Cisco aironet 1524SB Installation and operating instructions

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Cisco Aironet 1524SB Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware
Addendum
This addendum provides fundamental installation and troubleshooting information pertaining to the
Cisco Aironet 1524SB Outdoor Mesh Access Point.
The following information is included in this section:
•Overview, page 1
•Antenna Compatibility, page 3
•Installing the Access Point, page 5
•Troubleshooting, page 10
Overview
The Cisco Aironet 1524SB Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point is a modular design that supports up to
four radios: two 802.11a (5.4 to 5.8-GHz) radios for backhaul and access and one 802.11b/g (2.4-GHz)
radio for access.
The project access point features include:
•Cisco IOS
•Dual backhaul
•Improved radio performance (5 levels of transmit power)
•High-gain antennas to maximize EIRP
•Fiber (SFP) and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
•PoE-capable Ethernet ports for connecting peripheral devices
•LEDs for troubleshooting
•Ruggedized paintable enclosure

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Purpose
This section provides basic safety, installation, and troubleshooting information pertaining to the
1524SB outdoor mesh access point. Specific information and procedures are contained in other user
documents and are not covered here. See the “Additional Documentation” section on page 8 for a list of
additional documents you will need in order to install, configure, and troubleshoot the access point and
mesh network.
Note The view must be identified when viewing an illustration in order to determine correct antenna port
location. This section refers to a “radio side” view in some of the illustrations. The access point has two
covers: a radio cover and a power/cable/fiber cover. The non-hinged cover is the radio side.
Figure 1 identifies the access point bottom connectors (radio side view)
Figure 1 Access Point Bottom Connectors (radio side view)
1Antenna port 4 7AC input connector
2Antenna port 5 8Fiber port
3Antenna port 6 9PoE out port
4Fiber port (optional) 10 LEDs
5Cable POC port (optional) 11 PoE in port
6Aux/console port
1
2
3
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4
5
8
9
11
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Figure 2 shows the access point top connections (radio cover view)
Figure 2 Access Point Top Connectors (radio cover view)
Antenna Compatibility
Table 1 identifies the antennas that can be used with the access point.
1Antenna port 3 4Ground screw holes
2Antenna port 2 5DC power connector
3Antenna port 1
1 2 3 4 5
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Table 1 Antenna Compatibility Chart
Part Number Description Gain (dBi)
AIR-ANT5180V-N 5-GHz compact omnidirectional 8
AIR-ANT58G10SSA-N 5-GHz sector 9.5
AIR-ANT2450V-N 2.4-GHz compact omnidirectional 5
AIR-ANT2480V-N 2.4-GHz omnidirectional 8

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Figure 3 shows the antenna port numbers. Table 2 describes locations, antenna type, and antenna
function. The antenna port numbers are labeled at the port as part of the chassis casting. Note that the
hinges are to the rear of the access point chassis.
Figure 3 Antenna Port Locations (hinges to rear of chassis)
1Antenna port 1 5Hinges
2Antenna port 2 6Antenna port 5
3Antenna port 3 7Antenna port 6
4Antenna port 4
Table 2 Antenna Port Functions and Type
Antenna Function# Antenna Port 1 Antenna Port 2 Antenna Port 3 Antenna Port 4 Antenna Port 5 Antenna Port 6
3 Radio MAP DL/UA-OMNI NA-DIR 2.4 ACCTXRX 2.4 RX 2.4 RX UL/DIR
3 Radio RAP 5.8 ACC-OMNI NA-DIR 2.4 ACCTXRX 2.4 RX 2.4 RX DL-OMNI
Key
ACC = Access UA = Universal access DIR = Directional Antenna
OMNI = Omnidirectional antenna DL = Downlink 5-GHz TXRX = Transmit and Receive
UL = Uplink 5-GHz N/A = Not active
RX = Receive BH = Backhaul

