3Com 3CRWEASY96A User manual

Quick Start Guide

Wireless LAN Outdoor Bridge Solution

3CRWEASY96A

Outdoor solution for secure long-distance

wireless connections

The 3Com® Wireless LAN Outdoor Bridge Solution is a comprehensive building-to-building outdoor

wireless LAN kit that reduces the need to evaluate, purchase and assemble separate components. One

convenient package includes everything you need to offer an easy-to-manage building-to-building

wireless LAN. The package features a 3Com Wireless LAN Building-to-Building Bridge with integrated

antenna and power-over-Ethernet cable in a durable, weatherproof enclosure.

The bridge uses either of two network topologies:

■

Point-to-point

■

Point-to-multipoint

The ﬁrst illustration shows the point-to-point topology (also known as Ad Hoc Network Mode).

Notice

that the bridges face one another. While this is elementary in a close setting, real-world conditions such

as long distances, mountainous regions, and architectural barriers will not allow for such a precise

alignment. However, those conditions will not necessarily prohibit effective communication

between locations.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 1 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

The following illustration shows the point-to-multipoint topology (also known as Infrastructure Network

Mode) using an omnidirectional antenna atop the central building, (which is attached to the central AP

inside) with a 3Com Wireless LAN bridge mounted on the other buildings.

1 Before you start

If you encounter problems while installing the bridge, insert the installation CD into your computer and

review the installation information in the User Guide.

■

Make sure that you have the following items ready for the installation:

■

For a point-to point conﬁguration, two 3Com outdoor bridges.

■

For a point-to-multipoint conﬁguration, one 3Com 11Mbps Wireless LAN Access Point

8000 (or other Wi-Fi compliant access point) with an omnidirectional antenna for one

building, and one 3Com outdoor bridge for each other building.

■

Mounting hardware (supplied with each bridge).

■

Properly grounded outdoor mast or wall mount.

■

Lightning arrestor properly grounded at each building in the topology.

■

Outdoor rated category 5 Ethernet cable (3Com part number 3CWE487 recommended).

■

If you do not have IEEE 802.3af power-over-Ethernet LAN equipment, use the 3Com

Integrated Power-over-Ethernet power supply and power cord that comes with the bridge.

■

If your LAN equipment complies with the IEEE 802.3af power-over-Ethernet standard, you

can connect directly to the equipment, and the power supply is not needed.

NOTE:

This equipment must be installed in compliance with local and national building

codes, regulatory restrictions, and FCC rules. For the safety of people and equipment, only

professional network personnel should install the bridge, cables, and antennas.

NOTE:

A lightning arrestor will not prevent damage from a direct lightning strike. It will,

however, protect networking equipment inside the building (as well as the people working

there) from lightning-induced surges that travel over Ethernet cables. To

avoid

damage from

direct

lightning strikes, mount the bridge at least 1 Meter (3 feet) below the top of the

mast or pole.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 2 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

■

Decide where to mount the bridge/antenna unit (freestanding pole or rooftop mast)

■

For best performance, do not install the bridge unit in a location where it could be

vulnerable to extreme or hazardous conditions.

■

Optimal performance is maintained at temperature ranges between –20

C to 50

C (–4

to 122

F).

■

Install the bridge in a place that is conveniently located for connection to the Ethernet

network and proper polarization to the appropriate antenna. (See “Align and Polarize the

Units” on page 4 and the polarization section in the User Guide).

■

Although you can place the bridge indoors, it is speciﬁcally designed as an outdoor solution

and provides optimal functionality when installed outdoors. An outdoor location, such as a

rooftop, provides the following advantages:

■

Fewer obstacles to signal paths between antennas

■

Increased antenna range

■

Fewer multipath problems

■

It is recommended that you conﬁgure the units, making sure the system is operational,

before permanently mounting the units on hard-to-reach poles or rooftop masts.

■

Record the bridge MAC address in a safe place before installing the bridge in a hard-to-

reach location.

