Cisco Aironet 1550 Series User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Points
INCLUDING LICENSE AND WARRANTY
Revised February 20, 2013
P/N: 78-19963-02
1About this Guide
2Introduction to the Access Point
3Unpacking the Access Point
4Configurations
5Becoming Familiar With the Access Point
6Network Deployment Examples
7Preparing the Access Point
8Deploying the Access Point
9Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information
10 In Case of Difficulty
11 Cisco 90-Day Limited Hardware Warranty Terms

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1 About this Guide
This guide is designed to familiarize yourself with your Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh
Access Point and prepare it for use in your wireless network. Due to the complexity and number of
product options available, this guide does not provide detailed mounting and configuration
instructions. Those instructions can be found in the following documents:
•Cisco Mesh Networking Solution Deployment Guide
•Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation Guide
•Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Access Point Power Injector Installation Instructions
Detailed configuration information can also be found in the Cisco wireless LAN controller
documentation for the controller and software release you are using. These and other documents, such
as the Cisco Aironet 1550 Data Sheet, are available on Cisco.com. Follow these steps to access these
documents:
Step 1 Browse to http://www.cisco.com.
Step 2 Click Support. A pop-up window appears.
Step 3 Click Wireless under Select a Product Name. The Select Your Product or Technology page
appears.
Step 4 Click Wireless > Outdoor Wireless.
Step 5 Click Cisco Aironet 1550 Series in the Search for a Specific Product field. The Cisco Aironet
1550 Series Introduction page appears.
Step 6 Choose the appropriate link for the documentation you want to view or download.
FCC Safety Compliance Statement
The FCC with its action in ET Docket 96-8 has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to radio
frequency (RF) electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC certified equipment. When used with approved
Cisco Aironet antennas, Cisco Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environmental limits found in
OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper installation of this radio according to the instructions found
in this manual will result in user exposure that is substantially below the FCC recommended limits.

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Declaration of Conformity for RF Exposure
This access point product has been found to be compliant to the requirements set forth in CFR 47
Section 1.1307 addressing RF Exposure from radio frequency devices as defined in Evaluating
Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.
Use is permitted with antenna gain not exceeding 8 dBi in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band, as
described in filing, with a minimum separation distance of 20 cm (8") between the antenna and all
persons during normal operation.
Use is permitted with antenna gain not exceeding 13 dBi in the 2.4 GHz and 14 dBi in the 5 GHz band,
as described in filing, with a minimum separation distance of 50 cm (20") between the antenna and
all persons during normal operation.
Only antennas provided by Cisco for use with the product should be installed. The use of any other
antennas may cause damage to the access points or violate regulatory emission limits and will not be
supported by Cisco.
Declaration of Conformity with Regard to the EU Directive 1999/5/EC
(R&TTE Directive)
This declaration is only valid for configurations (combinations of software, firmware and hardware)
provided and/or supported by Cisco Systems. The use software or firmware not supported/provided
by Cisco Systems may result that the equipment is no longer compliant with the regulatory
requirements.
General Safety Guidelines
Warnings
Safety warnings appear throughout this guide in procedures that may harm you if performed
incorrectly. A warning symbol precedes each warning statement. The warnings below are general
warnings that are applicable to the entire guide. Specific warnings are included in the sections to which
they apply.
Translated versions of the safety warnings in this guide are provided in the Safety Warnings for
Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Points document that accompanies this guide.
The translated warnings are also in Appendix A of the Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh
Access Point Hardware Installation Guide, which is available at cisco.com.

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Warning 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 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 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 Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service
this equipment. Statement 1030
Warning Ultimate disposal of this product should be handled according to all national laws and
regulations. Statement 1040

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2 Introduction to the Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point (hereafter called the access point or AP) is
a ruggedized outdoor access point designed for service in mesh networks. The 1550 series leverages
802.11n technology with integrated radio and internal/external antennas. The 1550 outdoor platform
consists of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) WLAN radios and integrated spectrum
intelligence (Clean Air).
CleanAir provides full 802.11n data rates while detecting, locating, classifying and mitigating radio
frequency (RF) interference to provide the best client experience possible. CleanAir technology on the
outdoor 11n platform mitigates WiFi and non-WiFi interference on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios.
The 1550 AP series contains a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio with an option to configure in centralized,
Flexconnect, or mesh mode. The 2.4 GHz radios are used primarily for local access, and the 5 GHz
radios can be configured for both local access and/or wireless backhaul in the Mesh mode.
The 1550 series supports the modularity of the 1520 series and allows flexibility in radio
configuration. In addition to full interoperability with 802.11n clients, the 1550 series interoperates
with legacy clients and offers enhanced backhaul performance. The 1552C access point is configured
with an integrated DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem.
The access point is a standalone unit that can be cable strand or tower mounted. The access point can
also operate as a relay node for other access points not directly connected to a wired network.
Intelligent wireless routing is provided by the Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol (AWPP). This enables
each access point to identify its neighbors and intelligently choose the optimal path to the wired
network by calculating the cost of each path in terms of signal strength and the number of hops
required to get to a controller. The access point is configured, monitored, and operated through a Cisco
wireless LAN controller (WLC), referred to as a controller in this document. The WLC is described in
the appropriate Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide. The Cisco Mesh Networking
Solution Deployment Guide describes how to plan and initially configure the Cisco mesh network,
which supports wireless point-to-multipoint mesh deployments. The controllers use a browser-based
management system, a command-line interface (CLI), or the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS)
network management system to manage the controller and the associated access points. The access
point is compliant with Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) and employs hardware-based Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES) encryption between wireless nodes to provide end-to-end security.

