Understanding RF Fundamentals and The Radio Design of Wireless Networks

Understanding RF Fundamentals and the Radio Design of Wireless Networks
Fred Niehaus
Technical Marketing Engineer WNBU BRKEWN-3016
BRKEWN-3016
2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
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Session Abstract
This advanced session focuses on the deep-dive understanding of the often overlooked Radio Frequency part of the design and deployment of a Wireless LAN Network. It discusses 802.11 Radio, MIMO, Access Points and antenna placements, when to use a DAS system, antenna patterns It covers the main environments such as carpeted offices, campuses and conference centers, and it provides feedback based on lessons learned from challenging deployments such as outdoor/stadium/rail deployments and manufacturing areas.
BRKEWN-3016 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public
Session Agenda Objectives

What is radio how did we get here? Basic 802.11 Radio Hardware & Terminology 802.11 Antenna Basics Single & Diversity Antennas Interpreting antenna patterns Cisco Richfield Facility Diversity, Multipath, 802.11n RF characteristics DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems) overview Choosing the right Access Point Survey Tools
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What We Wont Be Covering

Wireless Security Clean-air (separate session for that)
WIDS/WIPS (Wireless Intrusion Prevention Service)

High density deployments (separate session for that) LBS (Location Base Services) Walled garden, captive portals WLAN management
802.11n beyond RF characteristics
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What Is Radio?
How Did We End Up on These Frequencies?
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Basic Understanding of Radio
AC Frequency 60 Hz or 60 CPS Cycles Per Second
Battery is DC Direct Current
Typical home is AC Alternating Current
Waves travel back and forth so fast they leave the wire
How fast the AC current goes is its frequency AC is very low frequency 60 Hz (Cycles Per Second) Radio waves are measured in kHz, MHz and GHz The lower the frequency the physically longer the radio wave Higher frequencies have much shorter waves as such take more power to move them greater distances. This is why 2.4 GHz goes further then 5 GHz (given same amount of RF power)
BRKEWN-3016 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Popular Radio Frequencies:

AM Radio 1100 kHz (1.100 MHz) Shortwave 3-30 MHz FM Radio 88-108 MHz Weather Radio 162.40 MHz Cellular Phones 800-900 MHz Wi-Fi 802.11b/g 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11a 5 GHz
Vintage RF Transmitter
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A Radio Needs a Proper Antenna

As the frequency goes up the radiating element gets smaller
Cisco antennas are identified by color Blue indicates 5 GHz Black indicates 2.4 GHz
Omni-Directional antennas like the one on the left, radiate much like a raw light bulb would everywhere in all directions
Directional antennas like this Patch antenna radiate forward like placing tin foil behind the light bulb or tilting the lamp shade Note: Same RF energy is used but results in greater range as its focused at the cost of other coverage areas
Antennas are custom made for the frequency to be used. Some antennas have two elements to allow for both frequencies in one antenna housing
Complex Modulation Schemes

Radio technology has a lot in common with that old twisted pair phone line that started out at 300 baud and then quickly increased In order to get faster data rates, (throughput) into the radio signal, complex modulation schemes as QPSK or 64 bit QAM is used. Generally speaking, the faster the data rate the more powerful signal needs to be at the receiver to be decoded.
Take-away here is that 802.11n is a method of using special modulation techniques and *not* specific to a frequency like 2.4 or 5 GHz 802.11n can be used in either band
Example of 802.11n Modulation Coding Schemes
QAM or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation is one of the fastest modulation types actually sending two signals that are out of phase with each other and then somehow putting all the pieces back together for even greater throughput. This is one of the advantages of 802.11n
The Radio Spectrum in the US
Source US Department of Commerce http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/allochrt.PDF

Wi-Fi Radio Spectrum

The first frequencies available for Wi-Fi use was in the 2.4 GHz range As Wi-Fi popularity and usage increased the FCC allocated additional spectrum in the 5 GHz band.
2.4 GHz 5 GHz
Wi-Fi is unlicensed so it doesnt show up in the overall spectrum allocation as a service But it has beginnings in the ISM (industrial Scientific Medical) band where it was not desirable or profitable to license such short range devices.
The spectrum we use today is also used by Amateur (Ham Radio) and other services such as radio location (radar). There is more bandwidth in 5 GHz and mechanisms are in place to co-exist with services such as radar
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Wi-Fi Radio Spectrum
The 2.4 GHz spectrum has only 3 non-overlapping channels 1,6 and 11 (US) There are plenty of channels in the 5 GHz spectrum and they do not overlap 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz are different portions of the radio band and usually require separate antennas Most if not all 5 GHz devices also have support for 2.4 GHz however there are still many 2.4 GHz only devices.
Even today many portable devices in use are limited to 2.4 GHz only including newer devices but this is changing 802.11b/g is 2.4 GHz 802.11a is 5 GHz 802.11n (can be either band) 2.4 or 5 GHz
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Basic 802.11 RF Terminology