The MAC address identiﬁes the bridge for administrative purposes. It can be found on the

label on the bottom of the unit, and on the box.

2 Mount the Unit to a Mast

Follow the instructions that come with the bridge mounting hardware and follow the general guidelines

listed below.

■

For best performance, place the antenna outdoors using the mounting hardware provided

with the antenna. Placement is especially important if the building is of metal construction or

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 3 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

has metal siding. If necessary, you can mount an antenna inside a building; however, indoor

placement reduces the antenna’s effective range.

■

To ensure the physical safety of anyone near the antenna and to prevent damage to the

bridge, follow the building codes for antenna installations in your area.This is another good

reason to make sure that only a professional performs the installation.

■

Keep in mind that In order to comply with FCC radio-frequency radiation exposure

guidelines, a minimum body to antenna distance of 2 meters (6 feet) must be maintained

while

operating

this device.

■

Ensure that access is available for routing the Ethernet cable from the bridge to the Ethernet

connection inside.

■

Make certain that the antenna mast is appropriately grounded. Proper grounding can

prevent injury or damage from lightning strikes.

■

After installing the bridge, the highest allowable power level is automatically set when

country selection is conﬁgured. Adhering to this conﬁguration ensures compliance with

national laws.

3 Align and Polarize the Units

For optimal performance, position the antenna so that there are minimal obstacles between it and any

other antenna with which it will communicate. While maintaining a direct line of sight between

antennas is not strictly necessary, such a conﬁguration helps to ensure a strong signal. As mentioned

earlier, this is not always possible in long distance conﬁgurations.

Any two bridge units that are to communicate with each other must be set for the same polarization,

either horizontally or vertically. If cross-polarization occurs, the link with either work poorly or not at all.

Please refer to the “Polarization” section of the User Guide for further details.

The following illustration shows proper alignment, orientation and polarization for optimal performance.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 4 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

4 Connect the Bridge to the Power Supply and

the LAN

You can connect to the LAN either through the 3Com power supply or through IEEE 802.3af power-

over-Ethernet compliant equipment.

Using the Power Supply

The power supply can be located indoors at any point between the bridge and the LAN access port

where an accessible power outlet exists.

Connect the cable coming from the bridge to the port labeled

To Access Point

on the power supply.

Connect another Ethernet cable from the port labeled

To Hub/Switch

on the power supply to an

Ethernet LAN port, as shown.

Using a Power-Over-Ethernet LAN Port

If your LAN equipment complies with the IEEE 802.3af power-over-Ethernet standard, you can connect

the bridge directly to a LAN port. For example, the illustration shows the connection through a 3Com

Ethernet Power Supply to a 3Com SuperStack

Switch.

CAUTION:

To avoid damaging network equipment, make sure that the cables are

connected from bridge to power supply to LAN as shown and described above.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 5 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

5 Install the Software and Tools

■

Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed

on your computer in order to view the PDF documentation.

■

Browser Requirements.

In order to use the Conﬁguration Management System, you will

need Internet Explorer 5.0 or newer, or Netscape 6.0 or newer. We recommend making this

the default browser on the workstation used for system conﬁguration and management.

After hardware installation is complete, install items from the installation CD as follows:

■

Turn on the computer and put the 3Com CD in the CD-ROM drive.

■

The setup menu should appear when the CD autostarts. Follow the instructions on

the screen.

If no menu appears, you can run the startup program from the Windows Start menu:

Start/

Run/d:setup.exe

(where d: is the CD-ROM drive).

■

From the CD startup menu, select

Install the Tools and Documentation

This option installs the Wireless Infrastructure Device Manager Tool which you can use to

monitor bridges and select devices for administrative changes. It also installs the User Guide

in HTML and PDF formats.

