Canopy POE end of life :-/

Products PMP
1

Dear Cambium,

 
Why won't you let us buy the ACPSSW-13B POE if we still want to?
 
It's very frustrating that we now have to change our install procedures AND our tech support procedures.  The new POE is also very cumbersome and prone to clients plugging things in backwards etc.
 
Can you either keep selling them or give us access to the manufacturer so that we can still buy them?
 
Come on cambium listen to your long time loyal customers!
 
-Sean
1 Like
2

I haven't seen an EOL field notice for this part, and I'm still seeing it in distributor's inventories... where did you hear that it's being discontinued?

3

The ACPSSW-13B and ACPSSW-09B (and all other country-specific models in between) will be going away after the distributors run out of inventory... this may already be happening with some of them.

Below is an excerpt from the notice that was sent to our channel partners:

Cambium Networks is retiring the use of several Power Supply part numbers, and replacing them with a new series of parts to better service the customer.

Stock will continue to be sold until inventory is depleted, at which time the part will be retired and new parts must be purchased.

PMP 100, PTP 100, PMP 430 SM, PTP 230, and PMP 450 are all currently powered by the same series of power supply units.. Please refer to the PMP Accessories Guide for additional information on compatibility (http://www.cambiumnetworks.com/brochures/pmp-accessories/pmp-accessories ).

The past series of power supplies were AC to DC converters that plugged directly into an electrical outlet, having various clips depending on the type of local AC outlet available.  The new power supply is a single unit, which requires procurement of an AC line cord that connects the outlet to this power supply (using IEC-60320 Type 5 connector).

Pictures are below for reference to understand the change:

OLD STYLE:

ACPSSW-09B.jpg
ACPSSW-09B.jpg1081×601 394 KB

NEW STYLE:

N000900L001A_1_sm.jpg
N000900L001A_1_sm.jpg906×596 285 KB
N000900L001A_Ethernet_side.jpg
N000900L001A_Ethernet_side.jpg676×609 88.6 KB
IEC60320_C5_connector.jpg

FAQ

Q: Why is this change happening?

A: The current Power Supply line is being retired.

Q: If I used to buy ACPSSW-09B to power my radio, what do I need to buy now?

A: There is a single Power Supply part number that will work in place of any of the past supplies (ACPSSW-09B through ACPSSW-14A) to power PMP 100, PTP 100, PTP 230, PMP 430 SM or PMP 450.  This is N000900L001A.  Along with this power supply unit, you will need an AC Line cord.  You can procure these on your own (they are standard IEC-60320 C5 connector cables), or we also offer these parts for sale as in the above chart (for US, EU, UK and Brazil style outlets).

Q: Is there any advantage to making this change?

A:  For some customers, having the AC/DC converter plug directly into the wall, and a fixed length of cable to connect the radio was an issue.  This style allows more flexibility in where the power supply can be located, along with more flexibility in the Ethernet cable connection to the power supply and the radio.  This power supply also supports Gigabit operation if that is needed on the radio side (i.e. the PMP 450 AP).

4

This is the same as the ePMP power supply, right? If so, you might want to make a note that it will not provide enough power for a 450 AP. Unless I'm mistaken...

5

Sorry, George... you are mistaken.

This supply will indeed support both the PMP 450 AP and SM.

But you are right in that it's the same supply that ePMP uses (the Gigabit version).

6

Ray can you please come and hang out with one of my clients for a day and hand them each POE and see which one they can hook up and which one they can’t??

Just because you have made this decision doesn’t mean it’s a good decision and we are asking cambium to reconsider. The new POE sucks! Period!

2cents

7

Hi Sean,

I will contact you off line.

Ray

8

In addition to the useability factors the old Poe was $8 the new one is $20 + a cable $4 so 3x the cost per install now :-/

 
I fail to see why cambium can't allow us to buy which ever one we want.
9

Hi Ray,

 
Thanks for listening.
 
So if one thing is guaranteed it's that someone is going to unplug the cables that are attached to the POE.  either a tech friend will be over to "help" them with their router, their kid will unplug it or they will just decide to unplug the cables for XYZ reason.  it's guaranteed to happen.
 
