GE MDS DS-NH900 MDS iNet 900 User Manual 2806H iNET Series
GE MDS LLC MDS iNet 900 2806H iNET Series
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MDS iNet 900 Installation Guide
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User Manual Amended Page for RF Exposure Information
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User Manual Addendum
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![32 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HNOTE: 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]2.3 BASIC DEVICE INFORMATIONThis section contains detailed menu screens and settings that you can use to specify the behavior of the unit.2.3.1 Starting Information ScreenOnce you have logged into the Management System, you will be pre-sented with a screen that provides an overview of the transceiver and its current operating condition. It provides an array of vital information and operating conditions. Figure 2-9. Starting Information Screen•Device Mode—Current operating mode of the unit as it relates to the radio network.•Device Name—This is a user-defined parameter that will appear in the heading of all pages.(To change it, see Network Configuration Menu on Page 37.)NOTE: Do not use a colon (:) or percent (%) symbol in the devicename.•Network Name—The name of the radio network in which the unit is associated [9 to 15 characters; Not Programmed].•IP Address—Unit’s IP address [192.168.1.1]•Device Status—Condition of the unit’s association with an Access Point. At the Access Point:](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-42.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 352.3.3 Configuring Basic Device ParametersDevice InformationBelow is the menu/screen that displays basic administrative data on the unit to which you are connected. It also provides access to some user- specific parameters such as device names.Figure 2-11. Device Information Menu•Model Number (Display only)•Serial Number (Display only)•Hardware Version (Display only)•Firmware Version (Display only)—Current firmware installed and being used by the transceiver.•Uptime (Display only)—Elapsed time since powering up.•Console Baud Rate—Used to set/display data communications rate (in bits-per-second) between a connected console terminal and the radio. [19200]•Device Names Menu—Fields used at user’s discretion for general administrative purposes. The Device Name field is used by the transceiver as the “Realm” name for network security and in the MS screen headings. (See Figure 2-12 on Page 36)NOTE: Do not use a colon (:) or percent (%) symbol in the devicename.•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](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-45.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 372.4 CONFIGURING NETWORK PARAMETERS2.4.1 Network Configuration MenuThe Network Configuration Menu contains parameters related to the operation of TCP/IP and Ethernet protocols. There are some differences between AP and Remote type radios regarding these parameters and they are noted where appropriate.Invisible place holderFigure 2-13. Network Configuration MenuFrom Access PointInvisible place holderFigure 2-14. Network Configuration MenuFrom Remote Unit•Device Mode—Either Access Point or a variation of a Remote. [Access Point, Remote; Remote]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-47.png)
![38 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HNOTE: A serial Remote can be turned into an Ethernet Bridge andvise-versa. See Change the Type of Remote on Page 108 fordetails.•Network Name—Name of the radio network that this unit belongs to. Essential for association of Remotes to the Access Point in a network. The Network Name should be at least nine characters long. [9 to 15 characters; Not Programmed]TIP: For enhanced security, consider using misspelled words, a combi-nation of letters and numbers, and a combination of upper and lower case letters. This helps protect against sophisticated hackers who may use a database of common words (for example, dictio-nary attacks) to determine the Network Name.•SNTP Server—Address of SNTP server (RFC 2030) from which the transceiver will automatically get the time-of-day startup time. Without an SNTP server, the date and time must be man-ually set. An AP will try 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 succeeds.A remote will get the time and date from the SNTP server, if an IP address is configured. Otherwise it gets it from the AP at authentication time. The transceivers use UTC (Universal Coor-dinated Time) with a configurable time offset. [0.0.0.0]•Maximum Remotes—(AP only)—Number of Remotes permitted to be associated with this Access Point. [50]•Database Timeout (AP Only)—This sets the database “age time.” See Remote Listing Menu (Access Points Only) on Page 96 to determine when a remote is declared unavailable. The timer may be set from 0 to 255 minutes and resets each time a message is received from a remote. [0–255 minutes; 5 minutes]•Database Logging (AP Only)—Determines which types of devices will be reported as “added” or “deleted” from the AP’s database (see “PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION” on Page 85). In the case of deletions, this information is triggered by the expiration of Database Timeout above. [Remote, All, Disabled; All]. (Remote only reports the remote radios. Selecting All reports endpoints and remotes).•Interface Configuration—Presents a menu for configuring the Vir-tual LAN (VLAN) and IP address of the transceiver. Detailed explanations are provided in the section titled Network Inter-face Configuration Menu on Page 39.NOTE: In GE MDS iNET radios (where VLAN is not available) thisoption is shown as IP ADDRESS CONFIGURATION. Selecting thisoption follows the description in Configuring the IP AddressWhen VLAN Status is Disabled on Page 43.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-48.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 39•Ethernet Port Configuration—Presents a menu for defining the sta-tus of the Ethernet port (enabled or disabled), the Ethernet rate limit, link hardware watch (enabled/disabled), and the Ethernet link poll address. Detailed explanations of this menu are con-tained in Ethernet Port Configuration Menu on Page 45.•DHCP Server Configuration—Menu for configuration of DHCP services by the Access Point unit. DHCP provides “on-the-fly” IP address assignments to other LAN devices, including GE MDS iNET 900 units. See “DHCP Server Configuration” on Page 46 for more information. [Disabled]•SNMP Agent Configuration—Contains SNMP configuration parameters. See “SNMP Agent Configuration” on Page 47 for more information.•Rem-to-Rem bridging—This option is only available on Access Point radios. When this option is disabled communication can only happen from Remote to Access Point. This setting prevents a PC connected to one Remote radio to access a network con-nected to a different Remote within the same AP realm. [enabled, disabled; enabled]•Prioritized AP Configuration—This option is only available on Remotes. It allows the definition of a Primary AP to which a Remote radio should be connected. See “Prioritized AP Config-uration Submenu” on Page 49 for more information.•Ethernet Address (Display Only)—Hardware address of the unit’s Ethernet interface.•Wireless Address (Display Only)—Hardware address of the unit’s wireless Ethernet interface.2.4.2 Network Interface Configuration MenuBecause iNET-II and iNET radios support 802.1Q VLAN, the method for configuring the IP address of a radio may vary depending on whether the VLAN Status option is enabled or not.Invisible place holderFigure 2-15. Network Interface Configuration Menu](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-49.png)