6 Establish Wireless Association

At initial startup, the default ESSID is

3Com

, no security is set, and channel selection is automatic. Also,

unless it detects a DHCP server on the network, the bridge defaults to an IP address of 169.254.xxx.1,

where xxx is the last two bytes of the MAC address. The User Guide describes these and other default

settings and tells you how to change conﬁguration parameters. The User Guide is included on the 3Com

CD in HTML and PDF formats. After the bridge and software utilities are installed, you can conﬁgure the

bridge as follows:

■

Launch the bridge conﬁguration and specify the Country Selection from the pull-down

menu. The highest allowable power level is set automatically. This selection ensures proper

compliance with the FCC and any other regulatory bodies.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 6 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

■

For a point-to-point association between two bridges, see “Setting up an Ad Hoc Network”

in the User Guide.

■

For a point-to-multipoint association between an access point and one or more bridges, see

“Setting up a Bridge to Access Point Network” in the User Guide.

For the latest networking information, see the 3Com Corporation World Wide Web site at:

http://www.3com.com/.

7 Regulatory Information

Channel Selection in France

In France, this product must be conﬁgured to operate on a legal channel. Channels 10 - 13 are allowed.

User documentation should be consulted to ensure that this product is used in accordance with local

spectrum restrictions.

Additional Country Restrictions

■

In Israel, this product must be conﬁgured to operate on a legal channel. Channels 5 - 7

are allowed.

■

In Jordan, this product must be conﬁgured to operate on a legal channel. Channels 10 - 13

are allowed.

User documentation should be consulted to ensure that this product is used in accordance with local

spectrum restrictions.

Safety Information

This equipment must be installed in compliance with local and national building

codes, regulatory restrictions, and FCC rules. For the safety of people and

equipment, only professional network personnel should install the bridge, cables,

and antennas.

WARNING:

Do not install the bridge near overhead power lines, electric

light or power circuits, or where it can come into contact with such

circuits. Provide ten feet or more clearance between the bridge and such

power lines or circuits. Do not install the bridge ﬂush with the rooftop or

wall. When installing the bridge, do not come into contact with such

circuits, which can cause serious injury or death. Follow local and national

codes for proper installation and grounding of antennas.

WARNING:

To comply with FCC radio frequency (RF) exposure limits,

antennas should be located at least eight inches (20 centimeters) or more

from the bodies of all persons.

WARNING:

Do not install the bridge or connect and disconnect cables

during periods of lightning activity.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 7 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of

the respective companies with which they are associated.

309-2273-001 Rev AA

Published February, 2003

International Notices

WARNING:

To avoid possible injury or damage to equipment, you must

use either the provided power supply or IEEE 802.3af compliant power

supply equipment that is safety certiﬁed according to UL, CSA, IEC, or

other applicable national or international safety requirements for the

country of use. All references to power supply in this document refer to

equipment meeting these requirements.

WARNING:

It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure that the

Power-over-Ethernet (POE) power supply is properly connected.

Connection to any other device, such as a standard Ethernet card or

another POE supply, may result in permanent damage to equipment,

electric shock, or ﬁre. Refer to the installation instructions for proper

installation

WARNING:

The 3Com power supply (part number 61-0107-000) input

relies on a 16A rated building fuse or circuit protector for short circuit

protection of the line to neutral conductors.

CAUTION:

A lightning arrestor will not prevent damage from direct

lightning strikes. It is extremely important to ensure that the bridge is

installed at least 1 meter (3 feet) below the top of the grounded pole or

mast.

CAUTION:

If you supply your own Ethernet cable for connecting power,

be sure that it is outdoor rated category 5 straight-through (8-wire) cable

that has not been altered in any way (3Com part number 3CWE487

recommended). Use of nonstandard cable could damage the bridge.

CAUTION

: Minimize damage from direct lightning strikes by mounting

the bridge at least 1 Meter (3 feet) below the top of the mast.

Note for use of the 3Com power supply (part number 61-0107-000) in

Norway: This product is also designed for use on an IT power system with

phase-to-phase voltage of 230 V.

309-2273-001AA.fm Page 8 Monday, February 3, 2003 4:54 PM

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