PMP450x System Release 24.0 is now available at https://support.cambiumnetworks.com/files/pmp450 and it is available on cnMaestro.
Release 24.0 introduces the new PMP 450b6 hardware, designed to support the 6 GHz band. This release supports the following new features and enhancements to the 450v platform.
- Carrier Aggregation
- AFC Support for Canada Region
- Support for 30 and 15 MHz channel bandwidths
- Backward compatibility with legacy PMP 450x SMs
PMP 450b6
The PMP 450b6 expands the high-performance capabilities of the PMP/PTP 450b Series. It excels in various propagation conditions including LOS, near-LOS, and non-LOS scenarios, providing adaptability for diverse deployment environments.
The PMP 450b6 supports a 5.8 GHz band and a 6 GHz frequency band from 5.925 to 6.3 GHz. Using the 6 GHz band requires authorization from the Automatic Frequency Controller (AFC) in the US and Canada. Currently, the PMP 450b6 is not certified to use the 6 GHz band, and Release 24.0 does not support the 6 GHz band on the PMP 450b6. Support for the 6 GHz band will become available in a future release, once the PMP 450b6 is certified.
The PMP 450b6 extends the series’ versatility, leveraging additional spectrum resources to deliver increased capacity, reduced interference, and improved overall performance in wireless communication deployments.
Benefits:
- Increased capacity
- Reduced interference
- Enhanced overall performance
New features
Carrier Aggregation
Release 24.0 introduces support for carrier aggregation in the PMP 450v AP and SM. This release supports up to two carriers, each with a bandwidth of up to 40 MHz. In the PMP 450v system, a carrier refers to the center frequency of a Tx/Rx chain, which transmits and receives all modulated component carriers within its bandwidth. The maximum number of carriers is 2.
A component carrier refers to the center frequency of an OFDM symbol, and the platform supports up to 4 component carriers, though Release 24.0 enables support for only 2. Future releases enable support for all 4 component carriers. Operators do not configure the center frequency of the carrier, and it does not appear on the AP GUI. Instead, operators identify the center frequencies and bandwidths of the component carriers and determine their configuration under separate carriers or the same carrier. For example, in Release 24.0, a carrier can be configured with two component carriers, having a total width of 100 MHz, which becomes wider in a later release. An example of this configuration is shown below.
In one carrier, one or two component carriers can be configured. If both component carriers are configured in the same carrier, they need to be within the carrier width of the carrier. Note that in Release 24.0, the bandwidth of the two component carriers needs to be the same (there is only one configuration parameter), but in a later release, this restriction is eliminated, and the component carriers support different bandwidths.
The figure below illustrates some possible configurations in Release 24.0. The two carriers can be in the same band, if the band is wide enough, or in different bands. The two component carriers can be one in each carrier, or both in the same carrier. Note that the EIRP limit applies per band. If the two component carriers are configured in the same band, the EIRP limit of 36 dBm applies to the total bandwidth across both component carriers. But if one component carrier is configured in one band and the other in another band, then the EIRP limit applies separately to each band.
To configure the two carriers in the PMP 450v AP, go to the Configuration → Radio page, in the Radio Carrier Configuration Section.
The Number of Carriers drop-down menu offers a selection of 1 or 2 carriers. If two carriers are selected, both the Carrier 1 and Carrier 2 tabs are visible; if only one carrier is selected, the Carrier 2 tab is shown as inactive.
For each carrier, first assign the band to the carrier, and then configure the transmit power and SM Receive Target Level. Once completed the Radio Carrier Configuration section, click Save. This updates the options in the next section. The next step is to configure the component carriers.
For each component carrier, first select the Carrier Assignment (Carrier 1 or Carrier 2), and then choose the center frequency of the component carrier from the drop-down menu.
As explained above, the two component carriers can be associated with the same carrier or with different carriers. Note that the options in the Frequency Carrier drop-down menu adjust according to the current selection. For example, if both component carriers are associated with the same carrier, the selection for the second component carrier ensures it stays within the 100 MHz range of the carrier. Additionally, if both carriers are associated with the same band, the radio ensures that the center frequencies of the carriers are 50 MHz apart by limiting the frequency list.
The parameters that are common to the two component carriers are configured in the next several sections, starting with the Radio Configuration section.
Once the carriers and component carriers are configured, the Radio Configuration Summary table updates with the current configuration for reference.
Note
Any changes to the Radio Carrier Configuration or the Radio Component Carrier Configuration sections require a reboot.
AFC Support for Canada Region
The next generation of Cambium PMP products supports operation in the 6 GHz band. In the United States and Canada, this operation requires communication with an Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) server.
For more details, please refer AFC Operation for Cambium PMP Products document on the Cambium support site:
https://support.cambiumnetworks.com/files/pmp450/
Support for 30 and 15 MHz channel bandwidths
Release 24.0 supports 30 and 15 MHz channel bandwidths, in addition to 40, 20, 10, and 5 MHz channel bandwidths, the PMP 450v AP enhances configuration flexibility, catering to diverse network requirements.
Backward compatibility with legacy PMP 450x SMs
Ensuring seamless integration with earlier generations of SMs, including PMP 450, 450i, and 450b models, the PMP 450v AP facilitates backward compatibility, promoting interoperability within established network infrastructures.
Problems and limitations corrected in Release 24.0
| Products Affected | Tracking | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 GHz - 450m AP | CPY-18837 | The issue of unexpected drops in uplink modulation performance with UL-MUMIMO traffic identified in releases 22.2 and 22.2.1 BETA was fixed in Release 24.0. |
| All | CPY-18815 | The SSL certificate date and time reset to 01/01/2020 when a power-on reset is triggered. |
| All SMs | CPY-18745 | The SNMP configuration export does not work when in NAT mode. |
| 3G 450m/450i AP | CPY-18606 | User data traffic may experience higher latencies with 3G 450m/450i APs when cnMaestro was enabled. |
| 5 GHz - 450m AP | MUMIMO-3654 | Uplink Interference Cancellation is supported in release 24.0. This feature was initially released in 22.2 but was not included in subsequent releases 22.1.2 and 23.0. |
| 5 GHz - 450m AP | CPYV-771 | Uplink interference cancellation no longer requires a license key. This feature was initially released in 22.2, but at that time required a license key or use of the free 30-day trial. This requirement has been removed with the 24.0 release, and it is now made available for free general use for all 5 GHz 450m operators. However, operators should keep in mind that enabling this feature disables Uplink MU-MIMO scheduling. Refer to the 22.2 Release Notes for more details on this feature. |
Known issues and Limitations in Release 24.0
| Products Affected | Tracking | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 450v AP | CPY-18987 | The link test shows lower throughput in the uplink when there is user data traffic in the uplink. |
| 450v AP | CPY-18799 | In some instances, link test efficiencies might be too low even when the missed fragment percentage is very low. |
| 450v AP | CPY-18720 | Frame utilization statistics for 2 component carrier operation need optimization. These statistics increase and decrease with traffic load and can give operators a rough idea of frame utilization, but should not be relied on for a precise measurement of utilization at this time. |
| 450v AP | CPYV-787 | Auto-contention, Multicast traffic, and Proportional Scheduler (Rate Plan) features have not yet been optimized for 2 carrier configurations and are not supported on 450v APs for Release 24.0. |
Additional enhancements in Release 24.0
| Products Affected | Tracking | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 450v AP and SM | CPY-18888 | Added AFC support for the Canada region. |
| All | CPY-10284 | Added support for new RADIUS Vendor ID - “Cambium” (17713). |