![40 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•VLAN Status—Defines if the radio handles Ethernet frames in “extended” 802.1Q mode or in “normal” mode in the Ethernet port. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•Configure Interface—Allows configuration of IP Addressing parameters. See Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status is Enabled on Page 42, or Configuring the IP Address When VLAN Status is Disabled on Page 43.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 may result in data not being trans-ported correctly even when the radios are in an associated stateand able to communicate over-the-air. Virtual LAN in iNET-II and iNETA 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. Additional details can be found in the IEEE 802.1Q standard.The iNET-II and iNET support port-based VLAN at the Ethernet inter-face 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 as a trunk 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 and sends outgoing frames with a VLAN structure as well.The Ethernet port of a remote radio can be configured as an access port or as a trunk port. When the Ethernet port of a Remote radio is configured as VLAN Access Port, the radio will tag incoming traffic with a VLAN ID, and will strip the tag before sending out traffic. 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, etc. 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 through all outgoing frames as received from the wireless link, with the unchanged VLAN tag.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-50.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 41NOTE: The Ethernet port in an iNET-II and iNET is 10BaseT. SomeEthernet switches allow a VLAN trunk port only on a100BaseT interface and may not be able to communicate withthe radio.Configuring for Operation with VLANWhen VLAN Status is enabled the radio uses an 802.1Q frame structure.Invisible place holderFigure 2-16. Network Interface Configuration Menu•VLAN Status—Defines whether the radio handles Ethernet frames in “extended” 802.1Q mode or in “normal” mode in the Ethernet port. Ethernet frames intended for the radio, but with a VLAN ID not configured in the radio are discarded. [enabled, disabled; disabled]NOTE: This parameter must be consistent at both Access Point andRemote radios in order for data to flow correctly. Inconsistentconfiguration may result in data not being transportedcorrectly and the loss of over-the-air communications.NOTE: A change made to the above parameter will result in theCommit Changes option appearing on screen. This will modifythe appearance of the screen depending on the option selected.•Ethernet Port Mode—Defines if the Ethernet port acts as a trunk port or as an access port. Auto mode defines the port as an access port in an AP, or a trunk 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]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-51.png)
![42 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•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 for tagging purposes. [1-4094; 3]•Config Management IF—Calls up a menu to configure the IP address associated with the Management VLAN ID.•Config Data IF—Calls up a menu to configure the IP address asso-ciated with the Data VLAN ID.•Default Route IF—Defines the VLAN that contains the default gateway in the radio. [MGMT, DATA; MGMT]Configuring the IP Address when VLAN Status is EnabledThe radios require a local IP address to support remote management and serial device (terminal server) services. When the radio is configured for VLAN operation the IP address can only be set as a static IP address.Invisible place holderFigure 2-17. Management VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu•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; Static]NOTE: Changes to any of the following parameters while communi-cating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause aloss of communication with the unit being configured.Communication will need to be re-established using the newIP address.•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 management process. [255.255.0.0]•Static IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the default gateway device, typically a router. [0.0.0.0]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-52.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 43The lower three lines of the screen show the current addressing config-ured at the transceiver.NOTE: Any change made to the above parameters results in theCommit Changes option appearing on screen. This allows all IPsettings to be changed at the same time.Selecting option H from Figure 2-16 shows the screen below. Note that the IP address is different although it is the same physical unit. This is because this IP address is defined for a different VLAN.Invisible place holderFigure 2-18. Data VLAN Subnet Configuration Menu•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; Static]NOTE: Changes to any of the following parameters while communi-cating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause aloss of communication with the unit being configured.Communication will need to be re-established using the newIP address.•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 management process. [255.255.0.0]Configuring the IP Address When VLAN Status is DisabledWhen the radio is not configured for operation with VLAN, it uses one IP address to support remote management and serial device services. The IP address of a radio can be set as a static IP address or as a dynamic IP address. When static IP addressing is used, the user must manually](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-53.png)
![44 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. Hconfigure the IP address and other parameters. When dynamic addressing is used, the radio uses a DHCP Client process to obtain an IP address from a DHCP Server, along with other parameters such as a subnet mask and a default gateway.Invisible place holderFigure 2-19. IP Address Configuration MenuCAUTION: Changes to any of the following parameters while commu-nicating over the network (LAN or over-the-air) may cause aloss of communication with the unit being configured.Communication will need to be re-established using the newIP address.•IP Address Mode—Defines the source of the IP address of thisde-vice. The IP address must be configured manually when set to Static. A DHCP server must be available for the radio to obtain a valid IP address when set to Dynamic. Only static IP address-ing mode is available when VLAN Status is enabled [Static; Static, Dynamic]•Dynamic Mode—Enabling this option forces the transceiver (AP or Remote) to obtain an IP address from any DHCP server avail-able on the LAN. Dynamic Mode is also known as DHCP Client mode. [Disabled]•Static IP Address—The IPv4 local IP address. It need not be defined if DHCP Client mode is enabled. [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 management process. You don’t have to define it if DHCP Client mode is enabled. [255.255.0.0]•Static IP Gateway—The IPv4 address of the default gateway device, typically a router. [0.0.0.0]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-54.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 45The lower three lines of the screen show the actual addressing at the transceiver, whether it was obtained from static configuration or from a DHCP server.NOTE: Any change made to the above parameters results in theCommit Changes option appearing on screen. This allows all IPsettings to be changed at the same time.2.4.3 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.NOTE: The Ethernet port in iNET and iNET-II radios support10BaseT connections only. This should not present a problembecause most hubs/switches auto-switch between 10BaseTand 100BaseT connections. Confirm that your hub/switch iscapable of auto-switching data rates.To prevent Ethernet traffic from degrading performance, placethe transceiver in a segment, or behind routers.Figure 2-20. Ethernet Port Configuration Menu•Ethernet Port Status—Allows enabling/disabling Ethernet traffic for security purposes. Setting it to Follows Link Status enables the port if there is a connection established with the AP, but disables it otherwise. [AP: Enabled, Disabled; Enabled][Remote: Always On, Follow Radio Link, Disabled; Always On]•Ethernet Rate Limit—The transceiver will send alarms (SNMP traps) when the rate reaches 50%, 75%, and 100% to help iden-tify potential problems with traffic.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-55.png)
