SEMESTER ONE

 

WEEK 1 :

•  Research and Learn about wireless network

•  Research and Learn about the WiBorne CAP501-5D bridge

•  Plan for testing equipment

•  Logbook record

•  Power point to demonstrate the knowledge

WEEK 2 :

•  Research and Learn about legislations governing the use of wireless equipment

•  Point to Point connection experimentation and analysis

•  Investigation on specifications of antennas in more detail

Week 3:

Amend the word report with appropriate corrections from previous session

•  Corrected 802.11n standard

•  Table constructed with wireless standards – stating advantages and disadvantages

•  Local Area Network Research (type of connections, communications, topologies)

Research on Radio fields – electromagnetic pattern

•  Human exposures

•  Distance, powers, directionality, terrain

•  Legislations (acts, laws, regulations)

•  Research on RSM Group

•  Radio Communications Environment research in NZ

First look at hardware devices – Setup Hardware connections

•  Revise on the specifications again

•  Go though the WiBorne CAP501-5D Brochure

Week 4:

Establish experimentation methodology

•  Hardware setup for a point to point connection

•  Configure network adaptor on both laptops

•  Unable to get the interface working (unable to ping so contacted Edmond and tried various steps but still couldn't manage to get it working)

•  Software research and download for analysis and measuring throughput and response times

Point to point connection further

•  Setup IP addresses

•  Gateways

•  DNS

•  Still a problem getting the interface up – so configuration of access point failed for this week

Research on antennas in more detail

•  Radiation patterns, frequency, wavelength poweBandwidth, gain and losses

Company supervisor advised with some information but because the interface did not work, so I have been advised to go to the company - on site to check what is going wrong

Week 5 and 6

Went to Edmond – company supervisor and we checked why the interface is not working. We found out that one of the bridges MAC address stated on the device is wrong and also that its IP address is not a default IP address – some has changed it before I have been given the device

Experimentation – Point to Point connection

Equipment used:

•  Two ‘CAP 501-5D' bridges

•  4 cat5 cables

•  Two PSE devices

•  Two power cables

•  Two laptops (one with vista and other with windows 7 operating system used)

List the configuration steps in detail so that other users may make use of it

•  Step1: Hardware configuration:

•  Step2: Network adaptor configuration:

Step 3,4: Firewalls and antivirus:

•  Step 5: Login page

•  Step 6: System settings

•  Step 7: Wireless settings

•  Step 8: Virtual access point mode

•  Step 9: Configuring WDS link

Conducted the first experiment with analysis

•  Used Qcheck software to measure throughput

•  Changed the security setting to analyse the differences in data rates

•  Prepared and brainstormed for outdoor testing

Week 7 and 8

Found out whether the 5.22GHz range is free to use of not

•  Contacted the new Zealand authority via email and management services via phone

•  Research on radio spectrum allocations in NZ

•  License research: GURL - whether we have to buy a license to operate these devices

•  Considered special conditions and EHF charts

•  Proposed my recommendation for CNZ

Limits imposed by New Zealand government on power levels

•  GURL provision

•  Frequency ranges, allocated power limit and modulation

•  Restrictions and rules

What frequencies should we use for fixed installations?

•  GURL specifications for fixed point to point communications

•  Business needs

•  Research: fixed service bands in NZ

Verification that radios in 501-5D has the power of 200mW

•  Read/review CAP brochures, online documentation

•  Access CENWELL web interface to obtain device characteristics

•  Research forums, frequency/power comparison to GURL

Confirm whether bridges can be as fast as 300Mbps

•  Setup bridges data transfer and analysis

•  Change various setting to analyse

•  Change security setting including the power TX levels

•  Play around with wireless general setup

The conclusion is that the NIC is only capable of Fast Ethernet – so maximum 100Mbps

Week 9 – 11

Learn, explain, document all the available setting under the wireless setup so that the new users can make use of this data to find out what each term means

•  Wireless à general setup settings

•  Wireless à advanced setup settings

•  Wireless à WDS setup settings

Research on CISCO MediaNet – kick start for the next semester's video surveillance

•  Technologies, benefits, networking and capabilities

Learn and explain the calculations for EIRP

•  Formulas

•  Calculations under different CAP501-5D antenna settings

Learn, explain and test the effects of polarization

•  Linear, circular

•  Effects

•  Indoor Movement tests

Experiment for response times

-Qcheck

- Limitations: large file transfer

Week 11-12

1. Revisit and elaborate on your report below. What is an example product that we could use and how is it deployed?

In commercial projects, especially the big ones where the communication has to take place over a large distance; we don't want so many point to point connections, i.e. it is the best to minimize the wiring and equipment costs; CNZ could probably use the power amplifiers. These amplifiers usually supply half a watt of power to the antenna; this increases the range of communication by five times. Because the power supplied is very less (1/2 watt)

Study and explain how Cisco achieves the capabilities. In the same context, research other models of switches from other manufacturers with similar capabilities or design intentions. Check Planet and other Taiwanese brands for example.