Hardware Identification
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Common RF terms
Attenuation a loss in force or intensity As radio waves travel in media such as coaxial cable attenuation occurs. BER Bit Error Rate - the fraction of bits transmitted that are received incorrectly. Channel Bonding act of combining more than one channel for additional bandwidth dBd abbreviation for the gain of an antenna system relative to a dipole dBi abbreviation for the gain of an antenna system relative to an isotropic antenna dBm decibels milliwatt -- abbreviation for the power ratio in decibels (dB) of the measured power referenced to one milliwatt of transmitted RF power. Isotropic antenna theoretical ideal antenna used as a reference for expressing power in logarithmic form. MRC Maximal Ratio Combining a method that combines signals from multiple antennas taking into account factors such as signal to noise ratio to decode the signal with the best possible Bit Error Rate. Multipath refers to a reflected signal that combines with a true signal resulting in a weaker or some cases a stronger signal. mW milliwatt a unit of power equal to one thousandth of a watt (usually converted to dBm) Noise Floor The measure of the signal created from the sum of all the noise sources and unwanted signals appearing at the receiver. This can be adjacent signals, weak signals in the background that dont go away, electrical noise from electromechanical devices etc. Receiver Sensitivity The minimum received power needed to successfully decode a radio signal with an acceptable BER. This is usually expressed in a negative number depending on the data rate. For example the AP-1140 Access Point requires an RF strength of at least negative -91 dBm at 1 MB and an even higher strength higher RF power -79 dBm to decode 54 MB Receiver Noise Figure The internal noise present in the receiver with no antenna present (thermal noise). SNR Signal to Noise Ratio The ratio of the transmitted power from the AP to the ambient (noise floor) energy present. TxBF Transmit beam forming the ability to transmit independent and separately encoded data signals, so-called streams, from each of the multiple transmit antennas
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Identifying RF Connectors
RP-TNC Connector
Used on most Cisco Access Points
RP-SMA Connector
Used on some Linksys Products
N Connector
Used on the 1520 Mesh and 1400 Bridge
SMA Connector
Pig tail type cable assemblies
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Identifying Different Cable Types
LMR- 400 Foil & shield LMR 1200
Leaky Coax shield cut away on one side

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Antenna Cables LMR Series

This is a chart depicting different types of Times Microwave LMR Series coaxial cable. Cisco uses Times Microwave cable and has standardized on two types: Cisco Low Loss (LMR-400) and Cisco Ultra Low Loss (LMR-600). LMR-600 is recommended when longer cable distances are required Larger cables can be used but connectors are difficult to find and install
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Antenna Cables
LMR-400 is 3/8 inch Cisco Low Loss LMR-600 is inch Cisco Ultra Low Loss
Trivia: LMR Stands for Land Mobile Radio

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Antenna Cables Plenum

Plenum is the air-handling space that is found above drop ceiling tiles or below floors. Because of fire regulations this type of cable must burn with low smoke The 3 Ft white cable attached to most Cisco antennas is plenum rated. Our outdoor cable (black) is not Plenum
If the cable is ORANGE in color it is usually Plenum Rated.
Plenum cable is more expensive
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802.11 Antenna Basics
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Antenna Basics
Antenna - a device which radiates and/or receives radio signals Antennas are usually designed to operate at a specific frequency Wide-Band antennas can support additional frequencies but its a trade-off and usually not with the same type of performance. Antenna Gain is characterized using dBd or dBi
Antenna gain can be measured in decibels against a reference antenna called a dipole and the unit of measure is dBd (d for dipole) Antenna gain can be measured in decibels against a computer modeled antenna called an isotropic dipole <ideal antenna> and the unit of measure is dBi (i for isotropic dipole) (computer modeled ideal antenna)
WiFi antennas are typically rated in dBi.

dBi is a HIGHER value (marketing folks like higher numbers)
Conventional radio (Public safety) tend to use a dBd rating.

To convert dBd to dBi simply add 2.14 so a 3 dBd = 5.14 dBi Again dBd is decibel dipole, dBi is decibel isotropic.
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How Does a Omni-Directional Dipole Radiate?

The radio signal leaves the center wire using the ground wire (shield) as a counterpoise to radiate in a 360 degree pattern
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Antenna Theory (Dipole & Monopole)

Dipole Monopole
A Monopole requires a ground plane (conductive surface)
A dipole does not require a ground plane as the bottom half is the ground (counterpoise).
808 Ft Broadcast Monopole WSM 650 AM (erected in 1932)

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Antenna Theory (Dipole & Monopole)
Monopoles were added to our antenna line primarily for aesthetics and require a metal surface to radiate
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How Does a Directional Antenna Radiate?

