sure you guy wire with heavy cable
• you dont want it to move around at all
• use turnbuckles on guys to tighten up

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Troubleshooting / Problems

• Remember most products are OSI L2
• Broad/multi casts will be flooded over WAN
• Filter tools are limited and or poor

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Troubleshooting / Problems

• Interference can cause
• Packet loss because of poor queue depth
• Packet resends
• higher latency because of resends

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Overall Feedback

• Customers like the wireless
• Saves them money
• We like wireless because
• Revenue stream not dependant on telco install
• higher bandwidth, one time cost
• better and more revenue in our pockets.
• Better control over our network, end to end.

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Potential markets

• Multi-tenant office buildings
• Wireless to roof, Ethernet down building riser
• Office Parks
• Residential Communities
• Per PC costs are around 600 to 700 or less

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Thank you

• I want to say Thank you to
• Lucy, Randy and the entire U Oregon team and
  Verio for a most excellent NANOG.