MICROWAVE TRAINING

Table of contents
introduction
Parameters to consider when designing microwave link
Precommissioning or preconfigurations
Commissioning
Monitoring
Troubleshooting
Tips and tricks to Check the microwave Transmission
Best practices for technicians on site
 INTRODUCTION
Vendors: NEC ipasolink-100 and CERAGON IP10E
Metro Douala: use of Huawei equipment (BTS and NodeB)
Metro Yaounde: use of Nokia equipment (BTS and NodeB)
NEC is mostly used in Metro Yaounde
Ceragon is mostly used in Metro Douala
Parameters to consider when establishing a microwave link

Link budget analysis (or call-off) for a given link A - B

Longitude of sites A and B
Latitude of both sites
Azimuth of both sites
Elevation on both sites
Hop length
TX/RX on both sites
Frequency band (15Ghz or 7GHz is used in VCR)
Antenna type and diameter (0,6m; 1,2m; 1,8m)
Modulation(QPSK,16QAM to 256 QAM)
Channel spacing(7MHZ, 14MHZ, 28MHZ)
Link capacity = f(modulation ; channel spacing)
Configuration type(1+0)
Polarization type
RSL
Tips:
We design the microwave link with the help of Atoll Forsk. This is a
software for the planning of the microwave link.
 Pre-commissioning
According to the call-off information, the following parameters are
configured in the IDU (Nec and ceragon)
Frequency
Channel spacing
Modulation
Frame id
Set MTPC
Tx power
 Steps in pre-commisiiong in NEC (practicals)
Equipment Setup > Radio Configuration> Setup, then change the
parameters mentioned above as specified in the call-off except for Tx power
setting.
To set Tx power, go to Provisioning> MODEM Function Setting> Tx Power
Setting > MODEM1.
Steps in precommissioning in ceragon (practicals)
For the above mentioned parameters except for modulation, go to
Configuration > Radio > Radio Parameters.
To set modulation, go to Configuration > Radio > MRMC then choose profile
script with respect to call-off.
After the above two steps, reboot idu by going to Diagnostics &
Maintenance > Reset
 NEC PRECOMMISSIONING IMAGE
Click on Setup to
change the Click on MODEM1
parameters to change the TX

Current TX
 Frequencies CERAGON PRECOMMISSIONING IMAGE

Enable TX

Apply the
changes
HOW TO COLD RESET A CERAGON IDU
 Commissioning (service
configuration)
General service configuration steps
IP guy opens or enables port on SRT
Technician opens or enables port on IDU
Technician configures VLAN ID 10 on port (in tunnel)
Technician configures VLAN 10 on radio port
Technician apply the same configurations on the remote side.
NB: this is an example. The technician on site should call the Microwave
Team for help.
The VLAN are used to differentiate the services. (2G and 3G).
A. Service configuration for NEC IPASOLINK
a) Nokia equipments
Step 1 Open the port on the IDU:
Open the Ethernet port on IDU. If its 2G service open port #01, if its
3G service open port #02
Go to provisioning > ETH Function Setting > ETH Port setting
Note:
1. Always configure the port with speed: 100 Mbps and Duplex: full in
IDU which is directly connect to the SRT.
2. Always configure the 2G port of IDU which is directly connected to
the BTS with Speed: Auto and Flow control: Enable
Step 2: Create Vlan and configure it on the port:
Go to Provisioning > ETH Function Setting > Vlan Setting After click
on Vlan list > Add VLAN ID
Step 3: Configure Vlan id on Radio port:
b. Huawei equipments
Same configurations as in the case of Huawei but Always configure the
port with speed: 100Mbps and Duplex: full of IDU on the both sites.
 Choose Enable
HOW TO OPEN A PORT ON NECs IDU and after you can
modify the
others
parameters
Click here
HOW TO CREATE VLAN ON NECs IDU
HOW TO CONFIGURE VLAN ID on RADIO PORT ON NECs IDU

MODEM 1 is the radio

port click on port 1 and
add the VLAN that you
have created
B-Service configuration on Ceragon IDU
a. Nokia equipments
Step 1 Create the vlan id:
Go to Configuration > Ethernet Switch > Switch Configuration
Step 2 Configure Vlan ID on Ethernet port:
Go to Configuration > Interfaces > Ethernet ports and set Configurations
on the port,
Note:
1. Always configure the port with speed: 100 Mbps and Duplex: full in
IDU which is directly connect to the SRT.
2. Always configure the 2G port of IDU which is directly connected to
the BTS with Auto negotiation: On.
3. No need to configure VLAN ID on radio port, so when we create
VLAN, its also tagged on radio port automatically.
4. When you enable the port, and set negotiation, you need to apply
the configuration. If not you will not get the others field like Rate.
b. Huawei equipments
The service configuration for Huawei equipment is the same with
NOKIA equipment. The only difference is about the vlan. For Nokia
equipment, you will use vlan 100, 200 for the OAM and service of Nokia
BTS and for Huawei equipment, you will use vlan 10, 20, 30 etc.
HOW TO OPEN A PORT ON CERAGONs IDU
HOW TO CREATE VLAN ID ON CERAGONs IDU
 COMMISSIONING (MANAGEMENT CONFIGURATIONS)
A. NEC iPASOLINK IDU
a. NOKIA Equipment
Step 1: Configure the IP address of the NE
Go to Equipment > Network Management Configuration > General
Setting > Setup
NB:
1. Before starting, transmission IP team needs to configure the default
gateway on the SRT.
(eg: 10.131.0.25 and Vlan ID: 300in SRT port where the IDU is
connected)
2. We configure the management through 2G interface only.
Step 2: Configure In-band management
Go to Equipment Setup > Network Management configuration >
General Setting (Detail) > Setup then Click on Setup
Step 3: Create VLAN for management and Services
Go to Provisioning ETH Function Setting > Vlan Setting, click on Vlan list
> Add VLAN ID
Vlan ID: 300 for IDU management
Vlan ID: 100 & 200 for 2G OAM and service respectively
Use any VLAN for 3G service within VLAN range of IDU
Step 4: Configure VLAN on Radio Port:
 HOW TO CONFIGURE IN BAND
HOW TO SET IP ADDRESS ON NEC MANAGEMENT ON NEC

