GE MDS DS-MERCURY3651 WIRELESS IP/ETHERNET TRANSCEIVER User Manual

GE MDS LLC WIRELESS IP/ETHERNET TRANSCEIVER

4446E Mercury Series Ref Man

Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EMARCH 2009Wireless IP/Ethernet TransceiverCovering all AP and Remote Unitsincluding Mercury 900, 3650, and Option Set 1 RemotesMDS MercuryTM Series
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW & APPLICATIONS ............ 1 1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL................................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Start-Up Guide .................................................................................................................... 31.1.2 Online Access to Manuals ................................................................................................... 31.1.3 Conventions Used in This Manual ....................................................................................... 3 1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION............................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 Model Offerings ................................................................................................................... 61.2.2 Remote Radio with Option Set 1 .........................................................................................71.2.3 GE MDS P23 Protected Network (Redundant) Configuration ............................................. 81.2.4 External GPS PPS Option ................................................................................................... 9 1.3 APPLICATIONS ..............................................................................................................9 1.3.1 Mobile/Fixed Data System .................................................................................................. 91.3.2 Wireless LAN ..................................................................................................................... 101.3.3 Point-to-Point LAN Extension .............................................................................................111.3.4 Serial Radio Network Connectivity .....................................................................................111.3.5 Multiple Protocols and/or Services .....................................................................................111.3.6 Wireless LAN with Mixed Services .................................................................................... 121.3.7 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with Serial Interfaces ................................................. 13 1.4 NETWORK DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.................................................................... 14 1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with Repeaters ................................................................... 141.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple APs .............................................................. 161.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio Networks ................................................................................. 16 1.5 GE MDS CYBER SECURITY SUITE............................................................................ 17 1.6 ACCESSORIES ............................................................................................................ 19 2 TABLETOP EVALUATION & TEST SETUP............. 21 2.1 OVERVIEW................................................................................................................... 23 2.2 STEP 1: CONNECT THE ANTENNA PORTS............................................................... 23 2.3 STEP 2: CONNECT THE PRIMARY POWER.............................................................. 24
ii Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E 2.4 STEP 3: CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVER ....................................................... 25 2.5 STEP 4: REVIEW TRANSCEIVER CONFIGURATION ................................................ 25 2.5.1 Getting Started .................................................................................................................. 252.5.2 Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 252.5.3 Basic Configuration Defaults ............................................................................................. 25 2.6 STEP 5: CONNECT LAN OR SERIAL DATA EQUIPMENT.......................................... 26 2.6.1 Option Set 1 Connectors ................................................................................................... 28 2.7 STEP 6: CHECK FOR NORMAL OPERATION ............................................................ 29 3 DEVICE MANAGEMENT......................................... 31 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 33 3.1.1 Differences in the User Interfaces .....................................................................................33 3.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEM ............................................................................. 35 3.2.1 Methods of Control ............................................................................................................ 363.2.2 PC Connection and Log In Procedures ............................................................................. 363.2.3 Navigating the Menus ........................................................................................................ 40 3.3 BASIC OVERVIEW OF OPERATION........................................................................... 42 3.3.1 Starting Information Screen ............................................................................................... 423.3.2 Main Menu ......................................................................................................................... 43 3.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS ............................................................... 45 3.4.1 Network Configuration Menu .............................................................................................453.4.2 Ethernet Port Configuration Menu ..................................................................................... 563.4.3 Bridge Configuration .......................................................................................................... 583.4.4 SNMP Agent Configuration ................................................................................................ 583.4.5 AP Location Push Config Menu ......................................................................................... 603.4.6 SNTP Server Configuration ............................................................................................... 64 3.5 RADIO CONFIGURATION............................................................................................ 65 3.5.1 Radio Configuration Menu ................................................................................................. 653.5.2 Serial Port Configuration ................................................................................................... 76 3.6 MODBUS / TCP SERVER CONFIGURATION ............................................................. 88 3.6.1 Modbus/TCP in Mercury TransceiversAn Overview ...................................................... 883.6.2 Menu Selections ................................................................................................................ 89 3.7 SECURITY CONFIGURATION MENU ......................................................................... 92 3.7.1 Device Security Menu ....................................................................................................... 93
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual iii3.7.2 Wireless Security Menu ..................................................................................................... 953.7.3 IEEE 802.1x Device Authentication ................................................................................... 973.7.4 Manage Certificates .......................................................................................................... 99 3.8 REDUNDANCY CONFIGURATION (AP ONLY) ......................................................... 102 3.9 GPS CONFIGURATION (REMOTE ONLY) ................................................................ 107 3.10 DEVICE INFORMATION MENU ............................................................................... 109 3.11 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION MENU..................................................................110 3.12 MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENU ............................................................................... 123 3.12.1 Installing Firmware via TFTP ........................................................................................ 1293.12.2 Auto Firmware Upgrade Menu (AP Only) ..................................................................... 138 3.13 PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION............................................................................ 140 3.13.1 Proper Operation and What to Look For ....................................................................... 143 4 TROUBLESHOOTING & RADIO MEASUREMENTS.................................................. 147 4.1 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................................ 149 4.1.1 Interpreting the Front Panel LEDs ................................................................................... 1494.1.2 Troubleshooting With the Embedded Management System ........................................... 1504.1.3 Using Logged Operation Events ..................................................................................... 1534.1.4 Alarm Conditions ............................................................................................................. 1544.1.5 Correcting Alarm Conditions ............................................................................................ 1554.1.6 Logged Events ................................................................................................................ 155 4.2 RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTS ................................................................................. 157 4.2.1 Antenna System SWR and Transmitter Power Output .................................................... 1574.2.2 Antenna Aiming (For Directional Antennas)...................................................................... 158 5 PLANNING A RADIO NETWORK ......................... 161 5.1 INSTALLATION PLANNING ....................................................................................... 163 5.1.1 General Requirements .................................................................................................... 1635.1.2 Site Selection .................................................................................................................. 1645.1.3 Terrain and Signal Strength ............................................................................................. 1655.1.4 Antenna & Feedline Selection ......................................................................................... 1655.1.5 How Much Output Power Can be Used? ........................................................................ 1695.1.6 Conducting a Site Survey ................................................................................................ 1695.1.7 A Word About Radio Interference .................................................................................... 170
iv Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E5.1.8 ERP Compliance at 900 MHz .......................................................................................... 1725.1.9 ERP Compliance at 3650 MHz ........................................................................................ 173 5.2 dBm-WATTS-VOLTS CONVERSION CHART............................................................ 174 6 TECHNICAL REFERENCE.................................... 175 6.1 DATA INTERFACE CONNECTORS ........................................................................... 177 6.1.1 LAN Port .......................................................................................................................... 1776.1.2 COM1 Port ...................................................................................................................... 177 6.2 SPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................... 178 6.3 NOTES ON SNMP...................................................................................................... 180 6.3.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 180 7 GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS...... 185 Copyright Notice This publication is protected by U.S.A. copyright law. Copyright 2009, GE MDS. All rights reserved. ISO 9001 Registration GE MDS adheres to the internationally-accepted ISO 9001 quality system standard. To our Customers We appreciate your patronage. You are our business. We promise to serve and anticipate your needs. We will strive to give you solutions that are cost effective, innovative, reliable and of the highest quality possible. We promise to build a relationship that is forthright and ethical, one that builds confidence and trust. Related Materials on the Internet — Data sheets, frequently asked questions, case studies, applica-tion notes, firmware upgrades and other updated information is available on the GE MDS Web site at www.GEmds.com. About GE MDS Over two decades ago, GE MDS began building radios for business-critical applications. Since then, we have installed thousands of radios in over 110 countries. To succeed, we overcame impassable terrain, brutal operating conditions and disparate, complex network configurations. We also became experts in wireless communication standards and system applications worldwide. The result of our efforts is that today, thousands of utilities around the world rely on GE MDS-based wireless networks to manage their most critical assets.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual v The majority of GE MDS radios deployed since 1985 are still installed and performing within our customers' wireless networks. That’s because we design and manufacture our products in-house, according to ISO 9001 which allows us to control and meet stringent global quality standards. Thanks to our durable products and comprehensive solutions, GE MDS is the wireless leader in industrial automation — including oil and gas production and transportation, water/wastewater treatment, supply and transportation, electric transmission and distribution and many other utility applications. GE MDS is also at the forefront of wireless communications for private and public infrastructure and online transaction processing. Now is an exciting time for GE MDS and our cus-tomers as we look forward to further demonstrating our abilities in new and emerging markets.As your wireless needs change you can continue to expect more from GE MDS. We'll always put the performance of your network above all. Visit us at www.GEmds.com for more information. OPERATIONAL & SAFETY NOTICES Professional installation required. The radio equipment described in this guide emits radio frequency energy. Although the power level is low, the concentrated energy from a directional antenna may pose a health hazard. Do not allow people to come closer than 23 cm (9 inches) to the antenna when the transmitter is operating in indoor or outdoor environments. More information on RF exposure is on the Internet at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins .To meet co-location requirements, the FCC requires a 20cm (7.87 inch) separation distance between the unit’s WIFI and fundamental antenna installations. See “ERP Compliance at 900 MHz” on Page 172 for allow-able power/antenna settings for this radio.Professional installation required. The transceiver described here emits radio frequency energy. Although the power level is low, the concentrated energy from a directional antenna may pose a health hazard. Do not allow people to come closer than 22 cm (8.7 inches) to the antenna when the transmitter is operating. This calculation is based on an 18 dBi panel antenna. Refer also to the table below, which lists required separation dis-tances. Additional information on RF exposure is available on the Internet at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins. See “ERP Compliance at 3650 MHz” on Page 173 for allowable power/antenna settings for this radio.To meet co-location requirements, the FCC requires a 20cm (7.87 inch) separation distance between the unit’s WIFI and fundamental antenna installations.RF Exposure(900 MHz models)RF Exposure(3650 MHz models)
vi Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E CSA/ us Notice (Remote Transceiver Only) This product is approved for use in Class 1, Division 2, Groups A, B, C & D Hazardous Locations. Such locations are defined in Article 500 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publication NFPA 70 , otherwise known as the National Electrical Code. The transceiver has been recognized for use in these hazardous locations by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) which also issues the US mark of approval (CSA/ US ). The CSA Certification is in accordance with CSA STD C22.2 No. 213-M1987. CSA Conditions of Approval: The transceiver is not acceptable as a stand-alone unit for use in the hazardous locations described above. It must either be mounted within another piece of equipment which is certified for hazardous locations, or installed within guidelines, or conditions of approval, as set forth by the approving agencies. These conditions of approval are as follows:The transceiver must be mounted within a separate enclosure which is suitable for the intended application.The antenna feedline, DC power cable and interface cable must be routed through conduit in accor-dance with the National Electrical Code.Installation, operation and maintenance of the transceiver should be in accordance with the trans-ceiver's installation manual, and the National Electrical Code.Tampering or replacement with non-factory components may adversely affect the safe use of the transceiver in hazardous locations, and may void the approval.A power connector with screw-type retaining screws as supplied by GE MDS must be used. Do not disconnect equipment unless power has been switched off or the area is known tobe non-hazardous.Refer to Articles 500 through 502 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) for furtherinformation on hazardous locations and approved Division 2 wiring methods. FCC Part 15 Notices The transceiver series complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-lowing two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This device is specifically designed to be used under Section 15.247 of the FCC Rules and Regulations. Any unauthorized modification or changes to this device without the express approval of Micro-wave Data Systems may void the user’s authority to operate this device. Furthermore, the Mercury Series is intended to be used only when installed in accordance with the instructions outlined in this manual. Failure to comply with these instructions may also void the user’s authority to operate this device.Part 15 rules also require that the Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) from a Mercury Series 900 MHz installation not exceed 36 dBm. For the Mercury 3650, EIRP must not exceed 1-watt per MHz. Refer to this manual for more information.EXPLOSIONHAZARD!
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual vii Industry Canada RSS Notices Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be chosen so that the Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) is not more than that permitted for suc-cessful communication.This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed in this manual. Antennas not included here are strictly prohibited for use with this device. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms. Manual Revision and Accuracy This manual was prepared to cover a specific version of firmware code. Accordingly, some screens and features may differ from the actual unit you are working with. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this guide, product improvements may also result in minor differences between the manual and the product shipped to you. If you have additional questions or need an exact specification for a product, please contact our Customer Service Team using the information at the back of this guide. In addition, manual updates can often be found on the GE MDS Web site at www.GEmds.com. Environmental Information The manufacture of this equipment has required the extraction and use of natural resources. Improper disposal may contaminate the environment and present a health risk due to hazardous substances contained within. To avoid dissemination of these substances into our environment, and to limit the demand on natural resources, we encourage you to use the appropriate recycling sys-tems for disposal. These systems will reuse or recycle most of the materials found in this equipment in a sound way. Please contact GE MDS or your supplier for more information on the proper dis-posal of this equipment.
viii Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1 1 PRODUCT OVERVIEWAND APPLICATIONS 1 Chapter Counter Reset Paragraph Contents 1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL ......................................................... 3 1.1.1 Start-Up Guide ....................................................................... 31.1.2 Online Access to Manuals ...................................................... 31.1.3 Conventions Used in This Manual ......................................... 3 1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ................................................... 4 1.2.1 Model Offerings ...................................................................... 61.2.2 Remote Radio with Option Set 1 ............................................ 71.2.3 GE MDS P23 Protected Network (Redundant) Config. ......... 81.2.4 External GPS PPS Option ..................................................... 9 1.3 APPLICATIONS ..................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Mobile/Fixed Data System ..................................................... 91.3.2 Wireless LAN ......................................................................... 101.3.3 Point-to-Point LAN Extension ................................................ 111.3.4 Serial Radio Network Connectivity ......................................... 111.3.5 Multiple Protocols and/or Services ......................................... 111.3.6 Wireless LAN with Mixed Services ......................................... 121.3.7 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with Serial Interfaces ..... 13 1.4 NETWORK DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ............................ 14 1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with Repeaters ....................... 141.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple APs .................. 161.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio Networks ..................................... 16 1.5 GE MDS CYBER SECURITY SUITE .................................... 17 1.6 ACCESSORIES ..................................................................... 19
2 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 3 1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL This Reference Manual is one of two publications provided for users of the Mercury Series TM transceiver system. It contains detailed product information, an overview of common applications, a screen-by-screen review of the menu system, technical specifications, suggested settings for various scenarios, and troubleshooting information. This manual should be available to all personnel responsible for network design, setup, commissioning and troubleshooting of the radios. 1.1.1 Start-Up Guide The Mercury Series Start-Up Guide (Part No. 05-4558A01) is a com-panion publication to the Reference Manual. It is a smaller book, with a specific purpose—to guide an installer in the basic steps for getting a transceiver on the air and communicating with other units in a network. It provides only the essential information installers need for getting their equipment up and running in the shortest time possible. 1.1.2 Online Access to Manuals In addition to printed manuals, many users need access to documents electronically. This is especially useful when you need to access docu-mentation while traveling, or want to share a document with another user in the field. Electronic documents also allow searching for a spe-cific term or subject, especially in larger manuals.Access manuals for our equipment anytime from our Web site at www.GEmds.com . Simply click the Downloads tab at the top of the home page and select Product Manuals from the drop-down list. A search window appears to help you locate the manual you need.Online manuals are provided as PDF files in the Adobe ® Acrobat ® stan-dard. If necessary, download the free reader for PDF files from www.adobe.com . 1.1.3 Conventions Used in This Manual On-Screen Menu ItemsOn-screen menu items or command entries are presented in a distinctive font to set them apart from regular text (for example: Network Name, IP Address, Password). You will find this font most often in Chapter 3, where the menu system is discussed in detail. When variable settings or a range of options are available for a menu option, the items are pre-sented inside brackets, with the default setting (if any) shown last after a semicolon:[available settings or range; default setting]
4 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EMenu StringsTo help show the path to a menu selection, navigation strings are used in several places in this manual. For example, suppose you want to view or set the Network Name assigned to your system. This item is located in the Network Configuration Menu, so the navigation string in the text would appear as shown:Main Menu>>Network Configuration>>Network NameBy following this order of menus, you can quickly reach the desired menu.1.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONThe GE MDS Mercury SeriesTM transceiver (Figure 1-1) is an easy-to-install wireless solution offering extended range, secure opera-tion, and multi-megabit performance in a compact and rugged package. The transceiver is ideally suited for demanding applications in fixed or mobile environments, where reliability and range are paramount.The transceivers are commonly used to convey text documents, graphics, e-mail, video, Voice over IP (VoIP), and a variety of other application data between mobile, fixed-point, and WAN/LAN-based entities.Based on multi-carrier Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), the transceiver features high speed/low latency, basic Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing traffic, Ethernet and serial encapsula-tion, and network roaming. It also provides enhanced security features including AES encryption and IEEE 802.1x Device Authentication, making the Mercury system the best combination of security, range, and speed of any industrial wireless solution on the market today.Invisible place holderFigure 1-1. The GE MDS Mercury SeriesTM Transceiver(Remote unit shown, AP similar in appearance)Rugged Packaging The transceivers are housed in a compact and rugged die cast-aluminum case that needs only protection from direct exposure to the weather. This
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 5one enclosure contains all necessary components for radio operation and data communications.Simple Installation Mercury Transceivers are designed for rapid and trouble-free installa-tion. For basic services, you simply connect the antennas (900 or 3650 MHz as required, and GPS), connect your data equipment, apply pri-mary power, and set some operating parameters. No license is required for 900 MHz operation in the USA, Canada, and many other countries. A simple registration process is required for 3650 MHz operation in the USA. Check requirements for your region before placing the equipment into service. (NOTE: 3650 MHz is for APs and Fixed Remote stations.)Most installations employ an omni-directional antenna at the Access Point (AP) location and mobile stations. Fixed Remote stations often employ a directional antenna aimed at the AP. Regardless of the type used, antennas are a vital part of the system and must be chosen and installed correctly. Refer to INSTALLATION PLANNING on Page 163 for guidance on choosing suitable antennas and installation sites.Secure Operation Data network security is a vital issue in today’s wireless world. Mercury transceivers provide multiple tools to help you build a network that min-imizes the risk of eavesdropping and unauthorized access. Some are inherent in the radio’s operation, such as the use of 900 MHz spread-spectrum transmissions; others include AES data encryption, enabling/disabling channels, IEEE 802.1X port blocking, approved device lists, secure devices management protocols, and password pro-tection.Security is not a one-step process that can simply be turned on and for-gotten. It must be practiced and enforced at multiple levels, 24 hours-a-day and 7 days-a-week. See “GE MDS CYBER SECURITY SUITE” on Page 17 for more information about the transceiver’s secu-rity tools.Robust Radio Operation The transceivers are designed for operation in the 900 MHz license-free Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band and the 3650-3700 MHz registered band. They provide consistent, reliable coverage over a large geographic area.Mobile range depends on many factors, including terrain, building den-sity, antenna gain, and speed of travel. The unit is designed for suc-cessful application in a variety of mobile environments, and offers the best combination of range, speed and robustness available in an indus-trial wireless package today. By using multiple Access Points, a network can be created that provides consistent, reliable coverage over a large metropolitan area. See “SPECIFICATIONS” on Page 178 for more information on transmission range.Flexible Services Users with a mix of equipment having Ethernet and serial data interfaces can use this equipment via a Remote transceiver. The transceiver pro-vides services in data networks that are migrating from legacy
6 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Eserial/EIA-232-based hardware to the faster and more easily interfaced Ethernet protocol.Flexible Management You can locally or remotely configure, commission, troubleshoot, and maintain the transceiver. Four different modes of access are available: local RS-232 console terminal, local or remote IP access (via Telnet or SSH), web browser (HTTP, HTTPS), and SNMP (v1/v2/v3) All IP access interfaces are available through the unit’s wired Ethernet port and over the air.The text-based interfaces (RS-232 console, Telnet, and SSH) are imple-mented in the form of easy-to-follow menus, and the terminal server provides a wizard to help you configure the units correctly.Transceiver Features The transceiver’s design makes the installation and configuration easy, while allowing for future changes.• Industrial-Grade Product—Extended temperature range for trouble-free operation in extreme environments.• Robust Radio Communications—Designed to operate over long distances in dense, high-interference environments.• Robust Network Security—Prevents common attack schemes and hardware from gaining access or control of the network. Common attack events are logged and reported by alarms.• Transmission Speed—Operation at 1.5 Mbps is over 100-times faster than 9.6 kbps radios.• Plug-and-Play Connectivity—AP or Remote configuration requires minimal setup.• Built-in GPS Receiver—GPS technology is used for timing and location data. The only external equipment needed for this func-tionality is a GPS antenna available from GE MDS).1.2.1 Model OfferingsThe transceiver comes in two primary models—Access Point and Remote. Unique hardware is used for each model. Of the Remote radios, there are two sub-types available—Standard Remote and Remote with Option Set 1, both of which support Ethernet and serial services. Table 1-1 summarizes each radio’s interface services.Table 1-1. Transceiver Models and Data Interface ServicesModel Sub-Type Ethernet/LAN1COM11USB Integrated WiFiAccess Point N/A Yes Yes No NoRemote Standard Remote Yes Yes No NoRemote w/Option Set 1 Yes Yes Yes YesNOTES 1. COM1 provides access to the embedded Management System for all units.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 7Available Frequency BandsAt the time of publication, Mercury transceivers are offered in two dif-ferent frequency bands: 902-928 MHz (Mercury 900) and 3.65–3.70 GHz (Mercury 3650). The 900 MHz unit operates in a license-free spec-trum (frequency hopping spread spectrum—FHSS), which may be used by anyone in the USA, provided FCC Part 15 rules are observed. Canada, and certain other countries allow license-free operation in this band—check your country’s requirements.The 3.65–3.70 GHz radio operates in a “registered” band using conten-tion-based protocol, which provides additional protection from interfer-ence, but it requires FCC registration before operation can begin. Other restrictions may apply based on your location and “grandfathered” FSS users. Check local requirements before operation. GE MDS has pub-lished a whitepaper containing frequently asked questions about the 3.65–3.70 GHz band. To obtain a copy, request publication 05-4734A02. (NOTE: 3650 MHz is for APs and Fixed Remote stations.)Operationally, the Mercury 3650 has two key differences from the Mer-cury 900: First, it operates on a different RF band (3.65–3.70 GHz). Second, it only requires GPS for TDD synchronization of the Access Points, which may or may not be needed for an installation.Access Point or Remote?—Identification TipThe outward appearance of AP and Remote radios is nearly identical, however, the hardware for each type is different and they are not inter-changeable. An quick way to identify them is to observe the color of the gasket seal in the center of the radio case. APs have a black gasket, while Remote units have a yellow gasket.In addition to gasket color, a label on the top of each radio identifies it as an AP or Remote unit. If the label shows an –A suffix, it is an AP. If it shows a –R suffix, it is a Remote.1.2.2 Remote Radio with Option Set 1The “Option Set 1” Remote is similar to and compatible with the stan-dard Mercury Remote. It contains the same 900 MHz radio, user inter-face, and primary functionality as the Standard Remote. The Standard Remote can be directly replaced with the Option Set 1 Remote. The key differences are the additional physical interfaces: an IEEE 802.11b/g WiFi networking module, a USB device port, a USB host port, and a second Ethernet port on the radio enclosure.The USB ports are used for device management. The host port accepts a flash drive and can be used to transfer firmware and configuration files. The two Ethernet ports are connected to an internal, integrated switch and included in the Layer 2 bridge.
8 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EThe internal WiFi module has FCC modular approval and may only be operated by connecting one of the GE MDS approved antennas (see 802.11 WiFi Module Specifications below) to the reverse-SMA con-nector on the radio’s front panel. Only these antennas may be used. The WiFi module can operate as an 802.11 Access Point or Infrastructure Station, according to user configuration. The operational mode (AP, Infra-structure RM) and frequency can be configured through the unit's user interface.Invisible place holderFigure 1-2. Mercury Remote with Option Set 1 (Note interface connector differences from Standard Remote)802.11 WiFi Module SpecificationsThe specifications listed below are unique to Remotes with Option Set 1, which contain a 2.4 GHz WiFi module. SPECIFICATIONS on Page 178 contains a complete list of general Mercury Series specifica-tions.Protocol: IEEE 802.11b/g OFDM 6 to 54Mbps, CCK 1 to 11MbpsFrequency Range: 2400 to 2500MHzMaximum Transmit Power: 15 dBmPermissible Antennas: MDS 97-4278A36MDS 97-4278A34MDS 97-4278A35FCC: Part 15CFCC ID: VRA-SG9011028WiFi Antenna Connector: Female Reverse SMA1.2.3 GE MDS P23 Protected Network (Redundant) ConfigurationFor mission-critical applications, a Protected Network Station is also offered. This unit incorporates two Access Points, two power supplies, and a switchover logic board that automatically selects between Trans-ceiver A and Transceiver B as the active radio. Figure 1-3 shows the
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 9protected chassis. For system-level information on this product, refer to MDS publication 05-4161A01.Invisible place holderFigure 1-3. MDS P23 Protected Network Station(incorporates two transceivers, with automatic switchover)1.2.4 External GPS PPS OptionThe External GPS Precise Positioning Service (PPS) option allows for an external GPS device to provide the PPS input to the Mercury. This is useful in installations where multiple radios require GPS timing. This option prevents each Mercury from requiring its own GPS antenna. Refer to the electrical specifications in the External GPS PPS Option section on Page 180. This option is only available in hardware revision 1.0.2 or later.1.3 APPLICATIONSThe following sections provide illustrations of typical transceiver instal-lations. This is an overview only. A Network Administrator should be involved in all installation planning activities.1.3.1 Mobile/Fixed Data SystemMercury transceivers support high-speed data communications in a mobile environment. In this application, Remote radios “roam” between different Access Points, providing seamless transitions and continuous coverage throughout a municipal area. Figure 1-4 shows an example of an integrated system employing both mobile and fixed Mercury trans-ceivers.NOTE: 3650 MHz is for APs and Fixed Remote stations only.
10 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 1-4. Integrated Mobile/Fixed Application1.3.2 Wireless LANThe wireless LAN is a common application of the transceiver. It consists of a central control station (Access Point) and one or more associated Remote units, as shown in Figure 1-5. A LAN provides communications between a central WAN/LAN and remote Ethernet segments. The oper-ation of the radio system is transparent to the computer equipment con-nected to the transceiver.The Access Point is positioned at a location from which it communi-cates with all Remote units in the system. Commonly, this is a high loca-tion on top of a building or communications tower. Messages are exchanged at the Ethernet level. This includes all types of IP traffic.A Remote transceiver can only communicate over-the-air to an Access Point (AP). Peer-to-peer communications between Remotes can only take place indirectly via the AP. In the same fashion, an AP can only communicate over-the-air to associated Remote units. Exception: Two APs can communicate with each other “off-the-air” through their Ethernet connectors using a common LAN/WAN.Invisible place holderFigure 1-5. Typical Wireless LANMDS 4790Master RadioLicensed Serial/IP IntegrationMercury APMDS 4710RTU/PLC(Serial)RS-232RS-232RS-232MDS 4710RTU/PLC(Serial)RTU/PLC(Ethernet)Long Range WLANMobile DataMobile DataMDS NETview MS®Server(Ethernet)Computer RouterWANVideoSurveillanceMercuryremoteControl Center MercuryremoteMercuryremoteMercuryremoteRemoteRemoteAccess PointRemoteRemoteLANLANWAN/LANLANLAN
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 111.3.3 Point-to-Point LAN ExtensionA point-to-point configuration (Figure 1-6) is a simple arrangement consisting of an Access Point and a Remote unit. This provides a com-munications link for transferring data between two locations.Invisible place holderFigure 1-6. Typical Point-to-Point Link1.3.4 Serial Radio Network ConnectivityThe transceiver provides a path for serial devices to migrate to IP/Ethernet systems. Many radio networks in operation today still rely on serial networks at data rates of 9600 bps or less. These networks can use the transceiver as a means to continue using the serial service, while allowing the infrastructure to migrate to an IP format.A Remote transceiver with its serial port connected to a GE MDS serial-based radio, such as the MDS x790/x710, MDS TransNET and others, provides a path for bringing the data from the older radio into the IP/Ethernet environment of a Mercury-based system.Invisible place holderFigure 1-7. Backhaul Network1.3.5 Multiple Protocols and/or ServicesPrior to the introduction of Ethernet/IP-based radios, two radios were often used to service two different types of devices (typically connected LAN/WANAccess Point RemoteLANMDS 4790MasterMDS 9790MasterMDS 9810MasterSerial Conn.Serial Conn.Serial Conn.MDS 4710 RemoteNMS ControlPointSCADA HostModbus/IPHUB Access PointMDS 4710 RemoteMDS 9710 RemoteMDS 9710 RemoteMDS 9810 RemoteMDS 9810 RemoteRemote SerialRemote SerialRemote SerialNETWORKROUTERROUTERSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDevice
12 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Eto different SCADA hosts). A Mercury radio provides this capability using a single remote unit. The unit’s serial port can be connected via IP to different SCADA hosts, transporting different (or the same) proto-cols. Both data streams are completely independent, and the transceiver provides seamless simultaneous operation as shown in Figure 1-8. Invisible place holderFigure 1-8. Multiple Protocol NetworkBy using a single radio, the cost of deployment is cut in half. Beyond requiring only one radio instead of two, the biggest cost reduction comes from using half of the required infrastructure at the remote site: one antenna, one feedline, one lightning protector and ancillary hardware. Other cost reductions come from the system as a whole, such as reduced management requirements. And above all, the radio provides the poten-tial for future applications that run over Ethernet and IP, such as video for remote surveillance.1.3.6 Wireless LAN with Mixed ServicesThe transceiver is an excellent solution for a long-range industrial wire-less LAN. It offers several advantages over commercial solutions, pri-marily improved performance over extended distances. The rugged construction of the radio and its extended temperature range make it an ideal solution even in harsh locations. In extreme environments, a simple NEMA enclosure is sufficient to house the unit.The transceiver trades higher speed for longer range. Commercial 802.11a/b/g solutions are designed to provide service to relatively small areas such as offices, warehouses and homes. They provide high data rates but have limited range. The Mercury transmits at a higher power level, uses a different frequency band, has higher sensitivity, and a nar-NETview SCADA HostTotal FlowAccess PointRemote SerialRemote SerialSCADA HostModbus/IPRemote SerialAccess PointRTUFlow MeterEIA-232EIA-232EIA-232EIA-232EIA-232EIA-232ROUTERHUBSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDeviceSerialDeviceHUBHUBHUBWAN
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 13rower channel to concentrate the radio energy, reaching farther dis-tances. It is designed for industrial operation from the ground up.IP-based devices that may be used with the transceiver include new, powerful Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). These, as well as other devices, may be used in applications ranging from SCADA/telemetry monitoring, web-based video, security monitoring, and Voice over IP. Figure 1-9 shows a typ-ical wireless IP network.Invisible place holderFigure 1-9. Extended-Range LAN with Mixed Applications1.3.7 Upgrading Older Wireless Network with Serial InterfacesMillions of wireless data products have been installed in the last two decades for licensed and license-free operation, many of them manufac-tured by GE MDS. There are several ways that these systems can benefit from incorporating Mercury equipment. The chief advantages are inter-face flexibility (serial and Ethernet in one unit), and higher data throughput. By taking advantage of its built-in serial and Ethernet inter-faces, the transceiver is well suited to replace leased lines, dial-up lines, or existing “multiple address” data transceivers.Replacing Legacy Wireless ProductsIn most cases, legacy radio transceivers supporting serial-interface equipment can be replaced with Mercury transceivers. Legacy equip-ment can be connected to the transceiver through the COM1 port with a DB-25 to DB-9 cable wired for EIA-232 signaling. The COM1 port acts as a Data Communications Equipment (DCE) port.NMS ControlPointSCADA HostModbus/IPAccess PointRemote BridgePrinterIP/EthernetIP/EthernetRemote BridgeIP/EthernetIP Camera
14 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENOTE: Several previous GE MDS-brand products had non-standardsignal lines on their interface connectors (for example, tocontrol sleep functions and alarm lines). These special func-tions are not provided nor supported by the Mercury trans-ceiver. Consult equipment manuals for complete pinoutinformation.1.4 NETWORK DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS1.4.1 Extending Network Coverage with RepeatersWhat is a Repeater System?A repeater works by re-transmitting data from outlying remote sites to the Access Point, and vice-versa. It introduces some additional end-to-end transmission delay but provides longer-range connectivity.In some geographical areas, obstacles can make communications diffi-cult. These obstacles are commonly large buildings, hills, or dense foliage. These obstacles can often be overcome with a repeater station.Option A—Using two transceivers to form a repeater station(back-to-back repeater)Although the range between fixed transceivers can be up to 40 km (25 miles) over favorable terrain, it is possible to extend the range consider-ably by connecting two units together at one site in a “back-to-back” fashion, creating repeater as shown in Figure 1-10. Use this arrangement whenever the objective is to utilize the maximum range between sta-tions. In this case, using high-gain Yagi antennas at each location pro-vides more reliable communications than their counterparts—omnidirectional antennas.Invisible place holderFigure 1-10. Typical LAN with a Repeater LinkOverview Two transceivers may be connected “back-to-back” through the LAN ports to form a repeater station. If the transceivers are connected directly to each other, you must use an Ethernet cross-over cable. This configu-RemoteRemoteRemoteRemoteAccessPointAccessPointLAN/WANREPEATERCrossover CableLANLANLANEthernetPOINT-TO-POINT LINK
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 15ration is sometimes required in a network that includes a distant Remote that would otherwise be unable to communicate directly with the Access Point station due to distance or terrain.The geographic location of a repeater station is especially important. Choose a site that allows good communication with both the Access Point and the outlying Remote site. This is often on top of a hill, building, or other elevated terrain from which both sites can be “seen” by the repeater station antennas. A detailed discussion on the effects of terrain is given in Section 5.1.2, Site Selection (beginning on Page 164).The following paragraphs contain specific requirements for repeater systems.Antennas Two antennas are required at this type of repeater station—one for each radio. You must take measures to minimize the chance of interference between these antennas. One effective technique for limiting interfer-ence is to employ vertical separation. In this arrangement, assuming both antennas are vertically polarized, one antenna is mounted directly over the other, separated by at least 10 feet (3 meters). This takes advan-tage of the minimal radiation exhibited by most antennas directly above and below their driven elements.Another interference reduction technique is to cross-polarize the repeater antennas. If one antenna is mounted for polarization in the ver-tical plane, and the other in the horizontal plane, an additional 20 dB of attenuation is achieved. The corresponding stations should use the same antenna orientation when cross-polarization is used.Network Name The two radios that are wired together at the repeater site must have dif-ferent network names. For information on how to set or view the net-work names, see “STEP 3: CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVER” on Page 25.TDD Sync Mode To avoid interference between the two APs that form a repeater station, they should be synchronized so that they will transmit at the same time and receive at the same time. This eliminates the possibility of one AP transmitting while another is trying to receive. This can be accomplished by setting the TDD Sync Mode parameter in the Frequency Configuration menu to GPS Required. See Frequency Control Menu on Page 67 for details.Option B—Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward Packet RepeaterYou can extend a wireless network by using the Access Point as a repeater to re-transmit the signals of all stations in the network. (See Figure 1-11 on Page 16.)