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3 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 the “Package Contents” section on page 6 are included in the
shipment. Check each item for damage. If any item is damaged or missing, notify your
authorized Cisco sales representative.
Package Contents
Each access point package contains the following items:
•One 1550 series access point
•Three liquid-tight adapters
•Two-pin DC power connector
•Ground lug (Panduit PLCD6-10A-L) and screws with lock washers
•Watertight cable glands for Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) ports (depending on the 1552 access point
model, 2 or 3 cable glands are provided)
•Cisco product documentation and translated safety warnings
Optional Equipment
Depending on what you ordered, the following optional equipment may be part of your shipment:
•External antennas, depending on which ones you purchased
•Strand mount kit (AIR-ACCSMK1550=)
•Pole mount kit (AIR-ACCPMK1550=)
•Band installation tool for pole mount kit (AIR-BAND-INS-TL=)
•AC power cord, 40 ft. (12.2 m) with North American plug (AIR-CORD-R3P-40NA=)
•AC power cord, 40 ft (12.2 m) with European unterminated end (AIR-CORD-R3P-40UE=)
•Street light power tap (AIR-PWR-ST-LT-R3P=)
•Power injector (AIR-PWRINJ1500-2=)

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•1000BASELX single-mode Rugged SFP (GLC-LX-SM-RGD=)
•1000BASESX multimode Rugged SFP (GLC-SX-MM-RGD=)
•EPON ONU Rugged SFP module
•Battery, 6 amp hour (AIR-1520-BATT-6AH=)
•FIPS kit (AIRLAP-FIPSKIT=)
•Optional directional-antenna mounting kit (AIR-ACCAMK-1)
•Third-party lightning arrestors as required by local authorities
Supported Antennas
Dual Band Antennas
•Internal (2/4 dBi)
•AIR-ANT2547V-N (4/7 dBi)
•AIR-ANT2588P3M-N= (8/8 dBi)
Mono Band Antennas (used on AIR-CAP1552EU/CU APs)
2.4 GHz
•AIR-ANT2420V-N (2 dBi)
•AIR-ANT2450V-N (5 dBi)
•AIR-ANT2480V-N (8 dBi)
•AIR-ANT2413P2M-N= (13 dBi, dual polarized patch)
5 GHz
•AIR-ANT5140V-N (4 dBi)
•AIR-ANT5175V-N (7.5 dBi)
•AIR-ANT5180V-N (8 dBi)
•AIR-ANT5114P-N= (14 dBi, patch)
•AIR-ANT5114P2M-N= (14 dBi, dual polarized patch)

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4 Configurations
There are two radio configurations for the 1552 AP radio, the 2 GHz MIMO radio and the 5 GHz
MIMO radio. The 2GHz MIMO radio operates in 2.4 GHz ISM band. It supports channels 1-11 in
US, 1-13 in Europe, and 1-13 in Japan.The 5GHz MIMO radio operates in the UNII-2 band (5.25 –
5.35 GHz), the UNII-2 Extended/ETSI band (5.47 – 5.725 GHz), and the upper ISM band (5.725 –
5.850 GHz).
The configurations for the two 1552 radios are:
•AIR-CAP1552E-x-K9 2.4GHz b/g/n, 5GHz a/n MIMO, Outdoor Mesh AP with external antennas
•AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9 2.4GHz b/g/n, 5GHz a/n MIMO, Outdoor Mesh AP for hazardous
locations
•AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9 2.4GHz b/g/n, 5GHz a/n MIMO, Outdoor Mesh AP with integrated
antennas and DOCSIS 3.0 and Euro DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem
•AIR-CAP1552I-x-K9 2.4GHz b/g/n, 5GHz a/g/n MIMO, Outdoor Mesh AP with integrated
antennas
•AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9 Band Separated Outdoor Mesh AP with External Antennas
•AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9 Band Separated Outdoor Mesh Cable AP with External Antenna and
DOCSIS 3.0 and EURO DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem
For information on the regulatory domains (shown above as “x”) see “Regulatory Domains” section
on page 9.