Click on Setup Click on setup and

to set the choose used in
parameters Inbangd
Management01

Here the Inband

Management is
currently used

Current Values
b. Huawei Equipments
Step 1: Configure the IP address of the NE
Go to Equipment Setup > Network Management configuration >
General Setting > Setup to configure the IP address as designed
(including IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway).
NB:
We configure the management through 2G service only.
Step 2: Configure In-band management
Go to Equipment Setup > Network Management configuration >
General Setting (Detail) > Setup Click on Setup
Step 3: Create Vlan for service and management
Go to Provisioning > ETH Function Setting > Vlan Setting. In the right
side, go to Vlan list > Add VLAN ID and add
Vlan ID: 300 for IDU management
Vlan ID: X (corresponds to port number on SRT) for 2G service
Port Config on the port

Port #01 Port type: Trunk; VLAN: X, 300

Port #02 Port type: Tunnel; VLAN: 20

Radio(MODEM1) Port type: Trunk by default; VLAN: X, 300, 20

 For the remote IDU which is directly connected to the BTS, bellow the
Config in table:
Port Config on the port

Port #01 Port type: Tunnel; VLAN: X

Port #02 Port type: Tunnel; VLAN: 20

Radio(MODEM1) Port type: Trunk by default; VLAN: X, 300, 20

B.Management configuration on Ceragon IDU
a. NOKIA Equipments
Go to Configuration > Ethernet Switch > Switch Configuration and choose
Managed switch. Apply the configurations. And then Reboot the IDU
Note:
In managed switch mode we have 03 type of configuration on a port:
Access, Trunk, and Hybrid. The port of 3G service is configured as hybrid
and 2G service as Trunk mode to carry management & services.
Step 1: configuration of IP address
Select Configuration > General > Management.
Step 2: In-band Management and Vlan configuration:
Select Configuration > General > Management.
B.Management configuration on Ceragon IDU (images)
IP ADRESS , MASK
and Default
Gateway

IP ADDRESS OF THE
REMOTE SITE

Inband
management
Enabled
 Step 3: create vlan ID:
Go to Configuration > Ethernet Switch > Switch Configuration and go
to section Unit allowed VIDs on the right side then Set the following
Vlan IDs: 100, 200, and 300
Step 4: Configure Vlan on Ethernet port:
Go to Configuration > Interface > Ethernet Ports
b. Huawei Equipments
With Huawei equipments, step 1 and step 2 are the same as
described above. We just start as from step 3.
Step 3: create vlan ID:
Go to Configuration > Ethernet Switch > Switch Configuration and go
to Unit allowed VIDs in the right side. Set the following Vlan ID: X, 20,
and 300.
Step 4: Configuration of Vlan ID on the Ethernet Port
Go to Configuration > Interface > Ethernet Ports and in the right side
there is a table named Managed Switch Ethernet Ports
Note:
On the IDU of the remote site (IDU which is directly connected to the
BTS & Node B) we Configure 2G & 3G port on hybrid mode with VLAN
04 for 2G and VLAN 20 for 3G.
 MONITORING

When the technician on site have finished the commissioning the

Microwave team should integrate the IDU on the NMS for monitoring.

In VCR we have two NMS(Network Management System) for IDUs one

per Vendor,

PNMS for NEC

Netmaster for Ceragon
 TROUBLESHOOTING
After Commissionining and integrating the next step is to maintain the
microwave link and resolve all the issues. So we need a procedure of
troubleshooting.
Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair
failed products or processes. It is a logical, systematic search for the
source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or
process operational again.
Here are the lists of common issues that we encounter in VCR
microwave links.
A service(2G or 3G) is blinking or completely down
We are unable to manage IDUs
RX Level very bad
Microwave link down
And there are many probable causes to these issues.
 TROUBLESHOOTING WITH NEC
Common alarms with NEC and corrective measures