![46 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•Ethernet Link (H/W) Watch (AP Only)—Detects the lack of an Ether-net connection to the LAN port at the electrical level (link integ-rity). The current AP will broadcast a beacon signal indicating its “NOT AVAILABLE” status so Remotes that hear it do not try to associate to it. Once the Ethernet connection is restored, this beacon signal changes to “AVAILABLE” and Remotes are allowed to join in. [Disabled]•Ethernet Link Poll Address (AP Only)—When an IP address is pro-vided, the Access Point pings the remote IP device every 60 sec-onds to test the integrity of the backhaul link. If this link is not available, the AP will advertise its “NOT AVAILABLE” status in the beacon signal so Remotes do not try to associate to it. Once the IP address is reachable, this beacon signal changes to “AVAILABLE” and Remotes are allowed to join in. 0.0.0.0 dis-ables this function. Any other valid IP address enables it. [0.0.0.0]2.4.4 DHCP Server ConfigurationA 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 individual device IP address on Remotes in the network, but it still requires thoughtful planning of the IP address range. One drawback to network-wide auto-matic IP address assignments is that SNMP services may become inac-cessible as they are dependent on fixed IP addresses.The network can be comprised of radios with the DHCP-provided IP address enabled or with DHCP services disabled. In this way, you can accommodate locations for which a fixed IP address if desired.Figure 2-21. DHCP Server Configuration Menu](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-56.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 47NOTE: There should be only one DHCP server active in a network(GE MDS iNET 900 or other DHCP server). If more than oneDHCP server exists, network devices may randomly get theirIP address from different servers every time they request one.NOTE: Combining DHCP and RADIUS device authentication mayresult in a non-working radio module if the DHCP server islocated at a remote radio. The DHCP server should be placedat the AP location, if possible.•Server Status—Enable/Disable responding 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]•Starting Address—Lowest IP address of the range of addresses to be provided by this device. [0.0.0.0]•Ending Address—Highest IP address in the range of addresses to be provided by this device. A maximum of 256 addresses is allowed in this range. [0.0.0.0]•DNS Address—Domain Name Server address to be provided by this service.•WINS Address—Windows Internet Naming Service server address to be provided by this service.•Restart DHCP Server—Selecting this option forces the transceiver to start servicing DHCP requests using the Starting Address. Payload data will not be interrupted but may experience some delays as new addresses are distributed.2.4.5 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. Off-the-shelf SNMP managers such as Castle Rock Com-puting SNMPc™ and Hewlett Packard HP OpenView™ may also be used to access the transceiver’s SNMP Agent’s MIB. The transceiver’s SNMP agent supports SNMPv3.The objects are broken up into several MIB files. There are textual con-ventions, 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—GE MDS sub-tree registrations•MDS_comm.mib—GE MDS Common MIB definitions for objects and events which are common to the entire product fam-ily•inet_reg.mib—GE MDS sub-tree registrations•inettrv1.mib—SNMPv1 enterprise-specific traps•inettrv2.mib—SNMPv2 enterprise-specific traps](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-57.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 49•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 be up to 30 alpha-numeric characters.¥V3 Privacy PasswordPrivacy 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 be 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 what version of SNMP will be used to encode the outgoing traps. The choices are v1_traps, v2_traps, and v3_traps. When v3_traps are 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 will be gener-ated for login events to the transceiver. [Disabled/Enabled; Dis-abled]•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 4 locations on the network that traps are sent to. [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.2.4.6 Prioritized AP Configuration SubmenuThe Prioritized AP feature (Figure 2-23) allows the definition of a Pri-mary AP to which a Remote radio should be connected.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-59.png)
![50 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HInvisible place holderFigure 2-23. Prioritized AP Configuration Submenu•Prioritized AP—Shows status of the prioritization option.[enabled, disabled; disabled]•Scan Time—Number of seconds that a Remote waits to receive beacons from an AP included in the Approved AP List. After this time, the list will be expanded to include the next entry and the cycle will be repeated until association is achieved.•Connection Time—Amount of time that a Remote waits before breaking the connection and looking for an AP. This event hap-pens only when the current AP is not the first entry in the Approved AP List, which means that the remote is not con-nected to the primary AP.•Approved Access Points List—Displays the list of Approved AP used for local authentication purposes. This table is not the same as the Priority Table discussed here, and is only included as an aid to facilitate configuration.•Import from Approved List—Copies the entries configured in the Approved AP List to this priority table.•1-10—Priority Table of Access Points. This table should include the Wireless MAC Address of the desired Access Point units.When association to an AP is terminated for any reason, the Remote enters Scanning mode. During this time it listens for beacons from an AP that matches the network name. If the Prioritized AP option is enabled, then the Wireless MAC Address of the AP must be part of the list at the remote. The initial list includes only the first entry of the table. If no beacon is received that matches the requirement and the Scan Time is exceeded, then the list is expanded to include the first two entries.When a beacon matches the requirements, then the association process continues. It may be that the Remote associates to an AP that is not the first entry in the table. In this case the Remote will wait for Connection Time before breaking the connection and starting the process all over](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-60.png)
![52 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HFigure 2-25. Radio Configuration Menu(From Remote Unit)•RF Output Power—Sets/displays RF power output level. Dis-played in dBm. Setting should reflect local regulatory limita-tions and losses in antenna transmission line. (See “How Much Output Power Can be Used?” on Page 135 for information on how to calculate this value.)[20–30; 20]•Data Rate—Shows the over-the-air data rate setting for the Remote radio. Remotes can operate at one of two data rates when communicating with an AP: 1024 kbps (1 Mbps) or 512 kbps for iNET-II and 256 kbps or 512 kbps for iNET. The fast-est data rate is possible with strong RF signal levels, typically stronger than –77 dBm RSSI including a 15 dB fade margin.When the data rate is set to AUTO, the remote radio is able to change speeds based on the signal quality criteria set in the Auto Data Rate submenu described later in this section (see Page 54).[iNET: 256, 512, AUTO; AUTO] [iNET-II: 512, 1024, AUTO; AUTO] •Compression (AP Only)—Enabling this option uses LZO com-pression algorithm for over-the-air data. Varying levels of data reduction are achieved depending on the nature of the informa-tion. Text files are typically the most compressible, whereas binary files are the least compressible. On average, a 30% increase in throughput can be achieved with compression enabled.•Dwell Time—Duration (in milliseconds) of one hop on a particu-lar frequency in the hopping pattern. (This field is only change-able on an Access Point. Remotes get their value from AP upon association.) [iNET: 16.4, 32.8, 65.5, 131.1, 262.1; 32.8][iNET-II: 8.2, 16.4, 32.8, 65.5, 131.1; 32.8]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-62.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 53TIP: If a packet is being transmitted and the dwell time expires, the packet will be completed before hopping to the next frequency. •Beacon Period—Amount of time between Beacon transmissions (in msec).Available Intervals: Normal (104 ms), Fast (52 ms), Faster (26 ms), Slow (508 ms), Moderate (208 ms). These values provide rel-atively quick association times where Fast is very fast (≈ 5 sec) and the other end, the largest recommended value, the 508 ms period is slow (≈ 60 sec). [Normal, Fast, Faster, Slow, Moderate; Nor-mal]TIP: Increasing the Beacon Period will provide a small improvement in network data throughput. Shortening it decreases the time needed for Remotes to associate with the AP. A short beacon period is usually only a benefit when there are mobile Remotes in the network.•Hop Pattern Seed—A user-selectable value to be added to the hop pattern formula. This is done in the unlikely event that identical hop patterns are used with two collocated or nearby networks. Changing the seed value will minimize the potential for RF-sig-nal collisions in these situations. (This field is only changeable on an Access Point. Remotes read the AP’s value upon associa-tion.) [0 to 255; 1]•Mobility Configuration—This selection brings up a submenu where parameters related to mobile operation may be set. For details, See “Mobility Configuration Menu” on Page 58.•Fragment Threshold—Before transmitting over the air, if a packet exceeds this number of bytes, the transceiver sends the packet in multiple fragments that are reassembled before being delivered over the Ethernet interface at the receiving end. Only even num-bers are acceptable entries for this parameter. Over-the-air data fragmentation is not supported on AP units. (See “PERFORMANCE NOTES” on Page 144 for additional information.) [256–1600 bytes; 1600]TIP: In an interference-free environment this value should be large to maximize throughput. If interference exists then the value should be set to smaller values. The smaller the packet the less chance of it being interfered with at the cost of slightly reduced throughput.•RTS Threshold—Number of bytes for the over-the-air RTS/CTS handshake boundary. (See “PERFORMANCE NOTES” on Page 144.) [0 to 1600 bytes; 500]NOTE: While the transceiver accepts RTS Threshold settings below100, the lowest functioning value is 100.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-63.png)