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Regulatory Domains
The 1550 series supports the following regulatory domains (shown as “x” in the model numbers):
•-A FCC/North America, including Canada, Mexico, and some South American countries
•-C China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt
•-E ETSI and many European, Middle Eastern, and African countries (EMEA)
•-K Korea
•-M Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
•-N Non-FCC, including Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Brazil, Panama, and
Mexico
•-Q Japan (5.47-5.725GHz channels)
•-R Russia
•-S Singapore
•-T Taiwan
For the latest details and accurate listing of country homologation, refer to “Table 3. 802.11abgn
Mesh Access Points” on the Wireless-LAN-Compliance-Status page at:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5679/ps5861/product_data_sheet0900aecd80
537b6a.html#wp9005628
5 Becoming Familiar With the Access Point
The following illustrations show identify the access point connections. Before you begin the
installation process, use these illustrations to familiarize yourself with the access point.
Note The illustrations show all available connections for the configuration ordered. Unused
connections are capped to ensure the watertight integrity of the access point. Liquid tight
connectors are provided for all ports, which can be installed prior to or after deploying the
access point.
Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows the access point bottom and side connectors for models
AIR-CAP1552E-x-K9, AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9, and AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9. Figure 2 and Figure 6
show the access point top connectors for AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9 and AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9.
Figure 4 and Figure 5 show the access point bottom and side connectors for models
AIR-CAP1552I-x-K9, AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9, and AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9. Figure 7 shows the RF
splitter components for models AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9 and AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9. Figure 8 shows the
access point right side connectors for all models.

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Figure 1 Access Point Bottom Connectors - Models AIR-CAP1552E-x-K9, AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9, and
AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9
Note Antenna ports 1, 2 and 3 are not shown in Figure 1. These ports are reserved for future use
and will be located on the top of the access point.
1Antenna port 4 6Fiber port
2Antenna port 5 7PoE-out port
3Antenna port 6 8LEDs (Status, Up Link, RF1, RF2)
4AC power connector for model
AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9 only
9PoE-in port
5AC power connector for model
AIR-CAP1552E/EU-x-K9 only
45 6
282137
1 2 3
45
6
789

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Figure 2 Access Point Top Connectors - Model AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9
Figure 3 Access Point Left Side Connectors - Models AIR-CAP1552E-x-K9, AIR-CAP1552EU-x-K9,
and AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9
1Antenna port 1 3Antenna port 3
2Antenna port 2
1Console Port 2Not used
23 1
345675
282138
1 2

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Figure 4 Access Point Bottom Connectors - Model AIR-CAP1552I-x-K9
Figure 5 Access Point Bottom and Left Side Connectors - Model AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9 and
AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9 (1552C shown)
1AC Connector 4LEDs (Status, Up Link, RF1, RF2)
2Not used 5Ethernet backhaul connector
3Console port
1F-Connector adapter (splitter) for cable
(optional)
4Console port
2Not used 5LEDs (Status, Up Link, RF1, RF2)
3Not used 6Not used
282139
1 2 3 54
1 2 34 65
331577

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Figure 6 Access Point Top Connectors - Model AIR-CAP1552CU-x-K9
1Antenna port 1 3Antenna port 3
2Antenna port 2
23 1
345837

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The RF splitter components are shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7 RF Splitter Components
1RF splitter attenuator (ATTN) 3F-Connector adapter (splitter) for cable POC
(optional)
2RF splitter shunt (SHUNT)
3
1
2
255265

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Figure 8 shows the access point DC power connector and ground lug.
Figure 8 Access Point DC Power Connector and Ground Lug (All Models)
Radio Operation
The 1552 access point 802.11b/g/n radio is used primarily for local access and its 802.11a/n radio for
wireless backhaul in the Mesh.
The 2 GHz b/g/n radio operates in 2.4 GHz ISM band. It supports channels 1-11 in US, 1-13 in Europe,
and 1-13 in Japan. It has two transmitters with a maximum total output power of 25dBm for
802.11b/g/n operation. Output power is configurable to 5 levels. It has three receivers that enables
maximum-ratio combining (MRC).
The 5GHz a/n radio operates in the UNII-2 band (5.25 - 5.35 GHz), UNII-2 Extended/ETSI band (5.47
- 5.725 GHz), and the upper ISM band (5.725 - 5.850 GHz). It has two transmitters with a maximum
total output power of 26 dBm for UNII-2 and Extended/ETSI bands for the A-domain. The total
maximum output power for the upper ISM band is 28 dBm for A-domain. Tx power settings will
change depending on the regulatory domain. Output power is configurable for 5 power levels in 3 dB
steps. Its three receivers enables maximum-ratio combining (MRC).
The 1552 models C and I access points are equipped with three integrated dual-band antennas, with
2 dBi gain at 2.4 GHz and 4 dBi gain at 5 GHz. The antenna works in cable strand mount and low
profile applications.
1DC power port 3Bracket mounting nut
2Bracket mounting hole 4Ground lug location
282141
1 3 42