16 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 1-11. Typical Store-and-Forward Repeater ArrangementAs with the conventional repeater described in Option 1 above, the loca-tion of a store and forward repeater is also important. A site must be chosen that allows good communication with both the Access Point and the outlying Remote site. This can be on the top of a hill, building, or other elevated terrain from which all sites can be “seen” by the repeater station antenna. A detailed discussion on the effects of terrain is given in Section 5.1.2, Site Selection (beginning on Page 164).1.4.2 Protected Network Operation using Multiple APsAlthough GE MDS transceivers have a very robust design and have undergone intensive testing before being shipped, it is possible for iso-lated failures to occur. In mission-critical applications, down time can be virtually eliminated by using some, or all, of the following configu-rations:In a point-to-multipoint scenario, the Access Point services multiple remotes. A problem in the Access Point will have an effect on all remotes, since none will have access to the network. When operation of the network does not tolerate any down time, it is possible to set up a protected configuration for the Access Point to greatly reduce the possi-bility of this occurrence.Two or more Access Points can be configured identically, each with its own independent antenna. In this scenario, Remotes will associate with one of the available Access Points. In case of a failure of that AP, the Remotes will quickly associate with another Access Point, re-estab-lishing connectivity to the end devices. Because only one Access Point operates at any given time, collisions between APs is not possible.1.4.3 Collocating Multiple Radio NetworksMany networks can operate in relatively close physical proximity to one another provided reasonable measures are taken to assure the radio signal of one Access Point is not directed at the antenna of the second Access Point.RemoteRemoteRemoteRemoteAccess PointLAN/WANREPEATERLANLANLAN
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 17The Network Name and the Association ProcessThe Network Name is the foundation for building individual radio net-works. Remotes in a network with the same network name as an Access Point (AP) unit are “associated” with that AP. The use of a different Network Name does not guarantee an interfer-ence-free system. It does, however, assure that only data destined for a unique network is passed through to that network.Co-Location for Multiple Networks It may be desirable to co-locate Access Points at one location to take advantage of an excellent location that can serve two independent net-works. Configure each network with a unique Network Name, and install each AP’s antenna with at least 10 feet of vertical separation to minimize RFI.To co-locate APs, configure them with Time Division Duplex (TDD) Sync set to GPS Required. Configure all APs that are within range of each other with the same pattern, but with a unique Hop Pattern Offset. For more information, see “Frequency Control Menu” on Page 67.NOTE: Transceivers are shipped with the Network Name set toMDS-Mercury as a factory default.Can radio frequency interference (RFI) disrupt my wireless network?When multiple radio networks operate in close physical proximity to other wireless networks, individual units may not operate reliably under weak signal conditions and may be influenced by strong radio signals on adjacent bands. This radio frequency interference cannot be predicted with certainty, and can only be determined by experimentation. If you need to co-locate two units, start by using the largest possible vertical antenna separation between the two AP antennas on the same support structure. If that does not work, consult with your factory representative about other techniques for controlling radio frequency interference between the radios. (See “A Word About Radio Interference” on Page 170 for more details.)1.5 GE MDS CYBER SECURITY SUITEToday, the operation and management of an enterprise is increasingly dependent on electronic information flow. An accompanying concern becomes the cyber security of the communication infrastructure and the security of the data itself.
18 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EThe transceiver is capable of dealing with many common security issues. Table 1-2 profiles security risks and how the transceiver pro-vides a solution for minimizing vulnerability. Table 1-2. Security Risk ManagementSecurity Vulnerability GE MDS Cyber Security SolutionUnauthorized access to the backbone network through a foreign remote radio • IEEE 802.1x device authentication• Approved Remotes List (local)Only those remotes included in the AP list will associate“Rogue” AP, where a foreign AP takes control of some or all remote radios and thus remote devices• IEEE 802.1x device authentication• Approved AP ListA remote will only associate to those APs included in its local authorized list of APsDictionary attacks, where a hacker runs a program that sequentially tries to break a password.• Failed-login lockdown After five tries, the transceiver ignores login requests for 5 minutes. Critical event reports (traps) are generated as well.Denial of service, where Remote radios could be reconfigured with bad parameters, bringing the network down.• Remote login with SSH or HTTPS• Local console login• Disabled HTTP and Telnet to allow only local management servicesAirsnort and other war-driving hackers in parking lots, etc. • Operation is not interoperable with standard 802.11 wireless cards• The transceiver cannot be put in a promiscuous mode• Proprietary data framingEavesdropping, intercepting messages • AES-128 encryptionUnprotected access to configuration via SNMPv1 • Implement SNMPv3 secure operationIntrusion detection •Provides early warning via SNMP through critical event reports (unauthorized, logging attempts, etc.)•Unauthorized AP MAC address detected at Remote•Unauthorized Remote MAC address detected at AP•Login attempt limit exceeded (Accessed via: Telnet, HTTP, or local)•Successful login/logout (Accessed via: Telnet, HTTP, or local)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 191.6 ACCESSORIESThe transceiver can be used with one or more of the accessories listed inTable 1-3. Contact the factory for ordering details.Table 1-3. Accessories Accessory Description GE MDSPart No.AC Power Adapter KitA small power supply module designed for continuous service. UL approved. Input: 120/220; Output: 13.8 Vdc @ 2.5 A01-3682A02Omni- Directional AntennasRugged antennas well suited for use at Access Point installations. Consult with your factory Sales Representative for details--Yagi Antenna(Directional)Rugged antennas well suited for use at fixed Remote sites. Consult with your factory Sales Representative for details.--GPS Receiving AntennasA variety of fixed and mobile GPS antennas (active and passive) are available. Consult with your factory Sales Representative for details.--TNC Male-to-N Female Adapter One-piece RF adaptor plug. 97-1677A161TNC Male-to-N Female Adapter CableShort length of coaxial cable used to connect the radio’s TNC antenna connector to a Type N commonly used on large diameter coaxial cables.97-1677A159(3 ft./1m)97-1677A160(6 ft./1.8m)Ethernet RJ-45 Crossover Cable (CAT5)Cable assembly used to cross-connect the Ethernet ports of two transceivers used in a repeater configuration. (Cable length ≈ 3 ft./1M)97-1870A212-Pin Power PlugMates with power connector on transceiver. Screw terminals provided for wires, threaded locking screws to prevent accidental disconnect.73-1194A39Ethernet RJ-45 Straight-thru Cable (CAT5)Cable assembly used to connect an Ethernet device to the transceiver. Both ends of the cable are wired identically.(Cable length ≈ 3 ft./1M)97-1870A20EIA-232 Shielded Data CableShielded cable terminated with a DB-25 male connector on one end, and a DB-9 female on the other end. Two lengths available (see part numbers at right).97-3035L06(6 ft./1.8m)97-3035L15(15 ft./4.6m)EIA-232 Shielded Data CableShielded cable terminated with a DB-9 male connector on one end, and a DB-9 female on the other end, 6 ft./1.8m long.97-1971A03Flat-Surface Mounting Brackets & ScrewsBrackets: 2˝ x 3˝ plates designed to be screwed onto the bottom of the unit for surface-mounting the radio.82-1753-A01Bracket screws: 6-32/1/4˝ with locking adhesive. (Industry Standard MS 51957-26)70-2620-A01Fuse Internal fuse, 5.0 Ampere 29-1784A04
20 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EDIN Rail Mounting BracketBracket used to mount the transceiver to standard 35 mm DIN rails commonly found in equipment cabinets and panels.03-4022A03COM1 Interface AdapterDB-25(F) to DB-9(M) shielded cable assembly (6 ft./1.8 m) for connection of equipment or other EIA-232 serial devices previously connected to “legacy” units. (Consult factory for other lengths and variations.)97-3035A06Bandpass Filter Antenna system filter that helps eliminate interference from nearby paging transmitters.20-2822A02Ethernet Surge SuppressorSurge suppressor for protection of Ethernet port against lightning.29-4018A01Table 1-3. Accessories (Continued)Accessory Description GE MDSPart No.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 212TABLETOP EVALUATIONAND TEST SETUP2 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphContents2.1 OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 232.2 STEP 1—CONNECT THE ANTENNA PORTS...................... 232.3 STEP 2—CONNECT THE PRIMARY POWER ..................... 242.4 STEP 3—CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVER............... 252.5 STEP 4—REVIEW TRANSCEIVER CONFIGURATION ....... 252.5.1 Getting Started ....................................................................... 252.5.2 Procedure ............................................................................... 252.5.3 Basic Configuration Defaults .................................................. 252.6 STEP 5—CONNECT LAN OR SERIAL DATA EQUIPMENT. 262.6.1 Option Set 1 Connectors ........................................................ 282.7 STEP 6—CHECK FOR NORMAL OPERATION ................... 29
22 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 232.1 OVERVIEWGE MDS recommends that you set up a “tabletop network” to verify the basic operation of the transceivers. This allows experimenting with net-work designs, configurations, or network equipment in a convenient location. This test can be performed with any number of radios.When you are satisfied that the network is functioning properly in a benchtop setting, perform the field installation. Complete information for field installation, including mounting dimensions and antenna selec-tion, is provided in INSTALLATION PLANNING on Page 163.NOTE: It is important to use a “Network Name” that is different fromany currently in use in your area during the testing period.To simulate data traffic over the radio network, connect a PC or LAN to the Ethernet port of the Access Point and PING each transceiver several times.2.2 STEP 1: CONNECT THE ANTENNA PORTSFigure 2-1 shows the tabletop arrangement. Connect the antenna ports of each transceiver as shown. This provides stable radio communica-tions between each unit and prevents interference to nearby electronic equipment.Invisible place holderFigure 2-1. Typical Setup for Tabletop-Testing of RadiosPOWER ATTENUATORS• Fixed or adjustable• 2W Minimum RatingPOWER DIVIDERNON-RADIATING ATTENUATORS• Install on unused divider ports (if any)• 2W Minimum RatingCOMPUTERRemoteRemoteAccess PointRemote
24 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENOTE: Use attenuation between all units in the test setup. The amountof attenuation required depends on the number of units testedand the desired signal strength (RSSI) at each transceiverduring the test. In no case should a signal greater than –50 dBmbe applied to any transceiver in the test setup. GE MDS recom-mends an RF power output level of +20 dBm from the AP.Remote power is not setable. (See “Radio ConfigurationMenu” on Page 65.)2.3 STEP 2: CONNECT THE PRIMARY POWERThe primary power at the transceiver’s power connector must be within 10.5–30 Vdc and be capable of continuously providing 30 Watts. Typ-ical power consumption for 13.8 Vdc and 24 Vdc operation are listed in SPECIFICATIONS on Page 178.A Phoenix two-pole power connector with screw-terminals is provided with each unit. Strip the wire leads to 6 mm (0.25"). Be sure to observe proper polarity with the positive lead (+) on the left and negative (–) on the right, as shown in Figure 2-2.NOTE: The transceiver typically requires about 30 seconds to power up, andmight require several minutes to associate with another unit, if GPSis required for time synchronization. GPS is required for all configurations except when “Free Run”single-channel (non-frequency hopping) operation is used, whichmight be possible in some low-interference environments.Only use the transceiver with negative-ground power systems. Make sure the polarity of the power source is correct.Invisible place holderFigure 2-2. Power Connector(Polarity: Left +, Right —)CAUTIONPOSSIBLEEQUIPMENTDAMAGE
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 252.4 STEP 3: CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVERConnect a PC’s Ethernet port to the LAN port using an Ethernet cross-over cable. The LAN LED should light. Alternatively, you can use a serial cable to connect to the COM1 port (Figure 2-3 on Page 27).2.5 STEP 4: REVIEW TRANSCEIVER CONFIGURATION2.5.1 Getting StartedStart by logging into the Access Point radio. This is done first because the Remotes are dependent on the AP’s beacon signal to achieve an “associated” state.Once the Access Point is up and running, move the computer connection to each of the Remote units, log-in at each unit, review their configura-tion, set their IP addresses, Network Name, and frequency configura-tion, then wait for each AP to achieve an associated state.With all units associated, you will be ready to connect and test your data services.2.5.2 ProcedureThe following is a summary of the configuration procedure that must be done on each unit in the system. Key parameters are shown on the Embedded Management System overview (Figure 3-1 on Page 34). A lists of parameters is located in two tables—Table 4-5 on Page 154 and Table 4-7 on Page 156. Detailed information on using the Management System can be found in INTRODUCTION on Page 33.NOTE: The Management System supports the use of “configurationfiles” to help consistently configure multiple units. These areexplained in Configuration Scripts Menu on Page 131.2.5.3 Basic Configuration Defaults Table 2-1 provides a selection of key operating parameters, their range, and default values. All of these are accessible through a terminal emu-lator connected to the COM1 serial port or through a Web browser con-nected to the LAN port (see Figure 5-1 on Page 163 for hookup).NOTE: Access to the transceiver’s Management System and changesto all parameters requires entering a security password.
26 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFor benchtop evaluation, configure:•Frequency Mode = Single Channel•Single Frequency Channel = 0•RF Bandwidth = 1.75•TDD Sync = Free RunFor more information on configuring these parameters, see “Frequency Control Menu” on Page 67.A unique IP address and subnet are required to access all IP-based man-agement interfaces (telnet, SSH, SNMP, and Web), either through the LAN port or remotely over-the-air.2.6 STEP 5: CONNECT LAN OR SERIAL DATA EQUIPMENTConnect a local area network to the LAN port or a serial device to the COM1 (DCE) port. The LAN port supports any Ethernet-compatible equipment. This includes devices that use Internet Protocol (IP).Figure 2-3 on Page 27 shows the interface connectors on the front panel of the standard transceiver (Remote). The Option Set 1 Remote connec-tors are shown in Figure 2-4 on Page 28.NOTE: The use of shielded Ethernet cable is recommended forconnection to the radio’s ETH port. The radio meets regulatoryemission standards without shielded cable, but shieldingreduces the possibility of interference in sensitive environ-ments, and is in keeping with good engineering practice.Table 2-1. Basic Configuration Defaults Item Menu Location Default Values/RangeNetwork Name Main Menu>> Radio Configuration>> Network NameMDS-Mercury • 1–15 alphanumeric characters• Case-sensitive; can be mixed caseIP Address Main Menu>> Network Configuration>> IP Address192.168.1.1 Contact your network administratorRF Output PowerMain Menu>> Radio Configuration>> Transmit Power+29 dBm (900 model)+23 dBm (3650 model)AP: -30 to +29 dBmRM: 0 to +29 dBmUnit Password Main Menu>> Device Information>> User Passwordadmin (lower case)• 1–13 alphanumeric characters • Case-sensitive; can be mixed case
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 27Invisible place holderFigure 2-3. Transceiver Interface Connectors(Standard unit shown; See Figure 2-4 on Page 28 for Option Set 1 unit)•LED INDICATOR PANEL—Displays the basic operating status of the transceiver. See section 2.7 on Page 29 for detailed informa-tion.•COM1 SERIAL PORT— DB-9 connector used for management of the transceiver with a connected PC. INTRODUCTION on Page 33 provides complete connection details.•LAN PORT—Connection point for Ethernet Local Area Net-work. The connector has integrated LEDs to indicate signal activity as follows: A steady green LED indicates that a link has been achieved; a flashing green LED indicates data activity; and a yellow LED indicates 100 Mbps operation.•PWR— DC power connection for the transceiver. Power source must be 10 Vdc to 30 Vdc, negative ground, and capable of pro-viding at least 25 watts.•GPS ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (SMA-type) for connection of a GPS receiving antenna. Provides 3.5 Vdc output for compatibility with powered (active) GPS antennas. The GPS receiving antenna’s gain must be 16 dBi or less.NOTE: GPS functionality is required on all Access Points andRemotes except when “Free Run” single-channel (non-frequencyhopping) operation is used, which might be possible in somelow-interference environments.•RX2 ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (TNC-type) for attachment of a second receiving antenna used in space diver-sity arrangements.•TX/RX1 ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (TNC-type) for attachment of the main station antenna (transmit and receive).COM1SERIAL PORTLAN PORTGPS ANTENNACONNECTIONRX2 ANTENNAPORTTX/RX1ANTENNA PORTDC POWER INPUT(10—30 VDC, 2.5A)LED INDICATORPANEL
28 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E2.6.1 Option Set 1 ConnectorsFigure 2-4 shows the interface connectors on the front panel of the Option Set 1 Remote transceiver.NOTE: The use of shielded Ethernet cable is recommended forconnection to the radio’s ETH port. The radio meets regulatoryemission standards without shielded cable, but shieldingreduces the possibility of interference in sensitive environ-ments, and is in keeping with good engineering practice.Invisible place holderFigure 2-4. Option Set 1 TransceiverInterface Connectors•LED INDICATOR PANEL—Displays the basic operating status of the transceiver. See section 2.7 on Page 29 for detailed informa-tion.•COM1 SERIAL PORT— DB-9 connector used for management of the transceiver with a connected PC. INTRODUCTION on Page 33 provides complete connection details.•LAN PORTS—Connection point for Ethernet Local Area Net-work. The connectors have integrated LEDs to indicate signal activity as follows: A steady green LED indicates that a link has been achieved; a flashing green LED indicates data activity; and a yellow LED indicates 100 Mbps operation.•PWR— DC power connection for the transceiver. Power source must be 10 Vdc to 30 Vdc, negative ground, and capable of pro-viding at least 25 watts.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 29•GPS ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (SMA-type) for connection of a GPS receiving antenna. Provides 3.5 Vdc output for compatibility with powered (active) GPS antennas. Do not short this connector, as you might cause damage to the internal power supply. The GPS receiving antenna’s gain must be 16 dBi or less.NOTE: GPS functionality is required on all Access Points andRemotes except when “Free Run” single-channel (non-frequencyhopping) operation is used, which might be possible in somelow-interference environments.•WiFi ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (SMA-type) for attachment of a WiFi antenna. WiFI is typically used for short range wireless communication at the transceiver site or within a small area around the site. •RX2 ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (TNC-type) for attachment of a second receiving antenna used in space diver-sity arrangements.•TX/RX1 ANTENNA PORT— Coaxial connector (TNC-type) for attachment of the main station antenna (transmit and receive).2.7 STEP 6: CHECK FOR NORMAL OPERATIONOnce the data equipment is connected, you can check the transceiver for normal operation.Observe the LEDs on the top cover for the proper indications. In a nor-mally operating system, you will see the following LED indications within 45 seconds of start-up:•PWR—Lit continuously•LINK—On, or blinking intermittently to indicate traffic flow•LAN—On, or blinking intermittently to indicate traffic flowFigure 2-5 shows a close-up view of the transceiver’s LED Indicator panel. Table 2-2 provides details on each LED function.Invisible place holderFigure 2-5. LED Indicator Panel
30 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EIf the radio network seems to be operating properly based on observa-tion of the unit’s LEDs, use the PING command to verify the link integ-rity with the Access Point.* The LAN connector has two integrated LEDs to indicate signal activity as follows: A steady green LED indicates that a link has been achieved; a flashing green LED indicates data activity, and a yellow LED indicates 100 Mbps operation.Table 2-2. Transceiver LED Functions LED Label Activity IndicationPWR ON Primary power (DC) presentBlinking Unit in “Alarmed” stateOFF Primary power (DC) absentLAN* ON LAN detectedBlinking Data TX/RXOFF LAN not detected, or excessive traffic presentCOM1(MGT System)Blinking Data TX/RXOFF No data activityGPS ON Internal GPS receiver is synchronized with the satellite network.Blinking AP modem is synchronizing with the GPS timing.OFF Internal GPS receiver is not synchronized with the satellite network.LINK(Access Point)ON Unit is operationalOFF Not transmitting. Usually occurs while waiting for GPS sync.LINK(Remote)ON Associated to APOFF Not associated with APUSB ON USB activity on either portOFF No USB activity
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 313DEVICE MANAGEMENT3 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphContents3.1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................333.1.1 Differences in the User Interfaces ............................................333.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEM ........................................ 353.2.1 Methods of Control ................................................................... 363.2.2 PC Connection and Log In Procedures ...................................363.2.3 Navigating the Menus .............................................................. 403.3 BASIC OVERVIEW OF OPERATION......................................423.3.1 Starting Information Screen ..................................................... 423.3.2 Main Menu ............................................................................... 433.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS .......................... 453.4.1 Network Configuration Menu ...................................................453.4.2 Ethernet Port Configuration Menu ...........................................563.4.3 Bridge Configuration ................................................................ 583.4.4 SNMP Agent Configuration ...................................................... 583.4.5 AP Location Push Config Menu ............................................... 603.4.6 SNTP Server Configuration ......................................................643.5 RADIO CONFIGURATION ...................................................... 653.5.1 Radio Configuration Menu ....................................................... 653.5.2 Serial Port Configuration ..........................................................763.6 MODBUS / TCP SERVER CONFIGURATION ........................ 883.6.1 Modbus/TCP in Mercury TransceiversAn Overview .............883.6.2 Menu Selections .......................................................................893.7 SECURITY CONFIGURATION MENU ....................................923.7.1 Device Security Menu .............................................................. 933.7.2 Wireless Security Menu ........................................................... 953.7.3 IEEE 802.1x Device Authentication .........................................973.7.4 Manage Certificates ................................................................. 993.8 REDUNDANCY CONFIGURATION (AP ONLY)......................1023.9 GPS CONFIGURATION (REMOTE ONLY).............................107
32 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.10 DEVICE INFORMATION MENU............................................1093.11 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION MENU .............................1103.12 MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENU............................................1233.12.1 Installing Firmware via TFTP ................................................ 1293.12.2 Auto Firmware Upgrade Menu (AP Only) ..............................1383.13 PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION ........................................ 1403.13.1 Proper OperationWhat to Look For .................................... 143
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 333.1 INTRODUCTIONThe transceiver’s embedded management system is accessible through the COM1 (serial) port, the LAN (Ethernet) port, and using over-the-air Ethernet. Telnet, SSH, HTTP/HTTPS, and SNMP are the Ethernet-based interfaces. Essentially, the same capabilities are avail-able through any of these paths.For support of SNMP software, a set of MIB files is available for down-load from the GE MDS Web site at www.GEmds.com. An overview of SNMP commands can be found at SNMP Agent Configuration section on Page 58 of this manual.The transceiver’s Management System and its functions are divided into seven functional groups as listed below.•Section 3.3, BASIC OVERVIEW OF OPERATION (beginning on Page 42)•Section 3.4, CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS (beginning on Page 45)•Section 3.5, RADIO CONFIGURATION (beginning on Page 65)•Section 3.7, SECURITY CONFIGURATION MENU (beginning on Page 92)•Section 3.13, PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION (beginning on Page 140)•Section 3.12, MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENU (beginning on Page 123)Each of these sections has a focus that is reflected in its heading. The section you are now reading provides information on connecting to the Management System, how to navigate through it, how it is structured, and how to perform top-level configuration tasks. Figure 3-1 on Page 34 shows a top-level view of the Management System (MS). 3.1.1 Differences in the User InterfacesAlthough there are slight differences in navigation among the user inter-faces, the content is very similar. You will notice a few differences in capabilities as the communications tool is driven by limitations of the access channel. Figure 3-2 and Figure 3-3 on Page 35 show examples of the Starting Information Screen as seen through a console terminal and a web-browser, respectively.
34 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E• Spacebar is used to make some menu selections• AP = Access Point Only• RM = Remote OnlyNtwk. Intfc. ConfigEthernet Port ConfigBridge ConfigurationSNMP Agent Config. (AP)AP Location Info (RM)SNTP Server Config.NetworkConfiguration RadioConfiguration DeviceInformation Maintenance/ToolsSecurityConfigurationReprogrammingConfig. ScriptsPing UtilityAuth. CodesReset to DefaultsRadio TestF/W VersionsF/W UpgradeMAIN MENUNetwork NameTransmit PowerReceive Pwr. (AP)Freq. ControlAdv. Config.PerformanceInformationNOTES• Chart shows top-level view only. See Reference Manual for details.• Not all menu items are-user configurableSerial NumberUptimeDateDate FormatTimeModelDevice NamesConsole Bd. Rt.UTC Time OffsetDevice SecurityWireless SecurityEvent LogPacket StatisticsGPS StatusWireless Ntwk Stat.Intl. Radio Stat. (RM)Performance TrendManage Certif.RADIUSConfigurationStarting Information Screen(Read-Only Status)RedundancyConfiguration (AP)Redundancy Config.Ntwk Event TriggersRadio Event TriggersHdwr Event TriggersRed. Config. OptionsForce SwitchoverGPSConfiguration (RM)Stream GPS to ConsoleSend GPS via UDPGPS UDP Server IP AddressGPS UDP Server UDP PortFigure 3-1. Embedded Management SystemTop-Level Flowchart
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 35Figure 3-2. View of MS with a text-based program(Console Terminal shownTelnet has similar appearance)Invisible place holderFigure 3-3. View of the MS with a Browser(Selections at left provide links to the various menus)3.2 ACCESSING THE MENU SYSTEMThe radio has no external controls or adjustments. All configuration, diagnostics, and control is performed electronically using a connected PC. This section explains how to connect a PC, log into the unit, and gain access to the built-in menus.
36 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.2.1 Methods of ControlAccess the unit’s configuration menus in one of several ways: •Local Console—This is the primary method used for the exam-ples in this manual. Connect a PC directly to the COM1 port using a serial communications cable and launch a terminal com-munications program such as HyperTerminal (found on most PCs by selecting Start>>Programs>>Accessories>>Communica-tions>>HyperTerminal). This method provides text-based access to the unit’s menu screens. Console control is a hardware-based technique, and is intended for local use only (maximum recom-mended cable length of 50 ft./15 m).•Telnet or SSH*—Connect a PC to the unit’s LAN port, either directly or via a network, and launch a Telnet session. This method provides text-based access to the unit’s menu screens in a manner similar to a Local Console session. You can run Telnet sessions locally or remotely through an IP connection. •Web Browser*—Connect a PC to the unit’s LAN port, either directly or via a network, and launch a web browser session (for example, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.). Enter the IP address of the device to be managed into the browser’s address field.This method provides a graphical representation of each screen, just as you would see when viewing an Internet web site. The appearance of menu screens differs slightly from other methods of control, but the content and organization of screen items is similar. Web browser sessions may be run locally or remotely using an IP connection.* When connecting directly to a radio, a crossover cable is required. When connecting using a network, switch, or router, a straight-through cable is required.3.2.2 PC Connection and Log In ProceduresThe following steps describe how to access the radio’s menu system. These steps require a PC to be connected to the unit’s COM1 or LAN port as shown in Figure 3-4 on Page 37.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 37Invisible place holderFigure 3-4. PC Configuration SetupStarting a Local Console Session (Recommended for first-time log-in)1. Connect a serial communications cable between the PC and the unit’s COM1 port. If necessary, a cable may be constructed for this purpose as shown in Figure 3-5.Invisible place holderFigure 3-5. Serial Communications Cable (DB-9M to DB-9F)(Maximum Recommended Cable Length 50 feet/15 meters)2. Launch a terminal emulation program such as HyperTerminal and configure the program with the following settings: • 115,200 bps data rate• 8 data bits, no parity• One stop bit, and no flow-control• Use ANSI or VT100 emulation.TIP: The HyperTerminal communications program can be accessed on most PCs by selecting this menu sequence: Start>>Programs>>Accesso-ries>>Communications>>HyperTerminal.NOTE: If the unit is powered-up or rebooted while connected to aterminal, you will see a series of pages of text informationrelating to the booting of the unit’s processor. Wait for thelog-in screen before proceeding.3. Press the key to receive the login: prompt. 4. Enter the username (default username is admin). Press .PC Running Terminal Session(115,200 bps, 8N1)To COM1 or LAN Port(see text)TransceiverPC Running Terminal Session(115,200 bps, 8N1)TransceiverTo COM1 or LAN Port(See Text)352352TXDGNDRXDTXDGNDRXDDCEDB-9 MALE(TO MDS PRODUCT)DTEDB-9 FEMALE(TO COMPUTER)ENTERENTER
38 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E5. Enter your password (default password is admin). For security, your password keystrokes do not appear on the screen. Press .NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation markcharacters. You may use up to 13 alpha-numeric characters.The unit responds with the Starting Information Screen (Figure 3-6). From here, you can review basic information about the unit or press G to proceed to the Main Menu.Invisible place holderFigure 3-6. Starting Information ScreenLocal Console SessionStarting a Telnet Session NOTE: This method requires that you know the IP address of the unitbeforehand. If you do not know the address, use the LocalConsole method (above) and access the Starting InformationScreen. The address is displayed on this screen.1. Connect a PC to the unit’s LAN port, either directly with a crossover cable or via a network with a straight-through cable. The LAN LED lights to indicate an active connection.NOTE: When using Ethernet to access the unit, you might need tochange your computer’s IP address to be on the same subnet asthe radio. You can identify or verify the unit’s IP address byusing a Local Console session to communicate with the radiothrough its COM1 Port and viewing the Starting InformationScreen.2. Start the Telnet program on your computer, targeting the IP address of the unit to which you are connected, and press .ENTERENTER
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 39TIP: You can start a Telnet session on most PCs by selecting: Start>>Pro-grams>>Accessories>>Command Prompt. At the command prompt window, type the word telnet, followed by the unit’s IP address (e.g., telnet 10.1.1.168). Press to receive the Telnet log in screen.NOTE: Never connect multiple units to a network with the same IPaddress. Address conflicts will result in improper operation.3. Enter your username (default username is admin). Press . Next, the Password: prompt appears. Enter your password (default password is admin). For security, your password keystrokes will not appear on the screen. Press .The unit responds with a Starting Information Screen (see Figure 3-6 on Page 38). From here, you can review basic informa-tion about the unit or press G to proceed to the Main Menu.NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation markcharacters. You may use up to 13 alpha-numeric characters.Starting a Web Browser Session NOTE: Web access requires that you know the IP address of the unityou are connecting to. If you do not know the address, start aLocal Console session (see Starting a Local Console Session(Recommended for first-time log-in) on Page 37) and accessthe Starting Information Screen. The IP address is displayedon this screen.1. Connect a PC to the unit’s LAN port, either directly or using a network. If connecting directly, use an Ethernet crossover cable; if connecting using a network, use a straight-through cable. The LAN LED lights to indicate an active connection.2. Launch a Web-browser session on your computer (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.).3. Type the unit’s IP address and press .4. A log-in screen is displayed (Figure 3-7 on Page 40) where you enter a user name and password to access the unit’s menu system. Note that the default entries are made in lower case. (Default User Name: admin; Default Password: admin)ENTERENTERENTERENTER
40 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-7. Log-in Screen when using a Web BrowserNOTE: Passwords are case sensitive. Do not use punctuation markcharacters. You may use up to 13 alpha-numeric characters.5. Click OK. The unit responds with a startup menu screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-8. From here, you can review basic informa-tion about the unit or click one of the menu items at the left side of the screen. Invisible place holderFigure 3-8. Starting Information ScreenWeb Browser Example3.2.3 Navigating the MenusVia Terminal Telnet or SSH SessionsRecommended for first-time log-inLocal Console, Telnet, and SSH sessions use multi-layered text menu systems that are nearly identical. To move further down a menu tree, you type the letter assigned to an item of interest. This takes you to an
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 41associated screen where settings may be viewed or changed. In most cases, pressing the key moves the screen back one level in the menu tree.In general, the top portion of menu screens show read-only information (with no user selection letter). The bottom portion of the screen contains parameters you can select for further information, alteration of values, or to navigate to other submenus.NOTE: Early versions of PuTTY might not operate when using SSHto connect to the transceiver. The latest version (0.60 at thetime of publication) does work with the transceiver’s internalserver. Both the latest released and the latest developmentsnapshot can be downloaded from:www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.When you arrive at a screen with user-controllable parameter fields, you select the menu item by pressing an associated letter on the keyboard. If there is a user definable value, the field will clear to the right of the menu item and you can type the value you wish to use. Follow this action by pressing the key to save the changes. If you make a mistake or change your mind before pressing the key, simply press to restore the previous value.In some cases, when you type a letter to select a parameter, you will see a prompt at the bottom of the screen that says Choose an Option. In these screens, press the keyboard’s to step through the available selections. When the desired option appears, press the key to choose that selection. In some cases, you can change several parameters and then save them with a single keystroke. Use the key to cancel the action and restore the previous values.Logging Out Via Terminal Emulator or TelnetFrom the Main Menu screen, press Q to quit and terminate the session.NOTE: To maintain security, it is best to log-out of the menu systementirely when you are done working with it. If you do not logout, the session automatically ends after 10 minutes of inac-tivity.Navigating via Web BrowserNavigating with a Web browser is straightforward with a framed “home page.” The primary navigation menu is permanently located on the left-hand side of this page. Simply click the desired menu item to make it active.Logging Out Via Web Browser Click Logout in the left-hand frame of the browser window. The right-hand frame changes to a logout page. Follow the remaining instructions on this screen.ESCAPEENTERENTER ESCAPESPACEBARENTERESCAPE
42 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENOTE: In the menu descriptions that follow, parameter options/range,and any default values are displayed at the end of the textbetween square brackets. Note that the default setting isalways shown after a semicolon: [available settings or range; default setting]3.3 BASIC OVERVIEW OF OPERATION3.3.1 Starting Information ScreenOnce you have logged into the Management System, the Starting Infor-mation Screen (Figure 3-9) appears with an overview of the transceiver and its current operating conditions. Figure 3-9. Starting Information Screen(AP screen shown; Remote similar, differences noted below)•Device Mode—Operating mode of the unit as it relates to the radio network.•Device Name—This is a user-defined parameter that appears in the heading of all pages. (To change it, see Network Configura-tion Menu on Page 45.)•Current IP Address—Unit’s IP address [169.254.0.2]•Device Status—Condition of the unit’s operation as follows:At Access Point:•Operational—Unit operating normally.•Initializing—This is the first phase after boot-up.•Synchronizing—Unit is waiting for the GPS receiver to obtain a satellite fix and for its internal clock to synchronize to the GPS timing signals.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 43•Alarmed—The unit has detected one or more alarms that have not been cleared.At Remote:•Scanning—The unit is looking for an Access Point beacon signal.•Ranging—Unit is adjusting power, timing, and frequency with an AP.•Connecting—The unit has found a valid beacon signal for its network.•Authenticating—Device is attempting device authentication.•Associated —The unit has successfully synchronized and associated with an Access Point.•Alarmed—The unit is has detected one or more alarms that have not been cleared.NOTE: If an alarm is present when this screen is displayed, an “A)”appears to the left of the Device Status field. Pressing the “A”key on your keyboard takes you directly to the “CurrentAlarms” screen.•Associated Remotes (AP Only)—Indicates the number of Remotes that have achieved association with the AP. •Connection Status (Remote Only)—Indicates whether the Remote has an RF connection with an AP.•Satellite Fix Status—Indicates whether internal GPS receiver has achieved synchronization with GPS satellite signals.•Uptime—Elapsed time since the transceiver was last booted up.•Firmware Version—Version of firmware that is currently active in the unit.•Hardware Version— Hardware version of the transceiver’s printed circuit board.•Serial Number—Make a record of this number. Provide this num-ber when purchasing Authorization Codes to upgrade unit capa-bilities in the future. (See “Authorization Codes” on Page 136.)3.3.2 Main MenuThe Main Menu (Figure 3-10/Figure 3-11) is the entry point for all user-controllable features. The transceiver’s Device Name appears at the top of this and all other screens as a reminder of the unit you are cur-rently controlling.