Although you dont get additional RF power with a directional antenna it does concentrate the available energy into a given direction resulting in greater range much like bringing a flashlight into focus. Also a receive benefit - by listening in a given direction, this can limit the reception of unwanted signals (interference) from other directions for better performance
A dipole called the driven element is placed in front of other elements. This motivates the signal to go forward into a given direction for gain. (Inside view of the Cisco AIR-ANT1949 13.5 dBi Yagi)
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Patch Antenna a Look Inside

Patch antennas can have multiple radiating elements that combine for gain. Sometimes a metal plate is used behind the antenna as a reflector for more gain
9.5 dBi Patch, AIR-ANT5195-R

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Antennas Identified by Color

Black indicates 2.4 GHz Blue indicates 5 GHz Orange indicates 2.4 & 5 GHz
Orange indicates 2.4 & 5 GHz

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Most Common 2.4 GHz Antennas for Access Points (Single and Diversity)
Antenna Description
AIR-ANT4941
2.2 dBi Swivel-mount Dipole; most popular mounts directly to radio, low gain, indoor
AIR-ANT5959
2 dBi Diversity Ceiling-mount Omni
AIR-ANT1729
6 dBi Wall-mount Patch
AIR-ANT1728
5.2 dBi Ceiling-mount Omni
AIR-ANT3549
9 dBi Wall-mount Patch
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Most Common 5 GHz Antennas for Access Points (Single and Diversity)
Antenna Description AIR-ANT5135D-R 3.5 dBi Omni-directional Antenna; mounts directly to radio, low gain, indoor AIR-ANT5145V-R 4.5 dBi Omni-directional Diversity Antenna; unobtrusive, ceiling mount, low gain, indoor AIR-ANT5160V-R 6 dBi Omni-directional Antenna; ceiling or mast mount, indoor/outdoor AIR-ANT5170P-R 7 dBi Patch Diversity Antenna; directional, small profile, wall mount, indoor/outdoor AIR-ANT5195-R 9.5 dBi Patch Antenna; directional, small profile, wall mount, indoor/outdoor
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Understanding and Interpreting Antenna Patterns
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Understanding Antenna Patterns

Dipole (Omni-Directional)
Low gain dipoles radiate everywhere think light bulb

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Monopole (Omni-Directional) MIMO
When three monopoles are next to each other the radiating elements interact slightly with each other The higher gain 4 dBi also changes elevation more compared to the lower gain 2.2 dBi Dipole
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Patch (Directional)
Patch Antenna
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Patch (Higher Gain Directional)
Four element Patch Array
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Patch (Higher Gain Directional)
Four element Patch Array
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Sector (Higher Gain Directional)
Elevation plane has nulls due to high gain 14 dBi AIR-ANT2414S-R 14 dBi Sector 2.4 GHz
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Sector (Higher Gain Directional)
Elevation plane has nulls due to high gain 14 dBi but antenna was designed with Null-Fill meaning we scaled back the overall antenna gain so as to have less nulls or low signal spots on the ground.
AIR-ANT2414S-R 14 dBi Sector 2.4 GHz

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The Richfield Ohio (Aironet) Facility A Quick Peek Where Antennas Are Designed...
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The Richfield Ohio (Aironet) Facility Designs Antennas and Qualifies 3rd Party Antennas
Satimo software compatible with Stargate-64 System. Basic measurement tool is 8753ES Network Analyzer.
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Cisco Anechoic chamber using an 18-inch absorber all the way around 1-6 GHz Anechoic means without echo
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FCC Regulatory Compliance Testing Is Also Done at the Richfield Ohio Facility.
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Yes We Have Just a Few Access Points
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RF Screen Rooms Everywhere

Copper Shielding (Faraday Cage)
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RF Screen Rooms
Copper Shielding on Top Metal on Bottom
Cables are typically fiber and exit through well shielded holes
Doors have copper fingers and latch tight forming an RF seal
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RF Screen Rooms
Copper Shielding (Faraday Cage)
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Cisco Richfield Facility
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Understanding Multipath and Diversity 802.11n Characteristics
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Understanding Multipath
Multipath Can Change Signal Strength
As radio signals bounce off metal objects they often combine at the receiver This often results in either an improvement constructive or a destructive type of interference
Note: Bluetooth type radios that hop across the entire band can reduce multipath interference by constantly changing the angles of multipath as the radio wave increases and decreases in size (as the frequency constantly changes) however throughput using these methods are very limited but multipath is less of a problem
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Understanding Multipath
Multipath Reflections Can Cause Distortion
As the radio waves bounce they can arrive at slightly different times and angles causing signal distortion and potential signal strength fading Different modulation schemes fair better 802.11a/g uses a type of modulation based on symbols and is an improvement over the older modulation types used with 802.11b clients
802.11n with more receivers can use destructive interference (multipath) as a benefit but it is best to reduce multipath conditions
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Antenna Placement Considerations

AP antennas need placements that are away from reflective surfaces for best performance Avoid metal support beams, lighting and other obstructions. When possible or practical to do so, always mount the Access Point (or remote antennas) as close to the actual users as you reasonably can Avoid the temptation to hide the Access Point in crawl spaces or areas that compromise the ability to radiate well Think of the Access Point as you would a light or sound source, would you really put a light there or a speaker there?
Never mount antennas near metal objects as it causes increased multipath and directionality
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Understanding Diversity (SISO)