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External Antenna Option
Warning In order to comply with radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, the antennas up to 8 dBi
gain for this product should be placed no less than 20 cm (8") from your body or nearby
persons. This distance shall be increased to 50 cm (20 ") with antennas that have gain
between 8 and 14 dBi. Statement 339
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
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this
equipment.
Statement 1030
The 1552E and 1552H access points are equipped with three N-type radio frequency (RF) connectors
(antenna ports 4, 5, and 6) on the bottom of the unit for external antennas to support multiple input
multiple output (MIMO) operation as shown in Figure 9. The 1552E and 1552H models must always
be operated with the three external antennas attached. When using the Cisco Aironet
AIR-ANT2547V-N Dual-Band Omnidirectional Antenna, the 2.4- and 5-GHz antennas connect
directly to the access point, as shown in Figure 10. If the antennas are remotely located, an appropriate
low loss RF coax cable should be used.
The 1552EU and 1552CU access points are equipped with six N-type radio frequency (RF) connectors
(antenna ports 1-3 on the top of the unit for 5 GHz and antenna ports 4-6 on the bottom of the unit
for 2.4 GHz) for external antennas to support multiple input multiple output (MIMO) operation. The
antenna ports located of top of the 1552EU and 1552CU models are shown in Figure 11. The 1552EU
and 1552CU models must always be operated with the appropriate external antennas attached.

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Figure 9 Access Point External Antenna Connectors - Models AP-CAP1552E-x-K9, and
AP-CAP1552H-x-K9
1N-Type Connector - Antenna port 4 (TX/RX) 3N-Type Connector - Antenna port 6 (TX/RX)
2N-Type Connector - Antenna port 5 (RX)
45 6
282142
1 2 3

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Figure 10 Access Point Dual-Band Omnidirectional Antennas - Installed Only on Models
AIR-CAP1552E-x-K9 and AIR-CAP1552H-x-K9
1Antenna connected to antenna port 4 (Type-N
connector) (TX/RX)
3Antenna connected to antenna port 6 (Type-N
connector) (TX/RX)
2Antenna connected to antenna port 5 (Type-N
connector) (RX only)
282145
123

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Figure 11 Access Point External Antenna Connectors - Models AP-CAP1552EU-x-K9 and
AP-CAP1552CU-x-K9 only
Note The FCC limits the amount of power this device can transmit. Power transmitted is a
combination of the amplification of the signal and the antenna gain. The access point has been
designed to operate with the Cisco provided antennas.
Integrated Antenna Option
The 1552C and 1552I models use the Integrated Low Profile Dual-Band 2.4/5 GHz Dipole Antenna
Array. The antenna contains an array of three dual-band dipole antennas. The three dipole antennas are
contained within this single radome, thereby greatly reducing the antennas visual footprint, and greatly
reducing the possibility of snagging the antenna on the cable bundle, the RF cable, or test cables. The
antennas operate over both 2.4 GHz and 5.25 – 5.85 GHz bands. Each of the three dipole antennas is a
dual-band antenna, covering both the 2.4 – 2.483 GHz band, and the 5.25 – 5.85 GHz bands. The antenna
have a peak gain of about 2 dBi at 2.4 GHz and 4 dBi at 5 GHz. The antenna unit is gray weatherproof
radome for outdoor operation.
1N-Type Connector - Antenna port 1 (TX/RX) 3N-Type Connector - Antenna port 3 (TX/RX)
2N-Type Connector - Antenna port 2 (RX)
23 1
345675

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The low profile integrated antennas are attached to the bottom of a Cisco access point. The 1552C comes
with the option of a C-bracket for strand mounting. The 1552C mesh access point chassis mounting
brackets and low profile antenna all fit within the 30 cm vertical right-of-way for cable strand-mounted
equipment. The antennas are internally connected to the diplexer ports of the outdoor mesh access point
2.4/5 GHz 2x3 MIMO radios.
Figure 12 shows an installed integrated low-profile dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5.25 GHz) 3-element array
antenna. It is available on models AIR-CAP1552I-x-K9 and AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9.
Figure 12 Access Point Cisco Integrated Low-Profile Dual-Band 2.4/5 GHz Omni Antenna Array –
Built-In on Models AIR-CAP1552C-x-K9 and AIR-CAP1552I-x-K9
1Integrated Low-Profile Dual-Band 2.4/5 GHz
Omni Antenna Array Unit
3Antenna element (TX/RX)
2Antenna element (RX only) 4Antenna element (TX/RX)
209188
1
4
3
2