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Cisco Aironet 1524SB Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Addendum
Installing the Access Point
Warnings
Translated versions of all safety warnings are available in the safety warning document that shipped with
your access point or on Cisco.com. To browse to the document on Cisco.com, refer to the “Additional
Documentation” section on page 8 for instructions.
Warning IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you
work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar
with standard practices for preventing accidents. Use the statement number provided at the end of
each warning to locate its translation in the translated safety warnings that accompanied this device.
Statement 1071
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Warning Do not operate the unit near unshielded blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless the
device has been modified to be especially qualified for such use. Statement 364
Warning This equipment must be externally grounded using a customer-supplied ground wire before power is
applied. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain
that suitable grounding is available. Statement 366
Warning Read the installation instructions before connecting the system to the power source. Statement 1004
Warning Ultimate disposal of this product should be handled according to all national laws and regulations.
Statement 1040
Safety Information
Follow the guidelines in this section to ensure proper operation and safe use of the access point.
RF Exposure
This system has been evaluated for RF exposure for Humans in reference to the ICNIRP (International
Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) limits. The minimum separation distance from the
antenna to the user is 7.9 inches (20 centimeters).
Additional information on EMF / RF exposure is discussed in the Cisco white paper Wireless Systems
and RF Safety Issues. The paper is on cisco.com at the following link:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5678/ps430/ps4076/prod_white_paper09186a0
080088791_ps6087_Products_White_Paper.html

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Safety Precautions
Warning In order to comply with FCC radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, antennas should be located at a
minimum of 7.9 inches (20 cm) or more from the body of all persons. Statement 332
Warning The AC power supply has double pole/neutral fusing. Statement 188
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.
Statement 1001
Warning Class 1 laser product. Statement 1008
Warning There is the danger of explosion if the battery is replaced incorrectly. Replace the battery only with
the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according
to the manufacturer’s instructions. Statement 1015
Warning A readily accessible two-poled disconnect device must be incorporated in the fixed wiring.
Statement 1022
Warning To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunication line cord. Statement 1023
Warning This unit might have more than one power supply connection. All connections must be removed to
de-energize the unit. Statement 1028
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this equipment.
Statement 1030
Warning Connect the unit only to DC power source that complies with the safety extra-low voltage (SELV)
requirements in IEC 60950 based safety standards. Statement 1033
Warning When installing or replacing the unit, the ground connection must always be made first and
disconnected last. Statement 1046.

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Warning Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or
where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take extreme care
not to come into contact with such circuits, because they may cause serious injury or death. For
proper installation and grounding of the antenna, please refer to national and local codes (for
example, U.S.:NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Article 810, Canada: Canadian Electrical Code,
Section 54). Statement 1052
Caution Before connecting or disconnecting a power cord, you must remove AC power from the power cord using
a suitable service disconnect.
Installation Guidelines
Because the access point is a radio device, it is susceptible to common causes of interference that can
reduce throughput and range. Follow these basic guidelines to ensure the best possible performance:
•For information on planning and initially configuring your Cisco Mesh network, refer to the
Deployment Guide: Cisco Mesh Networking Solution.
•Perform a site survey before beginning the installation.
•Install the access point in an area where structures, trees, or hills do not obstruct radio signals to and
from the access point.
•The access points can be installed at any height, but best throughput is achieved when all the access
points are mounted at approximately the same height. We recommend installing the access points
no higher than 40 feet (12.2 meters) to allow support for wireless clients on the ground in the
immediate vicinity of the access point; for example, directly below the access point.
Note To calculate path loss and to determine how far apart to install access points, consult an RF planning
expert.
Site Surveys
Every network application is a unique installation. Before installing multiple access points, you should
perform a site survey to determine the optimum use of networking components and to maximize range,
coverage, and network performance.
Consider the following operating and environmental conditions when performing a site survey:
•Data rates—Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data bit rates. The maximum radio
range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate. A decrease in receiver sensitivity occurs as the
radio data increases.
•Antenna type and placement—Proper antenna configuration is a critical factor in maximizing radio
range. As a general rule, range increases in proportion to antenna height. However, do not place the
antenna higher than necessary, because the extra height also increases potential interference from
other unlicensed radio systems and decreases the wireless coverage from the ground.
•Physical environment—Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled areas.
•Obstructions—Physical obstructions such as buildings, trees, or hills can hinder performance of
wireless devices. Avoid locating the devices in a location where there is an obstruction between the
sending and receiving antennas.