802.11a/b/g Diversity Has Just One Radio
Non-802.11n diversity Access Points use two antennas sampling each antenna choosing the one with the least multi-path distortion
Cisco 802.11a/b/g Access Points start off favoring the right (primary antenna port) then if multi-path or packet retries occur it will sample the left port and switch to that antenna port if the signal is better.
Note: Diversity Antennas should always cover the same cell area
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Understanding Diversity (MIMO)

MRC Maximal Ratio Combining (Three Radios)
Receiver benefit as each antenna has a radio section MRC is done at Baseband using DSP techniques Multiple antennas and multiple RF sections are used in parallel The multiple copies of the received signal are corrected and combined at Baseband for maximum SNR (Signal to Noise) benefit This is a significant benefit over traditional 802.11a/b/g diversity where only one radio is used
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Understanding 802.11 MIMO Terminology

MIMO (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output)
Some RF components of 802.11n include: MRC Maximal Ratio Combining a method that combines signals from multiple antennas taking into account factors such as signal to noise ratio to decode the signal with the best possible Bit Error Rate. TxBF Transmit beam forming The ability to transmit independent and separately encoded data signals, socalled streams from each of the multiple transmit antennas.
Channel Bonding Use of more than one frequency or channel for more bandwidth.
Spatial Multiplexing A technique for boosting wireless bandwidth and range by taking advantage of multiplexing which is the ability within the radio chipset to send out information over two or more transmitters known as spatial streams. Note: Cisco 802.11n Access Points utilize two transmitters and three receivers per radio module.
MIMO is pronounced My Moe not Me Moe
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Technical Elements of 802.11n

MIMO 40Mhz Channels Packet Aggregation Backward Compatibility
MIMO
40Mhz Channels
Packet Aggregation
Backward Compatibility
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Aspects of 802.11n
MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output)
With Beam Forming

Transmissions Arrive in Phase, Increasing Signal Strength
Without Beam Forming

Transmissions Arrive out of Phase and signal is weaker
Performed by Transmitter (Talk Better)
Ensures Signal Received in Phase
Increases Receive Sensitivity
Works with non-MIMO and MIMO Clients
Beam Forming
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Maximal Ratio Combining

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Spatial Multiplexing
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Aspects of 802.11n
40Mhz Channels Packet Aggregation Backward Compatibility

Without MRC
Multiple Signals Sent; One Signal Chosen
With MRC
Multiple Signals Sent and Combined at the Receiver Increasing Fidelity
MIMO AP Performance
Performed by Receiver (Hear Better)
Combines Multiple Received Signals
Increases Receive Sensitivity
Works with non-MIMO and MIMO Clients
Beam Forming
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Aspects of 802.11n
40Mhz Channels Packet Aggregation Backward Compatibility

Information Is Split and Transmitted on Multiple Streams
stream 1
MIMO AP
stream 2 Performance
Transmitter and Receiver Participate
Concurrent Transmission on Same Channel
Increases Bandwidth
Requires MIMO Client
Beam Forming
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Aspects of 802.11n
MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) 40Mhz Channels
Moving from 2 to 4 Lanes
20-MHz
Gained Space
40-MHz
20-MHz
40-MHz = 2 aggregated 20-MHz channelstakes advantage of the reserved channel space through bonding to gain more than double the data rate of two 20-MHz channels
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Aspects of 802.11n
Packet Aggregation 40Mhz Channels
Carpooling Is More Efficient Than Driving Alone

Without Packet Aggregation 802.11n Overhead Data Unit Packet 802.11n Overhead Data Unit Packet 802.11n Overhead Data Unit Packet
802.11n Overhead
Data Unit Packet Packet Packet
With Packet Aggregation
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Aspects of 802.11n
Backward Compatibility Packet Aggregation
2.4 GHz
11n Operates in Both Frequencies
5 GHz
802.11ABG Clients Interoperate with 11n AND Experience Performance Improvements
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Understanding MCS Rates and Channel Bonding

40MHz 802.11n channel
1 2 3 4 5 6
Channel Bonding: Wider channels means more bandwidth per AP
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11
12
13
14
2.402 GHz MCS rates 0-15 apply Regardless of channel Bonding.
20 MHz channel
2.483 GHz
When you bond a channel You have a control channel You have a data (extension) Channel Legacy clients use control Channel for communication
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2.4 GHz, 40 MHz Bandwidths
Tip: Channel bonding in 2.4 GHz should be avoided in enterprise deployments use 5 GHz as there are no overlapping channels to worry about
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Example UNII-3 Channel Bonding
In 40-MHz you define the control channel this is the channel that is used for communication by Legacy .11a clients.
The Extension channel is the bonded channel that High Throughput HT 802.11n clients use in addition to the control channel for higher throughput as they send data on BOTH channels
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Channel Bonding Subcarriers

802.11n uses both 20MHz and 40-MHz channels. The 40-MHz channels in 802.11n are two adjacent 20-MHz channels, bonded together.
When using the 40-MHz bonded channel, 802.11n takes advantage of the fact that each 20-MHz channel has a small amount of the channel that is reserved at the top and bottom, to reduce interference in those adjacent channels.
When using 40-MHz channels, the top of the lower channel and the bottom of the upper channel don't have to be reserved to avoid interference. These small parts of the channel can now be used to carry information. By using the two 20-MHz channels more efficiently in this way, 802.11n achieves slightly more than doubling the data rate when moving from 20-MHz to 40-MHz channels
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Understanding Guard Interval