44 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFigure 3-10. Main Menu (AP)(AP menu shown, Remote similar; Differences noted in text below)Figure 3-11. Main Menu (MDS 3650 Remote Only)•Starting Information Screen—Select this item to return to the Start-ing Information screen described above.•Network Configuration—Tools for configuring the data network layer of the transceiver. (See “CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS” on Page 45)•Radio Configuration—Tools to configure the wireless (radio) layer of the transceiver. (See “RADIO CONFIGURATION” on Page 65)•Serial Port Configuration—Menus for tailoring the COM1 port for data mode operation (data only). (See “Serial Port Configura-tion” on Page 76)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 45•Security Configuration—Tools to configure the security services available with the transceiver’s environment. (See “SECURITY CONFIGURATION MENU” on Page 92)•Redundancy Configuration—(AP Only) Allows setting of the cri-teria for switchover in the event of loss of associated Remotes or excessive packet receive errors.•GPS Configuration—(Remote Only; not available on MDS 3650 model) View/set parameters related to GPS streaming location output. (See “GPS CONFIGURATION (REMOTE ONLY)” on Page 107)•Device Information—Top level device fields such as model, serial number, date/time, etc. (See “DEVICE INFORMATION MENU” on Page 109)•Performance Information—Status information relating to the radio and data layer’s performance in the radio network. (See “PERFORMANCE INFORMATION MENU” on Page 110)•Maintenance/Tools—Tools for upgrading firmware code and test-ing major unit capabilities. (See “MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENU” on Page 123)3.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS3.4.1 Network Configuration MenuThe Network Configuration Menu is the home of several parameters that you should review and set as necessary before placing a transceiver into service.Figure 3-12. Network Configuration Menu(Standard radio)
46 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFigure 3-13. Network Configuration Menu(Option Set 1 radio)•Network Interface Config—Presents a menu where you can view or set various parameters (VLAN Status, IP Configuration, and DHCP Server Configuration).•Ethernet Port Config—Presents a menu for defining the status of the Ethernet port (enabled or disabled), port follows association, and Ethernet filtering configuration. Detailed explanations of this menu are contained in Ethernet Port Configuration Menu on Page 56.•Bridge Configuration—View/set options for Ethernet Bridge oper-ation.•SNMP Agent Config—View/set SNMP configuration parameters. See “SNMP Agent Configuration” on Page 58 for more infor-mation.•AP Location Info Config—On an AP this submenu allows for con-figuring an AP to automatically download the AP Locations File to its associated Remotes. On a Remote this submenu allows for downloading an AP Locations File. See “AP Loca-tion Push Config Menu” on Page 60 for additional details.•802.11 Configuration—Presents a submenu for configuring the radio’s internal WiFi module to be an Access Point for other WiFi devices (APs), to connect to a WiFi Access Point at another location (Station), or to connect directly to another WiFi device (Ad-Hoc).•SNTP Server—Address of SNTP server (RFC 2030) from which the transceiver will automatically get the time-of-day. You can also manually set the date and time. A Mercury unit tries to get the time and date from the SNTP server only if an IP address is configured. It will continue to retry every minute until it suc-
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 47ceeds. The transceivers use UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) with a configurable time offset. [0]NOTE: The Mercury gets time of day data from the GPS receiver if thereceiver gets a satellite fix.Network Interface Configuration SubmenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-14. Network Interface Configuration Submenu•VLAN Status—This selection is used to enable or disable virtual LAN operation. For details, refer to VLAN Configuration Menu on Page 47. [enable, disabled; disabled]•IP Configuration—This selection presents a submenu for config-uring the local IP address of the transceiver. Detailed explana-tions are provided in the section titled IP Configuration Menu on Page 53.•DHCP Server Config—Menu for configuration of DHCP services by the Access Point. DHCP provides “on-the-fly” IP address assignments to other LAN devices, including Mercury Series units. For details, refer to DHCP Server Configuration (Data and Mgmt) on Page 50.VLAN Configuration MenuThe VLAN Configuration menu (Figure 3-15) becomes active and vis-ible when you enable VLAN Status on the Network Interface Configura-tion Menu, and you press the Enter key.CAUTION:The VLAN Status parameter must be consistent at both theAccess Point and Remote radios in order for data to flowcorrectly. Failure to do so might result in data not being trans-ported correctly even when the radios are in an associated stateand able to communicate over-the-air.
48 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EAbout Virtual LAN in Mercury A VLAN is essentially a limited broadcast domain, meaning that all members of a VLAN receive broadcast frames sent by members of the same VLAN but not frames sent by members of a different VLAN. For more information, refer to the IEEE 802.1Q standard.The transceiver supports port-based VLAN at the Ethernet interface and over the air, according to the IEEE 802.1Q standard. When VLAN Status is enabled, the wireless port of both AP and Remote radios act, according to user configuration, as either a trunk port or access port. The Ethernet port of an Access Point radio is normally configured as a trunk port. This type of port expects incoming frames to have a VLAN ID tag and sends outgoing frames with a VLAN tag as well.The Ethernet port of a Mercury radio can be configured as an access port or as a trunk port. When the Ethernet port of a Mercury radio is configured as VLAN Access Port, the radio tags incoming traffic with a VLAN ID, and strips the tag before sending traffic out. This VLAN is known as the DATA VLAN. Additionally, a second VLAN is assigned for other traffic that is terminated at the radio, such as SNMP, TFTP, ICMP, Telnet, and so on. This is known as the MANAGEMENT VLAN. Traffic directed to the integrated terminal server that handles the serial ports is assigned to the DATA VLAN.When the Ethernet port of a remote radio is configured as a VLAN trunk, the radio expects all incoming Ethernet frames to be tagged, and passes all outgoing frames as received from the wireless link, with the unchanged VLAN tag.Network Interface Configuration Submenu—VLAN ItemsInvisible place holderFigure 3-15. VLAN Configuration Menu
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 49•VLAN Status—Defines whether the radio handles Ethernet frames in “extended” 802.1Q mode or in “normal” mode in the Ethernet port. If configured with a trunk port, the Mercury passes all tagged traffic regardless of the VLAN ID. The Mer-cury only uses the Data VLAN ID parameter when the ETH port is configured as an Access Port.[enabled, disabled; disabled]•VLAN Ethport Mode—Defines if the Ethernet port acts as a trunk port or as an access port. Auto mode defines the port as a trunk port in an AP, or an access port in a Remote radio. [Auto, Trunk, Access; Auto]•Management VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID for traffic directed to the radio itself, other than the terminal server process. This VLAN ID is used for filtering and for tagging purposes. [1-4094; 2]•Data VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID assigned to traffic directed to and from the Ethernet port and the terminal server process in the radio. This VLAN ID is used for filtering and tagging pur-poses. [1-4094; 3]•Default Route IF—Defines the VLAN that contains the default gateway in the radio. [MGMT, DATA; MGMT]•Management VLAN Mode—Applies the VLAN tag to management frames. [Tagged, Native; Tagged].•Management VLAN Subnet Config—Presents a screen where you can set the IP Address Mode, Static IP Address, and Static IP Netmask (see Figure 3-16 on Page 50).•DHCP Server Config (Mgmt)—Presents a screen where you can view or set the DHCP server status and address information for management functions (see Figure 3-17 on Page 51).•Data VLAN Subnet Config—Presents a screen where you can view or set the IP mode and address information (see Figure 3-19 on Page 52).•DHCP Server Config (Data)—Presents a screen where you can view or set DHCP server status and address information for data functions (see Figure 3-18 on Page 52).
50 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EManagement VLAN Subnet Configuration MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-16. Management VLAN Subnet Configuration MenuNOTE: Changes to any of the following parameters while communi-cating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) might cause aloss of communication with the unit you are configuring. Youmust re-establish communication using the new IP address.•IP Address Mode—Defines the source of the IP address of this device. Only static IP addressing mode is available when VLAN Status is enabled. [Static, Dynamic; Static]•Static IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. [192.168.1.1]•Static IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This value is used when the radio attempts to send a locally initiated message, either from the terminal server, or from a management process. [255.255.0.0]The lower three lines of the screen (Current IP Address, Current IP Netmask, Current IP Gateway) show the current addressing configured at the trans-ceiver. Current IP Gateway only displays on this screen if Default Route IF on the Network Interface Config menu (Figure 3-15 on Page 48) is set to Management.Selecting option I from the menu in Figure 3-15 on Page 48 displays the screen shown in Figure 3-19 on Page 52. Note that the IP address is dif-ferent even though it is the same physical unit. This is because this IP address is defined for a different VLAN.DHCP Server Configuration (Data and Mgmt)A transceiver can provide automatic IP address assignments to other IP devices in the network by providing DHCP (Dynamic Host Configura-tion Protocol) services. This service eliminates setting an individual device IP address on Remotes in the network, but it requires some plan-ning of the IP address range. One drawback to network-wide automatic IP address assignments is that SNMP services might become inacces-sible as they are dependent on fixed IP addresses.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 51You can make a network of radios with the DHCP-provided IP address enabled or with DHCP services disabled. In this way, you can accom-modate locations for which a fixed IP address is desired.NOTE: There should be only one active DHCP server in a network. Ifmore than one DHCP server exists, network devices mightrandomly get their IP address from different servers every timethey request one.NOTE: Combining DHCP and IEEE 802.1x device authenticationmight result in a non-working radio if the DHCP server islocated at a Remote radio site. If possible, place the DHCPserver at the AP location.A DHCP server can be run at a Remote, but it is not recom-mended if 802.1x Device Authentication is in use and if the APgets its IP address from the DHCP server on the Remote. Inthis case, the Remote cannot authenticate to allow the AP toget its address, because the AP needs an address to perform802.1x device authentication. This results in an unsolvablecondition where the AP needs to get an IP address from DHCPat the Remote, but it can’t get the address until it is authenti-cated.Invisible place holderFigure 3-17. DHCP Server Configuration (Mgmt) Menu
52 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-18. DHCP Server Configuration (Data) Menu•DHCP Server Status—Enable/Disable the response to DHCP requests to assign an IP address. [Disabled/Enabled; Disabled]•DHCP Netmask—IP netmask to be assigned along with the IP address in response to a DHCP request. [0.0.0.0]•DHCP starting address—Lowest IP address in the range of addresses provided by this device. [0.0.0.0]•DHCP ending address—Highest IP address in the range of addresses provided by this device. A maximum of 256 addresses is allowed in this range. [0.0.0.0]•DHCP DNS address—Domain Name Server address provided by this service.•DHCP WINS address—Windows Internet Naming Service server address provided by this service.Data VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-19. Data VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 53•IP Address Mode—Defines the source of this device’s IP address. Only static IP addressing mode is available when VLAN Status is enabled [Static; Static]•IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. [192.168.1.1]•IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This value is used when the radio attempts to send a locally initiated message, from either the terminal server or the management process. [255.255.0.0]•IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the default gateway device, typically a router. [0.0.0.0]The lower three lines of the screen (Current IP Address, Current IP Netmask, and Current IP Gateway) show the current addressing configured at the transceiver. Current IP Gateway only displays on this screen if Default Route IF on the Network Interface Config menu (Figure 3-15 on Page 48) is set to Data.Invisible place holderIP Configuration MenuFigure 3-20. IP Configuration MenuCAUTION: Changes to the following parameters while communicatingover the network (LAN or over-the-air) might cause a loss ofcommunication with the unit being configured. You mustre-establish communication using the new IP address.•IP Address Mode—Defines the source of this device’s IP address. [Static, Dynamic; Static]•Static IP Address (User Review Recommended)—Essential for con-nectivity to the transceiver’s MS using the LAN port. Enter any valid IP address that is unique within the network. This field is unnecessary if DHCP is enabled. [192.168.1.1]•Static IP Netmask—The IPv4 local subnet mask. This field is unnecessary if DHCP is enabled. [255.255.0.0]
54 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Static IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the network gateway device, typically a router. This field is unnecessary if DHCP is enabled. [0.0.0.0]The lower three items on the screen (Current IP Address, Net-mask and Gateway) show the actual addressing at the trans-ceiver whether it was obtained from static configuration or from a DHCP server.802.11 Configuration Submenu Invisible place holderFigure 3-21. 802.11 Configuration Submenu•802.11 Mode—Configures the WiFi radio to be an Access Point for other WiFi devices (Access Point), to connect to a WiFi Access Point at another location (Station), to connect directly to another WiFi device (Ad-Hoc), or to be disabled (disabled). The default setting is disabled.•802.11 SSID—Service Set Identifier, the name of the wireless LAN to which to connect. This is equivalent to Network Name in GE MDS terminology.•802.11 Channel—(Applies only when 802.11 Mode is set to Access Point) Sets the 802.11 channel the device will use. This can only be set to Auto when in Station mode.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 55Invisible place holderFigure 3-22. 802.11 Security Menu•802.11 Privacy Mode—Determines which privacy mode is used. [None, WEP; None]•802.11 Encryption—Determines the strength of the WEP encryp-tion. [64 Bit, 128 Bit; 128 Bit]•WEP Passphrase—A user-entered combination of characters that is used to generate a WEP Key.•WEP Key—A security code that is generated using the Wireless Equivalency Protocol. It is generated by the entry of a WEP Passphrase (see above) This key should be entered in hexadec-imal format preceded by 0x. The key should be 13 or 26 hexa-decimal characters. For example, 1a2b3c4d5e6f709a8b7c6d5e4f.•WEP Auth Mode—Determines the authentication mode used by the radio [None, Open, Shared Key, Open and Shared; None]Invisible place holderFigure 3-23. 802.11 Advanced Configuration Menu
56 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•TX Power—Transmit power of the WiFi radio. [1 to 18; 15]•NIC in Bridge—When enabled, the WiFi interface is added to the Network Interface Card bridge, allowing traffic to pass between the WiFi and the other interfaces (LAN and wireless).[enabled, disabled; enabled]•Broadcast 802.11 SSID—When enabled, the SSID of the WiFi Access Point is broadcast over the air so that stations will detect the AP’s presence. [enabled, disabled; enabled]•802.11 Station Timeout—Determines how quickly inactive sta-tions are “aged out” of he WiFi Access Point’s database. [1 to 240 mins; 2 mins]3.4.2 Ethernet Port Configuration MenuThe transceiver allows for special control of the Ethernet interface, to allow traffic awareness and availability of the backhaul network for redundancy purposes.NOTE: The transceiver’s network port supports 10BaseT and100BaseT connections. Confirm that your hub/switch iscapable of auto-switching data rates.To prevent excessive Ethernet traffic from degrading perfor-mance, place the transceiver in a segment, or behind routers.Invisible place holderFigure 3-24. Ethernet Port Configuration Menu•Ethernet Port Enable—Allows enabling/disabling Ethernet traffic for security purposes. Setting it to enabled enables the port. [enabled, disabled; enabled]•Ethernet Port Phy Rate—The Ethernet port’s configured speed.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 57•Eth Port Follows Association (Remote Only)—When enabled, the Ethernet port is disabled until the Remote associates. This allows a PC or laptop connected to the Remote to know when the wireless link is available. This feature helps middleware on the laptop in making connectivity decisions. In addition, if the Remote moves between Access Points on different subnets, then the laptop can DHCP for a new address when the link comes back up. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•Ethernet Filtering Config—Allows enabling/disabling filtering and specifying of Ethernet addresses.Ethernet Filtering Configuration MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-25. Ethernet Filtering Configuration Menu•Enable Filtering—Activates Ethernet filtering.[enabled, disabled; disabled]•Address 1, 2, 3, 4—Ethernet address fields. When filtering is enabled, the Mercury only accepts traffic on its Ethernet port from the configured addresses. [Valid MAC address string]
58 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.4.3 Bridge Configuration Invisible place holderFigure 3-26. Bridge Configuration Menu•Bridge Priority—View/set the priority of the bridge in the span-ning tree. [0-65535; 32769]•Bridge Hello Time—View/set spanning tree hello time. This parameter affects how often the bridge sends a spanning tree Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU). [1-10 seconds; 2 seconds]•Bridge Forward Delay—View/set spanning tree forwarding delay. Affects how long the bridge spends listening and learning after initialization. [4-30 seconds; 5 seconds].3.4.4 SNMP Agent ConfigurationThe transceiver contains over 100 custom SNMP-manageable objects as well as the IETF standard RFC1213 for protocol statistics, also known as MIB II. You can use off-the-shelf SNMP managers to access the transceiver’s SNMP Agent’s MIB, such as Castle Rock Computing SNMPc™ and Hewlett Packard OpenView™. The transceiver’s SNMP agent supports SNMPv1, v2, and v3.The objects are split into nine MIB files for use with your SNMP man-ager. There are textual conventions, common files, and specific files. This allows the flexibility to change areas of the MIB and not affect other existing installations or customers.•msdreg.mib—MDS sub-tree registrations•mds_comm.mib—MDS Common MIB definitions for objects and events common to the entire product family•mercury_reg.mib—MDS sub-tree registrations•mercurytrv1.mib—SNMPv1 enterprise-specific traps•mercurytrv2.mib—SNMPv2 enterprise-specific traps
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 59•mercury_comm.mib— MIB definitions for objects and events common to the entire Mercury Series•mercury_ap.mib—MIB definitions for objects and events for an Access Point transceiver•mercury_rem.mib—Definitions for objects and events for a Remote radio•mercury_sec.mib—For security management of the radio systemNOTE: SNMP management requires that the proper IP address,network, and gateway addresses are configured in each associ-ated network transceiver. In addition, some management systems might require that youcompile the MIB files in the order shown above.Invisible place holderFigure 3-27. SNMP Server Configuration MenuThis menu provides configuration and control of vital SNMP functions.•Read Community String—SNMP community name with SNMPv1/SNMPv2c read access. This string can contain up to 30 alpha-numeric characters.•Write Community String—SNMP community name with SNMPv1/SNMPv2c write access. This string can contain up to 30 alpha-numeric characters.•Trap Community String—SNMP community name with SNMPv1/SNMPv2c trap access. This string can contain up to 30 alpha-numeric characters.