![54 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HTIP: Lower the RTS Threshold as the number of Remotes or overall over-the-air traffic increases. Using RTS/CTS is a trade-off, giving up some throughput in order to prevent collisions in a busy over-the-air network.The RTS Threshold should be enabled and set with a value smaller than the Fragmentation Threshold described above. RTS forces the Remotes to request permission from the AP before sending a packet. The AP sends a CTS control packet to grant permission to one Remote. All other Remotes wait for the specified amount of time before transmitting.•RSSI Threshold (for alarm)—Level (dBm) below which the received signal strength is deemed to have degraded, and a crit-ical event (alarm) is generated and logged. Under these condi-tions, the PWR lamp flashes, and an SNMP trap is sent to the configured SNMP manager. [0 to -120; -90]•SNR Threshold (for alarm)—Value (dB) below which the sig-nal-to-noise ratio is deemed to have degraded and a critical event is generated and logged. Under these conditions, the PWR lamp flashes, and an SNMP trap is sent to the configured SNMP manager. [0 to 40; Not Programmed]•Channel Config (Only applies to iNET-II)—Brings up the submenu discussed in Channel Config Menu on Page 54.•RF Hopping Format (Only applies to iNET)—This option must be specified when the order is placed and cannot be modified in the field by the user. Operation must be compliant with coun-try-specific restrictions. The available formats are:•ISM: 902–928 MHz band•GSM: 915–928 MHz band•SPLIT: 902-907.5 and 915-928 MHz bands•CHANNELS: 902–928 MHz, individual channels selectable within this range•Skip Zones (Only applies to iNET. Editable at AP Only.)—This selection brings up a submenu discussed in Skip Zones Menu on Page 55.•Auto Data Rate Configuration—This selection brings up a submenu as shown in Figure 2-28. For the settings in this submenu to have any effect, the Data Rate menu item (Page 52) must be set to AUTO. 2.5.2 Channel Config MenuThe Channel Configuration menu displays the utilization of channels in the 902–928 MHz range. This selection is available only on iNET-II or specially provisioned iNET units. The radio hops only on the channels selected in this menu.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-64.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 57Invisible place holderFigure 2-28. Auto Data Rate Submenu•ADR RSSI Threshold—A specified received signal strength value, which, if exceeded by the range of the RSSI Delta set-ting, causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [-50 to -100; -87 dBm]•ADR RSSI Delta—A user-specified difference from the RSSI Threshold figure which, if exceeded, causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [0-10; 5]•ADR SNR Threshold—A user-specified signal-to-noise ratio, which, if exceeded by the range of the SNR Delta setting, causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [10-30; 26]•ADR SNR Delta—A user-specified difference from the SNR Threshold figure which, if exceeded, causes a data rate change in the transceiver. [0-10; 2]NOTE: In the description below, “high speed” refers to 512 kbps forthe iNET radio and 1 Mbps for the iNET-II radio.“Standard speed” refers to 256 kbps for the iNET radio and512 kbps for the iNET-II.Using the example of Figure 2-28, assume the current RSSI is -87 dBm. An RSSI reduction of more than 5 dBm (more negative RSSI number) would cause a data rate change from high speed to standard speed. Once the data speed has changed to standard speed, an RSSI increase to the level of -82 dBm would be required for the radio to switch back to high speed. This provides an operational “window” or hysteresis range over which the data speed stays constant despite minor changes in signal strength.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-67.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 59•Mobility Mode—Selects whether or not mobility-specific param-eters are active. [enabled, disabled; disabled]•Blacklist Timer—Sets/displays the number of seconds an AP stays on the blacklist after association is lost. [10-120; 10]•Settling Timer—Sets/displays the number of seconds the radio waits before evaluating the signal quality of a newly acquired AP. [5-120; 10]After association is lost with an AP, and scanning for an alternate AP is started, the former AP is placed on a “blacklist” to avoid linking imme-diately back to the same AP. If no alternate AP is found, a link will be attempted with the same AP as before.An Access Point is added to the blacklist when the Remote detects that the RSSI has dropped below the RSSI Threshold set in the Radio Config-uration menu and should try to find an alternate AP to connect to.An Access Point is removed from the blacklist table when it has been in the table longer than the time set by the Blacklist Timer. Additional Considerations for Mobile OperationThe following key points should be considered for all mobile installa-tions:• Use middleware—The use of middleware in the mobile laptops is highly recommended for better operation of a mobile data system. GE MDS provides middleware from one of the vendors in this mar-ket. Contact your GE MDS representative for details.• Plan your network coverage—Deploy Access Points so that they provide overlapping coverage to each other. Access Points must use the same network name to enable roaming• Set the Remote radios to the lower speed (512 kbps for iNET-II, 256 kbps for iNET) to optimize coverage• Set the RSSI Threshold to -85 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 a good user experi-ence and continuous coverage.At Every Mobile (Remote) Radio•Fragmentation Threshold [256]—Set to a small value. This param-eter defines the size of the message packets transmitted over the wireless media. These fragments are reconstructed into the orig-inal packet before delivery to the external device at the remote end of the link. In a mobile environment with rapidly changing conditions, setting this value to a minimum value improves the probability of packets being sent complete on the first try.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-69.png)