The guard interval that is part of each OFDM symbol is a period of time that is used to minimize inter-symbol interference. This type of interference is caused in multipath environments when the beginning of a new symbol arrives at the receiver before the end of the last symbol is done.
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MCS Index of 802.11n Rates

NSD MCS Index Number of spatial streams Coding rate NCBPS GI = 800ns Rate in Modulation 20 40 20MHz 40MHz 20MHz Rate in 40MHz GI = 400ns Rate in 20MHz Rate in 40MHz
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2
BPSK
QPSK QPSK 16-QAM 16-QAM 64-QAM 64-QAM 64-QAM BPSK QPSK QPSK 16-QAM 16-QAM 64-QAM
2/3 5/6 2/3
52
52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52
108
108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108 108
52
104 104 208 208 312 312 312 104 208 208 416 416 624
108
216 216 432 432 648 648 648 216 432 432 864 864 1296
6.5
13 19.5 26 39 52 58.5 65 13 26 39 52 78 104
13.5
27 40.5 54 81 108 121.5 135 27 54 81 108 162 216
7 2/9
14 4/9 21 2/3 28 8/9 43 1/3 57 7/9 65 72 2/9 14 4/9 28 8/9 43 1/3 57 7/9 86 2/3 115 5/9
15
30 45 60 90 120 135 157.5 30 60 90 120 180 240
14
15
2
2
64-QAM
64-QAM
5/6
52
52
108
108
624
624
1296
1296
117
130
243
270
130
144 4/9
270
300
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So to Recap 802.11n Operation

Throughput improves when all things come together
MRC TxBF Spatial Multiplexing
802.11a/g AP (non-MIMO)
54 48 36 24 Mbps
802.11a/g client (non-MIMO)
MRC TxBF Spatial Multiplexing
802.11n AP (MIMO)
54 Mbps
802.11a/g client (non-MIMO)
MRC TxBF
802.11n AP (MIMO)
300 Mbps
Channel Bonding 802.11n client (MIMO)
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Understanding DAS Antenna Systems (Very Brief Overview)
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Antenna Technologies DAS

Traditional DAS Deployments over Coaxial Cable DAS Distributed Antenna System
Mostly seen in mining, healthcare and manufacturing

Major benefits of DAS include:
Carry multiple wireless signals simultaneously (cellular, paging, etc) Minimize work above ceiling Permits locations such as wiring closets where it is easier to replace
Disadvantages
Usually one antenna per AP Implementations vary among vendors Performance and/or support issues Sometimes DAS requirement is not for Wi-Fi but for in-building cellular so WLAN cell sizes suffer Not a Cisco antenna DAS antennas are not defined in Ciscos Wireless Control System (WCS) must choose a close match
Reduced technology migration paths - 802.11n can be more difficult to support

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How Does DAS Work?

DAS works by placing multiple radio services on a common cable or antenna system using selective filters and/or a low gain multiband antenna. Two methods are typically used Leaky coax and discrete wideband antennas or sometimes a combination of both. Note: Cisco recommends using only discrete wideband antennas (one antenna per AP) as this prevents breaking key features like rogue AP detection and location.
Leaky radiating coaxial cable
Bad for location based applications

Wide-Band antenna
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Leaky Coax DAS
Cable has shielding removed on one side center radiates

Leaky coaxial systems are sometimes used in mining applications and assembly lines (think above assembly work benches) To be effective, it needs to be installed in very close proximity to the actual WLAN users (distances are short typically 5-10 Ft) and will not work at higher 5 GHz frequencies. Limited to single channel - high potential for co-interference issues Note: Leaky coax is not recommended for advanced RF features such as voice or location
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Traditional Coaxial DAS Solutions
Depending on the type of wide band antenna DAS system, signals leave the Access Point antenna port and go through mechanical filters and/or bi-directional amplifier combiner circuitry. While this is much better then a leaky coaxial system, it is not a simple installation and requires specialized installers with experience cutting and terminating the unique low loss cable that is coaxial in nature but has a hard metal shield. Note: Unused antenna ports should be terminated to avoid adjacent cell interference
RP-TNC Terminator
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New Approach DAS over CAT-5

Cisco has a Solutions Plus partnership with Mobile Access Which is offering an active DAS system over unshielded twisted pair
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Co-existence of Wi-Fi and Cellular Antenna

Wi-Fi over Traditional DAS
Shared Coax cabling APs in closet
Overlay
In-building cellular
No Wi-Fi limitations No Wi-Fi limitations Cheap UTP cables
No Cisco RF Support Likely no MIMO, MRC or ClientLink, RRM, Poor roaming, Location
Expensive cabling Duplicate cabling
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Co-existence with CUWN Wi-Fi
Switch
Cellular Controller
2 Cellular Bands or 1 MIMO Service POE Alt B
Access Pod
WLAN AP
New / Existing Cat-5/6 Ethernet GigE POE Alt A
BDA, BTS, Pico, Femto
Cellular Cell, PCS