With the old POE there was only one way to screw it up...unplug the cable from the radio outside.  usually they think they are smart and they plug the radio cable directly into their router.  sometimes they just leave it all unplugged.  But when we try to help them put it back together correctly here's how the conversation goes:
 
agent: do you see the 3" flat black cable?
client: yes
agent: ok good, that goes into your computer or your router WAN port, just like it says on the sticker.
client: ok got it plugged in
agent: now take the cable coming from the outside, that goes into the port that says "to radio" (we also usually tape the ethernet cable to the ferrite bead with electrical tape so that they have to physically remove the tape to remove the cable)
client: ok that's plugged in.
agent: great now also make sure that the electrical plug is securely plugged into a wall outlet and that there is a red light on the plug.
client: there's a red light and the internet is working again.  thanks!
 
4 easy steps to success!
 
with the new POE there are multiple ways to screw it up.  when they unplug everything the labels to put it back are "Gigabit ethernet" and "gigabit ethernet+power".  so which one is supposed to go where?  well power seems "better", maybe that goes into my computer...nope wrong.  but even better labeling won't help a whole lot because once they unplug the cables they usually toss them or do god knows what with them.  so here's the support call:
 
agent: do you see the 3" flat black cable?
client: i have no idea what you're talking about.  i have this weird brick that my 3 month old son is playing with.
agent: ok you have the other style adapter.  do you see the cable coming from the outside radio?  plug that into "gigabit ethernet+power".
client: i don't see where that port is.
agent: ok, flip the brick over and squint really hard, do you see the faint lettering on the brick.
client: maybe, let me grab my glasses.  ok i think i see it...click.
agent: great, now do you see the cable that goes to the back of your router.
client: um yeah on the back of this link-see thing there's 5 or 6 wires.
agent: ok there should be a port labeled internet.
client: nope i don't see that.
agent: is there one labeled WAN?
client: yeah
agent: ok the cable plugged into the WAN port of your router that goes into the "Gigabit ethernet" port on the brick.
client: oh geeze, let me find my glasses again.
agent: it's the only other port on the brick.
client: ok got it.
agent: great, now make sure the power cable is plugged into the wall outlet.
client: yeah it's plugged into the wall.
agent: ok now that it's all back together does the internet work.
client: nope, can you just send someone?  i'm tired of all this plugging and unplugging.
agent: well, lets just check the cables one more time.  "Gigabit ethernet" goes to WAN port on router, "gigabit ethernet+power" goes to the cable going outside to the radio.
client: yes that's how i have it.  please just send someone.
agent: is the power cord plugged into the wall outlet.
client: yes
agent: is the other end of the power cable plugged into the brick?
client: well, um no, no it isn't.  you never said to do that!
agent: ok well plug that into the brick.  does the internet work now?
client: yeah i guess, why are all the cables so confusing?  i have wireless service, why do you have so many dang wires?
 
catch my drift?  labeling would help a bit but honestly there's 6 points of failure on the new POE (2 ethernet ports and 2 sides to the power cable, plus the ethernet ports can be plugged in backward so really it's 6 things to check)  the old POE has 3 points of failure. is the ethernet cable from the radio unplugged?  is the wall wart unplugged? is the flat black cable unplugged?
 
Thanks,
 
Sean
10

I would like to throw my two cents in here and agree that supporting a more difficult poe connection like the new epmp style is difficult at best.

It would be fantastic if cambium reconsiders this change.

Tim

11

Thanks Sean for the details and the view of the customer interaction. We are reviewing it now.

12

MSRP for the N000900L001A is $15.  If someone's charging you $20, you should look elsewhere...

With respect as to why we're moving away from the other one, it's really to save our customers from a staggering price increase on power supplies across the board.

Our supplier was continually raising the cost of the supply.  On top of that, because these supplies are "custom" versions, and not following an industry standard (i.e. Canopy style vs. standard 802.3af PoE), we are required to renew safety certifications for each and every model of power supply in many different countries every year... which adds up to a ton of cost.  In order to maintain the ability to provide power suppllies at a reasonable cost, we needed to change our strategy.

