Network upgrade on two sites

Solutions WISP
#1

Greetings (this will be my first post so bare with me :innocent:)

We use Cambium equipment in wiFi4EU projects and projects for our business clients who wanted better indoor WiFi.
But our company also has already made some success stories in the field of WISP, we offer IT services (internet, television and telephony) to costumers who do not have the possibility of access to a good DSL line or optical fiber.

As user needs for larger internet connection speed grow as the current situation progresses, we are forced to upgrade some existing point-2-multi-point networks.
We are currently using Mikortik equipment, which unfortunately can no longer meet the needs. So we started looking after other manufacturers.

So I would ask if anyone can comment on my ideas (is the correct equipment used, other ideas, …?).

  1. network/site upgrade
  • 15 connected users who have an average internet connection speed of 30/10 Mbps per user.
  • Users are 50 to 700 meters away from the access point and have clean LOS.

Our wish is to replace all existing Mikortik Equipment with Cambium portfolio and add about 3 more customers to the new access point and for each customer (as old as these five new ones) to have a 40/20 Mbps internet connection.

Link planner suggested ePMP450i but there was not an option Slovenia for country so I changed to ePMP3000L (with Cambium Networks 90° 5 GHz Sector Antenna) for the base access point and ePMP force 130

Performance summary says that predicted throughput will be 176Mbps DL / 57 Mbps UL (is that number actual throughput for one costumer?)

  1. network/site upgrade
  • 18 connected users who have an average internet connection speed of 30/10 Mbps per user.
  • Users are 3km to 4 km away from the access point and have clean LOS.

Our wish is to replace all existing Mikortik Equipment with Cambium portfolio and add about 5 more customers to the new access point and for each customer (as old as these five new ones) to have a 40/20 Mbps internet connection.

Link planner suggested ePMP450i but there was not an option Slovenia so I again changed to ePMP3000L (with Cambium Networks 30° 5 GHz Sector Antenna) for the base access point and ePMP force 180 - or ePMP force 200

I played also with ePMP 2000 and the results ware in the range of 3000L

Can anyone suggest in which direction should we go, is used equipment ok for both scenarios, …?

#2

Hello Mr. @GregorObrez,

seeing your questions:

1. network/site upgrade

15 connected users who have an average internet connection speed of 30/10 Mbps per user.
Users are 50 to 700 meters away from the access point and have clean LOS.

With the ePMP 3000 Access if the performance summary is 176 Mbps DL/57 UL, it should be the total throughput of the all the 15-18 clients connected to that access point.

Basically, on less that 1 km link, with the Force 130 that has a gain of 14 dBi, you should reach the desired capacity, but to confirm share with us a screen of that performance summary.

2. network/site upgrade

18 connected users who have an average internet connection speed of 30/10 Mbps per user.
Users are 3km to 4 km away from the access point and have clean LOS.

In this case, clients are 3-4 Km from the access point, for those clients I would suggest you the PMP 450m Access Point first and secondly the PMP 450i access point and clients would have the PMP 450i Subscriber module with a gain of 23 dBi.

Again, this is theorical, reaching that capacity might require you to configure on the PMP 450i access point around 30 to 40 MHz of channel bandwidth to guarantee that capacity. While on the ePMP 3000 Access Point as the links are short, 20 MHz would do the work.

Back to the second case with the PMP 450m or PMP 450i Access Point, I do not know exactly where you will deploy the access point, I am asking you:

  1. do you have other radios in 5 GHz on the site you will deploy the Access Points?
  2. Is there a high level of interference in those areas?

Interference can sometime reduce a bit the radio performance and require for example to have the PMP 450m Access Point instead of the PMP 450i Access Point.

Your questions are welcomed again.

Sincerely yours,

Niragira Olympe

#4

1. network/site upgrade

Actually I played a little bit during the weekend and I used ePMP2000 with cambium 90-120°antenna for the main AP, and force130 for client units, and i got quite good results.

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So if I read performance summary correct all the number are maximum BW in DL or UL for all users together?

2. network/site upgrade

In this case, clients are 3-4 Km from the access point, for those clients I would suggest you the PMP 450m Access Point first and secondly the PMP 450i access point and clients would have the PMP 450i Subscriber module with a gain of 23 dBi.

The problem in Slovenia is that the maximum EIRP on 5Ghz spectrum is 1 W or 30 dBm, and that narrows down allot of equipment, that can be used on “longer” distances.

Again, this is theorical, reaching that capacity might require you to configure on the PMP 450i access point around 30 to 40 MHz of channel bandwidth to guarantee that capacity. While on the ePMP 3000 Access Point as the links are short, 20 MHz would do the work.