MobileAccessVE Shifts Carrier to Intermediate Frequencies
Frequencies Starting at 140 MHz and Above
WLAN 802.11n
Ethernet-LAN Traffic Passes Over 0 to ~100 MHz
Shared Structured Cabling System is Passive to WLAN and Cellular
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Access Points and Features
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Introduction of New Access Points

11abg Ruggedized
1240
11n
1250 1260
11n + CleanAir
3500e
1130
1140
3500i
Carpeted
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Aironet Indoor Access Point Comparison

AP 1130
AP 1140
AP 3500i
AP 1240
AP 1250
1260
3500e
Integrated CleanAir Data Uplink (Mbps) Power Requirement Installation Temp Range Antennas Wi-Fi standards DRAM Flash
No 10/100
No 10/100/1000 802.3af Carpeted 0 to +40C
Yes 10/100/1000
No 10/100
No 10/100/1000 E-PoE 802.3af* Rugged -20 to +55C External
No 10/100/1000
Yes 10/100/1000
802.3af
Carpeted 0 to +40C
802.3af
Carpeted 0 to +40C
802.3af
Rugged -20 to +55C External
802.3af
802.3af
Internal
Internal
Internal
a/b/g 32 MB
a/b/g/n
a/b/g/n 128 MB
a/b/g 32 MB
a/b/g/n 64 MB
a/b/g/n 128 MB
a/b/g/n 128 MB
128 MB
16 MB
32 MB
32 MB
16 MB
32 MB
32 MB
32 MB
802.3af fully powers single radio AP1250 or provides 1x3 performance on a dual radio 1250
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Integrated Antenna? External Antenna?

Carpeted areas
Rugged areas
Integrated antenna versions are designed for mounting on a ceiling (carpeted areas) where aesthetics is a primary concern
Use for industrial applications where external or directional antennas are desired and or applications requiring higher temperature ranges
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When to Use Integrated Antennas

When there is no requirement for directional antennas and the unit will ceiling mounted Areas such as enterprise carpeted office environments where aesthetics are important When the temperature range will not exceed 0 to +40C
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When to Use external Antennas

Reasons to consider deploying a rugged AP When Omni-directional coverage is not desired or greater range is needed The environment requires a more industrial strength AP with a higher temperature rating of -20 to +55 C (carpeted is 0 to +40 C) The device is going to be placed in a NEMA enclosure and the antennas need to be extended You have a desire to extend coverage in two different areas with each radio servicing an independent area - for example 2.4 GHz in the parking lot and 5 GHz indoors Requirement for outdoor or greater range Bridging application (aIOS version) Requirement for WGB or mobility application where the device is in the vehicle but antennas need to be mounted external
Rugged AP in ceiling enclosure
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When to Use AP-1240 and AP-1250

Reasons to consider the AP-1240 or AP-1250 The AP-1240 and AP-1250 support higher gain antennas - a benefit only if a high gain antenna already exists or is required Higher gain (up to 10 dBi) can improve WGB and Bridging distances Recommend the AP-1240 if there is no requirement for 802.11n support or the infrastructure is older 10/100 ports AP-1240 will work with older Cisco PoE switches (Cisco proprietary power)
AP-1240 draws less power so better for solar applications

AP-1240 supports Cisco Fiber injectors Tip: Higher than 10 dBi antenna gains are supported with the 1300 Series Bridge/AP
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Which 802.11n Access Point Is Right?
AP-3500i and AP-3500e have the very latest Cisco features such as Clean Air Ciscos spectrum intelligence AP-1140 and AP-1260 are of similar design less Cisco Clean Air features and can also run autonomous code (aIOS) for stand alone or Workgroup Bridge applications. Note: 3500 Series does not support the older aIOS modes All the Access Points were designed to have similar coverage for ease of deployment
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Coverage Comparison 5GHz

AP1140 AP1250
AP3500i
AP3500e
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Installation and Deployment Considerations
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Content
Site Survey
Access Point Placement
Channel Strategy
Mixed Mode Environments

Network Capacity & Scalability
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Site Survey Prepares for 802.11n

Recommended to optimize 11n deployment Survey reveals effects of building characteristics on the wireless spectrum Measure RF variations due to human activity and time of day
Furniture
Metal Wall
Survey with client types that you plan to implement (11n, 11abg, VoIP, location tags)
Spectrum intelligence to detect interference
Elevator
Glass
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ABG Access Point Placement
1 per 5,000 sq feet for data only 1 per 3,000 sq feet for voice, location
ABG ABG
Radio Resource Management

Adaptive channel / power coverage Operational simplicity
ABG Web Email ABG
Several Supported Apps
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.11n same 1 for 1 replacement
Newer APs reuses existing Cisco AP bracket drill holes
ABG ABG
Improved coverage at higher data rates

