ICTworks

Through the course of deploying wireless links in developing countries around the world, Inveneo engineers have discovered quite a few useful tips and tricks that make installing reliable WiFi faster and easier.  We like to share these tips back with the ICTD community in the hope that we can help technologists elsewhere use these same tricks to deploy their own links.

While deploying wireless links, it can be really useful to measure the signal strength to a far away WiFi radio before making the decision to commit to a full installation.  This allows us to quickly try a number of different options to find the best possible placement for a WiFi antenna before taking the time to run cable, drill concrete, and do all the other things that make a permanent, professional installation. It is also handy if this testing can be done by a single engineer rather than a team of two.

Out of this requirement came an easy-to-build tool came the “self-contained site survey tool,” affectionately known as the “Sam pole” for the Inveneo engineer who created it. Inveneo engineers and partners have used variations of this tool in Uganda, Haiti, the Philippines, and a number of Pacific Islands to optimize WiFi connections.

The self-contained site survey tool allows a single engineer on a rooftop to check signal strength to remote antennas without needing help from a partner on the ground. Because the site survey tool is powered by a small, attached battery pack, it allows the engineer to avoid having to run long Ethernet or power cables to the roof while surveying.

The pole-mounted NanoBridge M5-22 associates to the distant WiFi antenna’s wireless network, and the PicoStation sets up a local WiFi access point for a laptop or handheld device to allow the display of signal strength. A small 12-volt rechargeable battery pack powers all the equipment.

The items you’ll need to build this tool are as follows:

• 5 foot pole with 1.5 inch diameter (metal or PVC pipe)
• Nanobridge22
• PicoStation
• A battery pack kit that includes a charger, male connector and a 12V 4500mAh flat pack
• Zipties
• A RJ45 Coupler Ethernet Network Cable 8P8C Female/Female Join adapter
• A POE injector with cable
• A Y-Cable 2.1
• A 2 x 1 foot cat5 cable

How to Make an Inveneo Cable Free Survey Pole

• Find a 5 foot pole preferably made out of PVC pipe.
• Assemble and mount a NanoBridge22 on the top section of the pole.
• Mount a PicoStation below the NanoBridge using a zip ties.
• Mount battery pack opposite of the PicoStation using a zip ties or hose clamp.
• The hose clamp allows a person to remove the battery pack for easy charging.
• The battery pack will run both devices for 2 +/- hours on one charge.
• Connect a 1 foot patch cable to back of NanoBridge on one end. The other end of the patch cable goes to the PoE injector.
• Connect the 1 foot patch cable to the back of PicoStation on one end. The other end of the patch cable goes to the second PoE injector.
• Connect with a coupler the two male nic ends of the PoE injectors.
• Connect the single cable side of the Y-cable to the power supply cable and then connect the two end cables to each of the PoE injectors.
• Use zip ties to gather loose cables to make it look neat. The engineer may also place cables inside the top whole of the pole and stuff them inside. Make sure to leave the battery pack cable available so that it’s possible to disconnect and charge when needed.

How to Configure the Ubiquiti PicoStation

• To make the connection work smoothly with the NanoBridge use the following settings:

Wireless Tab

• Turn the pico into an access point and
• Add desired SSID (no password necessary)
• Make sure output power is on full power
• Leave other settings as default

Ubiquiti tab

• Disable “Airmax” (this can only be done if the person has changed the radio to access point, mentioned above)

Network tab

• Change the network mode to SOHO

For a WAN Network Settings:

• IP address: 192.168.1.22
• Netmask: 255.255.255.0
• Gateway: 192.168.1.22
• Primary DNS: 192.168.1.22

For LAN network settings:

• Enable DHCP
• IP address 192.168.10.24 (this is not a typo)
• Netmask: 255.255.255.0
• Uncheck “DNS Proxy”
• Primary DNS: 192.168.10.24

• All other settings should be default

How to Configure the Ubiquiti NanoBridge

To make the connection work smoothly with the PicoStation use the following settings:

Wireless Tab

• Confirm radio is on “station” mode
• During test, confirm radio is on full power
• Leave other settings as default unless the tower the user is trying to reach has specialized setting (channel width, Mat TX rate, etc)

Network tab

• Change the network mode to “Bridged”

Management Network Settings

• IP address: 192.168.1.20
• Netmask: 255.255.255.0
• Gateway: 192.168.1.22
• Primary DNS: 192.168.1.22

• All other settings left as default

The above configuration is taking into account that the distant radio a person is trying to connect to is powered on, on Access Point mode and is broadcasting its SSID. Once all this is properly configured, one can associate the laptop to the wireless network from the PicoStation and connect to the Nanobridge on the pole. Once inside the airOS user interface, the user will go to the wireless tab and scan for an SSID. It is best to see the desired SSID. The user needs to keep the pole upright, steady and facing in the direction, and hopefully they will be able to associate to the far radio. Once the radio is associated, the person should use the antenna alignment tool from the “tools” pull down menu which will give a real time measurement. At this point the user can make small movements to the azimuth and elevation to determine best signal strength. The user should try to avoid moving too fast with the pole because he/she won’t want the radios to dis-associate. Happy Surveying!!!

New Update!

One of our former Inveneoites and now Ubiquiti reseller in Uganda, Ken Stober,  made the excellent suggestion to use an airGateway instead of a picostation. This is beneficial for a number of reasons including lower cost, less equipment needed and overall better design. From Ubiquiti’s website: “airGateway is an easy, affordable way to extend airMAX CPE deployments with indoor Wi-Fi. airGateway’s interlocking design and PoE passthrough make it a flexible and convenient option for airMAX users”. If you decided to use an airGateway instead of a picostation, here are the configuration instructions.

 Configure the Ubiquiti airGateways

• Power the airGateway and look for the SSID www.ubnt.com  and connect to it
• In your web browser type in the default IP: 192.168.1.1 and the default username is ‘ubnt’ as well as the password
• When you log in for the first time you will be guided by a “quick setup wizard” that covers:
  • “An airMax Cpe not detected” – Ignore this. It is a non-funtional future feature according to Ubiquiti
  • Change password
  • Wireless settings Ssid / passphrase
  • Verify settings
  • That finishes up the wizard
• By default the airGateway is configured as:
  • SOHO Router
  • WAN  Network Setting – LAN 0 (POE Port)
  • LAN network setting – Bridge 0
    • Bridge0 – bridges LAN1 (lan port)/WLAN together
• To make the connection work smoothly with the nanobridge use the following settings:
  • Network tab
    • Confirm the network role is on SOHO Router
    • Change configuration Mode to ‘Advanced’
    • For a WAN Network Settings: WAN IP address button click on “Static”
      • IP address: 192.168.1.22
      • Netmask: 255.255.255.0
      • Gateway: 192.168.1.22
      • Primary DNS: 192.168.1.22
    • For LAN network settings:
      • Enable DHCP
      • IP address 192.168.10.24 (this is not a typo)
      • Netmask: 255.255.255.0
      • Change starting dhcp range to 192.168.10.100
    • All other settings should be default

From the original “Item List” you will be able to subtract the following items, which are no longer needed to complete your setup using an airGateway:

• Adapter – RJ45 Coupler Ethernet Network Cable 8P8C Female/Female Join
• 1 x PoE injectors with cable
  • You will still need 1 instead of 2
• Y – Cable 2.1
• 1 x 1 foot cat5 cable
  • You will still need 1 instead of 2

If you have questions about the self-contained site survey tool or would like more information, please contact the Inveneo team at [email protected]