![60 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HAt Every AP RadioParameter settings that should be reviewed for AP radios providing ser-vice to mobile remotes:•Compression [disabled]—Disable radio compression. Data com-pression is best performed by the middleware running on the mobile laptop PC. Gains in efficiency are made because middle-ware compresses data at a higher stack level, and it aggregates multiple data frames and streams into a single packet. Compres-sion at the radio level, although highly efficient, works at the individual packet level.•Dwell Time [Set to the minimum value]—This setting controls the amount of time that the unit spends on each frequency between hops. Although overall throughput appears to decrease by this setting the effects of multipath fading are minimized through frequency diversity.•Beacon Period [Set to the fastest value]—This parameter defines the interval at which the Access Point transmits a synchroniza-tion beacon to all remotes. A faster setting minimizes resyn-chronization times when remote radios roam between access points or in highly interrupted coverage areas (dense buildings, for example).•RTS Threshold [0 -1600 bytes]—Enable RTS flow at a small value. This setting is a wireless equivalent to RTS/CTS flow control in a wired communications circuit. This mechanism prevents packet collisions caused by the “Hidden Node” scenario, in which remotes can’t hear each other before transmitting. When this value is set below 100 or above 1500, it is effectively dis-abled.2.6 CONFIGURING THE SERIAL PORTS2.6.1 OverviewThe 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 remote devices. Two common scenarios are PC applications using IP to talk to remote devices, and serial PC applica-tions talking to remote serial devices over an IP network.Essentially the same data services are available for both serial ports: COM1 and COM2. Note that the transceiver’s COM1 port is DCE and COM2 is DTE. Therefore, if the RTU to be connected is also DTE, then a null-modem cable will need to be used when connecting to COM2.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-70.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 65•IP Protocol—Point to Multipoint [TCP, UDP PPP; TCP]. This is the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server.•Multicast IP Address (used instead of Local IP Address when using UDP Point-to-Multipoint.)— Must be configured with a valid Class D IP address (224.0.0.0–239.255.255.255). IP packets received with a matching destination address will be processed by this unit [Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0].•Multicast 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; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]•Local 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; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]•Time to Live (TTL)—An IP parameter defining the number of hops that the packet is allowed to traverse. Every router in the path will decrement this counter by one.•Packet Redundancy Mode— For proper operation, all radios’ Serial Packet Redundancy mode must match (Single Packet mode vs. Packet Repeat mode). This is because a transceiver, when in Packet Repeat mode, sends 12 extra characters (sequence numbers, etc.) to control the delivery of the repeated data. Misconfigurations can result in undesired operation.•Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in bits-per-second. [1,200–115,200; 19200] •Configuration—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]•Flow Control [Com2 Only]—RTS/CTS handshaking between the transceiver and the connected device. [Enable, Disable; Dis-abled]•Serial Mode—When seamless mode is selected data bytes entering the serial data port are sent over the radio link with-out delay, but the receiving end will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst-case gaps in trans-mission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This permits operation with protocols such as MODBUS™ that do not allow gaps in their data transmission. [Seamless, Custom; Seamless]•Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Amount of time (in number of characters) that signal the end of a message (inter-character time-out). UDP packet sizes are delimited and sent out based on the Seamless Inter-Frame Delay only when receiving data through the serial port. MODBUS defines a “3.5-character” setting. [1–65,535; 4]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-75.png)
![66 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HTIP: To convert this delay into milliseconds, multiply the number of characters configured here by 10 (there are usu-ally 10 bits in each byte) and divide the result by the data rate of the serial port (in kbps).•Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port. [16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.) Invisible place holderFigure 2-32. UDP Point-to-Point MenuUse UDP point-to-point configuration to send information to a single device.•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •IP Protocol—UDP Point-to-Point. This is the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]•Remote IP Address—Data received through the serial port is sent to this IP address. To reach multiple Remotes in the net-work, use UDP Point-to-Multipoint. [Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Remote IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets received through the serial port on the transceiver. [1–64,000; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]•Local IP Port—Port number where data is received and passed through to the serial port. This port number must be used by the application connecting to this transceiver. [1–64,000; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-76.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 67•Packet Redundancy Mode— For proper operation, all radios’ Serial Packet Redundancy mode must match (Single Packet mode vs. Packet Repeat mode). This is because a transceiver, when in Packet Repeat mode, sends 12 extra characters (sequence numbers, etc.) to control the delivery of the repeated data. Misconfigurations can result in undesired operation.•Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in bits-per-second. [1,200–115,200; 19200] •Configuration—Formatting of data bytes. Data bits, parity and stop bits [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1].•Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between the transceiver and the connected device.[Enable, Disable; Disabled]•Serial Mode— When seamless mode is selected, data bytes will be sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in transmission. The delay intro-duced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This mode of operation is required for protocols such as MOD-BUS™ that do not allow gaps in their data transmission. [Seamless, Custom; Seamless]•Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that repre-sent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MOD-BUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [1–65,535; 4]•Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port. [16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.)](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-77.png)
![68 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H2.6.4 Configuring for TCP ModeInvisible place holderFigure 2-33. TCP Client Menu (Remote)•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •IP Protocol—TCP Client. This is the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]•Primary Host Address—The IP address to be used as a destina-tion for data received through the serial port.[Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Primary IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets received through the serial port on the transceiver.[Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]•Secondary Host Address—The IP address to be used as a desti-nation for data received through the serial port in case the pri-mary host address is not available.[Any legal IP address; 0.0.0.0]•Secondary IP Port—The destination IP port for data packets received through the serial port on the transceiver used along with the secondary host address above.[Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]•Client Inactivity Timeout (sec)—Amount of time (in seconds) that the transceiver will wait for data before terminating the TCP session. [0–600; 600]•Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in bits-per-second. [1,200–115,200; 19200] •Configuration—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, par-ity and stop bits [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1].•Flow Control [Com2 Only]—RTS/CTS handshaking between the transceiver and the connected device.[Enable, Disable; Disabled]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-78.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 69•Serial Mode— If data buffering is Enabled, the radio will oper-ate in seamless mode. Data bytes will be sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in trans-mission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This mode of operation is required for protocols such as MODBUS™ and some variants which do not allow gaps in their data transmission.[Seamless, Custom; Seamless]•Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that repre-sent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MOD-BUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter.[1–65,535; 4]•Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port. [16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.) Invisible place holderFigure 2-34. TCP Server Menu (AP)•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •IP Protocol—TCP Server. This is the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]•Local Listening IP Port—Receive IP data from this source and pass it through to the connected serial device. The port num-ber must be used by the application connecting to local TCP or UDP socket.[Any valid IP port; COM1: 30010, COM2: 30011]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-79.png)