I would prefer that ePMP3000L, 3000 or 2000 (maybe with with correct subscriber modules is used.

Back to the second case with the PMP 450m or PMP 450i Access Point, I do not know exactly where you will deploy the access point, I am asking you:

  1. do you have other radios in 5 GHz on the site you will deploy the Access Points?
  2. Is there a high level of interference in those areas?

Interference can sometime reduce a bit the radio performance and require for example to have the PMP 450m Access Point instead of the PMP 450i Access Point.

For both examples there are no other 5GHz radio signals present because this are relay rural sites (maybe only small 5GHz burst from costumers own routers, but I can say to the costumer “hey don’t use that”), also main access points are on such objects that have no other 5GHz signals present

Best regards Gregor

#5

Hello Mr. Gregory,

  1. From the LINKPlanner file and information that you are in a rural area, you should connect the clients at around 1 Km with ease with the ePMP 2000 ideally with its Smart Beamforming antenna and the Force 300 antenna. The radio download/upload is 75/25, so balance it to 50/50 on the DL/UL ratio you on the ePMP 2000 Configuration space. And check again the capacity.

  2. Do the same for the 3-4 Km clients with the ePMP 3000 Access Point series and let me know how much you can reach by using the ePMP Force 300-25 with has a gain of 25 dBi. I hope it should work considering based on your area. Though, I advise to plan this also into LINKPlanner and share the results.

My pleasure to assist you further!

Sincerely yours,

Niragira Olympe

#6

Hello Olympe

For suggestion 1

From the LINKPlanner file and information that you are in a rural area, you should connect the clients at around 1 Km with ease with the ePMP 2000 ideally with its Smart Beamforming antenna and the Force 300 antenna. The radio download/upload is 75/25, so balance it to 50/50 on the DL/UL ratio you on the ePMP 2000 Configuration space. And check again the capacity.

Below is simulation picture for 50/50 scenario. All users have ePMP force 130 subscriber antenna.

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For suggestion 2

Do the same for the 3-4 Km clients with the ePMP 3000 Access Point series and let me know how much you can reach by using the ePMP Force 300-25 with has a gain of 25 dBi. I hope it should work considering based on your area. Though, I advise to plan this also into LINKPlanner and share the results.

I did everything the same but results are not promising, again the 50/50 scenario is not providing promising results

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70/30

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50/50 80Mhz Band

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I have feeling that with every change it’s getting worse and worse.

#7

Hello Gregor,

looking at the 3-4 Km link planning you did on 50/50 ratio, I can see that you have:

  1. 14 clients
  2. 11 dBm of transmitted power for Slovenia. That is quite a low power.

But, from below screen shot:

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A. You 12 clients with a download of 69.55 Mbps and an upload of 25.44 Mbps
B. Two clients with a download of 11.59 Mbps and an upload of 4.24 Mbps

The last two are the ones with an issue of capacity maybe they are not in the main beam of the access point. You can add a second Access Point for them.

Using a ratio of 70/30 gives:

A. You 12 clients with a download of 103.92 Mbps and an upload of 17.09 Mbps
B. Two clients with a download of 17.32 Mbps and an upload of 2.85 Mbps

I would not advise you the 80 MHz as from below screen shot you can see that there 7 clients with an upload of 3.24 Mbps for a download of 60.39 Mbps.

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In my view you will have enough capacity for now, but in the future you need to have smaller cells 1-2 Km or radio to serve well your customers. You will be likely to have your base stations within the area to connect for high capacity users instead of using far located base station maybe with good line of sight, but reduced capacity.

Sincerely yours,

Niragira Olympe

1 Like
#8

Hello

11 dBm of transmitted power for Slovenia. That is quite a low power.

In Slovenia is the maximum ERIP on 5GHz band 1 W, that means 30dBm.
I played in LINK Planner with greater strengths and I got better results, but as I already said only 30dB is allowed in Slovenia.

In my view you will have enough capacity for now, but in the future you need to have smaller cells 1-2 Km or radio to serve well your customers. You will be likely to have your base stations within the area to connect for high capacity users instead of using far located base station maybe with good line of sight, but reduced capacity.

This idea was already checked and it is not possible because there is no common access point closer to the subscribers and we have already wireless P2P to this primary access point (I hope you understand me).

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Best regards
Gregor

#9

Hello Mr. Gregor,

I got you well. If the PTP allow a maximum 30 dBm of EIRP in the same configuration, that is good.

Let me know how it goes.

Sincerely yours,

Niragira Olympe