ERP Backup Video Voice Web Email
ABG ABG
Supported Apps
802.11n is the same overlay however more applications supported at any given location
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Effective Frequency Use 5GHz - 2.4GHz Create a 5 GHz Strategy

5 GHz Recommended for 802.11n
More available spectrumgreater number of channels Benefits from 40MHz channels, although 20MHz still works well Many 11n devices only support 40MHz in 5GHz, although Cisco supports 40MHz in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz
2.4 GHz still benefits from MIMO and packet aggregation
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5 GHz Dynamic Frequency Selection

When Radar Is Present
APs Shift Channels Results in Lower Available Channels and Loss of UNI 2 and UNI 2e Bands Available 40MHz Channels
No DFS Support 4 DFS Support 11
Radar
5 GHz Frequency
UNI 1 UNI 2 UNI 2 Ext. UNI 3
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DFS and Available Bandwidth

Full DFS support is required for complete use of channels in 5GHz Limited DFS support directly impacts available bandwidth Limited bandwidth restricts application support and negates investment in 11n
Available Bandwidth in 5GHz for 11n
1350 1200 1050 900 750 600 450 300 150 0
Meru/Aruba
1350Mbps
1350Mbps
600Mbps 300Mbps
US
Europe
US
Europe
Meru/Aruba Cisco Cisco
* 40 MHz Channels in 5GHz
Available Channels per Region
Theoretical
Cisco
Meru/Aruba
United States
11n 5GHz 20MHz

11n 5GHz 40MHz 11n 5GHz 20MHz 11n 5GHz 40MHz
24 11 19 9
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21 9 19 9
8 4 4 2
90
Europe
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Backward Compatibility & Co-Existence

Co-existence of ABG/N APs Benefits of 11n accrue to ABG clients
MIMO benefits ABG clients on the AP receive side from MRC Co-Existence at Controller Level
WLAN Controller 11g
54 Mb 48 Mb 36 Mb 28 Mb 300 Mb Roam 54 Mb 300 Mb
Backwards Compatibility
WLAN Controller
11n
11g
11n
11g
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11n
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Mixed Mode Performance
WLAN Controller
Capacity
300mb
3 Modes of operation supported

Legacy Green Field Mixed
11n
0
Mixed mode experiences slight performance impact due to ABG clients 11n clients still transmit at full performance PHY and MAC for 11n provides co-existence and protection for ABG clients
54 Mb
300 Mb
11g
11n
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Wall Mounting Which Model to Choose?
AP-1140 and AP-3500i
AP-1260 and AP-3500e
Wall mounting is acceptable for small deployments such as hotspots, kiosks, etc but radiation is better on ceiling
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Aironet 1140 / 3500i (style case)

Third party wall mount option is available
Oberon model 1029-00 is a right angle mount

http://www.oberonwireless.com/WebDocs/Model1029-00_Spec_Sheet.pdf
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Access Points (Internal Antenna Models)

Designed Primarily for Ceiling (Carpeted) Installations
Access Point has six integrated 802.11n MIMO antennas 4 dBi @ 2.4 GHz 3 dBi @ 5 GHz
Note: Metal chassis and antennas were designed to benefit ceiling installations as the signal propagates downward in a 360 degree pattern for best performance
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Antenna Patterns
Azimuth and Elevation Patterns for 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
2.4 GHz Azimuth
5 GHz Azimuth
2.4 GHz Elevation
5 GHz Elevation
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What About Mounting Options?

Different Mounting Options for Ceiling APs
Cisco has options to mount to most ceiling rails and directly into the tile for a more elegant look
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Locking enclosures and different color plastic skins available from third party sources such as www.oberonwireless.com www.terrawave.com
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Clips Adapt Rail to T Bracket.

Attaching to Fine Line Ceiling Rails
If the ceiling rail is not wide enough or too recessed for the T rail this can be addressed using the optional clips
Part Number for ceiling clips is AIR-ACC-CLIP-20= This item is packaged in 20 pieces for 10 Access Points
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AP Placement in Plenum Areas

When placing the Access Point above the ceiling tiles (Plenum area) Cisco recommends using rugged Access Points with antennas mounted below the Plenum area whenever possible Cisco antenna have cables that are plenum rated so the antenna can be placed below the Plenum with cable extending into the plenum If there is a hard requirement to mount carpeted or rugged Access Points using dipoles above the ceiling This can be done however uniform RF coverage becomes more challenging especially if there are metal obstructions in the ceiling Tip: Try to use rugged Access Points and locate the antennas below the ceiling whenever possible
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Installation Above the Ceiling Tiles

An Optional Rail Above the Tiles May Be Used
Note: The AP should be as close to the tile as practical
AP bracket supports this optional T-bar box hanger item 2 (not supplied) Such as the Erico Caddy 512 or B-Line BA12
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Installation Above the Ceiling Tiles

Mount AP Close to the Tiles and Away from Objects
Installing Access Points above the ceiling tiles should be done only when mounting below the ceiling is not an option.
Such mounting methods can be problematic for advanced RF features such as voice and location as they depend on uniform coverage
Try to find open ceiling areas away from metal obstructions (use common sense)
Tip: Mount antennas either below ceiling tile or the AP as close to the inside of the tile as possible
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Plenum Installs That Went Wrong