![70 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•Data Baud Rate—Data rate (payload) for the COM port in bits-per-second. [1,200–115,200; 19200] •Configuration—Interface signaling parameters. Data bits, par-ity and stop bits [7N1, 7E1, 7O1, 8N1, 8E1, 8O1, 8N1, 7N2, 7E2, 7O2, 8N2, 8E2, 8O2; 8N1].•Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between the transceiver and the connected device.[Enable, Disable; Disabled]•Serial Mode— If data buffering is Enabled, the radio will oper-ate in seamless mode. Data bytes will be sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in trans-mission. The delay introduced by data buffering may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This mode of operation is required for protocols such as MODBUS™ and some variants which do not allow gaps in their data transmission. [Seamless, Custom; Seamless]•Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that repre-sent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MOD-BUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [1–65,535; 4]•Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port. [16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.)2.6.5 Configuring for PPP ModeInvisible place holderFigure 2-35. PPP Menu](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-80.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 71•Status—Enable/Disable the serial data port. •IP Protocol—PPP. This is the type of IP port that will be offered by the transceiver’s serial device server. [TCP, UDP, PPP; TCP]•Device IP Address—IP address that will be assigned to the dialing device once the connection is established. [0.0.0.0]•Data Baud—The baud rate of the serial port of the transceiver to which the external device is connected.[1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200; 19200]•Configuration—Byte format of the serial port [7N1, 7E1, 701, 7N2, 7E2, 702, 8N1, 801, 8N2, 8E2, 802; 8N1]•Flow Control (COM2 only)—RTS/CTS handshaking between the transceiver and the connected device. [Enable, Disable; Disabled]•Serial Mode—When seamless mode is selected, data bytes will be sent over the air as quickly as possible, but the receiver will buffer the data until enough bytes have arrived to cover worst case gaps in transmission. The delay introduced by data buffer-ing may range from 22 to 44 ms, but the radio will not create any gaps in the output data stream. This mode of operation is required for protocols such as MODBUS™ that do not allow gaps in their data transmission. [Seamless, Custom; Seamless]•Seamless Inter-Frame Delay— Number of characters that represent the end of a message (inter-character time-out). MODBUS defines a “3.5-character” parameter. [1–65,535; 4]•Custom Data Buffer Size (Custom Packet Mode only)—Maxi-mum amount of characters, that the Remote end will buffer locally before starting to transmit data through the serial port. [16, 32, 64, 128, 256; 32]•Commit Changes and Exit Wizard—Save and execute changes made on this screen (Shown only after changes have been entered.)A PPP session shows the following possible states:•Sending LCP Requests—The PPP server is querying for any cli-ents that need to connect.•Link Established—A successful PPP connection has been negoti-ated and an IP address is assigned.•Port not Enabled—The serial port is disabled.2.6.6 IP-to-Serial Application ExampleYou have a choice to use UDP or TCP to establish communications. This will depend 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 illus-trate 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 will be sent out through the IP socket and vice versa, until the](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-81.png)
![78 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HConfiguring for Operation with VLANFigure 2-41. Network Interface Configuration Menu•VLAN Status—When enabled, the transceiver uses an 802.1Q frame structure.•Data VLAN ID—Defines the VLAN ID assigned to the traffic that is directed to and from the transceiver’s Ethernet port and the terminal server process. The transceiver uses this VLAN ID for filtering and tagging purposes. [1-4094; 3]•Management VLAN Mode—Defines whether frames belonging to the management VLAN are tagged or untagged [Native].•Config Management IP—Opens the Configuration Management IP menu.•Config Data IP—Opens the Configuration Management IP menu.2.7 CYBER SECURITY CONFIGURATIONThe cyber security features of the transceiver are grouped into three gen-eral areas: controlling access to the radio itself for configuration and management purpose (Device Security), controlling how and when radios communicate with each other, as well as how data traffic is han-dled (Wireless Security) and a special section dealing with authentica-tion and authorization using a central server (RADIUS Configuration). Figure 2-42 shows the Security Configuration Menu, which is the entry point for these categories.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-88.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 79Figure 2-42. Security Configuration Menu(Access Point Version Shown)2.7.1 Device SecurityThis group of features controls how the radios can be accessed either locally or remotely for configuration and management.Invisible place holderFigure 2-43. Device Security Menu•User Auth Method— Defines whether username and password is verified locally or via a central server. [Local, RADIUS; Local]•User Auth Fallback— Defines the alternate authentication mode in case the authentication server is not available.[Local, None; Local]•User Password—Local password for this unit. Used at log-in via COM1 Port, Telnet, SSH and Web browser. [Up to 8 alphanumeric characters without spaces (case-sensitive); admin]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-89.png)
![80 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HTIP: 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 eight), the more secure the password will be. These strategies help protect against sophisticated hackers who may use a database of common words (for example, dictionary attacks) to determine a password.•SNMP Mode—This specifies the mode of operation of the radio’s SNMP Agent. 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.[disabled, v1_only, v2_only, v3_only, v1-v2, v1-v2-v3; v1-v2-v3]•Telnet Access—Controls remote access through Telnet sessions on Port 23 [Enabled, Disabled; Enabled]•SSH Access— Controls remote access through SSH (Secure Shell) sessions on Port 22 [Enabled, Disabled; Enabled]•HTTP Mode— Controls remote access through HTTP sessions on Ports 80 and 443. Selecting HTTPS forces secure connections to Port 443. When HTTP Mode is disabled, access through HTTP or HTTPS is not allowed. [Disabled, HTTP, HTTPS; HTTP]•HTTP Auth Mode—Selects the method of HTTP log-in authenti-cation. This parameter functions only when HTTP is selected in the previous menu item. Although the Basic Auth mode requests a password, the actual password text is transmitted in the clear (unencrypted). [Basic Auth, MD5 Digest; Basic Auth]2.7.2 Wireless SecurityThe features in the Wireless Security menu control the communication of data across the wireless link. The radios can be authenticated locally via a list of authorized radios, or remotely via a centralized RADIUS server. RADIUS is a centralized authentication mechanism based on standards.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-90.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 81Invisible place holderFigure 2-44. Wireless Security Menu•Device Auth Method—Controls whether device authentication is executed locally, via a central server, or not at all. Selecting Local uses the Approved Remotes List described later in this manual. [None, Local, RADIUS; None]•Encryption— When enabled, it forces the transceiver to use AES-128 encryption (RC4-128 on iNET) on all over-the-air messages. This option requires the Encryption Phrase to be pre-viously configured. Both the AP and the Remote radios must use the same encryption phrase. (Some units may not be autho-rized to use encryption. “See “Authorization Keys Menu” on Page 108” for additional details.) [Enabled, Disabled; Disabled]•Auto Key Rotation—When enabled, it forces the transceiver to use the key rotation algorithm to generate a new encryption key after 500 kilobytes of information has been transmitted, or one hour has elapsed. [Enabled, Disabled; Disabled]•Approved Access Points/Remotes List —Displays a menu to man-age the list of other radios with which this unit will be permitted to communicate.•Encryption Phrase—Phrase (text & numbers) that will be used by the encryption algorithm.[8 to 29 alphanumeric characters; Blank]•Force Key Rotation— It triggers an immediate key rotation of the encryption keys before the internal counters do it automatically.Local Authentication—Approved Remotes/Access Points List SubmenuSetting the Device Auth Method to Local forces the transceiver to check the Approved AP List before a radio link can be established. In the case of a Remote, the AP must be in the Approved Access Points List before it accepts the beacon as being valid. In the case of an AP, a Remote must be in the Approved Remotes List to be granted authorization. Before enabling this option, at least one entry must already exist in the Approved AP/Remotes List.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-91.png)