Alarm Probable cause Corrective measure

ODU Alarm Hardware failure
CPU of ODU is faulty,
ODU CPU/ cable open IF cable between IDU And ODU is
not well connected
Power supply Power supply down
Lan Link Bad connection or BTS/NodeB/
IDU faulty
Replace ODU
Check connectors,
Check IF cable and replace if need
be
Check power supply source
equipment
Check the connection between the
IDU and BTS/NodeB ; check the
status of NodeB and BTS
TROUBLESHOOTING WITH NEC
Screenshots of event log
 TROUBLESHOOTING WITH CERAGON

Ceragon IDUs have LEDs that indicate the status of IDU. These LEDs are:
LINK Indicates status of the radio link.
IDU Indicates status of the Ethernet interface.
RFU Indicates status of the RF module.
PROT Indicates the main and standby unit alarm and protection
status.
RMT Indicates status of the remote unit
 TROUBLESHOOTING WITH CERAGON
LINK
Green Radio link is operational
Orange Minor BER alarm on the radio
Red Loss of signal, major BER alarm on the radio
IDU
Green IDU is functioning normally
Orange Fan failure
Red Alarm on IDU (all severities)
RFU
Green RFU is functioning normally
Orange Loss of communication between the IDU and the RFU
Red RFU failure
PROT
Main Unit Green No alarms
Standby Unit Yellow No alarms
Orange Forced switch, protection lock
Red Physical errors (no cable, cable failure)
Off Protection is disabled, or not supported on the device
RMT
Green Remote IDU is functioning normally
Orange Minor alarm on the remote IDU
Examples of frequent alarms and corrective
measures with Ceragon
Alarm Probable cause Corrective action(s)

Check link performance.

Fade in the link. Check IF cable, and replace if
Defective IF cable. required.
Fault in RFU. Replace RFU.
Radio lof Fault in IDU ReplaceIDU.
Different radio scripts at both Make sure same
ends of the link script is loaded at both ends of
the link.

Link ID is not the same Configure the same link ID

Radio link ID mismatch for both sides of link. for both sides of link

same as for radio lof except for

same as for radio lof except for radio scripts (not needed in this
Radio signal degrade radio scripts (not needed in this case)
case)
 TROUBLESHOOTING WITH CERAGON

Alarm Probable cause Corrective measure(s)

Low input voltage
Remote communication failure
Cable open
Low input voltage to system
Fade in the link
Cable is not properly connected to
IDU or RFU
Check power supply voltage
Check link performance
Check IF cable and connectors
Verify that N Type connector
inner pin is not spliced.
Replace IDU.
Replace RFU.

Low IF signal to RFU IF cable connection. Check IF cable and connectors

Defective RFU. Verify that N Type connector
Defective IDU inner pin is not spliced.
Replace IDU.
Replace RFU.
TROUBLESHOOTING WITH CERAGON

Screenshot of current alarms

 TIPS and TRICKS

In this section we will talk about of two tests.

The interference test
The transmission Test
 TIPS and TRICKS
A-The interference test
1- The goal
The goal of this test is to check if there is interference in the microwave link and to overcome it.
2- Procedure
The procedure is the same for Ceragon and NEC. The test needs one person per site for testing
and monitoring. Here is the general procedure.
switch off the Transmission of one site
For NEC
Go to Maintenance control Modem maintenance control
After click on TX mute control ON and choose the release time
For Ceragon
Go to Configuration RadioRadio parameters
After Enable The option TX MUTE
 TIPS and TRICKS

MUTE TX ON CERAGON MUTE TX ON NEC

Click here and
choose ON

Choose
Enable
 TIPS and TRICKS

Check the RX Level on the remote site

Call the technician on the remote site to check the RX level.
For NEC
Go to MeteringCurrent Metering
For Ceragon
Go to ConfigurationradioRadio parameters
Disable the TX mute
Repeat the same process for the remote IDU
3-Conclusion
The best Rx value we should get in case there is no interference shoud be in the range (-
88dbm and -99dbm)
If we have an Rx>-85 dbm.
In case there is interference we should use a different couple of frequencies.
 TIPS and TRICKS

HOW TO GET RX LEVEL ON CERAGON HOW TO GET RX LEVEL ON NEC

 TIPS and TRICKS
B- Transmission test
1- Objective
The goal is to check whether the microwave transmission is good or the
BTS or NodeB has a problem.
2- Procedure
The technician should go to site with a good PC
The Microwave team or IP team gives an IP address to the technician
(the IP address of the BTS or NodeB) to configure on his PC and another IP
address to ping (the gateway of the service (2G or 3G)).
3-Conclusion
If the ping is successful the microwave link is good and the issue concerns
the BSS Team
If the ping fails the microwave link likely has a problem.
 BEST PRACTICES

In this section we will mention the best pratices that the technician should
carry out at all times.
The technician should have a good PC everytime he goes on site. It
doesnt matter the type of issue.
The technician should have a camera
The technician should call the microwave team before leaving the office to
the site.
The technician should call the microwave team before and after every
action they make(the aim here is the crosschecking to avoid some issues
and to be consistent)
Always go on site with spare (cables, connectors, sfp modules, ODUs and
IDUs) IMPORTANT!!!!
END