By consolidating models and updating everything in the PMP portfolio to utilize the single model, we've managed to keep the costs moderately close to where we've been.  The alternative would not have been pretty for anyone...

Apologies for the changes, but Cambium needs to change and adapt as market conditions change.

1 Like
13

One suggestion that we've heard from other customers is to maybe standardize on a "color" of Ethernet cable for connecting the brick to the PC, and the other side to the Radio...

For example, you could use a yellow patch cable to connect to the indoor router/pc, and a black cable to go outside to the radio.

If this is consistent, it could reduce confusion.

14

Seems like a very reasonable reply Matt, thanks.

We've used both "styles" for years with different brands.  I'd suggest that as long as the two are marked very clearly it shouldn't be a problem, I haven't seen the new one yet to comment, but I have seen bad designs and good designs.

TO RADIO (Data + Power) (With a ! in a triangle to be scary warning)

TO PC/ROUTER (Data only)

Seems like the best labelling I've seen.  WAN/LAN labels mean nothing to muggles.  IN OUT labelling can be similarly confusing (though its close if you think of it as INSIDE OUSIDE).  Some used to say CPE and customers had no clue what that was.  

Adding color codes doesn't hurt either, yellow does seem to be the closest thing to a standard.

15

I am sure there has to be a bigger reason behind this change than some clients dont want a fixed length from power.

Are you guys authorized to share it with us or deny everything until an engineer tells us the truth.

16

At Matt @ Cambium mentioned above: "Our supplier was continually raising the cost of the supply.  On top of that, because these supplies are "custom" versions, and not following an industry standard (i.e. Canopy style vs. standard 802.3af PoE), we are required to renew safety certifications for each and every model of power supply in many different countries every year... which adds up to a ton of cost.  In order to maintain the ability to provide power suppllies at a reasonable cost, we needed to change our strategy.

By consolidating models and updating everything in the PMP portfolio to utilize the single model, we've managed to keep the costs moderately close to where we've been.  The alternative would not have been pretty for anyone...

Apologies for the changes, but Cambium needs to change and adapt as market conditions change."

3 Likes
17
@CambiumMatt wrote:

MSRP for the N000900L001A is $15.  If someone's charging you $20, you should look elsewhere...

With respect as to why we're moving away from the other one, it's really to save our customers from a staggering price increase on power supplies across the board.

Our supplier was continually raising the cost of the supply.  On top of that, because these supplies are "custom" versions, and not following an industry standard (i.e. Canopy style vs. standard 802.3af PoE), we are required to renew safety certifications for each and every model of power supply in many different countries every year... which adds up to a ton of cost.  In order to maintain the ability to provide power suppllies at a reasonable cost, we needed to change our strategy.

By consolidating models and updating everything in the PMP portfolio to utilize the single model, we've managed to keep the costs moderately close to where we've been.  The alternative would not have been pretty for anyone...

Apologies for the changes, but Cambium needs to change and adapt as market conditions change.

Excellent response!

I agree that the potential for confusion is high - but the solution is really simple:

Cambium could issue a revision of the units with "TO RADIO", with a yellow exclamation mark in a red triangle, either printed or on a sticker by the OUT port. The installer would affix a label with "FROM RADIO" and a matching symbol to the cable to the radio. The other port, to PC, would have a similar label on the injector, but just a blue square. The installer would be able to make or buy a pre-made "standard" blue patch cable.

This would cost, what, 2 cents per unit on this kind of scale? It's a couple stickers and a zip tie :)

18

Hi,

I only have one complaint about the new power supplies over the old style.

Please please please...change the silkscreen print to something old eyes can see....puke brown on black?!??! i dont want to use an arc light and magnifying glass to read!   that is all carry on epmp is good stuff!

19

+1 for white on black.  And bring back the yellow triangle of powered doooooooooooooooooooom.

20

Use a different colored patch cable from the gigabyte/data port. problem solved.