![82 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HThis menu is the same for both Access Points and Remotes and the names change to reflect their mode. Replace “Remotes” with Access Points” in the following description.NOTE: The limit for Remotes (in an Access Point radio) is 255. Thelimit for Access Points (in a Remote radio) is 104. Figure 2-45. Approved Remotes List Menu•Add Remote—Enter MAC address of Remote.[Any valid 6-digit hexadecimal MAC address; 00:00:00:00:00:00] •Delete Remote—Enter MAC address of Remote. For security purposes, you may want to 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) of all Remotes from current list.•View Approved Remotes—Simple listing of approved Remotes by MAC address, of radios authorized to join this AP. If a Remote is not in this list, it will not be able to associate with this AP.•Save Changes—Saves all changes made during the session with this menu. Changes are implemented only if they are “saved” before exiting this menu.2.7.3 RADIUS ConfigurationThis section covers the authentication settings needed for the iNET radios to access the RADIUS server, which is used for Device Level Security and for Wireless Access Security. GE MDS does not provide the RADIUS server software.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-92.png)
![84 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H2.7.4 RADIUS ConfigurationInvisible place holderFigure 2-46. RADIUS Configuration Menu•Server IP Address—Used to set/display address of the Server where the RADIUS application resides. •Server IP port—1812 is the standard port for authentication (RFC 2865, June 2000), but this setting may be changed if necessary to any number between 1 and 65535. [1-65535; 1812]•Shared Secret—User authentication and Device authentication require a common shared secret to complete a RADIUS trans-action. This entry must match the string used to configure the appropriate files on the RADIUS Server.•User Auth Mode—Should be set to PAP or CHAP depending on the configuration of the server.NOTE: CHAP is more secure than PAP. PAP may display the loginpassword in log files at the RADIUS Server while CHAP willencrypt the login password.NOTE: The security password may not exceed 40 characters in length.2.7.5 Certificate Management (Remote transceivers only)Use Certificate generation software to generate certificate files and then install these files into each Remote unit via TFTP. 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 will be installed in.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-94.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 85Invisible place holderFigure 2-47. Manage Certificates Menu(NOTE: The appearance of this screen differs from the others because a different terminal program was used; Menu content is the same regardless of program.)•Server IP Address—the IP address of the Server where the RADIUS application resides.•TFTP Timeout should be set appropriately according to the layout of the network.Three certificate files (Root, 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 Filename—Used to specify the filename of the certifi-cate file residing on the TFTP server.•Certificate Type—Selects one of the three file types mentioned above. [Root Certificate, Client Certificate, Private Key Certificate; Root Certificate]•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, it will render the Remote un-authenticated fordata traffic. Consult your RADIUS network administrator ifissues arise.2.8 PERFORMANCE VERIFICATIONAfter the basic operation of the radio has been checked, you may wish to optimize the network’s performance using some of the following sug-gestions. The effectiveness of these techniques will vary with the design of your system and the format of the data being sent.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-95.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 89obtains the time and date from a Time Server. This server can generally be provided by a standard Windows PC server SNTP application. In the absence of the SNTP services, the user must manually enter it at the Access Point. (See “Device Information” on Page 35 for SNTP server identification.) The manually set time and date clock is dependent on the unit’s primary power. A loss of power will reset the clock to January 1, 2002 but will not affect previously stored error events.Figure 2-50. Event Log Menu •Current Alarms (Telnet/Terminal only)—View list of root causes that have placed the Device Status in the alarmed state. (See “Alarm Conditions” on Page 120)•View Log—View a list of events stored in the current log. Some of these events are stored in volatile memory and will be erased with a loss of power. The events are numbered for easier iden-tification and navigation.•Clear Log—Purges the log of all eventsTIP: Save your Event Log before choosing to clear it in order to retain potentially valuable troubleshooting information. (See “Upgrading the Firmware” on Page 102 for an over-view on how to transfer files from the transceiver to a com-puter on the network using TFTP.)•Send Log (Telnet/Terminal only)—Initiate TFTP transfer of the unit’s event Event Log in a plain text (ASCII) file to a TFTP server at the remote location.•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]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-99.png)
![90 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•Filename (Telnet/Terminal only)—Name to be given to the Event Log file sent to the TFTP server for archiving. [Any 40-char alphanumeric string; Blank]NOTE: You may want to change the filename to reflect the type of log you intend to archive and/or its date. •TFTP Time-out (Telnet/Terminal only)—Time in seconds the TFTP server will wait for a packet ACK (acknowledgment) from the transceiver before canceling the file transfer.[10 to 120 seconds; 10]•Syslog Server—IP address to which alarms are sent using the sys-log message format. [Any valid IP address; 0.0.0.0]View Current AlarmsMost events, classified as “critical” will make the PWR LED blink, and will inhibit normal operation of the transceiver. The LED will remain blinking until the corrective action has been completed.An alarm condition is different from a log event in the sense that an alarm is persistent in nature. That is, an alarm condition remains as an alarm until it has been cleared by correcting the cause (see Table 3-6 on Page 122 for corrective action).Figure 2-51. Current Alarms Screen](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-100.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 101taken off-line until you want to operate the unit from the newly installed firmware image.Firmware images are available free-of-charge at:www.GEmds.com/service/technical/supportNOTE: GE MDS iNET firmware may not be installed in GE MDSiNET-II radios, or vice-versa.NOTE: When upgrading to firmware 6.0.0 or later, the unit createsinternal files following the first reboot. This one-time processdelays the response of the HTTP interface for 5-10 minutes. IfDC power is cycled (turned off and back on) during thisprocess, the files will have to be created again. It is recom-mended that you wait until this 5-10 minute process iscomplete before verifying operation of HTTP, HTTPS, orSSH.NOTE: Always read the release notes for downloaded firmware. Someversions may not be compatible over the air, or with the partic-ular unit you have.Figure 2-63. Reprogramming Menu(Shown with “Image Copy” Selected)•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.•Filename—Name of file to be received by the TFTP server.[Any 40-character alphanumeric string] Verify that this corresponds to the TFTP directory location. May require sub-directory, for example: \firmware\inet\inet-4_4_0.ipk.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-111.png)