Experiment and check if the directions of rotation matters i.e. if you rotate one bridge to its side clockwise, can the other bridge be rotated anti-clockwise or does it need to be rotated the same way to match?

Experiment and conduct response time tests on a bridge pair that has poor signal strength (try to simulate a poor signal due to long distance if possible). This information shoul d be useful for real life applications.

The 5015D has a Tx Power setting and its default value is 10%. Test and verify the effects of increasing this value. For example, can it strengthen a weak signal?

Consider and brainstorm ways to conduct an outdoor experiment over a longer distance with limited equipment (CNZ can only provide a single UPS at this stage)

Revisit the E.I.R.P. formula and explain what is meant by line loss. Will a commercial installation in practice involve line loss? Please provide examples and calculations

Finally, week 4 and weeks 11 to 12 took a lot of because of the amount of experimentation that I had to finish and provide my company supervisor with

 

SEMESTER TWO

 

WEEK 1-2

Met with Edmond on the 1st of 08, 2011 - This was the first meeting in semester two. Edmond was on a business trip for two weeks and I continued to work and be in contact with him via email. The new objectives and my work done are reviewed by edmond when he got time on his trip.

  • I continued my research on Cisco's mediaNet (theme two of the project)

  • I explained whether the traditional brands of switches are not suitable for managing a mix of data and video packets

  • How can cisco help CNZ

  • I showed various other brands that can offer good capabilities (e.g. korenix, enterasys)

  • How much better is cisco MediaNet (throughput and latency)

  • My testing plan was around 140m so I came up with a better plans

  • Contacting NZ supplier that can provide directional N-Type antennas

WEEK 3-4

From now on, its all about getting into serious stuff and trying to focus on the short comings (in semester one) and make a better results and solutions much usable at a commericial level

  • I conducted some more indoor experiments

  • Plans for outdoor testing is made and reviewed with Edmond; some of these plans are rejected due to may obstacles

  • Test plans are made once the final plan is chosen

  • I did the Site survey; went to tamaki campus and Mt.Wellington to see how I can do the outdoor testing

  • First blind test has been conducted with very poor results

  • Faced many problems

WEEK 5-6

Reviewd the problems, short coming and thought about why my initial results were poor. I have been supplied with the 500mW bridges. Have to test both 200mW and 500mW bridges - outdoors to achieve data rates that CNZ is looking for

  • Provided Edmond with some solutions on how to take a better approach to achieve better reults

  • Conducted some more indoor tests such as 802.11a and 802.11n testing = now I checked for interference

  • Conducted outdoor test for both 200mW and 500mW (this time better results but still is a blind test but need better results)

  • Came up with a solution: to use laser pointers

WEEK 7-8

I conducted both 200mW and 500mW testig over 1KM (Mt.wellington to tamaki). This time i took different approaches

  • Checked the NZ laser legislations and attached my Lasers to the bridges

  • Conducted the Outdoor Tests - 2 approaches

  • First approach - laser pointed from Mt.Wellington to Tamaki Campus

  • Second approach - laser pointed from Tamaki Campus to Mt.Wellington

  • This time my results are succesful and high enough that CNZ i happy with them

  • I recommended which bridge to use

WEEK 9-10

As I have succesfully achieved results that are up to CNZ's standards. CNZ planned for a real commerical project and gave me a chance to get involved in it and do some work for them

  • I checked for Line of Sight across CNZ to various other businesses

  • I showed CNZ that the line of sight is poor and we need a higher ground

  • Went to various destinations around albany and took photographs to see whether a point to point to connection is possible; so that the results tell us how much throughput and response rates are possible at that industrial location

  • Talked to Edmond regarding these findings

  • I have been told to work on the final report until CNZ sorts of these findings with the manager

WEEK 11- REST OF THE SEMESTER

The rest of the weeks involved work on the final report and preparing for the final presentation. This is because CNZ is still waiting on the technicians and outside installers - as they are still planning for the antenna installation on their roof. This is where the commerical project stalled.