Multilink ZipLink User manual

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ZipLink
WirelessPhoneLine&EthernetExtender
UserGuidev.1
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Multi‐Link,Inc.
122DeweyDrive|Nicholasville,KY|40356USA
SalesandTechSupport800.535.4651
FAX859.885.6619
www.multi‐link.net

Technical Support
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Safety Warning !!
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Inordertocomplywithelectricalcodesinmost
areas,aswellasprovideadequateprotection
fromlightning,youMUSTgroundtheZipLink
outdoorunit!
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Phone Support: 916-947-7444

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Contents
TechnicalSupport........................................................................................2
SafetyWarning!!.........................................................................................2
Contents......................................................................................................3
Introduction.................................................................................................4
BoxContents................................................................................................4
Cabling.........................................................................................................4
CableGlandAssembly.................................................................................5
BenchTesting..............................................................................................7
Installation...................................................................................................7
AssemblyTips..............................................................................................8
ElectricalConnections...............................................................................11
Aimingtheantennas..................................................................................13
BenchTesting............................................................................................13
Startup/Testing........................................................................................14
SystemDiagram.........................................................................................15
BasicTroubleshooting...............................................................................15
Warranty....................................................................................................18
Specifications.............................................................................................19
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Introduction
TheMulti-LinkZipLinkis awirelesssystemthatallowsuptotwostandard
analog(POTS)phonelinesandanethernetLAN(internet)connectionto
bequicklyinstalledbetweentwobuildingsorlocationsupto1mile/1.6
kilometersapart.
TheZipLinkis designedtobeeasytoinstall.Youwillneedthefollowing
tools:
‐PowerDrill/Screwdriverw/Phillipsbits
‐10mmnutdriver/wrench
‐Wirefishline
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Box Contents
‐2ZipLinKOutdoor Radios: LINE &PHONE
‐2poweradapters
‐2AntennaMounts
‐AccessoryKit(WhiteBox)
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Cabling
EachZipLinkradio comesequippedwith30Meters/100feetof
OUTDOORRATEDcablewhichrunsfromtheZipLink to thePower/POTS
PowerInjector,whichisusuallymountedinthecustomer’stelcoroom.
Thecableisusedforthephoneconnectionsaswellaspower.YOUMAY
SHORTENTHISCABLEIFYOUWISH,BUTYOUMAYNOTLENGTHENIT.
Keepinmindthatthiscablelengthmaximumdistanceisduetothe
maximumlengthallowableforthepowerwiresinsidethiscableonly.
ThecablelengthFROMthepower injetorPOTS RJ11connector 
TOthetelcoline,PBXordesksetmaybeupto300feetintotalusing
unshieldedtwistedpaircat3cableforthetelephonecircuitsandcat5eor

cat6forethernet/data,orevengreaterdistanceswhenusingshielded
cables.ThisallowsforalmostanyinstallationtousetheZipLinksystem. 
TherearetwoconnectionscomingoutoftheZipLink.The precabled
connectionhasthePOTSlinesandpower,thebottommiddle
weatherproofconnectorisforCat5edata.
EachoutdoorZipLinkradio shouldbeelectricallygroundedbyuseofa
groundluginstalledononeoftheboltsusedtoholdtheZipLinkonthe
polemountbracketsandruntoaproperelectricalground.Thisisnot
onlyasafetyrequirementforlightningdissipationpurposes,butalso
improvessystemradioperformance,sincetheenclosureprovidesradio
shieldingagainstunwantedradioandelectricalnoiseonthephonelines.
AssumingthattheoutletwhichthePowerInjectors power supply 
isproperlyinstalledaccordingtoelectricalcodes,nofurthergrounding
pointsinthesystemisrequired.Theelectricalcircuitsforthephoneand
ethernet/dataconnectionsshouldNEVERbegrounded.Thisincludesall
connectionsinthepowerinjector.Phoneconnections“float”.
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Cable Gland Assembly
InsidetheaccessoryboxthatcamewiththeZipLink,
youwillfind2blackcableglandsthatlooklikethis:
Youshouldunscrewthetwoparts.Youshould
leavethesmallrubberO‐ringwhereitis.
YouwillnoticethattheO‐ringhasaslitinit.Thisisto
allowtheethernetcabletobecompletelyassembledon
theground,priortoinstallingitontheradio.
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Thisistheorderthateverythinggoestogetherprioronthecable:
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Thenextstepistopushtherubberringinto
positionsothatitwillcompresswhentheglandis
assembled.YoushouldGENTLYuseasmall
screwdrivertoslideitinsidethemainbodyofthe
glandhousinguntilitisflushwiththelittleplastic
fingersatthebottomofthegland,likeshownin
thepicturetotheright‐>
Youcannowslidetheglandupanddownthecablewhileyoupluginthe
ethernetconnectorintothebottomoftheradio:
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Screwintheglandhousing: Andthenthebottomglandcap:

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Bench Testing
WhenbenchtestingtheZipLink,youneedtoknowthefollowing:
‐Theminimumdistancebetweentheradiosmustbe25feetor8
meters.IfyouhavetheLineandPhoneZipLinkcloser together
thanthisduringtesting,thesystemmaynotoperateproperly,
especiallyinmodemtesting.
‐Youshouldalwaysorienttheradiossimilarlytohowtheywillbe
orientedwhentheyareinstalled.Optionally,youmaysitthem
BOTHsidewayswiththeSKYarrowpointingatthesamewallto
facilitateeasyRJ45cableinstallation.
‐Bothunitsshouldbeelectricallygroundedontheirchassisto
ensurenoisefromlightsandmotorsinthevicinitydonotaffect
callquality.
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Installation
MounttheZipLinkRadios ashighupaspossibleonbothbuildings.The
radiosmust“see”eachotherwithoutobstructionsbetweenthem,and
sinceradiotravelsina“football”shapebetweenantennas,youmustnot
onlyhaveadirectpathbetweentheantennas,butthepathalsomustbe
wideenough,asdeterminedbythedistancebetweentheradios:
Radio height required by distance between radios
Distance (mi./km) .25/.40.5/.801/1.6
Minimum Height( ft/m)
10/314/4.319/6
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Forexample,ifyouhavetwobuildingsahalfmileapart,theZipLink
radiosshouldbe14feetabovetheground,plustheheightofanything
elsethatisinbetweenthebuildings.So,iftherearedeliverytrucks
movingbetweentheradios,theyneedtobe14abovetheheightofthe
trucks,soabout30feetup.Sameruleappliesfortrees,etc.

TherearetwoZipLinkradios included ineachkit.Thereis oneLINEunit
andonePHONEunit.ThePHONEunitneedstobeconnectedtoaPhone
atthe“remote”end.TheLINEunitneedstobeconnectedtothePBX,
KeySystem,orPOTSLINEatthe“main”location.
DialtoneislocallygeneratedonthePHONEunit,soifyoureversethe
radios,youwillnotgetdialtoneatthephoneend.Thefastestwayto
checkifyouhavethecorrectradioateachendistolookatthecolorof
thecableglandontheZipLink.PHONEZipLinkradioshave BLACKcable
glandsonthetelcocable.LINEZiplinkradioshave Beigecableglandson
thetelcocable:
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Beige(LINE)Radio  Black(PHONE)Radio
Assembly Tips
Therearetwoofeverything.Herearesomebasicsetuptips:
•It REALLY matters what radio is at what end!!
•The ZipLinkunit that has a BLACK cable gland on the cat3 cable
should plug into a phone or modem or fax machine. (You may
also say that this is the radio that goes to the REMOTE end, or
the end that currently does not have a phone)
•The ZipLinkthat has a BEIGE (or WHITE) cable gland on the cat3
cable should plug into a telephone LINE (that comes from a
phone company, or office PBX).
•You can use any other component at either end of the
installation. This includes the ZipLinkPower Injectors
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•Here is what each end will look like just before you install it:
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•First,attachthe
aluminumbrackettothe
backoftheZipLink.Use
the4bolts,washers,and
lockwashersthatare
alreadyonthebackof
theradio:
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•Next, put the U-Bolts in place.
These are also packaged in the
Accessory Kit (the white box), and
are wrapped in plastic wrap, along
with washers and lock washers:
•The hardware for the
pole mounts is included
with the brackets
themselves. Look for
three bolts and 3 nuts in
brass. Here is how you
should put the pieces
together prior to
tightening anything:
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