60 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•V3 Authentication Password—Authentication password stored in flash memory. This is used when the Agent is managing pass-words locally (or initially for all cases on reboot). This is the SNMPv3 password used for Authentication (currently, only MD5 is supported). This string can contain up to 30 alpha-numeric characters.•V3 Privacy Password—Privacy password stored in flash memory. Used when the SNMP Agent is managing passwords locally (or initially for all cases on reboot). This is the SNMPv3 password used for privacy (DES encryption). This string can contain between 8 and 30 alpha-numeric characters.•SNMP Mode—This specifies the mode of operation of the radio’s SNMP Agent. The choices are: disabled, v1_only, v2_only, v3_only, v1-v2, and v1-v2-v3. If the mode is disabled, the Agent does not respond to any SNMP traffic. If the mode is v1_only, v2_only, or v3_only, the Agent responds only to that version of SNMP traffic. If the mode is v1-v2 or v1-v2-v3, the Agent responds to the specified version of SNMP traffic. [v1-v2-v3]•Trap Version—This specifies which version of SNMP is used to encode the outgoing traps. The choices are v1_traps, v2_traps, and v3_traps. When v3_traps is selected, v2-style traps are sent, but with a v3 header. [v1_traps, v2_traps, v3_traps]•Auth Traps Status—Indicates whether or not traps are generated for failed authentication of an SNMP PDU. [Disabled/Enabled; Disabled]•SNMP V3 Passwords—Determines whether v3 passwords are managed locally or via an SNMP Manager. The different behav-iors of the Agent, depending on the mode selected, are described in SNMP Mode above.•Trap Manager #1—#4— Table of up to four locations on the net-work to which traps are sent. [Any standard IP address]NOTE: The number in the upper right-hand corner of the screen is theSNMP Agent’s SNMPv3 Engine ID. Some SNMP Managersmay need to know this ID in order interface with the trans-ceiver’s SNMP Agent. The ID only appears on the screenwhen SNMP Mode is either v1-v2-v3 or v3_only.NOTE: For more SNMP information, see “NOTES ON SNMP” onPage 180.3.4.5 AP Location Push Config MenuThis menu configures the AP for updating connected remotes with the AP Locations File loaded on the AP.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 61Invisible place holderFigure 3-28. AP Location Push Config MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-29. AP Location Info Configuration Menu, TFTP Mode
62 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-30. AP Location Info Configuration Menu, USB Mode(Option Set 1 Remote only)•File Media—A selection of methods for transferring files to and from the radio available on firmware version 3.0 radios. The options are: TFTP and USB.•TFTP Host Address—IP address of the TFTP server that holds the AP locations file. [any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Transfer Options—Menu for configuring the TFTP transfer.•AP Locations Filename—Name of the AP Locations file on the server. [any valid filename string; ap_locations.txt]•Auto AP Location Download—A setting to force connected remotes to download immediately the AP Locations file on the AP. Remotes that associate to an AP with this feature will also download the file.•Retrieve Text File—Download AP Locations text file from the server.•Send Text File—Upload the local AP Locations file to the server.•View AP Location File—Allows on-screen review of the AP Loca-tions file. An example screen is shown in Figure 3-31.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 63Invisible place holderFigure 3-31. AP Location Text FileAP Locations File Syntax and GuidelinesThe AP Locations file is used by the Remote radio to determine which Access Point to connect to when operating in Hopping w/ Hand-offs mode. The AP Locations file is a simple text file containing information about the location and configuration of all Access Points that the Remote can associate with. The file is filled in by creating “AP definition blocks” using tags and labels. The <AP> tag is used to begin a definition block and the </AP> tag ends the block. Within the block, you can declare sev-eral parameters using a LABEL=VALUE syntax. The possible labels are: •NAME—The name of the AP. Typically set to the Device Name configured on the AP•LAT—GPS Latitude of the AP in decimal degrees•LONG—GPS Longitude of the AP in decimal degrees•OFFSET—Pattern Offset configured on the AP•BW—Bandwidth configured on the AP•DUR—Frame duration (10 or 20) configured on the AP•MAC—The “Wireless MAN Address” configured on the AP•CHANNELS—Specifies which channels are being used by the AP•GROUP—Name of a grouping of Access Points. A Remote con-figured with Eth Follows Association enabled does not disable its wired port when moving between APs of the same group.This is useful when two or more APs are on the same subnet.•MODE—Single or Hopping. Specifies the Frequency Mode of the AP.•SINGLE_CHAN—Specifies the AP’s Single Frequency mode channel.The MAC label may appear twice if a P23 redundant Access Point is installed at that location. In this case, one MAC statement provides the
64 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EMAC address of the A radio and the other MAC statement provides the MAC address of the B radio. The CHANNELS statement only needs to be present if the channel selection feature is used at the Access Point to limit which channels are active. If all channels are used, you can leave out the CHANNELS statement. You can leave out the BW statement for APs that are configured to 1.75 MHz bandwidth. You can also leave out the DUR statement for APs that are configured with a 20 millisecond frame duration.NOTE: MAC filtering on APs should be used only in a stable networkor with the complete understanding that devices not listed inthe AP filter will not gain access to the Remotes, nor be acces-sible to the Remotes.The following shows the syntax of the AP Locations file:# Mercury Remote AP Locations file# These lines are comments# The following line defines the beginning of an AP definition block<AP>NAME=MyAccessPointLAT=43.11790LONG=-77.61270OFFSET=3BW=1.75DUR=20MAC=00:06:3D:00:01:23CHANNELS=1,3,5,7,9,11,13# The following line defines the end of the AP definition block</AP>3.4.6 SNTP Server ConfigurationThe Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) allows the Mercury to obtain time of day data from a network server.NOTE: The Mercury can also obtain time of day data from the GPSreceiver, if the receiver has a satellite fix.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 65Invisible place holderFigure 3-32. SNTP Server Entry (on Network Configuration Menu)When SNTP Server is selected (item H), the area to the right of the param-eter becomes active, allowing you to enter a valid SNTP server address. Press the Return key to make the address entry active.3.5 RADIO CONFIGURATIONThere are two primary layers in the transceiver network—radio and data. Since the data layer is dependent on the radio layer working prop-erly, configure and set the radio items before proceeding. This section explains the Radio Configuration Menu, (Figure 3-33 for AP, Figure 3-34 for Remote).3.5.1 Radio Configuration MenuFigure 3-33. Radio Configuration Menu (From Access Point)
66 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-34. Radio Configuration Menu•Network Name—The user-defined name for the wireless network. [Any 40 character string; MDS-Mercury]•Transmit Power (AP Only)—Sets/displays RF power output level in dBm. This setting should reflect local regulatory limitations and losses in antenna transmission line. (See “How Much Out-put Power Can be Used?” on Page 169 for information on how to calculate this value.) [0—30; 30 (900 model)] [0—23; 23 (3650 model)]•Max Transmit Power (Remote Only)—Sets/displays maximum RF power output level in dBm of the Remote. Power level is still controlled by the AP, but it is limited to the maximum level set here. This setting should reflect local regulatory limitations and losses in antenna transmission line. (See “How Much Output Power Can be Used?” on Page 169 for information on how to calculate this value.) [0—30; 30 (900 model) 0—23; 23 (3650 model)•Receive Power (AP Only)—View/set the receiver gain setpoint for the expected strength of incoming signals from Remotes. This setting indicates at what level (in dBm) the AP expects to hear the Remote stations. A setting of -70 would set the AP receiver’s gain to a relatively low level, while a setting of -85 would be a comparatively high gain setting. [-100 to -20; -75]•Frequency Control—Opens a submenu where you can view or set frequency mode bandwidth, channel and other parameters as described in Frequency Control Menu below.•Advanced Configuration—Opens a submenu where you can view or set modulation, protection/hysteresis margins, data compres-sion, ARQ settings, and other parameters as described in Advanced Configuration Menu on Page 73.•Receive Diversity (900 MHz Remote Only)—Allows enabling or disabling the RX2 antenna port for receive operation. The use of two antennas allows “diversity” reception which helps mini-mize the effects of fading due to multipath reception of signals.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 67Frequency Control MenuThe items shown on this menu vary depending on the Frequency Mode Selection (Single Channel, Static Hopping, Hopping w/Hand-offs). Examples of all three screens are provided below, followed by a description of the menu items.Invisible place holderFigure 3-35. Frequency Control Menu(900 MHz AP, Single Channel Freq. Mode)Invisible place holderFigure 3-36. Frequency Control Menu(900 MHz AP, Static Hopping Freq. Mode)
68 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFigure 3-37. Frequency Control Menu(900 MHz Remote, Hopping w/Hand-offs Freq. Mode)Invisible place holderFigure 3-38. Frequency Control Menu(Mercury 3650 model only)•Frequency (Mercury 3650 only)—Used to set/display the radio’s operating frequency. MDS 3650 radios do not employ fre-quency hopping, thus the entry here is a specific RF operating channel. The allowable entry range is 3652.000 to 3673.000 MHz.•Frequency Mode—The unit can operate on one selected fre-quency or frequency hop. Remotes have the option of using a static hopping configuration or using the AP locations file to select an AP and perform hand-offs. For more information on hand-offs, see Table 3-2 on Page 71. Changing this parameter requires a radio reboot.[Static Hopping, Hopping with Hand-offs, Single Channel; Single Channel]
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 69NOTE: Frequency Mode Static Hopping on Access Points requiresTDD Sync Mode GPS Required.Channel/Frequency Allocations for Single Channel 900 MHz are shown in Table 3-1. The transceiver uses up to 14 channels (0-13) depending on the bandwidth used (1.75 MHz or 3.5 MHz).•RF Bandwidth—View/set the radio’s RF operating bandwidth. Radios are factory-configured for either 1.75 MHz or 3.5 MHz maximum bandwidth. Determine the factory configu-ration of a radio by viewing the “CONFIG” number on the label at the bottom of the radio. 1.75 MHz units will have a Configuration string starting with HGA/R9N1, and 3.5 MHz units will have a string starting with HGA/R9N3.The bandwidth setting on this menu does not necessarily have to match the configured bandwidth of the radio, but it is limited by it. That is, you can set a 3.5 MHz radio to either 1.75 or 3.5, but you can only set a 1.75 MHz radio to 1.75. Note that setting a 3.5 MHz bandwidth radio to operate at 1.75 MHz bandwidth will cause a slight degradation of inter-ference rejection capability. Note that this parameter is read-only when Frequency Mode is set to Hopping w/Hand-offs. [1.75MHz, 3.5MHz]The Mercury 3650 can operate at 1.75 MHz, 3.5 MHz, 5 MHz, or 7 MHz bandwidth. The unit uses a digital filter so that any unit can operate at any bandwidth.Table 3-1. Channel/Frequency Allocations Channel 1.75 MHz B/W 3.5 MHz B/W0 903.000000 904.0000001 904.800000 907.6000002 906.600000 911.4000003 908.600000 915.0000004 910.400000 918.6000005 912.200000 922.4000006 914.000000 926.0000007 916.0000008 917.8000009 919.60000010 921.40000011 923.40000012 925.20000013 927.000000
70 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Single Frequency Channel—The RF frequency that the inte-grated radio will operate on when in single frequency (non-hopping) mode. [0 to 6 for 3.5-MHz, 0 to 13 for 1.75-MHz; 0].•Frame Duration—Defines the over-the-air media access con-trol framing. Note that this parameter is read-only when Fre-quency Mode is set to Hopping w/Hand-offs. [5, 8, 10, or 20 msec; 20 msec]•Hop Pattern—Selects a pre-defined series of channels that is followed when hopping. Note that this parameter is read-only when Frequency Mode is set to Hopping w/Hand-offs.•Hop Pattern Offset—Inserts an offset into the hop pattern that is synchronized with the GPS. For example, if the offset is 0, the start of the pattern is aligned with the GPS timing. If the offset is 3, then the fourth hop of the pattern is aligned with the GPS timing. All of the APs that are part of a network should use the same pattern and each one should have its own offset. In the diagram below, one Remote is configured for static hopping and will only associate with AP1 because they are both using Offset 0. The hand-off configured Remote, using its AP Locations file, may connect to AP1, AP2, or AP3. The Remote does this by determining the Offset for each AP, then configuring its radio.•Current AP (Remote only)—Shows the name of the AP that the Remote is trying to associate with. Note that this param-eter is read-only when Frequency Mode is set to Hopping w/Hand-offs.•TDD Sync Mode (AP only)—Indicates if the Access Point’s trans-missions should synchronize with the GPS timing. Configure this parameter to GPS Required when the AP is configured for Static Hopping. TDD Sync Mode (Time-Division Duplex) is use-ful in eliminating same-network interference for multiple-AP installations. When enabled, all AP transmissions are synchro-nized using GPS timing information. The result is that no AP AP 1 Pattern A Offset 0 AP 2 Pattern A Offset 1 AP 3 Pattern A Offset 2 RM Static Hopping Offset 0 RM Hopping w/ Hand-offs
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 71transmits while another is receiving, which prevents AP-to-AP interference. Changing this parameter requires a radio reboot.[Free Run, GPS Required; Free Run] Note: Do not use the Prefer GPS setting.•Channel Selection (AP only)—Opens a submenu where you can specify channel usage.•External GPS PPS Signal—Indicates whether or not an external Pulse Per Second (PPS) signal is available. The setting may be changed by pressing the spacebar after selection of the menu item. This allows the radio to use the proper timing scheme when frequency hopping.•Advanced Control (Remote only)—Brings up a submenu (see Figure 3-39) where additional communication parameters may be set.•Hardware Filter (900 MHz only)—This field provides a read-only indication of the maximum bandwidth of the radio. [1.75 MHz or 3.5 MHz]Hand-Off Mode Parameters In a mobile or portable application, a Remote radio can move and asso-ciate with different APs depending on its location. The process by which the Remote ends the connection with one AP and begins a connection with another AP is called “hand-off.” Table 3-2 lists the hand-off parameters for Remote transceivers and explains how they operate under different signal conditions. Table 3-2. Remote Hand-Off ParametersStrict DistanceStrict ConnectionStrict SignalSignal andDistanceSignal, Dis-tance, and BearingDescription The Remote always chooses the closest AP regardless of connection status, RSSI, etc.The Remote will only choose a new AP when the modem link is lost.The Remote chooses a new AP when the modem link is lost or when the RSSI or SNR falls below the threshold. The Remote then chooses the closest AP.Operates the same way as the Strict SIgnal method except that the current AP is abandoned only if the next AP is within the distance threshold.Operates the same way as the Signal and Distance method except that the current AP is abandoned only if the bearing is away from the current AP.AP(s) Used(see note be-low Table 3-2)Only closest AP. Closest 3 APs. Closest 3 APs. Closest 3 APs; AP must be within Distance Threshold.Closest 3 APs; AP must be within Distance Threshold.Max. Scanning SecondsN/A Applicable Applicable Applicable Applicable
72 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENOTE: In Table 3-2 above, modes using the “Closest 3 APs” firstattempt to connect to the closest AP. If after the maximumnumber of scanning seconds (Max. Scanning Seconds) a link isnot established, then the next closest AP is chosen. If afteranother maximum number of scanning seconds a link is notestablished, then the third closest AP is chosen. If a link still isnot established, the Remote again chooses the closest AP andcontinues this cycle until it is associated to one of the APs.NOTE: In Table 3-2 above, modes which use the RSSI and SNR Thresh-olds use them in an “or” logic fashion. That is, if the RSSI isbelow the set threshold OR the SNR is below threshold, theRemote drops the current AP.Advanced Control Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-39. Advanced Control Menu(Hopping with Handoff Mode, Remote Only)AP Selection Mode—The method used by the Remote to determine what AP to connect to. It may be based on Signal, Distance and Bearing (from the AP's GPS coordinates in the AP locations file), or Connection. Table 3-2 on Page 71 summarizes these parameters and other selections on this menu.RSSI ThresholdN/A N/A Applicable Applicable ApplicableSNR Threshold N/A N/A Applicable Applicable ApplicableDistanceThresholdN/A N/A N/A Applicable ApplicableBlacklist Time N/A Applicable Applicable Applicable ApplicableTable 3-2. Remote Hand-Off ParametersStrict DistanceStrict ConnectionStrict SignalSignal andDistanceSignal, Dis-tance, and Bearing
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 73Max Scanning Time—The maximum time to try to connect to an AP before trying the next one in the AP Locations file.RSSI Threshold—The RSSI cutoff for Signal modes. When the RSSI drops below this value, the Remote disconnects and looks for a new AP.SNR Threshold—The SNR cutoff point for Signal modes. When the SNR drops below this value, the Remote disconnects and looks for a new AP.Distance Threshold—The distance cutoff when operating in Distance mode. When the Remote's AP gets farther away than this distance, it dis-connects and look for a new AP.Blacklist Time—The amount of time (in seconds) that an AP is ignored when the Remote is trying to find a better connection.Advanced Configuration Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-40. Advanced Configuration Menu•Adaptive Modulation—Enables automatic selection of modulation and FEC rate based on SNR. [enabled, disabled; enabled]•Protection Margin—A number of decibels of SNR added to the minimum SNR required for a given modulation and FEC rate. See “Modulation Protection and Hysteresis Margins” on Page 75 for more information. [0-50; 3]•Hysteresis Margin—A number of decibels of SNR added to the maximum SNR required before shifting to the next higher mod-ulation and FEC rate. See “Modulation Protection and Hyster-esis Margins” on Page 75 for more information. [0-50; 3]•Data Compression—This setting determines whether over-the-air data packets will be compressed. [enabled, disabled; enabled]
74 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Max Modulation—Sets the highest modulation speed the trans-ceiver will use.[BPSK, QPSK-1/2, QPSK-3/4, 16QAM-1/2, 16QAM-3/4, 64QAM-2/3; QAM16-3/4]•Cyclic Prefix (AP only)—Amount of additional information added to the over-the-air packets to mitigate the effects of chan-nel multipath. [1/4, 1/8, 1/16,1/32; 1/16]•Channel Type (AP only)—This parameter, available on Access Point units, must be set appropriately according to the signal conditions of a network. For installations with strong signals, low interference, and minimal fading, set the Channel Type parameter to Static. This setting is generally appropriate for Access Points whose Remotes are in fixed locations. It supports a large offered payload with high packet rates. For installations with significant interference and fading or nomadic/mobile Remotes, set the Channel Type parameter to Dynamic. [Static, Dynamic; Static]•ARQ (AP only)—Enables the Automatic Repeat Request func-tion. [enable, disable; enabled]•ARQ Window Size (AP only)—The maximum number of blocks to send before receiving an acknowledgement. [1—1024; 512]•ARQ Block Size (AP only)—ARQ is applied to payload data in blocks of this size. [4—2040; 256]•ARQ Block Lifetime (AP only)—ARQ blocks are valid for this length of time. [0—655; 655]•ARQ Transmitter Delay (AP only)—The length of time the trans-mitter waits before repeating an unacknowledged packet.[1—655; 35]•ARQ Receiver Delay (AP only)—The length of time the receiver waits before repeating an unacknowledged packet. [1—655; 35]•Downlink Percentage (AP only)—The percentage of link time given to downstream traffic. It should be set to 50% when Adap-tive Split is set to enabled. [10-90%; 50%]•Adaptive Split (AP only)—The adaptive split feature provides improved link utilitization and throughput for burst payload traffic. The Mercury is a TDD system and normally allocates 50% of its capacity to the downlink and 50% to the uplink. When adaptive split is enabled, the Media Access Controller (MAC) in the Access Point monitors the traffic flow continu-ously in the downlink and uplink directions. The MAC automat-ically modifies the downlink split in response to the traffic load. When more traffic is flowing upstream, the downlink split changes to allocate additional capacity to the uplink. When more traffic is flowing downstream, the downlink gets addi-tional capacity. If TDD synchronization is used to synchronize Access Points and minimize inter-Access Point interference, Adaptive Split should be disabled. [enabled, disabled; enabled]
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 75Modulation Protection and Hysteresis MarginsTable 3-3 on Page 75 shows the relationship between the radio’s Protec-tion Margin, Hysteresis Margin, and the SNR range allowed for each form of modulation.Column A lists the available modulation types for the radio, while col-umns B and C show the minimum SNR range required to operate in each modulation. For example, an SNR of 5.8 dB in Column B is required for QPSK modulation with an FEC rate of 1/2. An SNR of 8.4 dB is required for QPSK modulation with an FEC rate of 3/4.Columns B and C have a Hysteresis Margin of 0 dB. This means there is no overlap between the maximum SNR for BPSK (5.8 dB) and the minimum SNR for QPSK-1/2 (5.8 dB).Columns D and E show the SNR ranges with a Protection Margin and Hysteresis Margin of 3 dB. The Protection Margin is added to each value in Columns B and C to get the corresponding value in Columns D and E. The Hysteresis Margin is then added to the Max SNR value.For example, the third SNR value in Column D is 11.4 dB (8.4 + 3 = 11.4 dB), and the third SNR value in Column E is 17.1 (11.1 + 3 + 3 = 17.1 dB). Note that with a Hysteresis Margin of 3 dB, there is an overlap of 3 between the Max SNR of one modulation and the Min SNR of the next higher modulation.In this case, if a link is operating with an SNR of 15 dB, then QPSK-3/4 modulation is used. The SNR must go above 17.1 dB before the link shifts up to 16QAM-1/2 modulation. Conversely, the SNR will need to drop below 11.4 dB before the link shifts down to QPSK-1/2.The blank entries (--) in the table indicate infinite SNR (i.e., the top of the range). For example, in columns B and C, 64QAM-3/4 modulation is used for all SNR values from 20 dB and up.Table 3-3. Adaptive Modulation Protection and Hysteresis MarginsA B C D E F GProtection 0 Protection 3 Protection 5Hysteresis 0 Hysteresis 3 Hysteresis 3Min SNR Max SNR Min SNR Max SNR Min SNR Max SNRBPSK 3.3 5.8 3.3 11.8 3.3 13.8QPSK-1/2 5.8 8.4 8.8 14.4 10.8 16.4QPSK-3/4 8.4 11.1 11.4 17.1 13.4 19.116QAM-1/2 11.1 14.4 14.1 20.4 16.1 22.416QAM-3/4 14.4 18.4 17.4 24.4 19.4 26.464QAM-2/3 18.4 20 21.4 26 23.4 2864QAM-3/4 20 -- 23 -- 25 --
76 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.5.2 Serial Port ConfigurationOverviewThe transceiver includes an embedded serial device server that provides transparent encapsulation over IP. In this capacity, it acts as a gateway between serial and IP devices. Two common scenarios are PC applica-tions using IP to talk to remote devices, and serial PC applications talking to remote serial devices over an IP network. These data services are available from the COM1 port of the radio.COM1 Port—Dual Purpose Capability The COM1 port is used as a local console connection point and to pass serial data with an external device. Setting the COM1 port status to Enable prevents access to the Management System (MS) through this port. However, the MS can still be accessed via the LAN port using Telnet or a web browser.NOTE: To restore the COM1 port to support Management Systemservices, connect a terminal to the port, select the proper baudrate (115,200 is default), and enter an escape sequence (+++) toreset it to the console mode.There is a configuration parameter for the console baud rate andanother parameter for the serial data baud rate. These items canbe different, so when switching out of data mode to consolemode, the port might also change its baud rate.TCP vs. UDP TCP and UDP services are used by the transceiver’s embedded serial device server. TCP provides a connection-oriented link with end-to-end acknowledgment of data, but with some added overhead. UDP provides a connectionless best-effort delivery service with no acknowledgment.Most polled protocols are best served by UDP service as the protocol itself has built-in error recovery mechanisms. UDP provides the needed multidrop operation by means of multicast addressing.On the other hand, TCP services are best suited for applications without a recovery mechanism (error-correction) and must have the guaranteed delivery that TCP provides in spite of the extra overhead. The IP-to-Serial Application Example on Page 83 shows how to do this.Serial Encapsulation Transparent encapsulation, or IP tunneling, provides a mechanism to encapsulate serial data in an IP envelope. All bytes received through the serial port are put into the data portion of a TCP or UDP packet (TCP or UDP are user-configurable options). In the same manner, all data bytes received in a TCP or UDP packet are output through the serial port.When the radio receives data through the serial port, it is buffered until the packet is received completely. There are two events that signal an end-of-packet to the radio: a period of time since the last byte was
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 77received, or a number of bytes that exceed the buffer size. Both of these triggers are user-configurable.One radio can perform serial data encapsulation (IP-to-Serial) and talk to a PC. You can use two radios together (or one radio and a terminal server) to provide a serial-to-serial channel. For more information, see “IP-to-Serial Application Example” on Page 83 and Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application Example on Page 83.TCP Client vs. TCP Server On a TCP session there is a server side and a client side. You can con-figure the transceiver to act as either a server or a client. The server always waits for requests from clients.The client mode attempts to establish a connection to a server (typically running on a PC) whenever it receives data on the serial port. There is also a Client/Server mode, where the client establishes a connection when data is received on the serial port and the server is not currently handling a connection.UDP Multicast IP provides a mechanism to perform a limited broadcast to a specific group of devices. This is known as multicast addressing. Multicast addressing requires the use of a specific branch of IP addresses set apart by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for this purpose.UDP multicast is generally used to transport polling protocols typically used in SCADA applications where multiple remote devices will receive and process the same poll message.As part of the Multicast implementation, the radio sends IGMP mem-bership reports and IGMP queries, and responds to membership queries. It defaults to V2 membership reports, but responds to both V1 and V2 queries. The Point-to-Multipoint Serial-to-Serial Application Example on Page 84 shows how to provide multicast services.Data Buffering Data buffering is always active regardless of the selected mode. If you connect EIA-232 serial devices to the transceiver, review these parame-ters carefully.Serial Configuration WizardGE MDS recommends the Serial Configuration Wizard, available through the Serial Port Configuration Menu, for configuration of the serial terminal services. The wizard uses a step-by-step process, eliminates possible conflicting settings, and streamlines complex configurations.You can bypass the wizard by selecting option B) View Current Settings and adjusting the individual settings of the appropriate parameter.
78 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ESerial Port Configuration Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-41. Serial Port Configuration Menu Figure 3-42. Serial Configuration Wizard•Begin Wizard—Tool for configuring serial ports using a step-by-step process.•View Current Settings—Displays all setable options. Varies depending on the selected IP protocol.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 79Configuring for UDP Point-to-Multipoint Invisible place holderFigure 3-43. UDP Point-to-Multipoint MenuUse UDP point-to-multipoint to send a copy of the same packet to mul-tiple destinations, such as in a polling protocol.•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.•Mode—The type of IP port offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP; TCP]•RX IP Port—Receive IP data from this source and pass it through to the connected serial device. The port number must be used by the application connecting to local TCP or UDP socket. [Any valid IP port; 30010]•TX IP Address (used instead of Local IP Address when using UDP Point-to-Multipoint)— Configure with a valid Multi-cast address (224.0.0.0–239.255.255.255). IP packets received with a matching destination address are processed by this unit. [Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•TX IP Port (used instead of Local IP Port when using UDP Point-to-Multipoint)—This port number must match the number used by the application connecting to local TCP or UDP socket. [1-64,000; 30010]•Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port, in bits-per-second. [1,200—115,200; 19200] •Byte Format—Formatting of data bytes, representing data bits, parity and stop bits. [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1]•Buffer Size—Maximum amount of characters that the Remote end buffers locally before transmitting data through the serial port. [1—255; 255]•Inter-Packet Delay—Amount of time that signal the end of a message, measured in tenths of a second. [default = 1 (that is, 1/10th of a second)]
80 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (shown only after changes have been entered). Invisible place holderFigure 3-44. UDP Point-to-Point MenuConfiguring for UDP Point-to-Point Use UDP point-to-point configuration to send information to a single device.•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •Mode—UDP Point-to-Point. This is the type of IP port offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP; TCP]•RX IP Port—Port number where data is received and passed through to the serial port. The application connecting to this transceiver must use this port number.[1—64,000; 30010]•TX IP Address—Data received through the serial port is sent to this IP address. To reach multiple Remotes in the network, use UDP Point-to-Multipoint. [Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•TX IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets received through the serial port on the transceiver. [1—64,000; 30010]•Talkback Enable—Talkback is a mode where the radio returns a serial message received within a time-out period back to the last address of an incoming UDP message. If the time-out expires, the unit sends the serial data to the configured address. [Enable, Disable; Disabled]•Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port, in bits-per-second. [1,200—115,200; 19200] •Byte Format—Formatting of data bytes. Data bits, parity and stop bits. [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1]
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 81•Buffer Size—Maximum amount of characters that the Remote end buffers locally before transmitting data through the serial port. [1—255; 255]•Inter-Packet Delay—Amount of time that signal the end of a message, measured in tenths of a second. [default = 1 (that is, 1/10th of a second)]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (shown only after changes have been entered).Configuring for TCP Mode Invisible place holderFigure 3-45. TCP Client Menu (Remote)•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •Mode—TCP Client. This is the type of IP port offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP; TCP]•TX IP Address—The IP address to be used as a destination for data received through the serial port.[Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•TX IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets received through the serial port on the transceiver.[Any valid IP port; 30010]•TCP Keepalive—Amount of time (in seconds) that the trans-ceiver waits for data before terminating the TCP session. [0—600; 600]•Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port, in bits-per-second. [1,200—115,200; 19200] •Byte Format—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, parity and stop bits. [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1]•Buffer Size—Maximum amount of characters that the Remote end buffers locally before transmitting data through the serial port. [1—255; 255]
82 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Inter-Frame Packet Delay—A measurement representing the end of a message, measured in tenths of a second.[default = 1 (that is, 1/10th of a second)]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (shown only after changes have been entered). Invisible place holderFigure 3-46. TCP Server Menu (AP)•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port.•Mode—TCP Server. This is the type of IP port offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP; TCP]•RX IP Port—Receive IP data from this source and pass it through to the connected serial device. The application con-necting to the local TCP or UDP socket must use this port number.[Any valid IP port; 30010]•Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port, in bits-per-second. [1,200—115,200; 19200] •Byte Format—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, parity and stop bits. [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1]•Buffer Size—Maximum amount of characters that the Remote end buffers locally before transmitting data through the serial port. [1—255; 255]•Inter-Packet Delay—Amount of time that signal the end of a message, measured in tenths of a second. [default = 1 (that is, 1/10th of a second)]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (shown only after changes have been entered).
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 83IP-to-Serial Application ExampleYou must choose UDP or TCP to establish communications. This depends on the type of device you are communicating with at the other end of the IP network. In this example, we will use TCP to illustrate its use. In TCP mode, the transceiver remains in a passive mode, offering a socket for connection. Once a request is received, data received at the serial port is sent through the IP socket and vice versa, until the connec-tion is closed or the link is interrupted. In this mode, the transceiver behaves the same, whether it is an Access Point or a Remote. (See Figure 3-47 and Table 3-4) NOTE: The TCP session has a timeout of 10 minutes (600 seconds). Ifinactive for that time, the session is closed. The transceiveroffers the port again for connection after this time expires.Establishing a Connection From the PC, establish a TCP connection to the IP address of the Remote transceiver and to the IP port as configured above (30010). Use a Telnet client application to establish this connection. Data can now be sent between the PC and the RTU or other connected device.Invisible place holderFigure 3-47. IP-to-Serial Application DiagramPoint-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application ExampleOnce you have configured the transceivers, they begin processing data presented at the COM ports. Data presented at the Access Point’s COM port is packetized and sent via UDP to the Remote. Upon receiving the EthernetCrosssoverRTUEIA-232Computeror Network192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2LANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemoteAccess PointTable 3-4. Serial Port Application ConfigurationIP-to-Serial Connection Transceiver LocationMenu Item SettingAccess Point None is required None is requiredRemote Unit IP Address 192.168.0.2Status EnabledIP Protocol TCPBaud Rate 9,600 (Example)Flow Control NoneLocal IP Port 30010
84 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Epacket, the Remote strips the data out of the UDP packet and sends it out its COM port. Likewise, data presented at the Remote’s COM port is packetized, sent to the Access Point, stripped, and sent out the Access Point’s COM port. This configuration does not use multicast addressing.Invisible place holderFigure 3-48. Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial Application DiagramPoint-to-Multipoint Serial-to-Serial Application ExampleThe operation and data flow for this mode is very similar to Point-to-Point serial-to-serial application, except that it uses multicast addressing. The primary difference is that data presented at the Access Point’s COM port is packetized and sent using UDP to all of the Remotes. Upon receiving the packet, all of the Remotes strip the data from the UDP packet and send it out their COM ports. Likewise, data presented at any of the Remotes’ COM ports is packetized, sent to the Access Point, stripped, and sent out the Access Point’s COM port (see Figure 3-49, Table 3-6, Figure 3-50, and Figure 3-51 on Page 86).EIA-232RTUEIA-232Terminalor Computer192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2RemoteAccess PointLANCOM1COM2PWRLINKTable 3-5. Serial Port Application Configuration Transceiver Location Menu Item SettingAccess Point (COM1) Status EnabledData Baud Rate 9,600 (Example)SIFD 4IP Protocol UDPRemote IP Address192.168.0.2(IP address of the Remote radio)Remote IP Port 30010 Local IP Port 30010Remote Unit (COM1) Status EnabledData Baud Rate 9,600 (Example)Flow Control X-ON/X-OFF (Example)SIFD 4 (Characters)IP Protocol UDPRemote IP Address192.168.0.1(IP address of the AP)Remote IP Port 30010 Local IP Port 30010
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 85Invisible place holderFigure 3-49. Point-to-Multipoint Serial-to-Serial Application Diagram Invisible place holder192.168.0.3192.168.0.4EIA-232Terminalor ComputerRTURTURTUEIA-232EIA-232EIA-232192.168.0.10 192.168.0.1192.168.0.2Access PointLANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemoteLANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemoteLANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemoteTable 3-6. Serial Port Application ConfigurationTransceiver Location Menu Item SettingAccess Point (COM1) Status EnabledBaud Rate 9600 (Example)Flow Control DisabledIP Protocol UDPRemote IP Address 224.254.1.1—Multicast Address1Remote IP Port 30010 Local IP Port 30010 Remote Units (COM1) Enable EnabledBaud Rate 2,400 (Example)Flow Control Hardware (Example)IP Protocol UDPRemote IP Address 192.168.0.1Remote IP Port 30010 Local IP Port 30010 Local Multicast Address224.254.1.1 —Multicast Address2 1. This address is an example only. Any Class D IP address (224.0.0.0—239.255.255.255) will work.
86 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFigure 3-50. Serial Port ConfigurationAccess PointFigure 3-51. Radio Serial Port ConfigurationRemoteMixed ModesIn this example, the TCP mode does not involve the Access Point. Thus, the transceiver in a single network can run in both modes at the same time. In other words, you can configure some Remotes for TCP mode and others (along with the Access Point) for UDP mode.In this configuration, the Host PC can use both data paths to reach the RTUs. This is helpful when a mixed collection of RTUs is present where some RTUs can operate in a broadcast form while others cannot (see Figure 3-52 on Page 87 and Table 3-7 on Page 87).
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 87Operation and Data Flow • Communicate with RTU A by Telneting to Remote 1, port 30010.• Communicate with RTU B by Telneting to Remote 2, port 30010.• Communicate with RTUs C and D by sending and receiving data from the Access Point’s COM port.• All communication paths can be used simultaneously.Invisible place holderFigure 3-52. Mixed-Modes Application DiagramEIA-232Terminalor ComputerRTU–CEIA-232EIA-232EIA-232RTU–DEIA-232EthernetCrosssoverRTU–BRTU–AAccess PointTransceiverLANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemote 1LANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemote 2LANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemote 3LANCOM1COM2PWRLINKRemote 4Table 3-7. Serial Port Application Configuration Transceiver Location Menu Item SettingAccess Point Status EnabledBaud Rate 9,600Flow Control DisabledIP Protocol UDPSend to Address A multicast IP address such as 224.254.1.1Send to Port 30010Receive on Port 30010 Receive on Address 0.0.0.0 (Not Used)Remote Units 1 & 2 (COM1) Status EnabledBaud Rate 2,400Flow Control DisabledIP Protocol TCPReceive on Port 30010 Remote Units 3 & 4 (COM1) Status EnabledBaud Rate 9,600Flow Control DisabledIP Protocol UDP
88 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.6 MODBUS / TCP SERVER CONFIGURATIONModbus is a serial communications protocol developed by Schneider Electric (Modicon) for communication between programmable logic controllers (PLCs), remote terminal units (RTUs) and other industrial electronic devices. It has become an established standard in the industry, and is now used by many manufacturers of industrial data equipment.Mercury Series transceivers running version 2.2.0 firmware or later include Modbus functionality. This section of the addendum contains an overview of the Modbus/TCP Server and provides menu details for using this feature. You should also review Configuring for TCP Mode section on Page 81.NOTE: This material assumes you have an understanding of Ethernetnetworking, TCP/IP, and Modbus serial protocols. Refer to thefollowing web site for additional information:www.modicon.com/TECHPUBS/intr7.html.NOTE: Modbus/TCP functionality is provided on the COM1 port ofthe transceiver only.3.6.1 Modbus/TCP in Mercury Transceivers—An OverviewThe transceiver implements a Modbus/TCP server that bridges Modbus/TCP to either: Modbus RTU or Modbus/ASCII. It does not function as a Modbus/TCP client.The transceiver converts Modbus/TCP requests to either RTU or ASCII serial Modbus packets and sends them to the configured serial port. It waits up to the timeout period for a reply on the serial port, and if one arrives, it converts the response back to Modbus/TCP and sends it to the connected Modbus/TCP client.Send to Address IP address of the APSend to Port 30010 Receive on Port 30010 Receive on Address 224.254.1.1(The multicast IP address used for the AP’s Send To Address above)Table 3-7. Serial Port Application Configuration (Continued)Transceiver Location Menu Item Setting
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 893.6.2 Menu SelectionsConnect a PC to the transceiver as described in STEP 3: CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVER section on Page 25, and access the embedded management system. Follow the steps below to proceed with Modbus/TCP configuration.1. From the Serial Configuration Wizard opening screen (Figure 3-53 on Page 89), select A to begin the wizard.Invisible place holderFigure 3-53. Configuration Wizard Opening Screen2. Choose the IP protocol you wish to use (TCP, UDP, or Mod-bus/TCP) by selecting the appropriate letter from the menu.Figure 3-54. IP Protocol Selection Screen3. On the next screen (Figure 3-55 on Page 90), choose the listening port you wish to use for the Modbus/TCP server. The default is port 502. Press N to continue.
90 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EFigure 3-55. Modbus/TCP Server Listening Port4. On the next screen (Figure 3-56), press A to change the Modbus serial format, then press the space bar to toggle between the avail-able formats (MODBUS/RTU or MODBUS/ASCII). Press B to enter the Modbus serial timeout value in milliseconds. Press N to continue the wizard.NOTE: The only difference between Modbus/RTU andModbus/ASCII is the form of the framing sequence, errorcheck pattern, and address interpretation.Figure 3-56. Choose Modbus Serial Format and Timeout ValueNote: Modbus Timeout setting is in milliseconds, not seconds as displayed in the example above.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 915. When the next screen appears (Figure 3-57), press A to select the desired data baud rate and B to select the data byte format. Press N to continue.Figure 3-57. Select Data Baud Rate and Byte Format6. The screen shown in Figure 3-58 appears next. Press A to select the Buffer Size of message packets, and B to select the Inter-Frame Delay. Press N to continue with the wizard.Invisible place holderFigure 3-58. Buffer Size and Inter-Frame Delay Values7. On the next screen (Figure 3-59 on Page 92), select A and use the spacebar to enable the serial port for data communication. Press N to continue the wizard.
92 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-59. Serial Port Status Screen8. Review all settings on the summary screen shown in Figure 3-60. If all settings are correct, press X to confirm and exit the wizard. If not, select the letter of the item(s) you wish to change.Invisible place holderFigure 3-60. Serial ConfigurationSummary ScreenThis completes the menu selections for Modbus/TCP operation.3.7 SECURITY CONFIGURATION MENUThe transceiver’s security features are grouped into four major catego-ries and are accessible from the Security Configuration Menu (see Figure 3-61). These categories are:Device Security—Contains settings for controlling access to the radio itself for configuration and management.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 93Wireless Security—Controls how and when radios communicate with each other, as well as how data traffic is handled.RADIUS Configuration—Deals with IEEE 802.1x device authentication and authorization using a central server.Manage Certificates (Remote only)—Allows setting of certificate types, download paths, and TFTP parameters.Invisible place holderFigure 3-61. Security Configuration MenuSelecting any of the Security Configuration Menu items opens a sub-menu where you can view or change settings. Examples of these screens and more detailed descriptions of their contents are provided below.3.7.1 Device Security MenuThe Device Security Menu (Figure 3-62) controls how the radios can be accessed either locally or remotely for configuration and management.
94 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-62. Device Security Menu•Telnet Access—Controls Telnet access to the transceiver’s man-agement system. [enabled, disabled; enabled]•SSH Access—Controls access to the Secure Shell (SSH) server.[enabled, disabled; enabled]•HTTP Mode—Controls access to the transceiver’s management system via the web server. [disabled, HTTP, HTTPS; HTTP]•HTTP Auth Mode—Selects the mode used for authenticating a web user. [Basic Auth, MD5 Digest; Basic Auth]•User Auth Method—View/set the method of authentication for users. [Local, Radius; Local]•User Auth Fallback—View/set method of authentication to use if the RADIUS server is unavailable. [None, Local; None] •User Passwords—Allows changing of Administrative and Guest passwords. When selected, a new screen appears (Figure 3-63 on Page 95).
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 95User Passwords Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-63. User Passwords MenuTo change the Administrator or Guest password, select the appropriate menu item (A or B). A flashing cursor appears to the right. From here, type the new password, which can be any alpha-numeric string up to 13 characters long. The change is asserted when you press the Return key.•Change Admin Password—Allows you to set a new password. [any alpha-numeric string up to 13 characters; admin]•Change Guest Password—Allows you to set a new password. [any alpha-numeric string up to 13 characters; guest]TIP: For enhanced security, consider using misspelled words, a combi-nation of letters and numbers, and a combination of upper and lower case letters. Also, the more characters used (up to 13), the more secure the password. These strategies help protect against sophisticated hackers who use a database of common words (for example, dictionary attacks) to determine a password.3.7.2 Wireless Security MenuThe features in the Wireless Security menu (Figure 3-64 on Page 96) control the communication of data across the wireless link. You can authenticate the radios locally via a list of authorized radios, or remotely via a centralized IEEE 802.1x device authentication server. This server provides a centralized authentication mechanism based on standards.