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Additional Documentation
The following documentation will help you install and configure the access point in your mesh network:
•Getting Started Guide: Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Points
•Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation Guide
•Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Mounting Instructions
•Channels and Maximum Power Settings for Cisco Aironet Lightweight Access Points
•Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Power Injector Installation Instructions
•AC Power Cords for Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Points
•Translated Safety Warnings for Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Access Points
•Enterprise Mobility Design Guide
•Mobile Access Router and Mesh Networks Design Guide
•Secure Wireless Design Guide
•CSA for WLAN Security
•Ethernet Bridging in Point-to-Point Wireless Mesh Network Configuration Example
•Cisco Wireless Control System Configuration Guide, Release 5.0
•Troubleshooting a Mesh Network
These documents are available on cisco.com. Follow these steps to download them:
Step 1 Browse to http://www.cisco.com
Step 2 Click Products and Services. A drop-down window appears. Click Wireless. The Wireless Introduction
page appears.
Step 3 Scroll down and click the Outdoor Wireless link under the Network Solutions heading (center).
Step 4 Click Cisco Aironet 1520 Series under the Related Products heading (center). The Cisco Aironet 1520
Series Introduction page appears.
Step 5 In the Support window, select the All support information for Cisco Aironet 1520 Series link. The
Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Support page appears.
Step 6 Select the category of the documentation you wish to download.
Step 7 Download the document.
Before Beginning the Installation
Before you begin the installation process:
•Ensure that a site survey has been performed.
•Ensure that your network infrastructure devices are operational and properly configured.
•Ensure that your controllers are connected to switch trunk ports.
•Ensure that your switch is configured with untagged access ports for connecting your access points.

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•Ensure that a DHCP server with Option 43 configured is reachable by your access points, or
manually configure the controller information in the access point (for additional information, refer
to Appendix F of the Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation
Guide.
•Become familiar with the access point installation components. Refer to Chapter 2 of the Cisco
Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation Guide.
Unpacking the Access Point
Follow these steps to unpack the access point:
Step 1 Open the shipping container and carefully remove the contents.
Step 2 Return all packing materials to the shipping container, and save it.
Step 3 Ensure that all items listed in “Package Contents” are included in the shipment. If any item is damaged
or missing, notify your authorized Cisco sales representative.
Package Contents
Each access point package contains the following items:
•Access point
•Cisco product documentation and translated safety warnings
•Grounding lug with two screws and lock washers
•Three liquid tight adapters
•Two-pin DC power connector
•Ground lug (Panduit PLCD6-10A-L) and screws with lock washers
Tools and Materials That You Supply
•Ground lug crimping tool (Panduit CT-720 with CD-720-1 die)
•6-AWG copper ground wire
•13-mm box-end wrench or socket set
•Adjustable wrench, 22-mm socket, or Sealcon S-2200-WR socket wrench
•Small flat screwdriver for DC power connector
•Optional power injector (AIR-PWRINJ1500-2=)
•Optional AC power cord
•Antennas, 2.4 and 5 GHz (refer to Table 1)
•Optional pole mount kit (AIR-ACCPMK1520=)
•Optional strand mount kit (AIR-ACCSMK1520=)
•Optional strap hand tool (AIR-BAND-INST-TL=)