Yes It Happens and When It Does Its Bad
When a dipole is mounted against a metal object you lose all Omni-directional properties. It is now essentially a directional patch suffering from acute multipath distortion problems. Add to that the metal pipes and it is a wonder it works at all.
Tip: Access Points like light Dipole antennas up against a metal box and sources should be near the users Perhaps the AP is here large metal pipes Multipath everywhere for Pipe Fitter Connectivity?
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Plenum Installs That Went Wrong

Huh?? You Mean It Gets Worse?
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Installations That Went Wrong
Ceiling mount AP up against pipe hmmm
A little ICE to keep the packets cool
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Patch antenna shooting across a metal fence
Mount the box and antennas downward Please
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Sure is a comfy nest glad the AP runs a bit on the warm side
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Minimize the Impact of Multipath

Temptation is to mount on beams or ceiling rails
This reflects transmitted as well as received packets
Dramatic reduction in SNR due to high-strength, multipath signals
Minimize Reflections When Choosing Locations

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Antennas for Rugged Access Points

802.11n Options for Ceilings and Walls
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Guide to Antenna Part Numbers
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MIMO Ceiling Antenna 2.4 GHz

AIR-ANT2430V-R (3 dBi Ceiling Mount Omni)
Antenna has three monopole elements
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MIMO Ceiling Antenna 5 GHz

AIR-ANT5140V-R (4 dBi Ceiling Mount Omni)
Antenna has three monopole elements
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AIR-ANT2451NV-R
2.4 GHz (2.5 dBi) & 5 GHz (3.5 dBi) Dual Band Ceiling Omni
Six leads - 5 GHz antennas have blue markings (shrink wrap)
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AIR-ANT2460NP-R
2.4 GHz 6 dBi Three Element Patch
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AIR-ANT5160NP-R
5 GHz 6 dBi Three Element Patch
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AIR-ANT2450NV-R= & AIR-ANT5140NR-R

MIMO Multi-mount Omni 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
New 3 in 1 Antenna for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Gain is 4 dBi Comes with articulating wall mount, can also be used on ceiling
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New Cisco Antenna Part Numbers
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Outdoor Weatherproofing
Coax-Seal can be used with or without electrical tape.
Taping first with a quality electrical tape like Scotch 33+ vinyl allows the connection to be taken apart easier.
Many people tape then use Coax-Seal then tape again this allows easy removal with a razor blade. Note: Always tape from the bottom up so water runs over the folds in the tape. Avoid using RTV or other caustic material.
Cisco Public
www.coaxseal.com
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Give us your feedback and you could win fabulous prizes. Points are calculated on a daily basis. Winners will be notified by email after July 22nd. Complete your session evaluation online now (open a browser through our wireless network to access our portal) or visit one of the Internet stations throughout the Convention Center.
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Thank you.
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Understanding RF Fundamentals and The Radio Design of Wireless Networks

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Understanding RF Fundamentals and the Radio Design of Wireless Networks

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Session Agenda Objectives

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

What We Wont Be Covering

WIDS/WIPS (Wireless Intrusion Prevention Service)

802.11n beyond RF characteristics

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Basic Understanding of Radio

AC Frequency 60 Hz or 60 CPS Cycles Per Second

Battery is DC Direct Current

Typical home is AC Alternating Current

Popular Radio Frequencies:

A Radio Needs a Proper Antenna

Complex Modulation Schemes

Example of 802.11n Modulation Coding Schemes

The Radio Spectrum in the US

Source US Department of Commerce http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/allochrt.PDF

Wi-Fi Radio Spectrum

Wi-Fi Radio Spectrum

Basic 802.11 RF Terminology

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Identifying Different Cable Types

LMR- 400 Foil & shield LMR 1200

Leaky Coax shield cut away on one side

inch Heliax (Hardline)

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Antenna Cables LMR Series

Trivia: LMR Stands for Land Mobile Radio

Antenna Cables Plenum

If the cable is ORANGE in color it is usually Plenum Rated.

Plenum cable is more expensive

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

802.11 Antenna Basics

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

WiFi antennas are typically rated in dBi.

Conventional radio (Public safety) tend to use a dBd rating.

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

How Does a Omni-Directional Dipole Radiate?

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Antenna Theory (Dipole & Monopole)

A Monopole requires a ground plane (conductive surface)

808 Ft Broadcast Monopole WSM 650 AM (erected in 1932)

Antenna Theory (Dipole & Monopole)

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

How Does a Directional Antenna Radiate?

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Patch Antenna a Look Inside

9.5 dBi Patch, AIR-ANT5195-R

Antennas Identified by Color

Orange indicates 2.4 & 5 GHz

Understanding and Interpreting Antenna Patterns

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Understanding Antenna Patterns

Low gain dipoles radiate everywhere think light bulb

Understanding Antenna Patterns

Understanding Antenna Patterns

2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Understanding Antenna Patterns

Four element Patch Array