96 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-64. Wireless Security Menu•Device Auth Mode—View/set the device’s authentication method. [None, Local, IEEE 802.1X; None]•Data Encryption—Controls the over-the-air payload data’s AES-128 bit encryption. [enable, disable; disabled]•Encryption Phrase—View/set the phrase used to generate encryp-tion keys when encrypting over-the-air payload. [any alpha-numeric string of 8 to 15 characters; <empty>]•Max Remotes (AP only)—The maximum number of remotes an AP can associate with.•Approved Remotes (AP only)—Launches a submenu where you can view, add, or delete approved Remotes. (See Figure 3-65.)Approved Remotes Submenu Setting the Device Auth Mode to Local forces an AP to check the Approved Remotes List before establishing a radio link. A Remote must be in the list before the AP associates and grants authorization. Before enabling this option, at least one entry must already exist in the View Approved Remotes list.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 97Invisible place holderFigure 3-65. Approved Remotes Submenu•Add Remote—Enter the MAC address of Remote.[Any valid 6-digit hexadecimal MAC address; 00:00:00:00:00:00] •Delete Remote—Enter the MAC address of Remote. For security purposes, you should delete a stolen or deprovisioned radio from this list.•Add Associated Remotes—Add all currently associated remotes to the approved remote list. Alternatively, you can enter each Remote MAC manually.•Delete All Remotes—Remove (complete purge) all Remotes from current list.•View Approved Remotes—Listing of approved Remotes by MAC address. These radios are authorized to join this AP. If a Remote is not in this list, it cannot associate with this AP.3.7.3 IEEE 802.1x Device AuthenticationThis section covers the configuration needed for the radios to access the IEEE 802.1x device authentication server, which provides Device Level Security and for Wireless Access Security. GE MDS does not provide the server software.Operation of Device AuthenticationDevice authentication forces the radio to authenticate before allowing user traffic to traverse the wireless network. When Device Security is configured to use IEEE 802.1x as the Authentication Method, Remote radios need three types of certificates: public (client), private, and root (Certificate Authority). These files are unique to each Remote radio and must first be created at the server and then installed into each unit via TFTP. The certificate files must be in DER format.Device authentication uses the serial number of each radio as the Common Name (CN) in its certificate and in its RADIUS identity field.
98 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EEach Access Point and Remote radio must be identified/recognized by the device authentication server through the Common Name (Serial number) and IP address entries.NOTE: Consult your network administrator for assistance in configu-ration, or for help with other issues that may arise.To activate device authentication, select Device Auth Method and set RADIUS as the active mode. The behavior of this setting differs depending on whether it is implemented on an Access Point or a Remote transceiver. An explanation of these behaviors is given below:Access Point: When Device Auth Method is set to RADIUS, the AP disasso-ciates all associated Remotes and waits for the device authentication server to authenticate the Remotes before allowing data from them to pass. When approval is received from the authentication server, data from the Remote passes.Remote: When Device Auth Method is set to RADIUS, the Remote halts any data it is passing, and requests Authentication from the device authenti-cation server. If accepted, data is transmitted.Operation of User AuthenticationUser Authentication controls authentication of users who can manage the device. This is in contrast to Device Authentication (above), which authenticates devices that can participate in the data network. When user authentication is set to Local or RADIUS, you must enter a valid user name and password before you can manage the radio. In RADIUS mode, both of these fields can be up to 40 characters long. In Local mode the user name is admin and the password can be up to 13 characters long.When set to RADIUS, all logins to the local configuration services must be authenticated via the device authentication server, including Telnet and SSH (Secure Shell) sessions. Authentication must be accepted before access to the radio menu is granted.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 99RADIUS Configuration Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-66. Radius Configuration Menu•Auth Server Address—The IP address of the authentication server. [any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Auth Server Port—The UDP Port of the authentication server. [1812, 1645, 1812]•Auth Server Shared Secret—User authentication and Device authentication require a common shared secret to complete an authentication transaction. This entry must match the string used to configure the appropriate files on the authentication server. [<empty>; any alpha-numeric string up to 16 characters]•User Auth Mode—RADIUS Authentication algorithm.[PAP, CHAP, EAP; PAP]NOTE: CHAP is a more secure algorithm than PAP. PAP may displaythe login password in log files at the authentication serverwhile CHAP will encrypt this information.3.7.4 Manage CertificatesUse Certificate generation software to generate certificate files, then install these files into each Remote unit using TFTP. This is done using the Manage Certificates Menu (Figure 3-67 on Page 100). The certificate files must be in DER format. The Common Name (CN) field in the public certificate file must match the serial number of the unit it is installed on.
100 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-67. Manage Certificates MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-68. Manage Certificates Menu, TFTP Mode(Option Set Remote only)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 101Invisible place holderFigure 3-69. Manage Certificates Menu, USB Mode(Option Set Remote only)•File Media—A selection of methods for transferring files to and from the radio. On firmware version 3.0 radios, the options are TFTP and USB.•TFTP Host Address—(Telnet/Terminal only)—IP address of the com-puter on which the TFTP server resides. This same IP address is used in other screens/functions (reprogramming, logging, etc.). Changing it here also changes it for other screens/functions.[Any valid IP address; 127.0.0.1].•Transfer Options—A menu for configuring the TFTP transfer. (See Figure 3-70 on Page 102.)Three certificate files (Root CA, Client, and Private Key) must be present in each of the Remote radios. Use the commands described below to install these files into each Remote radio:•Certificate Type—Selects one of the three certificate file types mentioned above. [Root CA, Client, Private Key; Root CA]•Certificate Filename—Specifies the software path and filename for downloading certificates.•Retrieve Certificate—Initiates the retrieval of the certificate file from the storage location. A successful installation issues a Com-plete status message.NOTE: It is imperative that the three certificate files are installedcorrectly into the Remote radio, in their respective file types.If they are not, the Remote is un-authenticated for data traffic.Consult your network administrator for more information.
102 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-70. Transfer Options Menu•TFTP Timeout—The time the client radio will wait for a response from the server before ending the transfer.•TFTP Block Size—The amount of data sent in each TFTP packet.3.8 REDUNDANCY CONFIGURATION (AP ONLY)For operation in protected (redundant) mode, an AP must be in a Pack-aged P23 enclosure with a backup radio. See MDS publication 05-4161A01 for details. This manual is available under the Downloads tab at www.GEmds.com.The Redundancy Configuration Menu (Figure 3-71) is where you enable/disable redundancy operation and define the triggers that will cause a switchover.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 103Invisible place holderFigure 3-71. Redundancy Configuration Menu (AP Only)•Redundancy Configuration—Enable/disable redundancy switcho-ver for AP. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•Network Event Triggers—This selection opens a submenu (Figure 3-72 on Page 104) where you can set/view the trigger status for Network Events.•Radio Event Triggers—This selection opens a submenu (Figure 3-73 on Page 104) where you can set/view the trigger status for Radio Events, such as a loss of associated Remotes or excessive packet errors.•Hardware Event Triggers—This selection opens a submenu (Figure 3-74 on Page 105) where you can set/view the trigger status for initialization/hardware errors.•Redundancy Configuration Options—This selection opens a sub-menu (Figure 3-75 on Page 105) where you can set the thresh-old criteria for declaring an error event.•Force Switchover—Selecting this option forces a manual (user initiated) switchover to the backup AP. The “challenge ques-tion” Are you sure? (y/n) is presented to avoid an unintended switchover. To invoke the change, press the letter y followed by the Enter key.
104 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENetwork Event Triggers Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-72. Network Events Triggers Menu•Network Interface Error—This setting determines whether or not a network interface error will cause redundancy switchover. [enabled, disabled; disabled]Radio Event Triggers Invisible place holderFigure 3-73. Radio Event Triggers•Lack of associated remotes exceeded threshold—This setting deter-mines whether or not a switchover occurs when a lack of asso-ciated Remote units exceeds the time period set in Figure 3-76 on Page 106. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•Packet Receive Errors exceeded threshold—This setting determines whether or not a switchover occurs when the number of Packet Receive errors exceeds the number set in Figure 3-77 on Page 106. [enabled, disabled; disabled]
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 105Hardware Event Triggers Invisible place holderFigure 3-74. Hardware Event Triggers•Init/Hardware Error—This setting determines whether or not an initialization or hardware error results in a redundancy switcho-ver. [enabled, disabled; disabled]Redundancy Configuration Options MenuUse this menu (Figure 3-75) to set the thresholds for the Lack of Asso-ciated Remotes and Packet Receive Errors. Selecting either item opens a submenu where you can view or change settings.Invisible place holderFigure 3-75. Redundancy Configuration Options Menu•Lack of Associated Remotes Exceeded Threshold—This selection opens a submenu (Figure 3-76) where you can view or change the time period allowed for a lack of associated Remotes.
106 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Packet Receive Errors Exceeded Threshold—This selection opens a submenu (Figure 3-77 on Page 106) where you can view or change the maximum allowable number of receive errors.Lack of Associated Remotes Exceeded Threshold MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-76. Lack of Associated Remotes Exceeded Threshold Menu•Lack of Remotes for—Select this item to change the time setting (in seconds) for a lack of associated Remotes. When there are no associated Remotes for a period exceeding this time, a redun-dancy switchover occurs. [60-500; 500]Packet Receive Errors Exceeded Threshold MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-77. Packet Receive Errors Exceeded Threshold Menu•Maximum Receive Errors—Select this item to change the maxi-mum allowable number of receive errors. When the number of errors exceeds this number, a redundancy switchover occurs. [0-1000; 500]
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1073.9 GPS CONFIGURATION (REMOTE ONLY)This menu allows you to view or set important parameters for the built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the Mercury Remote. Mercury 3650 Remote units do not have or require GPS func-tionality. Details about the NMEA sentences generated by the GE MDS Mercury can be found at http://www.nps.gov/gis/gps/NMEA_sentences.html. Invisible place holderFigure 3-78. GPS Configuration Menu (Remote Only)•Stream GPS to Console—Used to enable/disable streaming of GPS NMEA data to the console port (COM1). Baud rate is 4800 baud when Stream GPS to console is enabled.[enabled, disabled; disabled]•GPS to Console Baud Rate—The serial baud rate when GPS streaming is enabled.•Send GPS via UDP—Used to enable/disable sending GPS NMEA data to a server via UDP. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•GPS UDP Server IP Address—Specify the destination address for GPS NMEA UDP packets. [any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]•GPS UDP Server UDP Port—Destination UDP port for GPS NMEA UDP packets. [valid UDP port number; 0]•GPS Streaming Configuration—A submenu for setting GPS NMEA outputs. (See Figure 3-79 on Page 108.)
108 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-79. GPS Streaming Configuration Menu•GGA Polling—Seconds between GGA string outputs, the satellite fix information.•GLL Polling—Seconds between GLL string outputs, the latitude and longitude information.•GSA Polling—Seconds between GSA string outputs, the overall satellite data.•GSV Polling—Seconds between GSV string outputs, the detailed satellite data.•RMC Polling—Seconds between RMC string outputs, the recom-mended minimum data.•VTG Polling—Seconds between VTG string outputs, the vector track and speed over ground.•MSS Polling—Seconds between MSS string outputs, the beacon receiver status information.•ZDA Polling—Seconds between ZDA string outputs, data, and time.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1093.10 DEVICE INFORMATION MENUFigure 3-80 shows the menu that displays basic administrative data on the unit to which you are connected. It also provides access to user-spe-cific parameters such as date/time settings and device names.Figure 3-80. Device Information Menu•Model (Display only)•Serial Number (Display only)•Uptime (Display only)—Elapsed time since boot-up.•Date—Current date being used for the transceiver logs. User-set-able. (Value lost with power failure if SNTP [Simple Network Time Protocol] server not accessible.) •Time—Current time of day. User-setable. Setting: HH:MM:SS (Value lost with power failure if SNTP server not accessible.)•Date Format—Select presentation format:• Generic = dd Mmm yyyy• European = dd-mm-yyyy• US = mm-dd-yyyy•Console Baud Rate—Used to set/display data communications rate (in bits-per-second) between a connected console terminal and the radio. [115200]
110 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•UTC Time Offset—Set/view the number of hours difference between your local clock time and Universal Coordinated Time. Offsets for U.S. times zones are shown in the chart below.•Device Names—Fields used at user’s discretion for general administrative purposes. The Device Name field is shown on all menu screen headings. (See Figure 3-81 on Page 110)NOTE: The transceivers do not save time and date information whenpower is removed.Device Names MenuFigure 3-81. Device Names Menu•Device Name—Used by the transceiver as the “Realm” name for network login (web browser only) and menu headings. •Contact—User defined; appears on this screen only.•Location—User defined; appears on this screen only.•Description—User defined; appears on this screen only.3.11 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION MENUThe Performance Information Menu (Figure 3-82 on Page 111) is the entry point for a series of submenus where you can evaluate transceiver operating status and network performance. You can use this menu as an Time Zone (U.S.)UTC Offset (Hours)PST -8MST -7CST -6EST -5
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 111important troubleshooting tool, or for evaluating changes made to the network configuration or equipment.Invisible place holderFigure 3-82. Performance Information Menu•Event Log—Access this menu for managing the unit’s opera-tional activities log. (See Figure 3-85 on Page 113 for details.)•Packet Statistics—Multiple radio and network operating statis-tics. (See Figure 3-87 on Page 115 for details.)•GPS Status—Shows satellite fix status, number of satellites being received, and unit location data. (See Figure 3-88 on Page 116 for details.)•Wireless Network Status—Current AP association state and MAC address. (See Figure 3-90 on Page 118 for details.)•Internal Radio Status (Remote Only)—Shows connection status, RF parameters, and total FEC count for the unit. (See Figure 3-95 on Page 120 for details.)•Performance Trend (Remote Only)—Launches a continuously updated list of performance parameters (RSSI, Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Transmit Power, Latitude, Longitude, Connection Status, and FEC Blocks). (See Figure 3-83 on Page 112.)•Bridge Status—Displays the network bridge status. (See Figure 3-84 on Page 112.)
112 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-83. Performance Trend ScreenInvisible place holderFigure 3-84. Bridge Status Menu
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 113Event Log Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-85. Event Log Menu•Current Alarms—Shows active alarms (if any) reported by the transceiver.•View Event Log—Displays a log of radio events arranged by event number, date, and time. (Example shown in Figure 3-86 on Page 114).•Clear Event Log—Erases all previously logged events.•Send Event Log—Sends the event log to the server. You must answer the challenge question Send File? y/n before the request proceeds.•Event Log Host Address—Set/display the IP address of the TFTP server. [any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Event Log Filename—Set/display the name of the event log file on the TFTP server. [any valid filename; eventlog.txt]•Transfer Options—A menu for configuring the TFTP transfer.•Syslog Server Address—Use this selection to set or view the IP address of the Syslog server. Syslog is a standardized protocol for sending IP log data across a network. Low cost (or even free) Syslog downloads are available online by searching for the term “Syslog Server.” [any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]
114 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EView Event Log Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-86. View Event Log MenuThe transceiver’s microprocessor monitors many operational parame-ters and logs them. Events are classified into four levels of importance, which are described in Table 3-8. Some of these events result from a condition that prevents normal operation of the unit. These are “critical” events that cause the unit to enter an “alarmed” state and the PWR LED to blink until the condition is corrected. All events are stored in the Event Log..Time and Date The events stored in the Event Log are time-stamped using the time and date of the locally connected device. The Access Point obtains the time and date from a Time Server. This server is typically a standard Win-dows PC server SNTP application. In the absence of the SNTP services, the user must manually enter time and date information at the Access Point. (See “DEVICE INFORMATION MENU” on Page 109 for SNTP server identification.) The manually set time and date clock relies on the unit’s primary power. A loss of power resets the clock to 02 Jan 2005 but does not affect previously stored error events.Packet Statistics MenuThe transceivers maintain running counters of different categories of events in the Ethernet protocol. The Packet Statistics refer to each Ethernet interface from the perspective of the radio.Table 3-8. Event ClassificationsLevel Description/ImpactInformational Normal operating activitiesMinor Does not affect unit operationMajor Degraded unit performance but still capable of operationCritical Prevents the unit from operating
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 115Invisible place holderFigure 3-87. Packet Statistics Menu•Packets Received—Data packets received by this unit.•Packets Sent—Data packets sent by this unit.•Bytes Received—Data bytes received by this unit.•Bytes Sent—Data bytes sent by this unit.•Packets Dropped—To-be-transmitted packets dropped because of a lack of buffers in the outbound queue.•Receive Errors—Packets that do not pass CRC. This may be due to transmissions corrupted by RF interference, Ethernet colli-sions, or degradation. If significant Ethernet Receive Errors are observed, check the quality of your Ethernet cabling and con-nectors, or that you do not have cable lengths exceeding the specification limits.•Lost Carrier Detected—This parameter reports how many times the wired Ethernet connection has lost link.•Clear Ethernet Statistics—Resets the statistics counter. You must answer the challenge question Send File? y/n before the request proceeds.•Clear MDS Wireless Statistics—Resets the statistics counter. You must answer the challenge question Send File? y/n before the request proceeds.
116 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EGPS Status Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-88. GPS Status Menu•GPS Serial Number—The serial number of the GPS unit in the radio.•GPS Firmware Version—The firmware version running on the GPS chip.•Satellite Fix Status—Indicates whether or not the unit has achieved signal lock with the minimum required number of GPS satellites. The transceiver requires a fix on five satellites to achieve Precise Positioning Service (PPS) and four to maintain PPS. [No Fix, Fix]•Number of Satellites—Shows the number of GPS satellites received by the transceiver. Although there are typically 24 active GPS satellites orbiting the Earth twice a day, only a sub-set of these is “visible” to a receiver at a given location. A good signal provides information from six to ten satellites.•Latitude—Shows the transceiver’s latitudinal location (in degrees), based on GPS data received from the satellites.•Longitude—Shows the transceiver’s longitudinal location (in degrees), based on GPS data received from the satellites.•Altitude—Shows the transceiver’s altitude above sea level (in feet), based on GPS data received from the satellites.•GPS Information—Shows data about the individual satellites being received, including the Pseudo-Random Noise (PRN) code (a unique bit stream for each satellite), the satellite’s ele-vation (in degrees), azimuth (in degrees), and the sig-nal-to-noise ratio of the carrier signal (SNR). Figure 3-89 on Page 117 shows a layout example for this screen.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 117GPS Information Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-89. GPS Information MenuWireless Network Status MenuThe Wireless Network Status screen provides information on a key operating process of the transceiver—the association of the Remote with the Access Point. The following is a description of how this process takes place and is monitored by the menu system.The Transceivers Association Process If the Access Point and Remote are configured for single channel oper-ation, the Remote monitors the channel for Access Point transmissions. The Remote synchronizes its power, timing, and frequency to the Access Point, then requests access to the network. The Access Point and Remote check each other’s authorization and authentication according to the configuration of the Device Authorization and Encryption Enable parameters, and the Network Name parameter. The Remote is then associ-ated.If the Access Point and Remote are configured for frequency hopping, the Remote hops with the Access Point according to Access Point’s con-figuration. Once the Remote is hopping in sync with the Access Point, the rest of the association process is the same as for single channel oper-ation.
118 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-90. Wireless Network Status Menu (AP)Invisible place holderFigure 3-91. Wireless Network Status Menu (Remote)•Device Status—Displays the overall operating condition of the transceiver. [Operational, Alarmed]•Associated Remotes (AP Only)—Shows the number of Remote transceivers currently associated with the AP.•Remote Database (AP Only)—Displays a submenu where associ-ated Remotes are listed in table form according to their number, operational state, MAC address, IP address, and name (if assigned). (See Figure 3-92 on Page 119.)•Remote Performance Database (AP Only)—Displays a submenu where associated Remote performance data is listed in table form. Remotes are presented according to their number, MAC address, RSSI, SNR, modulation type, and FEC total. (See Figure 3-93 on Page 119.)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 119•Connection Status (Remote Only)—Displays the current state of the wireless network communication as follows: Scanning, Rang-ing, Connecting, Authenticating, Associated, or Alarmed. A complete explanation of these operating states is provided in Table 4-3 on Page 152. •Current AP Eth Address—Displays the Ethernet MAC address of the current AP.•Current AP IP Address—Shows the IP address of the current AP.•Current AP Name—Displays the device name of the current AP.•Time Connected—Shows the time at which the remote connected to the AP. The Remote has been continually connected since this time. Invisible place holderFigure 3-92. Remote Database MenuInvisible place holderFigure 3-93. Remote Performance Database Menu
120 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-94. Remote Database Details Menu (AP)Internal Radio Status Menu (Remote Only)Invisible place holderFigure 3-95. Internal Radio Status (Remote Only)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 121Invisible place holderFigure 3-96. Internal Status Menu(Remote in Static Hopping mode)Invisible place holderFigure 3-97. Internal Radio Status Menu(Remote in Hopping with Handoffs Mode)NOTE: In the menu above, the items in the right hand column aredisplayed on Remotes only, when they are in Hopping withHandoffs mode. This allows viewing of the settings theRemote is using to connect to each AP in the AP LocationsFile. See Frequency Control Menu on Page 67 for explanationsof these items. Exception: The Scanning Timer parameter isunique to the screen shown in Figure 3-97, and is explainedbelow.•Connection Status—Indicates whether or not the Remote station has associated with an AP. [Associated, Scanning, Ranging, Connecting, Authorizing]•Current AP Name—Shows the Device Name of the current AP.
122 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Transmit Power—Shows the RF power output from the transmit-ter. The AP changes the transmit power of the Remote to match the desired receive power at the APs receiver. This provides end-to-end power control.•Average RSSI—Shows average received signal strength indica-tion (RSSI) of incoming RF signals, displayed in dBm.•Average SNR—Shows average signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) of received signals, displayed in dB. This is a measurement of the quality of the incoming signal. It is possible for incoming sig-nals to be strong, yet be affected by interference or other noise, resulting in a low SNR. Use this parameter to help determine the actual quality of signals.•Scanning Timer—A timer that runs while the Remote radio tries to connect to a particular AP. Once this timer reaches the Max Scanning Time, the Remote tries to connect to the next AP in the AP Locations File.•Radio Details—This selection presents a screen (Figure 3-98) showing key operating details of the transceiver.•Channel Statistics—This selection presents a screen (Figure 3-99) that shows signal quality on a channel-by-channel basis. Readings are expressed in RSSI dBm and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) dB, respectively.Invisible place holderFigure 3-98. Radio Details Menu•RSSI—Shows received signal strength indication (RSSI) in dBm.•SNR—Shows signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in dB.•TX Frequency Offset—Shows the RF carrier shift of the Remote’s transmitter, measured in Hertz (Hz). The transmitted frequency is continually reviewed and adjusted to agree with what the AP expects to see. This optimization results in more efficient oper-ation, corrects for doppler shift, and results in higher throughput between AP and Remote stations.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 123•RX Frequency Offset—This is a measurement of how far in fre-quency the Remote’s receiver has shifted (in Hz) to accommo-date the incoming signal from the AP.•Total FEC Count—This parameter shows the total number of For-ward Error Correction (FEC) blocks handled by the radio.•Corrected FEC Count—Displays the number of errored blocks corrected with FEC by the radio.•Uncorrected FEC Count—Shows the number of errored blocks that can’t be corrected with FEC by the radio.Invisible place holderFigure 3-99. Channel Statistics Menu3.12 MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENUIn the course of operating your network, you may wish to upgrade trans-ceiver firmware to take advantage of product improvements, work with configuration scripts, conduct “ping” tests of your system, or reset oper-ating parameters to factory default settings. All of these tasks are per-formed using the Maintenance/Tools Menu (Figure 3-100). This section explains how to take advantage of these services.
124 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-100. Maintenance/Tools Menu (AP)Invisible place holderFigure 3-101. Maintenance/Tools Menu (Remote)(Some versions may show a Scheduled Reboot option, described below)•Reprogramming—Managing and selecting the unit’s operating system firmware resources. (See “Reprogramming Menu” on Page 126)•Configuration Scripts—Saving and importing data files contain-ing unit operating parameters/settings. (See “Configuration Scripts Menu” on Page 131)•Ping Utility—Diagnostic tool to test network connectivity. (See “Ping Utility Menu” on Page 135)•Authorization Codes—Alter the unit’s overall capabilities by enabling the built-in resources. (See “Authorization Codes” on Page 136)•Reset to Factory Defaults—Restores parameters to factory default settings. (See “Reset to Factory Defaults” on Page 137)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 125•Radio Test—A diagnostic tool for testing RF operation. (See “Radio Test Menu” on Page 138)•Firmware Versions—Shows the firmware code versions stored in the radio and indicates which one is the active image. (See Figure 3-102 on Page 125.)•Auto Firmware Upgrade—Brings up a submenu where you can perform tasks related to loading new firmware. (See “ Auto Firmware Upgrade Menu (AP Only)” on Page 138.)•Telnet Utility—A submenu for opening Telnet connections to net-work devices (Figure 3-103 on Page 125).Invisible place holderFigure 3-102. Firmware Versions MenuFigure 3-103. Telnet Utility Menu•Host Address—The IP address of the target device. •Connect—Connect to the target device at the host address.
126 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EReprogramming MenuThe factory sometimes offers upgrades to the transceiver firmware. Loading new firmware into the unit will not alter any privileges pro-vided by Authorization Keys and does not require you to take the trans-ceiver off-line until you want to operate the unit with the newly installed firmware image.Firmware images are available free-of-charge at:www.GEmds.com/Resources/TechnicalSupport/NOTE: Always read the release notes for downloaded firmware. Thesenotes contain important information on compatibility and anyspecial steps needed for proper installation.All units and versions have two resident images. Version 1.4.4 had two.mpk files, one for the Access Point and one for the Remote. As of version 2.1.0, there is only one mpk file which you can use with both Access Points and Remotes.The transceiver has two copies of the firmware (microprocessor code) used for the operating system and applications. One copy is “active” and the second is standing by, ready to be used once activated. You can load new firmware into the inactive position and place it in service whenever you desire.Invisible place holderFigure 3-104. Reprogramming Menu (AP)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 127Invisible place holderFigure 3-105. Reprogramming Menu(Option Set 1 Remote only)Invisible place holderFigure 3-106. Reprogramming Menu(Option Set 1 Remote only)•File Media—A selection of methods for transferring files to and from the radio. On firmware version 3.0 radios, the options are TFTP and USB.•TFTP Host Address—IP address of the host computer from which to get the file. [Any valid IP address] This same IP address is used in other screens/functions (reprogramming, logging, etc.). Changing it here also changes it for other screens/functions.•Firmware Filename—Name of file to be received by the TFTP server. [Any 40-character alphanumeric string] Verify that this cor-responds to the TFTP directory location. May require sub-direc-tory, for example: me-bkrc-2_1_0.mpk.•Transfer Options—A menu for configuring the TFTP transfer.
128 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Retrieve File—Initiates the file transfer from the TFTP server. The new file is placed into inactive firmware image. [Y, N ]•Image Verify—Initiate the verification of the integrity of firm-ware file held in unit.•Image Copy—Initiate the copying of the active firmware into the inactive image.•Reboot Device—Initiates rebooting of the transceiver. This will interrupt data traffic through this unit, and the network if per-formed on an Access Point. Intended to be used for switching between firmware images 1 and 2.•Advanced ReprogrammingAdvanced configuration options for TFTP transfer of firmware files. See Figure 3-107 and related text descriptions.•Current Firmware—Displays the versions of firmware images installed in the transceiver and shows whether Image 1 or Image 2 is currently active.NOTE: See Upgrade Procedure on Page 130 for details on setting upthe TFTP server.Invisible place holderFigure 3-107. Advanced Reprogramming Menu•TFTP Timeout—View/set the time (in seconds) where no activity results in a TFTP timeout condition.•TFTP Block Size—The data size of each TFTP block being trans-ferred to the radio during firmware upgrade.•Image Verify—Initiate the verification of the integrity of firm-ware file held in unit.•Image Copy—Initiate the copying of the active firmware into the inactive image.•Firmware Versions—Shows the available versions of firmware code for operation of the radio.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1293.12.1 Installing Firmware via TFTPFirmware images are available free-of-charge at:www.GEmds.com/Resources/TechnicalSupport/.NOTE: You may not install AP firmware in Remote radios, orvice-versa. This was only possible for early (pre-version 2.1.0)firmware.To install firmware by TFTP, you need:• A PC with a TFTP server running• The IP address of the PC running the TFTP server• A valid firmware fileThe IP address of the radio can be found under the Management System’s Starting Information Screen. (See “Starting Information Screen” on Page 42.)A TFTP server is available on the GE MDS Web site at:www.GEmds.com/Resources/TechnicalSupport/. TIP: If you do not know your computer’s address on a Windows PC, you can use the RUN function from the Start menu and enter winipcfg or ipconfig to determine your local PC’s IP address. There are several alternatives to connecting the transceiver for firmware upgrades. Figure 3-108 and Figure 3-109 show two variations. It is essential that all equipment be on the same subnet.Invisible place holderFigure 3-108. Firmware Upgrade SetupOption 1(TFTP Server and Firmware File on Same CPU)LANPORTLOCAL WINDOWS PCWITH CONFIG. FILESIP ADDRESS: 172.0.0.AIP ADDRESS: 172.0.0.BTFTPSERVER& TELNETTRANSCEIVERCROSS-OVERCABLEINITIATE UPLOADFROM HERE
130 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EInvisible place holderFigure 3-109. Firmware Upgrade SetupOption 2(TFTP Server and Firmware File on Remote Server)NOTE: The LAN and COM1 ports share a common data channel whenloading firmware over-the-air. Transferring the radio firmwareimage file (≈ 6 MB) might take several minutes depending ontraffic between the TFTP server and the transceiver. Regardless of your connection to the transceiver, loading firm-ware/configuration files into the unit’s flash memory is muchslower than loading software onto a PC hard drive or RAM.Upgrade Procedure To load a new firmware file (filename.mpk) into the transceiver, use the following procedure:1. Launch a TFTP server on a PC connected either directly or via a LAN to the Ethernet port (LAN) of the radio. Point the server towards the directory containing the firmware image file.2. Connect to the Management System by whichever means is conve-nient: browser or Telnet via the LAN, or Terminal emulator via the COM1 port.3. Go to the MS Reprogramming Menu. (Main Menu>>Maintenance Menu>>Reprogramming Menu)4. Fill in the information for the:•TFTP Host Address—IP Address of server (host computer) run-ning TFTP server.•Firmware Filename—Name of file (filename.mpk) to be down-loaded from the TFTP server holding the firmware file.TRANSCEIVERIP ADDRESS: 172.0.0.BTFTPSERVER ETHERNETPORTCOM1PORT(DCE)INITIATE UPLOADFROM HEREREMOTE PCW/FIRMWARE FILESHUB/LAN/WAN/MANTCP/IPLANPORTCOM1, 2, ETC.(DTE)IP ADDRESS: 172.0.0.ALOCAL WINDOWS PCIP ADDRESS: w.x.y.zTERMINALPROGRAM9-PINSERIALCABLESTRAIGHT-THRUCABLE
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1315. Download the firmware file from the TFTP server into the trans-ceiver.(Main Menu>>Maintenance Menu>>Reprogramming Menu>>Retrieve File)Status messages on the transfer are posted on the Management Sys-tem screen.NOTE: The new firmware image file that replaces the “Inactive Image” file is automatically verified.6. Reboot the transceiver.Main Menu>>Maintenance Menu>>Reprogramming Menu>>Reboot Device7. Test the transceiver for normal operation.End of ProcedureError Messages During File TransfersIt is possible to encounter errors during a file transfer. In most cases, these can be corrected by performing the actions described in Table 3-9.Configuration Scripts MenuA configuration script file contains all of a radio’s setable parameters that are accessible through the menu interface, with a few exceptions. A configuration script file is in plain text format and can be easily edited in any text program.Configuration scripts can be helpful in several ways. Three common uses for them are:Table 3-9. Common Errors During TFTP Transfer Error Message Likely Cause/Corrective ActionInvalid File Type Indicates that the file is not a valid firmware file. Locate proper file and re-load.File not found Invalid or non-existent filename on TFTP server.Invalid file path Invalid or non-existent file path to TFTP server.Timeout TFTP transfer time expired. Increase the timeout value.Flash Error Flash memory error. Contact factory for assistance.Bad CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check reporting a corrupted file. Attempt to re-load, or use a different file.Version String Mismatch Invalid file detected. Attempt to re-load, or use a different file.