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•Optional fiber-optic SFP, fiber-optic take-up reels, and liquid tight adapter
(GLC-FE-100BX-URGD=)
•Optional outdoor-rated fiber-optic cable with 0.20 to 0.35 in. (0.51 to 0.89 cm) diameter
•Optional shielded outdoor-rated Ethernet (CAT5e or better) cable with 0.20 to 0.35 in.
(0.51 to 0.89 cm) diameter
•Optional Ethernet RJ-45 connector and installation tool
•Optional shielded outdoor-rated DC power cable with 0.20 to 0.35 in. (.0.51 to 0.89 cm) diameter
•Optional cable Stinger connector
•Optional ground rod, as required by local regulations
•Optional ladder, power lift, rope, or other tools as required
Note Refer to the Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation Guide or Cisco
Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Mounting Instructions for specific installation and
configuration instructions.
Troubleshooting
The following basic troubleshooting information is provided in this section. Additional troubleshooting
information is available in the Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware
Installation Guide and in the support section on cisco.com.

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Interpreting the LEDs
The access point LEDs are identified in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Access Point LEDs
The access point LED signals are listed in Table 3.
1Status LED—access point and software status 3RF-1 LED—status of the radio in slot 0
(2.4-GHz) and slot 2 (5.8-GHz)
2Uplink LED—Ethernet, cable, or fiber access 4RF-2 LED—status of the radio in slot 1
(5.8-GHz). The slot 3 (5.8-GHz) radio is
disabled for this project phase.
Table 3 Access Point LED Signals
LED Color1, 2 Meaning
Status Off –
Green Access point is operational.
Blinking green Download or upgrade of Cisco IOS image file in progress.
Amber Mesh neighbor access point discovery in progress.
Blinking amber Mesh authentication in progress.
Blinking red/green/amber LWAPP discovery in progress.
Red Firmware failure. Contact your support organization for assistance.
Uplink Off No physical connector present or the uplink port is not operational.
Green Uplink network is operational (cable, fiber optic, or Ethernet).

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Verifying Controller Association
To verify that your access point is associated to the controller, follow these steps:
Step 1 Log into your controller web interface using a web browser.
You can also use the controller CLI show ap summary command from the controller console port.
Step 2 Click Wireless, and verify that your access point MAC address is listed under Ethernet MAC.
Step 3 Log out of the controller, and close your web browser.
Using the Reset Button
The access point has a reset button located on the bottom of the unit (see Figure 5). The reset button is
recessed in a small hole that is sealed with a screw and a rubber gasket. The reset button can be used to
perform these functions:
•Reset (power cycle) the access point—press the reset button for less than 10 seconds.The LEDs turn
off for 5 seconds and then resume normal indication.
•Disable battery backup power—press the reset button for more than 10 seconds. The LEDs turn off
for 5 seconds, turn back on for 5 seconds, then turn off and stay off.
RF-1
(2.4- GHz radio)
Off Radio turned off.
Green Radio is operational.
Red Firmware failure. Contact your support organization for assistance.
RF-2
(5.8-GHz radios)
Off Radio turned off.
Green Radio is operational.
Red Firmware failure. Contact your support organization for assistance.
1. If all LEDs are off, the access point has no power.
2. When the access point power supply is initially turned on, all LEDs are amber.
Table 3 Access Point LED Signals (continued)
LED Color1, 2 Meaning

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Figure 5 Reset Button Location
Removing and Replacing the Reset Button Cover
The access point reset button is recessed in a small hole, sealed with a Phillips screw cover and rubber
gasket. To remove and replace the reset button cover, follow these steps:
Step 1 Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the reset button cover. Be careful not to lose the screw and rubber
gasket.
Step 2 Use a straightened paper clip to perform the intended action (reset the access point or disable the
battery).
Step 3 Replace the rubber gasket and start the reset button cover into the threaded hole.
Step 4 Use a Phillips screwdriver to tighten the cover to 22 to 24 in. lbs (2.49 to 2.71 Nm).
1Reset button

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Obtaining Documentation, Support, and Security Guidelines
Obtaining Documentation, Support, and Security Guidelines
For information on obtaining documentation, obtaining support, providing documentation feedback,
security guidelines, and also recommended aliases and general Cisco documents, see the monthly What’s
New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical
documentation, at:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/general/whatsnew/whatsnew.html
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