EXS 5001 Wireless NODE User manual

eXS 5001 Wireless NODE
Version A
Technician Manual
Revision A.2.1
November, 2005
®

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Contents
CONTENTS ................................................................................ 2
WEB CONFIGURATION MANAGER APPLICATION ...................... 5
Top ............................................................................................................... 7
Status........................................................................................................... 7
Log ............................................................................................................... 8
Setup............................................................................................................ 9
Web Configuration Manager Setup Feature...................................................... 10
IP Addresses and General Network Setup ....................................................... 10
Wireless Access........................................................................................... 13
Wi_Fi Protected Access (WPA-PSK) ................................................................ 15
MAC Address Authentication ......................................................................... 15
Channel Setup ............................................................................................ 17
Committing Your Changes ............................................................................ 18
Advanced.....................................................................................................18
Wireless Setting for the Access Point.............................................................. 19
Wireless Setting for the Mesh Network ........................................................... 19
Network Settings for the NODE ..................................................................... 20
Network Settings for the Ethernet port ........................................................... 21
WDS.......................................................................................................... 23
Traffic control: ............................................................................................ 24
Backup ........................................................................................................25
Restore........................................................................................................26
Restoring from Factory Defaults .................................................................... 27
Restoring from Last Committed Changes ........................................................ 28
Restoring from a Local File............................................................................ 28
Software Update..........................................................................................31
Using the Update Feature ............................................................................. 31
Uploading via Web Browser .......................................................................... 32
Downloading via the http or ftp Protocol ......................................................... 33
Troubleshooting the Software Update Process.................................................. 34
Reboot.........................................................................................................34
MULTI-LAYERED MESH NETWORK .......................................... 35

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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION .................................................... 36
LIMITED WARRANTY .............................................................. 36
APPENDIX: RADIO CHARACTERISTICS ................................... 40
Transmit Output Power................................................................................40
Maximum Output Power Settings, United States ..........................................41
Receiver Sensitivity .....................................................................................42
APPENDIX: USER INFORMATION............................................ 43
Professional Installation..............................................................................43
Operation ....................................................................................................43
Interference ................................................................................................43
Radiation Exposure......................................................................................44
APPENDIX: FCC RULES ........................................................... 45
Part 15.203: Antenna Requirement................................................................ 45
Part 15.407: Technical Requirements (UNII) ................................................... 45
Part 15.407: RF Transmission Auto-control ..................................................... 46

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Introduction
The eXS®5001 Wireless NODE is a dual-radio device that enable the network
operator to deploy a wireless network, eXS ZONE™, without laying any data
cables. The eXS NODE™ is designed to:
1. Mesh with other NODEs using the IEEE 802.11a radio
2. Service clients over the Ethernet port and the wireless access port
(IEEE 802.11g radio)
3. The traffic is routed to the eXS NODE™ that is connected to the
backhaul, otherwise known as the gateway.
The NODE is a layer-3 router that can be configured as a Repeater or as a
Gateway. In the Repeater configuration the DHCP server internal to the
NODE will service BOTH the LAN port and the wireless 802.11g access.
The NODE supports the installation of client devices like a SIP phones over
the LAN interface.
The Gateway mode will configure the LAN interface to act as a WAN port to
enable the unit to interface to the existing campus/corporate LAN or to the
available backhaul. The port in this configuration can be configured to act as
a DHCP CLIENT or with STATIC IP information.
The setup of the 802.11b/g access is performed through the “setup” tab
while the mesh network configuration is done through the “Advanced” tab. It
is important to remember to configure the mesh network after configuring
the access.
Notation: Prompts and dialog scripts are shown in normal type. Technician
typed inputs and names of tabs are shown in italics.
This manual follows industry practice of referring to this professional person
as the “User”. In this manual “User” does not mean the consumer, network
subscriber or end user.
Professional installation: This system must be professionally configured,
installed and maintained. The person configuring the NODEs must be
knowledgeable in the radio and safety regulations for the country and
location where this system will be installed, and is responsible for making the
installation comply with those safety and radio regulations.
The NODE can be used with ANY brand and type of power over Ethernet
(PoE) that is an approved power source for the installation location.
The professional planning the installation shall be responsible for ensuring
that the proper antenna is employed so that the radio and safety
requirements for that location are met.
In the USA, the PoE and antenna have to be the units tested for Certification,
which are on the eXS Price List.

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Web Configuration Manager Application
The eXS 5001 Wireless NODE is configured using a web browser such as
Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape, from any wired or wireless station
on the local area network.
Using the https protocol, enter
https://<single_board_computer_IP_address> as the location.
The default address is: https://192.168.100.1
At which point you will be see the security alert below
Figure 1
Click the Yes button to access the NODE. You will be prompted then to type
your username and password.

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Figure 2
The defaults are:
Username: admin
Password: admin
When you enter the password, asterisks are displayed
When you have been authenticated to access the web configuration manager
application, the Top page is displayed as shown in Figure 3.
Warning: there are web sites on the Internet that contain factory passwords
for thousands of products. Be sure to set a unique Username and Password
for each major network. It is good practice to change these whenever there
is a change in personnel.

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Figure 3
Top
The Top page is the first page displayed by the web configuration manager
application as shown in above.
The web configuration application's main menu is a collection of tabs in the
upper left side of the page. The Top page displays the values of various
pieces of information in the center of the page, such as the host name and
the current mode of operation. Additionally, the Top page provides a way to
change the admin user password.
The values displayed on the Top page are from the NODE configuration data
stored the last time the configuration was saved. When the NODE is first
booted, the data on the Top page reflects the values of the configuration data
under which the unit is currently operating. For example, in the previous
figure showing a sample Top page, the current mode of operation is a
Gateway.
Status
The Status main menu item displays a brief overview of the overall system as
shown in the Figure 4. The values displayed on the Status page are from the
saved configuration data. When the single board computer is first booted, the
data on the Status page reflects the values of the configuration data under

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which the NODE is currently operating.
Figure 4
Log
The Log main menu item displays the System Log file. You can click on the
System Details button which results in displaying the output of various
system commands to provide a more detailed summary of the overall
system.
The Current System Time in the NODE will reset itself at every power up
cycle to 1 January 2000 at 00:00:00 hours.

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Figure 5
Setup
The Setup main menu item is for setting the mode of operation for the
NODE. Two operating modes are available through the pull down menu
gateway and Repeater as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 6
As mentioned before, the majority of NODEs are configured as Repeaters.
Web Configuration Manager Setup Feature
To select a mode of operation, open the pull-down menu and choose a mode
by highlighting the mode and clicking on it. The mode you selected will be
displayed in the field.
The NODE Identifier should be a unique number on the mesh network to help
identify the unit.
The NODE is shipped configured as a Repeater. This configuration is the most
common for a mesh NODE. The following subsections will show what web
pages are displayed to configure the NODE for a repeater mode of operation.
IP Addresses and General Network Setup
In the repeater mode the wireless Access and the LAN port are serviced by a
DHCP server. The next few screens cover the configuration of the network
parameters for these two interfaces.
As shown in the figure below, the first screen is to configure the IP address
and netmask of the NODE, that is the address used to access the NODE when
connect through the Wireless Access port or the wired LAN Access port.