132 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E• To save “known-good” configuration files from your radios. These can be used for later restoration if a configuration prob-lem occurs, and it is unclear what parameter is causing the issue.• To facilitate the rapid configuration of a large number of radios.• To provide troubleshooting information when you contact the factory for technical support. A technician can often spot poten-tial problems by reviewing a configuration file.How Configuration Files WorkWhen a configuration script file is downloaded to a radio (Retrieve File), the radio executes the parameters as commands and takes the values contained in it. When a configuration script file is uploaded from the radio (Send), it contains the current values of the radio’s configuration parameters. Figure 3-110 on Page 132 shows the Configuration Scripts Menu.Invisible place holderFigure 3-110. Configuration Scripts Menu
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 133Invisible place holderFigure 3-111. Configuration Scripts Menu(Option Set 1 Remote only)Invisible place holderFigure 3-112. Configuration Scripts Menu(Option Set 1 Remote only)•File Media—A selection of methods for transferring files to and from the radio. On firmware version 3.0 radios, the options are TFTP and USB.•Config Filename—Name of file containing this unit’s configura-tion profile that will be transferred to the TFTP server. The con-figuration information is in plain-text ASCII format.[Any 40-character alphanumeric string] May require a sub-direc-tory, for example: config\mercury-config.txt. (See “Configuration Scripts Menu” on Page 131 for more information.)
134 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ENOTE: The filename field is used to identify the desired incoming fileand as the name of the file exported to the TFTP server. Beforeexporting a unit’s configuration, name it in a way that reflectsthe radio’s services or other identification.•TFTP Host Address—IP address of the computer on which the TFTP server resides. [Any valid IP address]•Transfer Options—A menu for configuring the TFTP transfer.•Category—The category of parameters to send or receive.•Retrieve File—Initiate the file transfer of the configuration file from TFTP server into the transceiver.•Send File—Initiate the file transfer from the transceiver’s current configuration file to TFTP server.NOTE: See “Upgrade Procedure” on Page 130 for details on settingup the TFTP server.Sample of Configuration Script FileA sample configuration script file is provided as part of every firmware release. Firmware images and sample files are available free-of-charge at: www.GEmds.com/Resources/TechnicalSupport/.The name of the specific file includes the firmware revision number, represented by the “x” characters in the following example: mercury-config-x_x_x.txt. Editing Configuration FilesOnce a Remote unit’s operation is fine-tuned, use the Configuration Scripts Menu on Page 131 to save a copy of the configuration onto a PC. Once the file is saved on the PC, you can use it as a source to generate modified copies adjusted to match other devices. Modify the configura-tion files using a text editor or an automated process. (These applica-tions are not provided by GE MDS).We recommend that you review and update the following parameters for each individual unit. Change other parameters as necessary. Save each resulting file with a different name. We recommend using directories and file names that reflect the location of the unit to facilitate later iden-tification.Table 3-10. Common User-Alterable Parameters Field Comment RangeIP Address Unique for each individual radio. Any legal IP addressIP Gateway May change for different groups or locations.Any legal IP address
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 135Editing Rules • Only include parameters you want to change from the default value.• Change only the parameter values.• Capitalization counts in some field parameters. • Comment Fields:a. Edit or delete anything on each line to the right of the comment delineator, the semicolon (;).b. Comments can be of any length, but must be on the same line as the parameter, or on a new line that begins with a semicolon character.c. Comments after parameters in files exported from a trans-ceiver do not need to be present in your customized files.• Some fields are read-only. These are designated by “(RO)” in the configuration sample file.Ping Utility Menu Invisible place holderFigure 3-113. Ping Utility Menu•Address to Ping—Address to send a Ping. [Any valid IP address]•Count—Number of Ping packets to be sent.•Packet Size—Size of each Ping data packet (bytes).Device Name Should reflect a specific device. This information will appear in Management System headings.Any 20-character alphanumeric stringLocation Used only as reference for network administration. Any 40-character alphanumeric stringTable 3-10. Common User-Alterable Parameters (Continued)Field Comment Range
136 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E•Ping—Send Ping packets to address shown on screen.This screen is replaced with a detailed report of Ping activity (see example in Figure 3-114). Press any key after viewing the results to return to this menu.Invisible place holderFigure 3-114. Ping Results ScreenAuthorization Codes Invisible place holderFigure 3-115. Authorization Codes Menu•Authorization Key—For entering an Authorization Key into the transceiver’s non-volatile memory.•Authorized Features—List of the transceiver’s authorized fea-tures. Each item shows enabled or disabled according to the set-tings allowed by the Authorization Key entered into the radio.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 137Reset to Factory DefaultsUse the Reset to Factory Defaults selection on the Maintenance/Tools Menu to return all configurable settings to those set at the factory prior to shipping. Use this selection with caution, as you will lose any custom settings you have established for your transceiver, and will need to re-enter them using the menu system.To prevent accidental use of the command, a “challenge” question is presented at the bottom of the screen when this choice is selected (see Figure 3-116 on Page 137). To proceed, enter y for yes or n for no, and then press Enter. (You may also press the Escape key on your keyboard to exit this command without making any changes.)Invisible place holderFigure 3-116. Reset to Factory Defaults Action(Note challenge question at bottom of screen)
138 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E3.12.2 Auto Firmware Upgrade Menu (AP Only)Invisible place holderFigure 3-117.Auto Firmware Upgrade Menu•Firmware Upgrade—Causes all of the Remotes associated to this AP to read the AP’s specified (by Firmware for Upgrade) firmware version (active or inactive), and download it via TFTP to the inactive image if the Remote does not already have that firm-ware version.•Firmware Autoboot—Boot connected remotes to Firmware for Upgrade (see below).•Reboot Remotes—Determines how a Remote behaves once it has downloaded new firmware from the AP as part of an auto-upgrade. When enabled, the Remotes reboot to the new firmware.NOTE: To use the Auto Upgrade/Reboot feature, both the AP andRemotes must already be running version 2.1.0 or newer firm-ware.•Firmware for Upgrade—Specifies the firmware version that the Remotes should download, if they do not already have it.Radio Test MenuUsing this menu, you can manually key the radio transmitter for perfor-mance checks and set several parameters that will be used when the Radio Mode is set to Test.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 139Invisible place holderFigure 3-118. Radio Test MenuNOTE :Using Test Mode disrupts traffic through the radio. If the unitis an Access Point, it will disrupt traffic through the entirenetwork. The Test Mode function is automatically limited to10 minutes. Only use Test Mode for brief measurements.•Radio Mode—Sets/displays the radio’s operating mode. To change the setting, press A on the PC’s keyboard and press the Spacebar to toggle between the two settings. Press the Enter key to select the desired state. [Normal, Test; Normal]•Test Status—This read-only parameter shows the current state of the radio. [Radio is Operational, Reconfiguring the Radio, Ready to KEY]The following parameters are read-only unless A) Radio Mode is first selected and set to Test. In Test Mode, these items become selectable, and you can set their entries using the Spacebar or with a numeric entry, followed by pressing the Enter key.•Test Key—Sets/displays keying status of the radio’s transmitter. Use the Spacebar to view selections. [disabled, enabled; disabled]•Test Transmit Power—Sets/displays the transmitter’s power set-ting. Make a numerical entry within the allowable range. [3650 model: +23 dBm max][900 model: -30 to +29 dBm]•Test Channel—Sets/displays the radio’s test channel number. Make a numerical entry within the allowable range.[0-13; 0]•Test RF Bandwidth—Sets/displays the transmitter’s bandwidth for testing. Use the Spacebar to view selections.[1.75. 3.5 MHz; 1.75 MHz—additional selections for 3650 model]•Test Burst Percentage—Sets/displays the percentage of Burst size to use for testing. Make a numerical entry within the allowable range. [0-100%; 100]
140 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ESpectrum Analyzer Menu (Remote Only)Using this menu, you can enable or disable the remote’s spectrum ana-lyzer mode (Figure 3-119 on Page 140). When enabled, the remote dis-plays through the terminal a spectrum analyzer view of its transmit power and frequency (Figure 3-120 on Page 140).Figure 3-119. Spectrum Analyzer MenuFigure 3-120. Spectrum Analyzer Display3.13 PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATIONAfter checking basic radio operation, you can optimize the network’s performance. The effectiveness of these techniques varies with the design of your system and the format of the data being sent.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 141There are two major areas for possible improvement—the radio and the data network. These sections provide a variety of items to check in both categories, and in many cases, ways to improve performance.NOTE: Antennas are one of the most important portions of the wire-less system. A properly installed antenna with an unobstructedpath to associated stations is the optimal configuration, andshould be among the first items checked when searching forperformance gains.Stronger signals allow the use of wider bandwidths and higherdata speeds with fewer retries of data transmissions. Timespent optimizing the antenna systems on both AP and Remotestations will often have a huge benefit to system performance.Refer to INSTALLATION PLANNING on Page 163 for addi-tional recommendations on antenna systems.Table 3-11 on Page 142 provides suggested settings for typical installa-tion scenarios. These settings provide a starting point for configuration of AP and Remote units. Changes might be required to achieve the desired results in a particular situation.
142 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ETable 3-11. Recommended Settings for Common Scenarios For Fixed Locations, where best combination of range and throughput is desired.AP Remote Units NotesRadio ConfigurationNetwork NameUserdiscretionUserdiscretionAP and Remote must match.Transmit Power(AP)/Max Transmit Power (RM)30(3650 model: 23)30(3650 model: 23)dBm In most cases, power can be set to this level and left alone. Setting it lower helps control cell overlap.Receive Power -70 N/A dBm Sets AP receiver for medium gain. Typical range: -60, -80 dBm.Frequency ControlFrequency Mode Static Hopping Static HoppingFrame Duration 20 20 ms Changing to 10 ms lowers latency. 5 and 8 ms selections not functional for this release.Hop Pattern A, B, C, D A, B, C, D AP and RM must match.Hop Pattern Offset0-13 or 0-6 0-13 or 0-6 AP and RM must match.Channel SelectionUser discretionUser discretionDisable channels with interference. AP and RM must match.TDD Sync Mode GPS Required N/A GPS Antennas must be connected to both AP and RM.Advanced ConfigurationAdaptiveModulationEnabled EnabledProtection Margin33dBHysteresisMargin33dBDataCompressionEnabled Enabled Gives best throughput numbers, but may hide true performance if only tested with PING or Text File FTP.MaxModulationQAM/16-3-4 QAM16-3/4 Best combination of range and throughput.Cyclic Prefix 1/16 N/A Best throughput setting.ChannelTypeStatic N/A Less periodic ranging when channel type is Static.ARQ Enabled N/AARQ Block Size 256 N/A bytesARQ Block Lifetime655 N/A msThese 3 settings make the max. no. of ARQ retries =9.(655 ms)/(35 ms + 35 ms = 9.35=>9ARQ TXDelay35 N/A msARQ RX Delay 35 N/A msAdaptive Split Enabled N/A Maximizes one-way burst throughput.Downlink% 50 N/A %If Adaptive Split is disabled, can set downlink% to 15%–75%.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1433.13.1Proper Operation and What to Look ForTable 3-12 and Table 3-13 on Page 144 show target performance values for AP and Remote transceivers. View these values using the built-in menu system by navigating the path shown under each table title.For Optimal Sensitivity (Trades off throughput for best possible sensitivity. AP more susceptible to interference)AP Remote Units NotesRadioConfigurationReceivePower-80 N/A dBm Sets AP receiver for highest gain.When Heavy Interference Exists at AP (Trades off range for robustness in the face of interference)AP Remote Units NotesRadioConfigurationReceivePower-60 N/A dBm Sets AP receiver for low gain, which forces Remote transmit power to be high.For Mobile Systems(Where hand-offs between APs are required)AP Remote Units NotesRadioConfigurationFrequencyControlFrequency ModeStatic HoppingHopping w/Hand-offsAdvanced ConfigurationProtection Margin66dBMore channel variation in mobile, so use more robust modulation with greater SNRs.Channel Type Dynamic N/A Less periodic ranging when Channel Type = Static.NetworkConfigurationAP Location Info ConfigRetrieve Text FileN/A APLocations fileAP locations file with coordinates and key attributes of APs to which Remote can associate.Table 3-12. Mercury Remote Transceiver (Performance Information>>Internal Radio Status Menu)Name Target Value NotesConnection Status Associated Remote must be associated for network operation.Transmit Power Varies Adjusts automatically as requested by AP.RSSI(Received Signal Strength Indication)Varies The less negative an RSSI reading, the stronger the signal (i.e., -75 dBm is stronger than -85 dBm).
144 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EAdditional Considerations for Mobile OperationConsider the following key points for all mobile installations:SNR(Signal-to-Noise Ratio)Strong signal (bench setting): 25-28 dBOperational: 3-30 dBTyp. System: 10-20 dBA low SNR may be caused by noise or interfering signals.TX Freq. Offset 0-22,875 Hz Adjusts to accommodate what is expected by the AP.RX Freq. Offset 0-22,875 Hz Adjusts to accommodate what is expected by the AP.Total FEC Count VariesCorrected FEC Count VariesUncorrected FEC CountVariesCurrent AP Name Device name of associated APTypically set to reflect the application or system the radio is used in.Table 3-12. Mercury Remote Transceiver (Continued)(Performance Information>>Internal Radio Status Menu)Name Target Value NotesTable 3-13. Mercury Access Point(Performance Information>>Wireless Network Status>>Remote Performance Database)Name Target Value NotesMAC ADDR MAC Address of associated RemoteMust match Remote’s MAC address exactlyRSSI(Received Signal Strength Indication)Varies The less negative an RSSI reading, the stronger the signal (i.e., -75 dBm is stronger than -85 dBm).SNRSignal-to-Noise RatioStrong signal (bench): 25-28 dBOperational: 3-30 dBTyp. System:10-20 dBA low SNR may be caused by noise or interfering signals.Downlink Varies QPSK/FEC-3/4 PreferredUplink Varies QPSK/FEC-3/4 PreferredFEC Total VariesCorrected FEC Count VariesUncorrected FEC CountVaries
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 145NOTE: 3650 MHz is for APs and Fixed Remote stations only.• Use connectionware—The use of connectionware in the mobile lap-tops is highly recommended for better operation of a mobile data system. GE MDS provides connectionware from one of the vendors in this market. Contact your factory representative for details.• Plan your network coverage—Deploy Access Points so that they provide overlapping coverage with each other. Access Points must use the same Network Name to enable roaming service.• Set the RSSI Threshold to -70 dBm—This level is typically used for mobile systems with good performance. Make sure there is overlap-ping coverage of more than one AP to provide continuous coverage.• At every AP Radio, review the following settings when providing service to mobile remotes:•TDD Sync—Set to GPS Required.•Pattern Offset—Each AP should be different. Cell planning is required if there are overlaps.•Hop Pattern—Set the same on all APs.•Compression [disabled]—Disable radio compression. Data com-pression is best performed by the connectionware running on the mobile laptop PC. Gains in efficiency are made because connectionware compresses data at a higher stack level, and it aggregates multiple data frames and streams into a single packet. Compression at the radio level, although highly effi-cient, works only at the individual packet level.
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05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1474 TROUBLESHOOTING & RADIO MEASUREMENTS4 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphContents4.1 TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................................1494.1.1 Interpreting the Front Panel LEDs ...........................................1494.1.2 Troubleshooting With the Embedded Management System .... 1504.1.3 Using Logged Operation Events .............................................. 1534.1.4 Alarm Conditions ......................................................................1544.1.5 Correcting Alarm Conditions .................................................... 1554.1.6 Logged Events ......................................................................... 1554.2 RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTS..............................................1574.2.1 Antenna System SWR and Transmitter Power Output ............1574.2.2 Antenna AimingFor Directional Antennas ............................. 158
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05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1494.1 TROUBLESHOOTINGSuccessful troubleshooting of a wireless system is not difficult, but requires a logical approach. It is best to begin troubleshooting at the Access Point unit, as the rest of the system depends on the Access Point for synchronization data. If the Access Point has problems, the operation of the entire wireless network is affected.When you find communication problems, it is good practice to begin by checking the simple causes. Applying basic troubleshooting techniques in a logical progression identifies many problems.Multiple Communication LayersIt is important to remember that the operation of the network is built on a radio communications link. On top of that are two data levels— wire-less MAC, and the data layer. It is essential that the wireless aspect of the Access Point and the Remotes units to be associated operates prop-erly before data-layer traffic will function.Unit Configuration There are numerous user-configurable parameters in the Management System. Do not overlook the possibility that human error is the cause of the problem. With so many parameters to view and change, a parameter might be incorrectly set, and then that change is forgotten.To help avoid these problems, GE MDS recommends creating an archive of the transceiver’s profile in a Configuration File when your installation is complete. You can reload this file into the transceiver to restore the unit to the factory defaults or your unique profile. For details on creating and archiving Configuration Files, see “Configuration Scripts Menu” on Page 131.Factory Assistance If problems cannot be resolved using the guidance provided here, review the GE MDS web site’s technical support area for recent soft-ware/firmware updates, general troubleshooting help, and service infor-mation. Additional help is available through our Technical Support Department. (See “TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE” on the inside of the rear cover.)4.1.1 Interpreting the Front Panel LEDsAn important set of troubleshooting tools are the LED status indicators on the front panel of the radio case. You should check them first when-ever a problem is suspected. Table 2-2 on Page 30 describes the func-tion of each status LED. Table 4-1 on Page 150 provides suggestions for
150 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Eresolving common system difficulties using the LEDs, and Table 4-2 on Page 151 provides other simple techniques. 4.1.2 Troubleshooting With the Embedded Management SystemIf you have reviewed and tried the items listed in Table 4-1 and still have not resolved the problem, there are additional tools and techniques you can use. The embedded Management System is a good source of infor-mation that you can use remotely to provide preliminary diagnostic information, or may even provide a path to correcting the problem. Refer to Table 4-2 on Page 151 for more information on using the Man-agement System as a troubleshooting tool.Table 4-1. Troubleshooting Using LEDs—Symptom-BasedSymptom Problem/Recommended System ChecksPWR LED does not turn ona. Voltage too low—Check for the proper supply voltage at the power connector. (10–30 Vdc)b. Indefinite Problem—Cycle the power and wait (≈ 30 seconds) for the unit to reboot. Then, recheck for normal operation.LINK LED does not turn ona. Network Name of Remote not identical to desired Access Point—Verify that the system has a unique Network Name.b. Not yet associated with an Access Point with the same Network Name.Check the “Status” of the unit’s process of associating with the Access Point. Use the Management System.c. Poor Antenna System—Check the antenna, feedline and connectors. Reflected power should be less than 10% of the forward power reading (SWR 2:1 or lower). PWR LED is blinkinga. Blinking indicates that an alarm condition exists. b. View Current Alarms and Event Log and correct the problem if possible.(See “Using Logged Operation Events” on Page 153)c. Blinking continues until the source of the alarm is corrected, for example, a valid IP address is entered, etc.LAN LED does not turn ona. Verify the Ethernet cable is connect at both ends.b. Verify that the appropriate type of Ethernet cable is used: straight-through or crossover.LAN LED lights, but turns off after some timeVerify traffic in LAN. Typically, the radio should not be placed in high traffic enterprise LANs, as it will not pass this level of traffic. If needed, use routers to filter traffic.GPS LED not lit No satellite fix has been obtained. A fix is required for all operation except single-frequency channel (non-hopping) configurations. The lack of a fix may be caused by an obstructed “view” of the satellites, or a GPS antenna problem.The GPS LED blinks slowly on the AP while it synchronizes its internal clock to the GPS signal. When in this condition, the AP does not transmit.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 151The following is a summary of how you can use several screens in the Management System as diagnostic tools. For information on how to Table 4-2. Basic Troubleshooting Using the Management System Symptom Problem/Recommended System ChecksCannot access the MS through COM1a. Connect to unit via Telnet or Web browser.b. Disable the serial mode for COM1(Serial Gateway Configuration>>Com1 Serial Data Port>>Status>>Disabled). Or, if you know the unit’s data configuration:a. Connect to COM 1 via a terminal set to VT100 and the port’s data baud rate.b. Type +++.c. Change the terminal’s baud rate to match the transceiver’s Console Baud Rate.d. Type +++.Display on terminal/Telnet screen garbledVerify the terminal/terminal emulator or Telnet application is set to VT100.Password forgotten a. Connect to the transceiver using a terminal through the COM1 Port.b. Obtain a password-resetting Authorization Key from your factory representative.c. At the login prompt, try the user name authcode, and enter the Authorization Key for the password.Remote only gets to Connectinga. Check Network Name, encryption, and Device Auth Mode settings.b. Verify that the correct MAC address is listed in the Approved Remotes List of the Security Configuration Menu.Remote only gets to AuthenticatingCheck encryption settings and security mode settings.Cannot pass IP data to WANa. Verify your IP settings.b. Use the PING command to test communication with the transceivers in the local radio system.c. If successful with local PING, attempt to PING an IP unit attached to a transceiver.d. If successful with the LAN PINGs, try connecting to a known good unit in the WAN.Wireless Retries too highPossible Radio Frequency Interference:a. If omnidirectional antennas are used, consider changing to directional antennas. This usually limits interference to and from other stations.b. Try disabling channels where persistent interference is known or suspected.c. The installation of a filter in the antenna feedline may be necessary. Consult the factory for further assistance.d. Try using an antenna with a downward tilt.
152 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Econnect to the Management System, see “STEP 3: CONNECT PC TO THE TRANSCEIVER” on Page 25.Starting Information Screen(See Starting Information Screen on Page 42)The Management System’s home page provides some valuable bits of data. One of the most important is the Device Status field. This item tells you if the unit is operational.If the Device Status field says Associated, then look in the network areas beginning with network data statistics. If it displays some other mes-sage, such as Scanning, Connecting, or Alarmed, you must determine why it is in this state.The Scanning state indicates a Remote unit is looking for an Access Point beacon signal to lock onto. It should move to the Connecting state and finally to the Associated state within less than a minute. If this Remote unit is not providing reliable service, look at the Event Logs for signs of lost association with the Access Point, or low signal alarms. Table 4-3 provides a description of the Device Status messages.If the Remote is in an Alarmed state, the unit might still be operational and associated. Look for the association state in the Wireless Network Status screen to determine if the unit is associated. If it is, look at the Error Log for possible clues.If the unit is in an Alarmed state and is not associated with an Access Point, then there might be a problem with the wireless network layer. Call a radio technician to deal with wireless issues. Refer the technician to the RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTS on Page 157 for information on antenna system checks.Table 4-3. Device Status1 1. Device Status is available in the Startup Information Screen or the Wireless Status Screen at Remotes.Scanning The unit is looking for an Access Point beacon signal.Ranging Remote has detected AP and is synchronizing to it.Connecting The Remote has established a radio (RF) connection with the Access Point and is negotiating the network layer connectivity.Authenticating22. If Device Authentication is enabled.The Remote is authenticating itself to the network to obtain cyber-security clearance in order to pass data.Associated This unit has successfully synchronized and is “associated” with an Access Point. This is the normal operating state.Alarmed The unit has detected one or more alarms that have not been cleared.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 153Packet Statistics Menu (See Packet Statistics Menu on Page 114)This screen provides detailed information on data exchanges between the unit being viewed and the network through the wireless and the Ethernet (data) layers. These include:The most significant fields are the Packets Dropped, Retries, Retry Errors, Receive Errors and Lost Carrier Detected. If the data values are more than 10% of their sent and received counterparts, or the Lost Car-rier Detected value is greater than a few dozen, there might be trouble with radio-frequency interference or a radio link of marginal strength. If errors are excessive, check the aiming of the antenna system, and check for a satisfactory SWR. Refer to RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTS on Page 157 for information on antenna system checks.Diagnostic Tools(See MAINTENANCE/TOOLS MENU on Page 123)The radio’s Maintenance menu contains two tools that are especially useful to network technicians—the Radio Test Menu and the Ping Utility. Use the Radio Test selection for testing RF operation. Use the Ping Utility to verify communications access to pieces of equipment connected to the radio network. This includes transceivers and user-sup-plied Ethernet devices.4.1.3 Using Logged Operation Events(See PERFORMANCE INFORMATION MENU on Page 110)The transceiver’s microprocessor monitors many operational parame-ters and logs them as various classes of events. If the event is one that affects performance, it is an alarm. There are also normal or routine events such as those marking the rebooting of the system, implementa-tion of parameter changes, and external access to the Management System. Informational events are stored in temporary (RAM) memory that is lost in the absence of primary power, and Alarms are stored in Wireless Packet Statistics• Packets received • Packets dropped• Packets sent • Receive errors • Bytes received • Retries• Bytes sent • Retry errorsEthernet Packet Statistics• Packets received • Packets dropped• Packets sent • Receive errors• Bytes received • Retries• Bytes sent • Retry errors• Lost carrier detected
154 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Epermanent memory (Flash memory) until cleared by user request. Table 4-4 summarizes these classifications. These events are stored in the transceiver’s Event Log and can be a valu-able aid in troubleshooting unit problems or detecting attempts at breaching network security.4.1.4 Alarm ConditionsMost events, classified as “critical” will cause the PWR LED to blink, and will inhibit normal operation of the transceiver. The LED blinks until the corrective action is completed. (See also Event Log Menu on Page 113.)Table 4-4. Event ClassificationsLevel Description/Impact StorageAlarms Transceiver has detected one or more alarm conditionsFlash MemoryInformational Normal operating activities Flash MemoryTemporaryInformationalTransient conditions or events RAMMinor Does not affect unit operation RAMMajor Degraded unit performance but still capable of operationRAMCritical Prevents the unit from operating RAMTable 4-5. Alarm Conditions (Alphabetical Order) Alarm Condition Reported Event Log Entry SNMP TrapEVENT_BRIDGE Network Interface /Error networkInterface(17)EVENT_FREQ_CAL Frequency Not CalibratedfrequencyCal(7)EVENT_INIT_ERR Initialization Error initializationError(18)EVENT_IPADDR*IP Address Invalid ipAddressNotSet(4)EVENT_IPMASK*IP Mask Invalid ipNetmaskNotSet(5)EVENT_LAN_PORT lanPortStatus(78)EVENT_MAC MAC communication FailedmacCommunication(1)EVENT_MACADDR MAC Address Invalid noMacAddress(6)EVENT_NETNAME*Netname Invalid invalidNetname(12)EVENT_POWER_CAL Power Calibrated/Not CalibratedpowerCal(8)EVENT_REMOTE Remote Added/ Removed (AP Only)eventRemote(66)EVENT_RSSI*RSSI Exceeds thresholdrssi(11)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 155* User can correct condition, clearing the alarm.4.1.5 Correcting Alarm Conditions(See Event Log Menu on Page 113)Table 4-6 provides likely causes of events that inhibit the unit from operating, and possible corrective actions. The Event Description column appears on the Event Log screen.4.1.6 Logged EventsThe following events allow the transceiver to continue operation and do not make the PWR LED blink. Each is reported through an SNMP trap. EVENT_RSSI_CAL RSSI Not Calibrated rssiCal(9)EVENT_SYSTEM_ERROR* System Error Cleared; Please RebootsystemError(16)EVENT_TFTP_CONN TFTP connectivity achievedtftpConnection(73)EVENT_TFTP_ERR Attempted TFTP connection failedtftpConnFailed(79)Table 4-5. Alarm Conditions (Alphabetical Order) (Continued)Alarm Condition Reported Event Log Entry SNMP TrapTable 4-6. Correcting Alarm Conditions—Alphabetical Order Event Log Entry Generating Condition Clearing Condition or ActionBridge Down The Bridge fails to be initialized.Contact factory Technical Services for assistance.General System ErrorInternal checks suggest unit is not functioning properly.Reboot the transceiver.Initialization Error Unit fails to complete boot cycle.Contact factory Technical Services for assistance.Invalid IP Address The IP address is either 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1.Program IP address to something other than 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1.Network Interface ErrorUnit does not recognize the LAN interface.Contact factory Technical Services for assistance.RSSI Exceeds ThresholdThe running-average RSSI level is weaker (more negative) than the user-defined value.Check the aiming of the directional antenna at the Remote; raise the threshold level to a stronger (less-negative) value.
