Remote AP with Fiber data link......

Remote AP’s

Has anyone used a fiber link to connect the SM to the AP on a Remote AP site?
I have put in a Remote AP in our network (w/ Omni antenna)and it is working fine. We plan to put in others. These seem to work good for us. We have ton’s of pine trees. Pines seem to give our clusters a hard time. What we want to do with the new remote AP is run a fiber line from the SM to the Remote AP (via fiber converter). This will allow us to get into a subdivision that can’t get signal from the cluster. I know there will be sync issues. I don’t know how we will fix that just yet. I think I can put a GPS on the Remote AP and fix that problem. I just don’t know what other issues I’ll run into. Any Ideas? Any help will be appreciated.

if you cant currently get any service to that location you shouldnt need to sync the remote site with your main network.

syncing will stop your trasmit/receive from stepping over eachother, as long as you sync the remote site with itself you should be fine (if you have more then 1 AP/etc)

at least this is my experience…someone correct me if im wrong

if you cant currently get any service to that location you shouldnt need to sync the remote site with your main network…

Yes, however in the big picture here, there may be a chance that two or more of these subdivisions (with remote AP’s) may bleed over into each other or have intermingled customers. I know that sounds crazy but we have just that many dead spaces. I think that will cause a problem??

I wish there were other options but I have found none yet.

I am still working on putting in several Motorola Canopy Remote AP’s.
I have recently been told that as long as an AP gets GPS sync then there no need to have a master sync. i.e. Two disconnected CMM’s with 900 AP’s will have no problem syncing together as long as the GPS is connected. I know there are GPS units out there designed to connect directly to AP’s, so that is where I can get Sync on the remote. According to what I was told, that GPS pulse is all I need to sync the remote AP with the rest of the Canopy network. Is this true?
I don’t know what to expect with Sync at this point. Do I need to sync between multi AP’s or back with a CMM? Will it only work stand alone? Are there other products that might help?

Below is a more detailed description of my problem…

Project/ Operation Plan Date-time: 01 November 2006, 8:00pm

PROJECT PLAN: LBGR-AP (Fiber) PLAN NUMBER: 04-06

References: Canopy System User Guide Mar 06, Canopy radio data spreadsheet, Remote_Access_Point_Iss1.

1. TASK/ PROBLEM & OBJECTIVE: The task and objective is to install a Remote AP and supporting equipment in a local subdivision in order to accommodate customer’s need for broadband internet service. The problem is that the current AP cluster can not be reached from within the subdivision at any appreciable height.

2. CURRENT SITUATION/ CONDITIONS/ PROBLEM DESCRIPTION/ GATHERED INFO:
a. Problem: Acceptable broadband service does not adequately cover the desired geographical areas within this city. The City needs alternate Broadband Internet access for Government, Business, and Home Customers. The current AP clusters are installed on 160ft towers. However, several large subdivisions are still unreachable due to large amounts of vegetation. Pine trees are the primary problem with various hard wood trees filling in. Site surveys netted no connections even at heights up to 65 or 70 ft.
(1) Terrain: Critical terrain aspects – The area of the City and the surrounding county has primarily flat terrain with meandering rivers and streams. There are swamps and flood plane areas. The most significant terrain feature is the sprawling and plentiful forest. These forest have a mix of various trees such as Oak, Elm, Dogwood, etc, however, they are primarily pine tree forest. The pine is also the key terrain obstacle. Most pine trees in the area reach 65 to 80 feet at maturity. These trees reach into the fresnel zone of current towers and poles significantly effecting signal path. Note that foliage effects can vary with seasons and differing plant cycles. Other lesser terrain features are built up highway areas, public and private buildings and structures, in addition to other tower and power line structures. None of the man made structures in the city proved a formidable path hindrance.
(2) Weather. Summer weather is often hot (70 to 100 degrees) and humid. Heat effects electronics and can shorten the life of equipment. Humid environments can accelerate corrosion/oxidation and shorten the life of electronics. Rain and thunder storms are frequent during several months. Again these can accelerate corrosion/oxidation and shorten the life of electronics. In addition given the right conditions rain causing wet foliage can degrade signals an appreciable amount. Lightening strikes can destroy mass amounts of equipment with one strike. Proper grounding is a must for protection. Winters are mild in temperature (30 to 70 degrees). Ice storms are more common than snow and can cause much damage to wires and mast and surrounding trees and structures. Spring and Fall seasons are no harsher than the other seasons with one exception. The Fall season is the height of Hurricane season and can effect the area with excessive wind, rain and floods.
(3) Other known issues and problem areas or activities:
Paging radios (at 930Mhz) on a tower within 30 miles creates a significant interference for the 900Mhz radios.
b. Current situation:
The current AP clusters are installed on 160ft towers. Attempts were made to connect several large subdivisions but they were unreachable due to large amounts of vegetation. Site surveys netted no connections even at heights up to 65 or 70 ft. Fortunately, areas just outside of the subdivisions are accessible with similar heights. For additional information on current systems see the wireless network diagrams, maps, and specification spreadsheets in the appendices.
c. Assisting Organizations, Teams, and Individuals:
1) City Technicians
2) Radio Vendors
3) Local Fabricators
4) Contractors

3. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS & COURSES OF ACTION:
Intent: The intent is to connect these subdivisions (dead space) with a Remote AP.
OPTION (COA) - A:
Concept:
The concept of this option is to install a remote (SM) outside of the subdivision (where connectivity can be made). Then using fiber, run a line into the subdivision and connect an AP. Off this AP customers would then be able to connect locally.
Technical Problem 1 – Canopy radios require Power Over Ethernet (POE) to operate. The insertion of fiber would not allow power to reach a radio. Solution - This can be fixed by using a standard canopy power supply locally at the AP site.
Technical Problem 2 – Canopy radios require a synchronization pulse to travel through the RJ45 (on the POE) line or the through the RJ11 line built into the radios. Using fiber would not allow the propagation of this Sync pulse across these hard lines.
Solution – Suggestion #1 – Use a backhaul on the Remote AP
Suggestion #2 – Use Fiber link to also extend the RJ11 sync line.
Suggestion #3 – Install a GPS on each fiber isolated Remote AP. This will sync it with other AP’s and AP clusters.

OPTION (COA) - B: ?

Contingency plans - None currently.

4. BEST SOLUTION/ COURSES OF ACTION:

OPTION (COA): ?

Why?

5. FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS/ DISCUSSION & NOTES:

6. IMPLEMENTATION/ SUPERVISION/ FEEDBACK/ REVISIONS:

Devices for providing GPS sync to Canopy:
http://www.packetflux.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1
http://www.fddisystems.com/ateresearch/minigps2.htm