![102 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H•TFTP Timeout—Time in seconds the TFTP server will wait for a packet ACK (acknowledgment) from the transceiver before canceling the file transfer. [2 to 60 seconds; 10]•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 firmware file held in unit.•Image Copy—Initiate the copying of the active firmware into the inactive image.•Reboot Device—Initiate rebooting the transceiver. This will interrupt data traffic through this unit, and the network if per-formed on an Access Point. Intended to be used to toggle between firmware images.NOTE: See “Upgrading the Firmware” on Page 102 for details on setting up the TFTP server.Upgrading the FirmwareFirmware images are available free-of-charge at:www.GEmds.com/service/technical/supportNOTE: GE MDS iNET firmware may not be installed in GE MDSiNET-II radios, or vice-versa.To install firmware by TFTP, you will 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 Sys-tems’ Configuration menu. (See “Network Configuration Menu” on Page 37.)A TFTP server is available on the GE MDS Web site at:www.GEmds.com/service/technical/support/downloads.asp 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 upgrade. Figure 2-64 and Figure 2-65 show two variations. It is essen-tial all of the equipment be on the same subnet.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-112.png)
![106 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HFigure 2-66. Configuration Scripts Menu•TFTP Host Address—IP address of the computer on which the TFTP server resides. [Any valid IP address]•Filename—Name of file containing this unit’s configuration pro-file that will be transferred to the TFTP server. The configura-tion information will be in a plain-text ASCII format.[Any 40-character alphanumeric string] May require a sub-direc-tory, for example: config\inet-config.txt. (See “Configuration Scripts Menu” on Page 105 for more information.)NOTE: The filename field is used to identify the desired incoming fileand as the name of the file being exported to the TFTP server.Before exporting a unit’s configuration, you may want to nameit in a way that reflects the radio’s services or other identifica-tion.•TFTP Timeout—Time in seconds the TFTP server will wait for a packet ACK (acknowledgment) from the transceiver before suspending the file transfer. [10 to 120 seconds; 10]•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 “Upgrading the Firmware” on Page 102 for details onsetting up the TFTP server.Sample of Configuration Script FileA sample configuration script file is provided as part of every firmware release. The name of the file is followed by the revision number. For example, the sample file for firmware revision 2.1.0 is: inet2-config-2_1_0.txt.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-116.png)
![108 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H2.9.3 Authorization Keys MenuFigure 2-67. Authorization Key Menu•Authorization Key—Initiate the entering of an Authorization Key into the transceiver’s non-volatile memory.•Authorized Features—List of authorized features available for use [enabled, disabled]. GE MDS iNET-II radios will show an additional selection called Encryption under Authorized Features.2.9.4 Change the Type of RemoteEnter the serial number of the unit to be changed in the Auth Key field to turn a Serial Gateway Remote into an Ethernet Bridge Remote, or vice-versa.2.9.5 Auto-Upgrade/Remote-Reboot MenuNOTE: This menu is only available when GE MDS NETview MS keyis enabled.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-118.png)
![110 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. HNOTE: The filename is case sensitive.3. Perform the firmware download.2.9.6 Radio Test MenuUsing this menu, you can manually key the radio transmitter to make measurements of antenna performance. (See “Antenna Aiming” on Page 141 for details.)Figure 2-69. Radio Test MenuShown with Test Mode set to ONNOTE : Use of the Test Mode will disrupt traffic through the radio. Ifthe unit is an Access Point, it will disrupt traffic through theentire network.Test Mode function is automatically limited to 10 minutes andshould only be used for brief measurement of transmit power.It may also be manually reset to continue with the testing orturned off.•Test Mode—Controls access to the transceiver’s suite of tools. [ON, OFF; OFF]•Frequency—Set radio operating frequency during the testing period to a single frequency. [915.0000 MHz]•TX Output Power—Temporarily overrides the power level set-ting in the Radio Configuration Menu. [20]•TxKey—Manually key the radio transmitter for power mea-surements. [Enable, Disable; Disable]](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-120.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 111•RSSI—Incoming received signal strength on frequency entered in the frequency parameter on this screen (–dBm). This RSSI measurement is updated more frequently than the RSSI by Zone display of the Performance Information menu. Note that for the GE MDS iNET, the RSSI is an average of the RSSI samples. The RSSI value is reset every time the radio returns to scanning mode.2.9.7 Ping Utility MenuFigure 2-70. Ping Utility Menu•IP Addr—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).•Go—Send PING packets to address shown on screen.Screen will be replaced with detailed report of PING activity. Press any key after viewing the results to return to this menu.2.9.8 Reset to Factory DefaultsTo reset all transceiver parameters back to the factory defaults, including the password, you must enter a special code (authorization key) provided by the factory in place of the user name at the time of login. This procedure is useful when several parameters have been modified, and there is no track of changes. It causes the transceiver to return to a known state.Password ResetAs part of the reset action the transceiver’s password is reverted to the default value of admin. As a security measure, this event causes all radio parameters to return to the factory default settings, including zone skip-ping (as applicable), baud rate settings, network name, security phrase, etc.](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-121.png)
![156 iNET Series Reference Manual 05-2806A01, Rev. H5.1.2 COM1 PortTo connect a PC to the transceiver’s COM1 port use a DB-9M to DB-9F “straight-through” cable. These cables are available commercially, or may be constructed using the pinout information in Figure 5-2 and Table 5-2.Figure 5-2. COM1 Port (DCE)(Viewed from the outside of the unit.) 5.1.3 COM2 PortTo connect a PC to the transceiver’s COM2 port use a DB-9F to DB-9M “straight-through” cable. These cables are available commercially, or may be constructed using the pinout information in Figure 5-3 and Table 5-3.Figure 5-3. COM2 Port (DTE)Viewed from the outside of the radioTable 5-2. 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 UnusedTable 5-3. COM2 Port, DB-9M/EIA-232 InterfacePin Functions DTE1 Data Carrier Detect (DCD) In]<—2 Receive Data (RXD) In]<—3 Transmit Data (TXD) Out]—>4 Data Terminal Ready (DTR) Out]—>5 Signal Ground (GND)15965169](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-166.png)
![05-2806A01, Rev. H iNET Series Reference Manual 1575.2 FUSE REPLACEMENT PROCEDUREAn internal fuse protects the transceiver from over-current conditions or an internal component failure. It should not be replaced until you are certain you are in a safe (non-flammable) environment.1. Disconnect the primary power source and all other connections to the unit.2. Place the radio on its back and remove the four Phillips screws on the bottom cover.3. Carefully separate the top and bottom covers. There is a flat ribbon cable between the top cover’s LEDs and the unit motherboard. You do not need to disconnect the ribbon cable.4. Locate the fuse and fuse holder between the COM1 port and the power connector. See Figure 5-4 for details.5. Loosen the fuse from the holder using a very small screwdriver. Use a small pair of needle-nose pliers to pull the fuse straight up and remove it.6. Using an Ohmmeter, or other continuity tester, verify the fuse is blown.7. Install a new fuse by reversing the process.Littelfuse P/N: 0454002; 452 Series, 2 Amp SMF Slo-BloGE MDS P/N: 29-1784A036 Data Set Ready (DSR) In]<—7 Request-to-Send (RTS) Out]—>8 Clear-to-Send (CTS) In]<—9 UnusedTable 5-3. COM2 Port, DB-9M/EIA-232 InterfacePin Functions DTE](https://usermanual.wiki/GE-MDS/DS-NH900.user-manual/User-Guide-919099-Page-167.png)