156 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EThe left hand column, Event Log Entry, is what shows in the Event Log. (See also Event Log Menu on Page 113.)Table 4-7. Non-Critical Events—Alphabetical Order Event Log Entry Severity DescriptionAssociation Attempt Success/FailedMAJOR Self explanatoryAssociation Lost - Local IP Address ChangedMAJOR Self explanatoryAssociation Lost - Local Network Name ChangedMAJOR Self explanatoryAssociation Lost/Established MAJOR Self explanatoryAuth Demo Mode Expired -- Rebooted Radio/EnabledMAJOR Self explanatoryAuth Key Entered - Key Valid/Key InvalidMAJOR Self explanatoryConsole Access Locked for 5 MinMAJOR Self explanatoryConsole User Logged Out/Logged InMAJOR Self explanatoryCurrent AP No Longer ApprovedMAJOR May occur during the Scanning process at a Remote. Indicates that the received beacon came from an AP which is not in the “Approved AP” list. This might be caused by some Remotes hearing multiple AP's. This event is expected behavior.Decryption Error/Decryption OKMAJOR A decryption error is logged when an encryption phrase mismatch has occurred. A mismatch is declared after five consecutive errors over a 40-second window. When the error has cleared, DECRYPT OK appears.Ethernet Port Enabled/DisabledINFORM Self explanatoryRanging Lost/Established INFORM Self explanatoryConnecting Lost/Established INFORM Self explanatoryHTTP Access Locked for 5 Min MAJOR Self explanatoryHTTP User Logged Out/Logged InMAJOR httpLogin(49)Log Cleared INFORM Self explanatoryReprogramming Complete INFORM Self explanatoryReprogramming Failed MAJOR Self explanatoryReprogramming Started INFORM Self explanatoryScanning Started INFORM Self explanatorySNR Within threshold/Below thresholdINFORM Self explanatory
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1574.2 RADIO (RF) MEASUREMENTSThere are several measurements that should be performed during the ini-tial installation. These measurements confirm proper operation of the unit and, if they are recorded, serve as a benchmark in troubleshooting should difficulties appear in the future. These measurements are:• Transmitter Power Output• Antenna System SWR (Standing-Wave Ratio)• Antenna Direction OptimizationThese procedures might interrupt traffic through an established network and should only be performed by a skilled radio-technician in coopera-tion with the Network Administrator.4.2.1 Antenna System SWR and Transmitter Power OutputIntroductionA proper impedance match between the transceiver and the antenna system is important. It ensures the maximum signal transfer between the radio and antenna. You can check the impedance match indirectly by measuring the SWR (standing-wave ratio) of the antenna system. If the results are normal, record them for comparison during future routine preventive maintenance. Abnormal readings indicate possible trouble with the antenna or the transmission line, and should be corrected.Check the SWR of the antenna system before putting the radio into reg-ular service. For accurate readings, a wattmeter suited to the frequency of operation is required. One unit meeting this criteria is the Bird Model 43™ directional wattmeter with the appropriate element installed.The reflected power should be less than 10% of the forward power (≈2:1 SWR). Higher readings indicate problems with the antenna, feed-line or coaxial connectors.Record the current transmitter power output level, then set it to an ade-quate signal level for the directional wattmeter (for the duration of the test.)System Bootup (power on) INFORM Self explanatoryTelnet Access Locked for 5 MinMAJOR Self explanatoryTelnet User Logged Out/Logged InMAJOR Self explanatoryUser Selected Reboot MAJOR Self explanatoryTable 4-7. Non-Critical Events—Alphabetical Order (Continued)Event Log Entry Severity Description
158 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EProcedure1. Place a directional wattmeter between the TX antenna connector and the antenna system.2. Place the transceiver into the Radio Test Mode using the menu sequence below:(Maintenance/Tools Menu>>Radio Test>>Radio Mode>>Test)3. Set the transmit power to 29 dBm (900 model), or 23 dBm (3650 model). (This setting does not affect the output level during normal operation—only during Test Mode.)(Maintenance/Tools Menu>>Radio Test >>Test Mode>>Test>>Test Transmit Power)4. Key the transmitter.(Maintenance/Tools Menu>>Radio Test>>Test Mode>>Test>>Test Key>> enabled)Use the PC’s spacebar to key and unkey the transmitter. (Enable/Disable)NOTE: The Transmit Key has a 10-minute timer, after which it unkeysthe radio. Manually unkey the transmitter by selecting TestKey>>disabled on the menu, or temporarily disconnecting theradio’s DC power.5. Measure the forward and reflected power into the antenna system and calculate the SWR and power output level. The output should agree with the programmed value set in the Radio Configuration Menu. (Radio Configuration>>Transmit Power)6. Turn off Radio Test Mode.(Maintenance/Tools Menu>>Radio Test>>Test Key>>disabled)End of procedure.4.2.2 Antenna Aiming (For Directional Antennas)IntroductionThe radio network integrity depends, in a large part, on stable radio signal levels at each end of a data link. In general, signal levels stronger than –80 dBm provide the basis for reliable communication that includes a 15 dB fade margin. As the distance between the Access Point and Remotes increases, the influence of terrain, foliage, and man-made obstructions become more influential, and the use of directional antennas at Remote locations becomes necessary. Directional antennas require fine-tuning of their bearing to optimize the received signal strength. The transceiver has a built-in received signal strength indicator (RSSI) that can tell you when the antenna is in a position that provides the optimum received signal.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 159RSSI measurements and Wireless Packet Statistics are based on mul-tiple samples over a period of several seconds. The average of these measurements is displayed by the Management System.The measurement and antenna alignment process usually takes 10 or more minutes at each radio unit.The path to the Management System menu item is shown in bold text below each step of the procedure.Procedure1. Verify the Remote transceiver is associated with an Access Point unit by observing the condition of the LINK LED (LINK LED = On or Blinking). This indicates that you have an adequate signal level for the measurements and it is safe to proceed.2. Record the Wireless Packets Dropped and Received Error rates.(Main Menu>>Performance Information>>Packet Statistics>>Wireless Packet Statistics)This information will be used later.3. Clear the Wireless Packets Statistics history. (Main Menu>>Performance Information>>Packet Statistics>>Wireless Packet Statistics>>Clear Wireless Stats)4. Read the RSSI level at the Remote.(Main Menu>>Performance Information>>Internal Radio Status)5. Optimize RSSI (less negative is better) by slowly adjusting the direction of the antenna.Watch the RSSI indication for several seconds after making each adjustment so that the RSSI accurately reflects any change in the link signal strength.6. View the Wireless Packets Dropped and Received Error rates at the point of maximum RSSI level. They should be the same or lower than the previous reading.(Main Menu>>Performance Information>>Packet Statistics>>Wireless Packet Statistics)
160 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E7. If the RSSI peak results in an increase in the Wireless Packets Dropped and Received Error, the antenna may be aimed at an undes-ired signal source. Try a different antenna orientation.End of procedure.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1615PLANNING A RADIO NETWORK5 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphContents5.1 INSTALLATION PLANNING1635.1.1 General Requirements 1635.1.2 Site Selection 1645.1.3 Terrain and Signal Strength 1655.1.4 Antenna & Feedline Selection 1655.1.5 How Much Output Power Can be Used? 1695.1.6 Conducting a Site Survey 1695.1.7 A Word About Radio Interference 1705.1.8 ERP Compliance at 900 MHz 1725.1.9 ERP Compliance at 3650 MHz 1735.2 dBm-WATTS-VOLTS CONVERSION CHART174
162 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1635.1 INSTALLATION PLANNINGThis section provides tips for selecting an appropriate site, choosing an antenna system, and reducing the chance of harmful interference.5.1.1 General RequirementsThere are three main requirements for installing a transceiver—ade-quate and stable primary power, a good antenna system, and the correct interface between the transceiver and the data device. Figure 5-1 shows a typical Remote installation.NOTE: The transceiver’s network port supports 10BaseT and100BaseT connections. Confirm that your hub/switch iscapable of auto-switching data rates.To prevent excessive Ethernet traffic from degrading perfor-mance, place the transceiver in a segment, or behind routers.Invisible place holderFigure 5-1. Typical Fixed Remote Installation With a Directional Antenna(Connect user data equipment to any compatible LAN Port)Unit DimensionsFigure 5-2 on Page 164 shows the dimensions of the transceiver case and its mounting holes, and Figure 5-3 on Page 164 shows the dimen-sions for mounting with factory-supplied brackets. If possible, choose a POWER SUPPLY13.8 VDC @ 580 mA (Max.)(10.5–30 Vdc) Negative Ground OnlyCOMPUTER RUNNINGTERMINAL PROGRAMTRANSCEIVERLOW-LOSS FEEDLINEANTENNASYSTEMNetwork
164 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Emounting location that provides easy access to the connectors on the end of the radio and an unobstructed view of the LED status indicators.Figure 5-2. Transceiver DimensionsInvisible place holderInvisible place holderFigure 5-3. Mounting Bracket Dimensions (center to center)NOTE: To prevent moisture from entering the radio, do not mount theradio with the cable connectors pointing up. Also, dress allcables to prevent moisture from running along the cables andinto the radio.5.1.2 Site SelectionSuitable sites should provide:• Protection from direct weather exposure1.4 6.75 (17.15 cm)4.5 (11.43 cm)TOPFRONT (3.56 cm)VIEWVIEW2.75 (7 cm)8 5/8 (21.8 cm)
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 165• A source of adequate and stable primary power• Suitable entrances for antenna, interface, or other required cabling• An antenna location that provides a transmission path that is as unobstructed as possible in the direction of the associated sta-tion(s)With the exception of the transmission path, you can quickly determine these requirements. Radio signals travel primarily by line-of-sight, and obstructions between the sending and receiving stations will affect system performance. If you are not familiar with the effects of terrain and other obstructions on radio transmission, the discussion below will provide helpful background.5.1.3 Terrain and Signal StrengthWhile the license-free bands offers many advantages for data transmis-sion services, signal propagation is attenuated by obstructions such as terrain, foliage, or buildings in the transmission path. A line-of-sight transmission path between the central transceiver and its associated remote site(s) is highly desirable and provides the most reliable commu-nications link. Much depends on the minimum signal strength that can be tolerated in a given system. Although the exact figure will differ from one system to another, a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) of –80 dBm or stronger will provide acceptable performance in most systems. While the equipment will work at lower-strength signals, signals stronger than – 77 dBm provide a fade margin of 15 dB to account for variations in signal strength that might occur. You can measure RSSI with a terminal connected to the COM1 port, or with an HTTP browser connected to the LAN (Ethernet) connector. (See “Antenna Aiming (For Directional Antennas)” on Page 158 for details.)5.1.4 Antenna & Feedline SelectionNOTE: The transceiver must be installed by trained professionalinstallers, or factory trained technicians. The following text will help the professional installer in theproper methods of maintaining compliance with regulatoryERP limits.AntennasThe radio equipment can be installed with a number of antennas. The exact style used depends on the physical size and layout of a system. Contact your factory representative for specific recommendations on antenna types and hardware sources.
166 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EIn general, an omnidirectional antenna (Figure 5-4) is used at the Access Points and mobile Remote stations. This provides equal signal coverage in all directions.NOTE: Antenna polarization is important. If the wrong polarization isused, a signal reduction of 20 dB or more will result. Mostsystems using a gain-type omnidirectional antenna at AccessPoint stations employ vertical polarization of the signal; there-fore, the Remote antenna(s) must also be vertically polarized(elements oriented perpendicular to the horizon).When required, horizontally polarized omnidirectionalantennas are also available. Contact your factory representa-tive for details.Invisible place holderFigure 5-4. Typical Omnidirectional AntennasAt fixed Remote sites, a directional Yagi antenna (Figure 5-5 on Page 166) minimizes interference to and from other users. Antennas are available from a number of manufacturers.Invisible place holderFigure 5-5. Typical Yagi Antenna (mounted to mast)High-gain TypeUnity-gain Type
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 167Diversity Reception (RX2) Antenna PortFunctional on some models. The RX2 antenna port allows connection of a second antenna to the transceiver for space diversity reception.GPS AntennasA number of GPS antennas (both active and passive) are available for use with the transceivers. Consult your factory representative for more information.FeedlinesCarefully consider the choice of feedline used with the antenna. Avoid poor-quality coaxial cables, as they degrade system performance for both transmission and reception. A low-loss cable type such as Heliax® is recommended that is suitable for the frequency of operation. Keep the cable as short as possible to minimize signal loss.Table 5-1 lists several types of popular feedlines and indicates the signal losses (in dB) that result when using various lengths of cable at 900 MHz. The choice of cable depends on the required length, cost con-siderations, and the acceptable amount of signal loss. Table 5-1 lists several types of popular feedlines and indicates the signal losses (in dB) that result when using various lengths of cable at 900 MHz. The choice of cable depends on the required length, cost considerations, and the acceptable amount of signal loss.Table 5-1. Length vs. Loss in Coaxial Cables at 900 MHz Cable Type10 Feet(3.05 m)50 Feet(15.24 m)100 Feet(30.48 m)500 Feet(152.4 m)RG-214 .76 dB 3.8 dB 7.6 dB Unacceptable LossLMR-400 0.39 dB 1.95 dB 3.90 dB Unacceptable Loss1/2 inch HELIAX 0.23 dB 1.15 dB 2.29 dB 11.45 dB7/8 inch HELIAX 0.13 dB 0.64 dB 1.28 dB 6.40 dB1-1/4 inch HELIAX 0.10 dB 0.48 dB 0.95 dB 4.75 dB1-5/8 inch HELIAX 0.08 dB 0.40 dB 0.80 dB 4.00 dBTable 5-2. Length vs. Loss in Coaxial Cables at 3600 MHz Cable Type10 Feet(3.05 m)50 Feet(15.24 m)100 Feet(30.48 m)500 Feet(152.4 m)RG-214 3.04 dB 15.2 dB Unacceptable LossUnacceptable LossLMR-400 1.56 dB 7.8 dB 15.6 dB Unacceptable Loss
168 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EThe tables below outline the minimum lengths of RG-214 coaxial cable that must be used with common GE MDS omnidirectional antennas in order to maintain compliance with FCC maximum limit of +36 dBi. If other coaxial cable is used, make the appropriate changes in loss figures.NOTE: The authority to operate the transceiver in the USA may bevoid if antennas other than those approved by the FCC areused. Contact your factory representative for additionalantenna information.*Refer to Table 5-4 on Page 172 for allowable transceiver power set-tings for each antenna type.1/2 inch HELIAX 0.92 dB 4.6 dB 9.16 dB Unacceptable Loss7/8 inch HELIAX 0.52 dB 2.56 dB 5.12 dB Unacceptable Loss1-1/4 inch HELIAX 0.40 dB 1.92 dB 3.8 dB 19 dB1-5/8 inch HELIAX 0.32 dB 1.6 dB 3.2 dB 16 dBTable 5-2. Length vs. Loss in Coaxial Cables at 3600 MHz Cable Type10 Feet(3.05 m)50 Feet(15.24 m)100 Feet(30.48 m)500 Feet(152.4 m)Table 5-3. Feedline Length vs. Antenna Gain*(Required for Regulatory Compliance)Antenna Gain (dBd)Antenna Gain (dBi)Minimum Feedline Loss (dB) that must be introduced for complianceEIRP Level @ Min. Feedline LengthMaxrad Antenna Part No. (For 900 MHz Operation)Unity (0 dB) 2.15 dBi No minimum length +32.15 dBm Omni #MFB9003 dBd 5.15 dBi No minimum length +35.15 dBm Omni # MFB9005 dBd 7.15 dBi 1.2 dB +35.95 dBm Omni # MFB9006 dBd 8.15 dBi 2.2 dB +35.95 dBm Yagi # BMOY89039 dBd 11.15 dBi 7.15 dB +35.25 dBm Yagi # Z94115.2 dBd 17.4 dBi 12 dB +35.4 dBm Andrew DB878G90A-XY
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 169NOTE: There is no minimum feedline length required when a 6 dBigain or less antenna is used, as the EIRP will never exceed36 dBm which is the maximum allowed, per FCC rules at 900MHz. MDS 3650 models must not exceed 1-watt per MHz.Units must comply with the information given on Page 172and the associated antenna tables. Only the manufacturer or asub-contracted professional installer can adjust the trans-ceiver’s RF output power.The transceiver’s power output is factory set to maintaincompliance with the FCC’s Digital Transmission System(DTS) Part 15 rules. These rules limit power to a maximum of8 dBm/3 kHz, thus the transceiver is factory set to +29 dBm(900 model); 23 dBm (3650 model). When calculatingmaximum transceiver output for the 900 model, use +29 dBmif the antenna gain is 6 dBi or less (36 dBm ERP). See HowMuch Output Power Can be Used? below for power controlwith higher gain antennas. Refer to Page 172 and the associ-ated antenna tables for both 900 and 3650 model compliance.5.1.5 How Much Output Power Can be Used?The transceiver is normally configured at the factory for a nominal RF power output of +29 dBm (900 model); +23 dBm (3650 model) this is the maximum transmitter output power allowed under FCC rules. The power must be decreased from this level if the antenna system gain exceeds 6 dBi (900 model). The allowable level is dependent on the antenna gain, feedline loss, and the transmitter output power setting.NOTE: In some countries, the maximum allowable RF output mightbe limited to less than the figures referenced here. Be sure tocheck for and comply with the requirements for your area.5.1.6 Conducting a Site SurveyIf you are in doubt about the suitability of the radio sites in your system, it is best to evaluate them before a permanent installation is underway. You can do this with an on-the-air test (preferred method), or indirectly, using path-study software.An on-the-air test is preferred because it allows you to see firsthand the factors involved at an installation site, and to directly observe the quality of system operation. Even if a computer path study was conducted ear-lier, perform this test to verify the predicted results.Perform the test by first installing a radio and antenna at the proposed Access Point (AP) station site (one-per-system). Then visit the Remote site(s) with another transceiver (programmed as a remote) and a hand-held antenna. (A PC with a network adapter can be connected to
170 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Eeach radio in the network to simulate data during this test, using the PING command.)With the hand-held antenna positioned near the proposed mounting spot, a technician can check for synchronization with the Access Point station (shown by a lit LINK LED on the front panel), then measure the reported RSSI value. (See “Antenna Aiming (For Directional Antennas)” on Page 158 for details.) If you cannot obtain adequate signal strength, it might be necessary to mount the station antennas higher, use higher gain antennas, select a different site, or install a repeater station. To prepare the equipment for an on-the-air test, follow the general installation procedures given in this guide and become familiar with the operating instructions found in the CHAPTER-2 TABLETOP EVALUATION AND TEST SETUP on Page 21.5.1.7 A Word About Radio InterferenceThe transceiver shares the radio-frequency spectrum with other services and users. Completely error-free communications might not be achiev-able in a given location, and some level of interference should be expected. However, the radio’s flexible design and hopping techniques should allow adequate performance as long as you carefully choose the station location, configuration of radio parameters, and software/pro-tocol techniques.In general, keep the following points in mind when setting up your com-munications network:• Systems installed in rural areas are least likely to encounter interfer-ence; those in suburban and urban environments are more likely to be affected by other devices operating in the license-free frequency band and by adjacent licensed services.• Use a directional antenna at remote sites whenever possible. Although these antennas may be more costly than omnidirectional types, they confine the transmission and reception pattern to a com-paratively narrow lobe, minimizing interference to (and from) sta-tions located outside the pattern.• If interference is suspected from a nearby licensed system (such as a paging transmitter), it might be helpful to use horizontal polarization of all antennas in the network. Because most other services use ver-tical polarization in this band, you can achieve an additional 20 dB of attenuation to interference by using horizontal polarization. Another approach is to use a bandpass filter to attenuate all signals outside the desired band.• Multiple Access Point units can co-exist in proximity to each other with no interference. The APs should be configured to operate in TDD Sync Mode, where their transmissions are synchronized to GPS timing. See “Protected Network Operation using Multiple
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 171APs” on Page 16. For additional isolation, separate directional antennas with as much vertical or horizontal separation as is practi-cal. • The power output of all radios in a system should be set for the low-est level necessary for reliable communications. This reduces the chance of causing unnecessary interference to nearby systems and also keeps power consumption to a minimum.Configuring Mercury 3650 for Shared Spectrum Use(Contention-Based Protocol)While the Mercury 3650 has been designed to reduce the effects of inter-ferers outside of the RF channel, cases may arrive where interferers may cause undesired operation. In the case of WiMAX interferers, proper configuration of the radio may reduce these effects.The radio employs a WiMAX contention protocol that effectively reduces the amount of interference the network may cause to other co-located WiMAX networks using the same channel. In addition, proper configuration of the radio will help to reduce the effects of other WiMAX hardware attempting to do the same.Remote radios receive scheduling information from a central base sta-tion (AP). This scheduling information destined for a given remote includes when to transmit, the duration of transmission, and modulation selection. In the event the intended Remote unit is unable to receive or interpret this information from the AP, the Remote will persist in receive mode only.The radio allows the installer to configure an Approved Access Point list that contains the MAC addresses of desired AP radios in the network. When an Access Point sends scheduling data to the Remote unit, the Remote compares the MAC Address of the AP to this approved MAC address list, and discards the scheduling information if it has originated from a “foreign” network.In order to maximize the performance of a shared network, the fol-lowing configuration is recommended:1. The Mercury 3650 network should be set to operate on the same channel frequency as the network the channel is shared with. Slight offsets in frequency between two collocated systems will cause on-channel interference that is not decodable by either system. Having both systems operate on the same frequency allows the radio to decode WiMAX scheduling information from the interfering AP.2. Configure the approved AP list using the AP Locations file as speci-fied in the AP Location Push Config Menu on Page 60. After the Remote unit has received scheduling information from the interfer-ing network, it will compare the MAC address of this radio to its AP
172 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ELocations File. When the MAC address does not match, the radio will ignore this information from the interfering AP and continue to wait for valid scheduling information from an AP in the desired net-work.5.1.8 EIRP Compliance at 900 MHzTo determine the maximum allowable power setting of the radio, per-form the following steps:1. Determine the antenna system gain by subtracting the feedline loss (in dB) from the antenna gain (in dBi). For example, if the antenna gain is 9.5 dBi, and the feedline loss is 1.5 dB, the antenna system gain would be 8 dB. (If the antenna system gain is 6 dB or less, no power adjustment is required.)2. Subtract the antenna system gain from 36 dBm (the maximum allowable EIRP). The result indicates the maximum transmitter power (in dBm) allowed under the rules. In the example above, this is 28 dBm.3. Set the transmitter power so that it does not exceed the maximum level determined in Step 2.(Main Menu>>Radio Configuration>>Transmit Power)Refer to Table 5-4, which lists several antenna system gains and shows the maximum allowable power setting of the radio. Note that a gain of 6 dB or less entitles you to operate the radio at full power output –30 dBm.For MDS 3650 units, refer also to the section titled EIRP Compliance at 3650 MHz below.* Most antenna manufacturers rate antenna gain in dBd in their litera-ture. To convert to dBi, add 2.15 dB.** Must use with the appropriate length of feedline cable to reduce transmitter power by at least 2 dB. Feedline loss varies by cable type and length. To determine the loss for common lengths of feed-line, see Table 5-1 on Page 167.Table 5-4. Antenna Gain vs. Power Setpoint (900 MHz)Antenna System Gain(Antenna Gain in dBi*minus Feedline Loss in dB)Maximum Power Setting (PWR command)EIRP(in dBm)Omni 6 (or less) 29 35Omni 11 25 36Yagi 11 23 36Half Parabolic 16 20 36Panel 17.4** 20 36
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1735.1.9 EIRP Compliance at 3650 MHzTo maintain regulatory compliance for Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) of 1-Watt per MHz, the following table of transmit power settings must be observed for the listed bandwidths and antenna types approved. Consult the factory for other antenna options of lower gain.The antennas used to support operation in this band must be fixed mounted.Table 5-5. Antenna Gain vs. Power Setpoint (3650 MHz)Antenna Gain(dBi)Radio Configuration(Antenna Type/Radio Bandwidth))Radio Power Setpoint (dBm)13 Omni Antenna, 1.75 MHz BW 2213 Omni Antenna, 3.5 MHz BW 2313 Omni Antenna, 5 MHz BW 2313 Omni Antenna, 7 MHz BW 2313 Omni Antenna, 10 MHz BW 2313 Omni Antenna, 14 MHz BW 2318 Panel Antenna, 1.75 MHz BW 1718 Panel Antenna, 3.5 MHz BW 2018 Panel Antenna, 5 MHz BW 2218 Panel Antenna, 7 MHz BW 2318 Panel Antenna, 10 MHz BW 2318 Panel Antenna, 14 MHz BW 23
174 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E5.2 dBm-WATTS-VOLTS CONVERSION CHARTTable 5-6 is provided as a convenience for determining the equivalent voltage or wattage of an RF power expressed in dBm.Table 5-6. dBm-Watts-Volts conversion—for 50 ohm systemsdBm V Po+53 100.0 200W+50 70.7 100W+49 64.0 80W+48 58.0 64W+47 50.0 50W+46 44.5 40W+45 40.0 32W+44 32.5 25W+43 32.0 20W+42 28.0 16W+41 26.2 12.5W+40 22.5 10W+39 20.0 8W+38 18.0 6.4W+37 16.0 5W+36 14.1 4W+35 12.5 3.2W+34 11.5 2.5W+33 10.0 2W+32 9.0 1.6W+31 8.0 1.25W+30 7.10 1.0W+29 6.40 800mW+28 5.80 640mW+27 5.00 500mW+26 4.45 400mW+25 4.00 320mW+24 3.55 250mW+23 3.20 200mW+22 2.80 160mW+21 2.52 125mW+20 2.25 100mW+19 2.00 80mW+18 1.80 64mW+17 1.60 50mW+16 1.41 40mW+15 1.25 32mW+14 1.15 25mW+13 1.00 20mW+12 .90 16mW+11 .80 12.5mW+10 .71 10mW+9 .64 8mW+8 .58 6.4mW+7 .500 5mW+6 .445 4mW+5 .400 3.2mW+4 .355 2.5mW+3 .320 2.0mW+2 .280 1.6mW+1 .252 1.25mWdBm V Po0 .225 1.0mW-1 .200 .80mW-2 .180 .64mW-3 .160 .50mW-4 .141 .40mW-5 .125 .32mW-6 .115 .25mW-7 .100 .20mW-8 .090 .16mW-9 .080 .125mW-10 .071 .10mW-11 .064-12 .058-13 .050-14 .045-15 .040-16 .0355dBm mV Po-17 31.5-18 28.5-19 25.1-20 22.5 .01mW-21 20.0-22 17.9-23 15.9-24 14.1-25 12.8-26 11.5-27 10.0-28 8.9-29 8.0-30 7.1 .001mW-31 6.25-32 5.8-33 5.0-34 4.5-35 4.0-36 3.5-37 3.2-38 2.85-39 2.5-40 2.25 .1W-41 2.0-42 1.8-43 1.6-44 1.4-45 1.25-46 1.18-47 1.00-48 0.90dBm mV Po-49 0.80-50 0.71 .01W-51 0.64-52 0.57-53 0.50-54 0.45-55 0.40-56 0.351-57 0.32-58 0.286-59 0.251-60 0.225 .001W-61 0.200-62 0.180-63 0.160-64 0.141dBm V Po-65 128-66 115-67 100-68 90-69 80-70 71 .1nW-71 65-72 58-73 50-74 45-75 40-76 35-77 32-78 29-79 25-80 22.5 .01nW-81 20.0-82 18.0-83 16.0-84 11.1-85 12.9-86 11.5-87 10.0-88 9.0-89 8.0-90 7.1 .001nW-91 6.1-92 5.75-93 5.0-94 4.5-95 4.0-96 3.51-97 3.2dBm V Po-98 2.9-99 2.51-100 2.25 .1pW-101 2.0-102 1.8-103 1.6-104 1.41-105 1.27-106 1.18dBm nV Po-107 1000-108 900-109 800-110 710 .01pW-111 640-112 580-113 500-114 450-115 400-116 355-117 325-118 285-119 251-120 225 .001pW-121 200-122 180-123 160-124 141-125 128-126 117-127 100-128 90-129 80 .1˜W-130 71-131 61-132 58-133 50-134 45-135 40-136 35-137 33-138 29-139 25-140 23 .01˜W
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1756TECHNICAL REFERENCE6 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphContents6.1 DATA INTERFACE CONNECTORS ........................................1776.1.1 LAN Port ...................................................................................1776.1.2 COM1 Port ............................................................................... 1776.2 SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................... 1786.3 NOTES ON SNMP...................................................................1806.3.1 Overview .................................................................................. 180
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05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1776.1 DATA INTERFACE CONNECTORSTwo types of data interface connectors are provided on the front panel of the transceiver—an RJ-45 LAN port, and a DB-9 serial port (COM1), which uses the RS-232 (EIA-232) signaling standard. The transceiver meets U.S.A.’s FCC Part 15, Class A limits when used with shielded data cables.6.1.1 LAN PortUse the transceiver’s LAN port to connect the radio to an Ethernet net-work. The transceiver provides a data link to an Internet Protocol-based (IP) network via the Access Point station. Each radio in the network must have a unique IP address for the network to function properly.• To connect a PC directly to the radio’s LAN port, an RJ-45 to RJ-45 cross-over cable is required. • To connect the radio to a Ethernet hub or bridge, use a straight-through cable.The connector uses the standard Ethernet RJ-45 cables and wiring. For custom-made cables, use the pinout information in Figure 6-1 and Table 6-1.Figure 6-1. LAN Port (RJ-45) Pinout(Viewed from the outside of the unit) 6.1.2 COM1 PortThe COM1 serial port is a standard DB-9 female connector. Connect a PC to the transceiver via this port with a DB-9M to DB-9F Table 6-1. LAN Port (IP/Ethernet)Pin Functions Ref.1 Transmit Data (TX) High2 Transmit Data (TX) Low3 Receive Data (RX) High4 Unused5 Unused6 Receive Data (RX) Low7 Unused8 UnusedCAUTIONRADIO FREQUENCYINTERFERENCE POTENTIAL1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
178 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. E“straight-through” cable. These cables are available commercially, or may be constructed using the pinout information in Table 6-2.6.2 SPECIFICATIONSGeneral• Raw Bit Rate: from 600 kbps to 12.7 Mbps• Frequency Bands: 902-928 MHz ISM band3.65-3.7 GHz Registered FCC band• Bandwidths: 900 model—1.75, 3.5 MHz3650 model—1.75, 3.5, 5, 7 MHz• Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)• 200 Carriers per Channel• Available Configurations:• Access Point: Ethernet, Serial, GPS• Remote: Ethernet, Serial, GPSRadio• System Gain: 140 dB for 1.75 MHz channel, 137 dB for 3.5 MHz channel• Carrier Power—AP: -30 to +29 dBm, RM: 0 to +29 dBm (900 models); +23 dBm max. (3650 model)• RF Output Impedance: 50 Ohms• Sensitivity and Signal Rate (see Table 6-3):Table 6-3. Sensitivity and Signal RateTable 6-2. COM1 Port Pinout, DB-9F/RS-232 InterfacePin Functions DCE1 Unused2 Receive Data (RXD) <—[Out3 Transmit Data (TXD) —>[In4 Unused5 Signal Ground (GND)6–9 Unused
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 179Note that the transceiver is a half-duplex radio, so maximum user throughput is based on a configured or dynamic duty cycle, which is typ-ically 50/50 indicating that half of the maximum throughput would be available one way. The maximum user throughput is also based on high protocol overhead from TCP/IP applications. For UDP applications, these throughput numbers will increase.Physical Interface• Ethernet: 10/100BaseT, RJ-45• Serial: 1,200 – 115,200 bps• COM1: RS-232, DB-9F• Antennas: TX/RX–TNC connector, GPS—SMA connector• LED Indicators: PWR, COM1, LINK, LANProtocols (Pending—contact factory for details)• Ethernet: IEEE 802.3, Spanning Tree (Bridging), VLAN, IGMP• TCP/IP: DHCP, ICMP, UDP, TCP, ARP, Multicast, SNTP, TFTP• Serial: Encapsulation over IP (tunneling) for serial async multi-drop protocols including MODBUS™, DNP.3, DF1, BSAPGE MDS Cyber Security Suite, Level 1• Encryption: AES-128.• Authentication: 802.1x, RADIUS, EAP/TLS, PKI, PAP, CHAP• Management: SSL, SSH, HTTPSManagement• HTTP, HTTPS, TELNET, SSH, local console• SNMPv1/v2/v3, MIB-II, Enterprise MIB• SYSLOG• MDS NETview MS™ compatibleEnvironmental• Temperature: -40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F)• Humidity: 95% at 40°C (104°F) non-condensingElectrical• Input Power: 10-30 Vdc• Current Consumption (nominal):Mode Power 13.8 Vdc 24 VdcAP Transmit 25 W 1.8 A 1.0 AAP Receive 8 W 579 mA 333 mARM Transmit 25W 1.8 mA 1.0 ARM Receive 6.5W 471 mA 270 mA
180 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EMechanical• Case: Die Cast Aluminum• Dimensions: 5.715 H x 20 W x 12.382 D cm. (2.25 H x 7.875 W x 4.875 D in.)• Weight: 1kg (2.2 lb.)• Mounting options: Flat surface mount brackets, DIN rail, 19” rack trayExternal GPS PPS OptionAgency Approvals• FCC Part 15.247 (DTS)—900 model• FCC Part 90—3650 model• CSA Class 1 Div. 2, (CSA C22.2-213-M1987 & CSA C22.2-142-M1987) (UL1604 & UL916)• IC RSS-210 “Issue 7”NOTE: GE MDS products are manufactured under a quality systemcertified to ISO 9001. GE MDS reserves the right to makechanges to specifications of products described in this manualat any time without notice and without obligation to notify anyperson of such changes.6.3 NOTES ON SNMP6.3.1 OverviewThe firmware release described in this manual contains changes to the transceiver’s SNMP Agent, several new MIB variables, and new Agent configuration options. This guide reviews the changes and shows how to properly configure the Agent to take advantage of these new features.SNMPv3 SupportThe updated SNMP Agent now supports SNMP version 3 (SNMPv3). The SNMPv3 protocol introduces Authentication (MD5/SHA-1), Parameter Minimum MaximumPulse Voltage (logic low) 0 V 1 VPulse Voltage (logic high) 1.7 V 10 VSource Impedance (ohms) —200 ΩDuty Cycle (ton) 0.0001% (1μsec) 50% (0.5 sec)Operating Frequency 0.99999999 Hz(-0.1 ppm error)1.00000001 Hz(+0.1 ppm error)Module Clamping Voltage 2.7 V 3.3 VModule Input Resistance 150 Ω (Vin >2.6 V) 10 kΩ (Vin < 2 V)Input Hysteresis 7 mV N/A
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 181Encryption (DES), the USM User Table, and View-Based Access (refer to RFC2574 for full details). The SNMP Agent has limited SNMPv3 support in the following areas:• Only MD5 Authentication is supported (no SHA-1). SNMPv3 provides support for MD5 and SHA-1.• Limited USM User Table Manipulation. The SNMP Agent starts with 5 default accounts. New accounts can be added (SNMPv3 adds new accounts by cloning existing ones), but they will be volatile (will not survive a power-cycle). New views cannot be configured on the SNMP Agent. Views are inherited for new accounts from the account that was cloned.The SNMP Agent uses one password pair (Authentication/Pri-vacy) for all accounts. This means that when the passwords change for one user, they change for all users.SNMPv3 AccountsThe following default accounts are available for the SNMP Agent:enc_mdsadmin—Read/write account using Authentication and Encryp-tion.auth_mdsadmin—Read/write account using Authentication.enc_mdsviewer—Read only account using Authentication and Encryp-tion.auth_mdsviewer—Read only account using Authentication.def_mdsviewer—Read only account with no Authentication or Encryp-tion.Context NamesThe following Context Names are used (refer to RFC2574 for full details):Admin accounts: context_a/Viewer accounts: context_v.All accounts share the same default passwords:Authentication default password: MDSAuthPwd/Privacy default pass-word: MDSPrivPwd.Passwords can be changed either locally (via the console) or from an SNMP Manager, depending on how the Agent is configured. If pass-words are configured and managed locally, they are non-volatile and will survive a power-cycle. If passwords are configured from an SNMP manager, they will be reset to whatever has been stored for local man-agement on power-cycle.
182 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EThis behavior was chosen based on RFC specifications. The SNMP Manager and Agent do not exchange passwords, but actually exchange keys based on passwords. If the Manager changes the Agent’s password, the Agent does not know the new password. The Agent only knows the new key. In this case, only the Manager knows the new password. This could cause problems if the Manager loses the password. If that hap-pens, the Agent becomes unmanageable. Resetting the Agent’s pass-words (and therefore keys) to what is stored in flash memory upon power-cycle prevents the serious problem of losing the Agent’s pass-words.If passwords are managed locally, they can be changed on the Agent (via the console). Any attempts to change the passwords for the Agent via an SNMP Manager will fail when the Agent is in this mode. Locally defined passwords will survive a power-cycle.In either case, the SNMP Manager needs to know the initial passwords being used in order to talk to the Agent. If the Agent’s passwords are configured via the Manager, they can be changed from the Manager. If the passwords are managed locally, then the Manager must be re-con-figured with any password changes in order to continue talking to the Agent.Password-Mode Management ChangesWhen the password management mode is changed, the active passwords used by the Agent may also change. Some common scenarios are dis-cussed below:Common Scenarios • Passwords are currently being handled by the Manager. The assigned passwords are Microwave (Auth), and Rochester (Priv). Configuration is changed to manage the passwords locally. The passwords stored on the radio were Fairport (Auth), and Churchville (Priv) (if local passwords have never been used, then MDSAuthPwd and MDSPrivPwd are used). These pass-words will now be used by the Agent to re-generate keys. The Manager must know these passwords to talk to the Agent.• Passwords are currently managed locally. The local passwords are Fairport (Auth) and Churchville (Priv). Configuration is changed to handle the passwords from the Manager. The same passwords will continue to be used, but now the Manager can change them.• Passwords are currently managed locally. The local passwords are Fairport (Auth) and Churchville (Priv). Passwords are changed to Brighton (Auth) and Perinton (Priv). The Agent will immedi-ately generate new keys based on these passwords and start using them. The Manager will have to be re-configured to use these new passwords.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 183• Passwords are currently managed locally. The local passwords are Fairport (Auth) and Churchville (Priv). Configuration is changed to handle the passwords from the Manager. The Man-ager changes the passwords to Brighton (Auth) and Perinton (Priv). The radio is then rebooted. After a power-cycle, the radio will use the passwords stored in flash memory, which are Fair-port (Auth) and Churchville (Priv). The Manager must be re-con-figured to use these new passwords.Table 6-4. SNMP Traps (Sorted by Code) SNMP Trap Severity Descriptionbootup(34) CRITICAL System Bootupreboot(35) MAJOR User Selected RebootreprogStarted(36) INFORM Reprogramming StartedreprogCompleted(37) INFORM Reprogramming CompletedreprogFailed(38) MAJOR Reprogramming FailedtelnetLogin(39) MAJOR Telnet/SSH User login/logouthttpLogin(40) MAJOR HTTP User login/logoutlogClear(41) INFORM Event Log CleareddhcpServer(42) INFORM DHCP server enabled/disableddhcpClient(43) INFORM DHCP client enabled/disableddhcpAddr(44) MINOR Obtained DHCP addresstimeNotSet(45) INFORM Date/time not settimeByUser(46) INFORM Date/time changed by usertimeFromServer(47) INFORM Date/time from serverconsoleLogin(48) MAJOR Console user login/logouthttpLockdown(49) MAJOR HTTP Access locked downparmChanged(50) INFORM Parameter changedcfgscript(51) INFORM Configuration script generated/receivedauthKey(52) MAJOR Authorization key entered - valid/invalidauthDemo(53) MAJOR Demo authorization enabled/expiredmaxDemos(54) CRITICAL Max demos reset/reachedmodemRestart(55) MAJOR Modem restartedinternalError(56) MAJOR Internal errorgpsRestarted(57) MAJOR GPS RestartedremoteConnection(58) INFORM Remote associated/disassociatedimageCopyStarted(59) INFORM Firmware image copy startedimageCopyComplete(60) INFORM Firmware image copy completeimageCopyFailed(61) MAJOR Firmware image copy failedconnectionStatus(64) INFORM Connection status changeconnAbort(65) MAJOR Connection abortedauthenticating(66) INFORM Authenticating to Access Point
184 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Eassociation(67) MAJOR Associated to Access Point established/lostredundLackRem(72) MAJOR Lack of associated remotes exceeded threshold for P21 APredundRecvErr(73) MAJOR Packet receive errors exceeded threshold for P21 APredundForced(74) MAJOR P21 AP forced switchoverredundancySwitch(75) MAJOR P21 AP auto switchoverradioError(76) CRITICAL Radio errorprocopen(77) MAJOR Proc filesystem access failedprocformat(78) MAJOR Unexpected proc filesystem formatcsropen(79) MAJOR Failed to open CSR devicecsrstatus(80) MAJOR CSR read failedcsrctrlsignal(81) MAJOR CSR write failedbandwidthMismatch(83) INFORM Bandwidth of AP in Locations file does not match this unitgpsSync(84) INFORM GPS synchronized/lost syncgpsTddSync(85) INFORM TDD synchronized/lost synctftpClientConn(86) INFORM TFTP Connection to Client Opened/ClosedtftpClientError(87) MAJOR Error in TFTP Transfer to ClientautoUpgrade(88) MAJOR Auto Firmware Upgrade Retry Scheduled/StartingautoReboot(89) MAJOR Auto Firmware Boot Failed/StartingcertVerify(90) CRITICAL X.509 certificates loaded/failedcertChainVerify(91) CRITICAL Certificate chain verified/invalidpaTemp(92) MAJOR PowerAmp temperature Normal/Too hotTable 6-4. SNMP Traps (Sorted by Code) (Continued)SNMP Trap Severity Description
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 1857GLOSSARY OF TERMSAND ABBREVIATIONS7 Chapter Counter Reset ParagraphIf you are new to wireless IP/Ethernet systems, some of the terms used in this manual might be unfamiliar. The following glossary explains many of these terms and will prove helpful in understanding the opera-tion of your radio network. Some of these terms do not appear in the manual, but are often encountered in the wireless industry, and are there-fore provided for completeness.Access Point (AP)—The transceiver in the network that provides syn-chronization information to one or more associated Remote units. See “Network Configuration Menu” on Page 45.AGC—Automatic Gain ControlAntenna System Gain—A figure, normally expressed in dB, repre-senting the power increase resulting from the use of a gain-type antenna. System losses (from the feedline and coaxial connectors, for example) are subtracted from this figure to calculate the total antenna system gain.AP—See Access PointAssociation—Condition in which the frequency hopping pattern of the Remote is synchronized with the Access Point station, and the Remote is ready to pass traffic.Authorization Key—Alphanumeric string (code) that is used to enable additional capabilities in the transceiver.Bit—The smallest unit of digital data, often represented by a one or a zero. Eight bits usually comprise a byte.Bits-per-second—See BPS.BPDU—Bridge Protocol Data UnitsBPS—Bits-per-second (bps). A measure of the information transfer rate of digital data across a communication channel.Byte—A string of digital data made up of eight data bits.CSMA/CA—Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision AvoidanceCSMA/CD—Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision DetectionCyclic Redundancy Check (CRC)—A technique used to verify data integrity. It is based on an algorithm which generates a value derived
186 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Efrom the number and order of bits in a data string. This value is com-pared with a locally-generated value and a match indicates that the mes-sage is unchanged, and therefore valid.Data Circuit-terminating Equipment—See DCE.Data Communications Equipment—See DCE.Datagram—A data string consisting of an IP header and the IP message within.Data Terminal Equipment—See DTE.dBd—Decibels (dipole antenna).dBi—Decibels referenced to an “ideal” isotropic radiator in free space. Frequently used to express antenna gain.dBm—Decibels referenced to one milliwatt. An absolute unit used to measure signal power, as in transmitter power output, or received signal strength.DCE—Data Circuit-terminating Equipment (or Data Communications Equipment). In data communications terminology, this is the “modem” side of a computer-to-modem connection. COM1 Port of the transceiver is set as DCE.Decibel (dB)—A measure of the ratio between two signal levels. Fre-quently used to express the gain (or loss) of a system.Delimiter—A flag that marks the beginning and end of a data packet.Device Mode—The operating mode/role of a transceiver (Access Point or Remote) in a wireless network.DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)—An Internet stan-dard that allows a client (i.e. any computer or network device) to obtain an IP address from a server on the network. This allows network admin-istrators to avoid the tedious process of manually configuring and man-aging IP addresses for a large number of users and devices. When a network device powers on, if it is configured to use DHCP, it will con-tact a DHCP server on the network and request an IP address. The DHCP server will provide an address from a pool of addresses allo-cated by the network administrator. The network device may use this address on a “time lease” basis or indefinitely depending on the policy set by the network administrator. The DHCP server can restrict alloca-tion of IP addresses based on security policies. An Access Point may be configured by the system administrator to act as a DHCP server if one is not available on the wired network.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 187Digital Signal Processing—See DSP.DSP—Digital Signal Processing. DSP circuitry is responsible for the most critical real-time tasks; primarily modulation, demodulation, and servicing of the data port.DTE—Data Terminal Equipment. A device that provides data in the form of digital signals at its output. Connects to the DCE device.Encapsulation—Process in by which, a complete data packet, such asMODBUS™ frame or any other polled asynchronous protocol frame, isplaced in the data portion of another protocol frame (in this case IP) tobe transported over a network. Typically this action is done at the trans-mitting end, before being sent as an IP packet to a network. A similarreversed process is applied at the other end of the network extracting thedata from the IP envelope, resulting in the original packet in the originalprotocol.Endpoint—Data equipment connected to the Ethernet port of the radio.Equalization—The process of reducing the effects of amplitude, fre-quency or phase distortion with compensating networks.Fade Margin—The greatest tolerable reduction in average received signal strength that will be anticipated under most conditions. Provides an allowance for reduced signal strength due to multipath, slight antenna movement or changing atmospheric losses. A fade margin of 15 to 20 dB is usually sufficient in most systems.Fragmentation—A technique used for breaking a large message down into smaller parts so it can be accommodated by a less capable media.Frame—A segment of data that adheres to a specific data protocol and contains definite start and end points. It provides a method of synchro-nizing transmissions.Frequency Hopping—The spread spectrum technique used by the transceiver, where two or more associated radios change their operating frequencies many times per second using a set pattern. Since the pattern appears to jump around, it is said to “hop” from one frequency to another.GPS—Global Positioning System. A constellation of orbiting satellites used for navigation and timing data. Although 24 satellites are normally active, a number of spares are also available in case of malfunction. Originally designed for military applications by the U.S. Department of Defense, GPS was released for civilian use in the 1980s. GPS satellites operate in the vicinity of the “L” frequency band (1500 MHz).Hardware Flow Control—A transceiver feature used to prevent data buffer overruns when handling high-speed data from the connected data
188 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. Ecommunications device. When the buffer approaches overflow, the radio drops the clear-to-send (CTS) line, that instructs the connected device to delay further transmission until CTS again returns to the high state.Host Computer—The computer installed at the master station site, that controls the collection of data from one or more remote sites.HTTP—Hypertext Transfer ProtocolICMP—Internet Control Message ProtocolIGMP (Internet Gateway Management Protocol)—Ethernet level protocol used by routers and similar devices to manage the distribution of multicast addresses in a network.IEEE—Institute of Electrical and Electronic EngineersIEEE 802.1Q—A standard for Ethernet framing which adds a four-byte tag after the Ethernet header. The four-byte tag contains a VLAN ID and a IEEE 802.1P priority value.IEEE 802.1X—A standard for performing authentication and port blocking. The 802.1X port/device denies access to the network until the client device has authenticated itself.Image (File)—Data file that contains the operating system and other essential resources for the basic operation of the radio’s CPU. LAN—Local Area NetworkLatency—The delay (usually expressed in milliseconds) between when data is applied at the transmit port at one radio, until it appears at the receive port at the other radio.MAC—Media Access ControllerMD5—A highly secure data encoding scheme. MD5 is a one-way hash algorithm that takes any length of data and produces a 128 bit “finger-print.” This fingerprint is “non-reversible,” it is computationally infea-sible to determine the file based on the fingerprint. For more details review “RFC 1321” available on the Internet.MIB—Management Information BaseMicrocontroller Unit—See MCU.Mobility—Refers to a station that moves about while maintaining active connections with the network. Mobility generally implies phys-ical motion. The movement of the station is not limited to a specific net-work and IP subnet. In order for a station to be mobile it must establish
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 189and tear down connections with various access points as it moves through the access points' territory.Mode—See Device Mode.MTBF—Mean-Time Between FailuresMultiple Address System (MAS)—See Point-Multipoint System.NMEA—National Marine Electronics Association. National body that established a protocol for interfacing GPS data between electronic equipment.Network Name—User-selectable alphanumeric string that is used to identify a group of radio units that form a communications network. The Access Point and all Remotes within a given system should have the same network address.Network-Wide Diagnostics—An advanced method of controlling and interrogating GE MDS radios in a radio network.NTP—Network Time ProtocolPacket—The basic unit of data carried on a link layer. On an IP network, this refers to an entire IP datagram or a fragment thereof.PING—Packet INternet Groper. Diagnostic message generally used to test reachability of a network device, either over a wired or wireless net-work.PKI—Private Key Infrastructure. A set of policies and technologies needed to create, store, and distribute Public Key Certificates used to protect the security of network communications.Point-to-Multipoint System—A radio communications network or system designed with a central control station that exchanges data with a number of remote locations equipped with terminal equipment.Poll—A request for data issued from the host computer (or master PLC) to a remote device.Portability—A station is considered connected when it has successfully authenticated and associated with an access point. A station is consid-ered authenticated when it has agreed with the access point on the type of encryption that will be used for data packets traveling between them. The process of association causes a station to be bound to an access point and allows it to receive and transmit packets to and from the access point. In order for a station to be associated it must first authenticate with the access point. The authentication and association processes occur automatically without user intervention.
190 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EPortability refers to the ability of a station to connect to an access point from multiple locations without the need to reconfigure the network set-tings. For example, a remote transceiver that is connected to an access point may be turned off, moved to new site, turned back on, and, assuming the right information is entered, can immediately reconnect to the access point without user intervention.PLC—Programmable Logic Controller. A dedicated microprocessor configured for a specific application with discrete inputs and outputs. It can serve as a host or as an RTU.PuTTY—A free implementation of Telnet and SSH for Win32 and Unix platforms. It is written and maintained primarily by Simon Tatham. Refer to http://www.pobox.com/~anakin/ for more information.RADIUS—Remote Authentication Dial In User Service. An authenti-cation, authorization, and accounting protocol used to secure remote access to a device or network.Remote—A transceiver in a network that communicates with an asso-ciated Access Point.Remote Terminal Unit—See RTU.RFI—Radio Frequency InterferenceRoaming—A station's ability to automatically switch its wireless con-nection between various access points (APs) as the need arises. A station may roam from one AP to another because the signal strength or quality of the current AP has degraded below what another AP can provide. Roaming may also be employed in conjunction with Portability where the station has been moved beyond the range of the original AP to which it was connected. As the station comes in range of a new AP, it will switch its connection to the stronger signal. Roaming refers to a station's logical, not necessarily physical, move between access points within a specific network and IP subnet.RSSI—Received Signal Strength IndicatorRTU—Remote Terminal Unit. A data collection device installed at a remote radio site.SCADA—Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. An overall term for the functions commonly provided through an MAS radio system.SNMP—Simple Network Management ProtocolSNR—Signal-to-Noise Ratio. A measurement of the desired signal to ambient noise levels.This measurement provides a relative indication of signal quality. Because this is a relative number, higher signal-to-noise ratios indicate improved performance.
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual 191SNTP—Simple Network Time ProtocolSSL—Secure Socket LayerSSH—Secure ShellSTP—Spanning Tree ProtocolStanding-Wave Ratio—See SWR.SWR—Standing-Wave Ratio. A parameter related to the ratio between forward transmitter power and the reflected power from the antenna system. As a general guideline, reflected power should not exceed 10% of the forward power (≈ 2:1 SWR).TCP—Transmission Control ProtocolTFTP—Trivial File Transfer ProtocolTrap Manager—Software that collects SNMP traps for display or log-ging of events.UDP—User Datagram ProtocolUTP—Unshielded Twisted PairVLAN—Virtual Local Area Network. A network configuration employing IEEE 802.1Q tagging, which allows multiple groups of devices to share the same physical medium while on separate broadcast domains.
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05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual I-1INDEXNumerics100BaseT 56, 16310BaseT 56, 16316QAM 7564QAM 75802.11b 12AAccess Point (AP), defined 185accessories 19Active Scanning, defined 185adapterTNC Male-to-N Female 19AdaptiveModulation 73Split 74AddAssociated Remotes 97Remote 97Address to Ping 135AdvancedConfiguration 66Control 71AES encryption 4agency approvals 180alarm conditions 154correcting 155Alarmed 152alarms 153Altitude 116antenna900 MHz 5aiming 158cross-polarization 15directional 5, 170for repeater stations 15GPS 5, 167receiving 19minimizing interference 15Minimum Feedline Length versus Antenna Gain 168omni-directional 5, 14, 19, 166polarization 166selection 165SWR check 157system gaindefined 185vs. power output setting 172vertical separation 15Yagi 14, 19, 166APcurrent name 144Location Info Config 46locations 60—64applicationIP-to-Serial 83Mixed-Modes 87Point-to-Multipoint Serial-to-Serial 84Point-to-Point Serial-to-Serial 83Serial Port 87approvalsagency 180Approved Remotes 96ARQ 74Block Lifetime 74Block Size 74Receiver Delay 74Transmitter Delay 74Window Size 74Associated 152Remotes 43, 118associationdefined 185process 117attenuation 24Auth ServerAddress 99Port 99Shared Secret 99Auth Traps Status 60Authenticating 152authenticationdevice 97user 98AuthorizationCodes 124, 136Key 136defined 185Authorized Features 136Auto Firmware Upgrade 125Automatic Repeat Request 74Auto-Upgrade/Remote-Reboot 138AverageRSSI 122SNR 122BBackhaulfor serial radio networks 11Network 11bandpass filter 170baud rate 79, 82console 76serial data 76Begin Wizard 78Bit, defined 185Bits-per-second (bps), defined 185BPDU 58defined 185BPS, defined 185BPSK 75BridgeConfiguration 46Forward Delay 58Hello Time 58Priority 58Protocol Data Unit 58Bridge Status 111Buffer Size 79, 81, 82BW 63Byte Format 79byte format 80, 82bytesdefined 185received 115sent 115
I-2 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ECcablecrossover 36, 38, 177EIA-232 Shielded Data 19Ethernet crossover 14, 25, 39Ethernet RJ-45 Crossover 19Ethernet RJ-45 Straight-thru 19feedlines 167serial communications 25, 37straight-through 38, 39, 177certificatefiles 97type 101Certificate Filename 101ChangeAdmin Password 95Guest Password 95channelselection 71single frequency 70type 74CHANNELS 63clearEthernet statistics 115Event Log 113MDS wireless statistics 115Collocating Multiple Radio Networks 16Commit Changes and Exit Wizard 80, 81, 82communicationpeer-to-peer 10Compression 145Computerhost, defined 188Configfilename 133configuration 25, 81advanced 66defaults 25DHCP server 50editing files 134Ethernet Port 56file 25, 149IP address 53network 45P23 8protected network 8radio parameters 65—88RADIUS 99redundant 8script 124, 131SNMP Agent 58TCP Mode 81UDP mode 79Connecting 152Connection Status 43, 119, 121, 143connectionware 145connectordescriptions 177Ethernet 10console baud rate 76, 109Contact 110context names 181Corrected FEC Count 123, 144cost of deployment 12Count 135CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check), defined 185CSMACA, defined 185CD, defined 185Current Alarms 113Current AP 70Eth Address 119IP Address 119Name 119, 121, 144Current IPAddress 42, 50, 53Gateway 50, 53Netmask 50, 53Cyclic Prefix 74Ddatabaud rate 81buffering 77compression 73encryption 96VLAN ID 49VLAN Subnet Config 49Datagram, defined 186Date 109Format 109dB, defined 186dBd, defined 186dBi, defined 186dBmdefined 186watts-volts conversion 174DCE, defined 186Default Route IF 49defaultsresetting 137DeleteAll Remotes 97Remote 97Delimiter, defined 186deployment costs 12Description 110DeviceAuth Mode 96Authentication 97Information 45Menu 109Mode 42defined 186Name 42, 110, 135Security Menu 93Status 42, 118, 152messages 152DHCP 53defined 186DNS address 52ending address 52Netmask 52Server 49Config 49Configuration 46, 47Status 52starting address 52WINS address 52Diagnostic Tools 153dimensions 163
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual I-3DIN Rail Mounting Bracket 20DKEY command 157Downlink 144Percentage 74DSP (Digital Signal Processing), defined 187DTEdefined 187DUR 63EEIA-232 13Embedded Management System 25Enable Filtering 57encapsulationdefined 187serial 76transparent 76encryption 5AES 4Phrase 96Endpointdefined 187Equalization, defined 187Ethernetfiltering configuration 57Port Config 46port enable 56port follows association 57port phy rate 56eventAlarms 154Critical 154Informational 154Major 154Minor 154Temporary Informational 154Event Log 111, 114, 152, 153, 154, 155clear 113filename 113host address 113Menu 113send 113view 113events 153Ffactory defaultsresetting 137Fade Margin 187FEC 73countcorrected 123, 144total 123, 144uncorrected 123, 144Total 144feedlineselection 165, 167filecertificate 97MIB 33Filename 127filteringenable 57firmwareautomatic upgrade 125current 128filename 130for Upgrade 138installing 129upgrade 130, 138version 43, 125Flow Controlhardware, defined 187ForceSwitchover 103Fragmentationdefined 187framedefined 187duration 70Free Run 24, 27, 29frequencycontrol 66hopping, defined 187mode 26, 68offsetRX 144TX 144fuse 19Ggainantenna, defined 185gatewaycurrent IP 53Glossary 185—191GPSantenna 167Configuration 45defined 187external GPS PPS option 9, 180Firmware Version 116information 116latitude 63longitude 63Precise Positioning Service 116pseudo-random noise 116receiver 42satellite fix 64Serial Number 116Status 111Menu 116Streaming Configuration 107time of day 64timing signals 42to Console Baud Rate 107UDP Server IP Address 107UDP Server UDP Port 107GROUP 63Hhand-off 71Signal and Distance 71Signal, Distance, and Bearing 71Strict Connection 71Strict Distance 71Strict Signal 71HardwareEvent Triggers 103, 105flow control, defined 187
I-4 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EVersion 43hoppattern 70, 145pattern offset 70Hoppingfrequency, defined 187Hostcomputer 86computer, defined 188HTTPAuth Mode 94defined 188Mode 94HyperTerminal 36, 37Hysteresis Margin 73, 75IIANA 77ICMPdefined 188IEEE802.1Q 48, 49, 188802.1X 188defined 188IEEE 802.1xDevice Authentication 4, 51, 97IETF standard RFC1213 58IGMP 77defined 188ImageCopy 128file, defined 188Verify 128iNET II, differences of 158Init/Hardware Error 105Installationantenna & feedline 165feedline selection 167general information 5mobile 9planning 163requirements 163site selection 164site survey 169Interference 170inter-frame packet delay 82Internal Radio Status 111Menu 120InternetAssigned Numbers Authority 77Control Message Protocol, defined 188Inter-Packet Delay 79, 81, 82IP 12, 50Address 26, 42, 53, 134Configuration 47Mode 49, 50, 53Configuration 46currentaddress 50, 53gateway 50netmask 50gateway 53, 134netmask 53Protocol 80staticaddress 49netmask 49tunneling 76KKEYcommand 157transmitter, for antenna SWR check 157LLack of Associated Remotes Exceeded Threshold 104, 105Menu 106Lack of Remotes for 106LANdefined 188wireless 10, 12LAT 63Latency, defined 188Latitude 116LEDCOM1 30LAN 29, 38, 39, 150LINK 29, 30, 150, 159, 170PWR 29, 30, 114, 150, 154, 155use during troubleshooting 149LocalArea Network, defined 188Console 36session 37Location 110, 135logged events 155LONG 63Longitude 116Lost Carrier Detected 115, 153MMAC 63ADDR 144Main Menu 43Maintenance/Tools 45Menu 123Manage Certificates 93ManagementVLAN ID 49VLAN Mode 49VLAN Subnet Config 49Management System 25, 76, 130as a troubleshooting tool 150user interfaces 33manualsReference Manual 3Start-Up Guide 3marginhysteresis 75protection 75MaxModulation 74Transmit Power 66Max Remotes 96Maximum Receive Errors 106MD5, defined 188MDS Security Suite 17measurementsradio 157Media Access Controller, defined 188
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual I-5MIBdefined 188files 33, 58version II 58mobile 9Mobilitydefined 188MODBUS 88ASCII 90RTU 90ModbusTCP Server 88Mode 63, 79Device, defined 186mixed 86Model 109modulation protection 75MTBF, defined 189multicast addressing 77NNAME 63NEMA 12netmaskcurrent IP 53networkAdministrator 9Configuration 44coverage 145design 14antennas 15collocating multiple radio networks 16name 15repeaters 14using multiple Access Points 16Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward PacketRepeater 15Using two transceivers to form a repeater station 14Event Triggers 103, 104InterfaceConfig 46Error 104LAN 10name 17, 23, 26, 66, 145defined 189tabletop 23Time Protocol (NTP), defined 189WAN 1 0-wide diagnostics 189NTP (Network Time Protocol), defined 189Number of Satellites 116OOFDM 4OFFSET 63optimizingradio performance 140Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing 4Outgoing Connections Inactivity Timeout 81PP23 8Packetdefined 189Receive Errors Exceeded Threshold 104, 106Menu 106Size 135Statistics 111, 114, 153packetsdropped 115, 153received 115sent 115passwordadmin 95guest 95Pattern Offset 145PCconnection to transceiver 25host 86peer-to-peer communications 10PerformanceInformation 45Trend 111PING 23, 30, 123, 170address 135defined 189utility 124PKI 189PLC 13defined 190point-to-multipoint 16defined 189Point-to-PointLAN Extension 11Link 11Poll, defined 189portaccess 48, 49COM1 13, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 36, 38, 44, 76, 83, 88, 130, 165, 177COM2 26, 83Ethernet 23, 48, 49GPS antenna 27, 29IP 83LAN 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 36, 38, 39, 53, 76, 130, 165, 177PWR 27, 28RX2 27, 29, 167serial 12trunk 49TX/RX1 antenna 27, 29Portability, defined 189powerconnector 24how much can be used 169primary 24transmitter power output 157PPS 116Precise Positioning Service 116PRN 116Programmable Logic Controller 13Protection Margin 73, 75protocolDHCP 53HTTP 33HTTPS 33ICMP 48defined 188IP 12, 26, 50, 76SNMP 33, 48, 50, 58, 180defined 190
I-6 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. ESNTP 46, 191SSH 33, 36STP, defined 191Syslog 113TCP 76, 77, 81, 83, 86defined 191Telnet 33, 36, 38, 48TFTP 48, 129defined 191UDP 76, 77, 83, 86defined 191Pseudo-Random Noise 116PuTTY usage 41defined 190QQoS 4QPSK 75Quality of Service 4RRadioConfiguration 44Details 122Event Triggers 103, 104Frequency Interference 17interference 170Mode 139performance optimization 140Remote, defined 190Test 125RADIUS 190configuration 93, 99User Auth Mode 99range, transmission 12ranging 152Read Community String 59rebootDevice 128on upgrade 138Remotes 138receiveerrors 115, 153power 66Received Signal Strength Indicator 24, 165defined 190RedundancyConfiguration 45, 103Options 103, 105Using multiple Access Points 16Remoteadd 97associated 97approved 96Database 118delete 97all 97Max 6Performance Database 118radio, defined 190Standard 6Terminal Unit 13defined 190view approved 97Repeater 14antennas 15Network Name 15Using the AP as a Store-and-Forward Packet Repeater 15Using two transceivers to form a repeater station 14Reprogramming 124Menu 126Reset to Factory Defaults 124, 137Retries 153RetrieveCertificate 101File 128, 134Retry errors 153RFbandwidth 26, 69Output Power 26power output level 24RFI 17defined 190Roaming, defined 190RSSI 24, 122, 143, 144, 158, 165average 122defined 190RTU 13, 83, 87defined 190RXFrequency Offset 123, 144IP Port 79Ssatellitefix status 43, 116number of 116SCADA 12, 13, 77defined 190Scanning 152scriptconfiguration 124securityConfiguration 45Menu 92device level 97general information 5monitoring 13password 25risk management 18suite 17wireless access 97SendEvent Log 113file 134GPS via UDP 107SerialConfiguration Wizard 77data baud rate 76encapsulation 76Number 43, 109PortConfiguration 44radio networks, backhaul 11serverstatus 52time 114signalstrength 165-to-noise ratio 116
05-4446A01, Rev. E Mercury Reference Manual I-7defined 190Simple NetworkManagement Protocol, defined 190Time Protocol 64defined 191Singlechannel operation 24Frequency Channel 26, 70SINGLE_CHAN 63Site selection 164SNMP 33, 50Agent Config 46defined 190Mode 60traps 183usage 180V3 Passwords 60SNMPv3 180accounts 181SNR 73, 116, 122, 144average 122defined 190max 75min 75range 75SNTPdefined 191Server 46configuration 64Spanning Tree Protocol, defined 191Spectrum Analyzer Mode 140spread-spectrum transmission 5SSH 36, 98Access 94defined 191SSL, defined 191Standing Wave Ratio 191StartingInformation Screen 38, 44Static IPAddress 49, 50, 53Gateway 54Netmask 49, 50, 53Status 42, 79, 80, 81, 82alarmed 152associated 152authenticating 152connecting 152scanning 152STP, defined 191Stream GPS to Console 107subnet 53SWR 157, 191defined 191performance optimization 157Syslog Server Address 113system gain, antenna (defined) 185Ttabletop network 23TCP 76, 77, 86client 77defined 191server 77TDDSync Mode 15, 70, 145TDD Sync 26Telnet 36, 76, 83, 98Access 94session 38Utility 125TestBurst Percentage 139Channel 139Key 139RF Bandwidth 139Status 139Transmit Power 139TFTPBlock Size 102defined 191Host Address 62, 101, 127, 130, 133, 134Timeout 102Time 109Connected 119Division Duplex 70server 114Total FEC Count 123, 144transceivermodels 6Transfer Options 101, 113TransmissionControl Protocol, defined 191range 12transmitmax power 66power 66, 122, 143transparent encapsulation 76TrapCommunity String 59Manager 60defined 191Version 60triggershardware event 105radio event 104Troubleshooting 149—157Using the Embedded Management System 150TXFrequency Offset 122, 144IPAddress 79Port 79UUDP 76, 83, 86defined 191mode 79multicast 77Point-to-Point 80Uncorrected FEC Count 123, 144Unit Password 26upgradefirmware 138Uplink 144Uptime 43, 109UserAuth Fallback 94Auth Method 94Authentication 98
I-8 Mercury Reference Manual 05-4446A01, Rev. EDatagram Protocol, defined 191Passwords 94Menu 95User Auth Mode 99UTC Time Offset 110UTP, defined 191VV3Authentication Password 60ViewApproved Remotes 97Current Settings 78Event Log 113Menu 114VLAN 48, 191data 48, 49Ethport Mode 49ID 49management 48, 49Status 46, 47, 49Voice over IP 4, 13VoIP 4, 13volts-dBm-watts conversion 174Wwatts-dBm-volts conversion 174Web browser 36, 76session 39WirelessLAN 10Network Status 111Menu 117Security 93Menu 95wizardserial configuration 77Write community String 59YYagi antenna 166
IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY...GE MDS products are designed for long life and trouble-free operation. However, this equipment, as with all electronic equipment, may have an occasional component failure. The following information will assist you in the event that servicing becomes necessary.TECHNICAL ASSISTANCETechnical assistance for GE MDS products is available from our Technical Support Department during business hours (8:00 A.M.—5:30 P.M. Eastern Time). When calling, please give the complete model number of the radio, along with a description of the trouble/symptom(s) that you are experiencing. In many cases, problems can be resolved over the telephone, without the need for returning the unit to the factory. Please use one of the following means for product assistance:Phone: 585 241-5510 E-Mail: GEmds.techsupport@GE.comFAX: 585 242-8369 Web: www.GEmds.comFACTORY SERVICEComponent level repair of this equipment is not recommended in the field. Many components are installed using surface mount technology, which requires specialized training and equipment for proper servicing. For this reason, the equipment should be returned to the factory for any PC board repairs. The factory is best equipped to diagnose, repair and align your radio to its proper operating specifications.If return of the equipment is necessary, you must obtain a Service Request Order (SRO) number. This number helps expedite the repair so that the equipment can be repaired and returned to you as quickly as possible. Please be sure to include the SRO number on the outside of the shipping box, and on any corre-spondence relating to the repair. No equipment will be accepted for repair without an SRO number.SRO numbers are issued online at www.GEmds.com/support/product/sro/. Your number will be issued immediately after the required information is entered. Please be sure to have the model number(s), serial number(s), detailed reason for return, "ship to" address, "bill to" address, and contact name, phone number, and fax number available when requesting an SRO number. A purchase order number or pre-payment will be required for any units that are out of warranty, or for product conversion.If you prefer, you may contact our Product Services department to obtain an SRO number:Phone Number: 585-241-5540Fax Number: 585-242-8400E-mail Address: productservices@GEmds.comThe radio must be properly packed for return to the factory. The original shipping container and packaging materials should be used whenever possible. All factory returns should be addressed to:GE MDS, LLCProduct Services Department(SRO No. XXXX)175 Science ParkwayRochester, NY 14620 USAWhen repairs have been completed, the equipment will be returned to you by the same shipping method used to send it to the factory. Please specify if you wish to make different shipping arrangements. To inquire about an in-process repair, you may contact our Product Services Group using the telephone, Fax, or E-mail information given above.
GE MDS, LLCRochester, NY 14620General Business: +1 585 242-9600FAX: +1 585 242-9620Web: www.GEmds.com175 Science Parkway

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