NETGEAR AirBridge WBC502 Manual

Hardware Installation Guide
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502
NETGEAR, Inc.
350 E. Plumeria DriveFebruary 2020
San Jose, CA 95134, USA202-12059-01

Support and Community
Visit netgear.com/support to get your questions answered and access the latest
downloads.
You can also check out our NETGEAR Community for helpful advice at
community.netgear.com.
Regulatory and Legal
Si ce produit est vendu au Canada, vous pouvez accéder à ce document en français
canadien à https://downloadcenter.netgear.com/other/.
(If this product is sold in Canada, you can access this document in Canadian French at
https://downloadcenter.netgear.com/other/.)
For regulatory compliance information including the EU Declaration of Conformity, visit
https://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory/.
See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.
For NETGEAR’s Privacy Policy, visit https://www.netgear.com/about/privacy-policy/.
By using this device, you are agreeing to NETGEAR’s Terms and Conditions at
https://www.netgear.com/about/terms-and-conditions/. If you do not agree, return the
device to your place of purchase within your return period.
Trademarks
© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR, and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc.
Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.
Revision History
CommentsPublish DatePublication Part
Number
First publication.February 2020202-12059-01
2
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction
Overview................................................................................................6
Features.................................................................................................7
Safety instructions and warnings........................................................8
Chapter 2 Hardware Overview
Front panel..........................................................................................12
Back panel with status LEDs..............................................................13
Bottom panel with Ethernet ports....................................................15
Power adapter.....................................................................................16
RJ-45 ports for 10/100/1000M BASE-T Ethernet connectivity.....17
Reset button........................................................................................18
Chapter 3 Applications
Applications overview........................................................................20
Extend your network to a detached site..........................................21
Provide a WiFi Internet connection to a detached, independent
network................................................................................................23
Centrally manage video surveillance networks located at different
sites.......................................................................................................25
Provide long-range WiFi service to outdoor clients......................27
Provide a WiFi connection to an outdoor device that is not
WiFi-capable.......................................................................................29
Chapter 4 Installation
Step 1: Determine the site-to-site distance or required coverage
area.......................................................................................................32
Step 2: Prepare the site......................................................................34
Step 3: Unpack the AirBridge...........................................................35
Step 4: Set up the WiFi connection between a master and a
satellite.................................................................................................36
Step 4a: Set up the WiFi connection on the master at the main
site....................................................................................................36
Step 4b: Set up and establish the WiFi connection on the satellite
at the main site...............................................................................37
3

Step 4c: Reestablish the WiFi connection on the satellite at the
detached site..................................................................................39
Step 5: Mount the AirBridge.............................................................40
Mount the AirBridge to a wall......................................................40
Mount the AirBridge to a pole.....................................................41
Step 6: Manage the AirBridge and WiFi network...........................42
Chapter 5 Hardware troubleshooting
Hardware troubleshooting chart......................................................44
The satellite at a detached site does not reestablish a WiFi
connection with the master...............................................................45
4
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

1
Introduction
This hardware installation guide is for the NETGEAR Insight Instant Wireless AirBridge
WBC502.
The AirBridge can provide an outdoor, long-distance, WiFi connection in a
master–satellite configuration that lets you extend your main network to a detached
site. You can also use the AirBridge as a long-range, outdoor access point or client
bridge.
This hardware installation guide complements the installation guide that came with your
AirBridge. This chapter serves as an introduction to the AirBridge and includes the
following sections:
• Overview
• Features
• Safety instructions and warnings
Note: This device must be professionally installed. It is the installer’s responsibility to
follow local country regulations, including operations within legal frequency channels,
output power, and DFS requirements. The vendor, reseller, or distributor is not
responsible for illegal wireless operations. For more details, see the device’s terms and
conditions.
Note: For more information about the topics that are covered in this manual, visit the
support website at netgear.com/support/.
Note: For technical specifications, see the data sheet at
netgear.com/business/products/wireless/premium-wireless. For AirBridge
documentation, visit netgear.com/support/download/.
5

Overview
The AirBridge is intended for environments where you need to extend your network to
another building or across a large outdoor campus or field when no wired network
infrastructure is available.
The AirBridge can provide a long distance, high performance, IEEE 802.11ac WiFi
connection in the following setups:
•Single master to single satellite. Point-to-point setup between two AirBridges in
a configuration with a single master and single satellite with a long-distance reach
of up to 1.8 miles (3 km). This setup requires a line of sight between the main and
detached sites.
•Single master to multiple satellites. Point-to-multipoint setup between multiple
AirBridges in a configuration with a single master and up to four satellites with a
long-distance reach of up to 1.8 miles (3 km). This setup requires a line of sight
between the main and detached sites.
•Outdoor access point. A setup that allows for a long-range WiFi reach in which an
AirBridge functions as an access point that provides connections to WiFi clients,
client bridges, or both.
•Outdoor client bridge. A setup in which an AirBridge functions as a client bridge,
providing a network connection to a wired device, such as an IP surveillance camera.
The client bridge connects to the main network through a backhaul WiFi connection
to a WiFi access point.
Note: For information about application samples, see Applications on page 19.
You can mount the AirBridge outside to a wall or pole and provide power to the
AirBridge through an Ethernet cable that is connected to the provided power adapter,
which must be installed indoors. The AirBridge integrates a high-gain directional antenna
for a line of sight connection to other AirBridges or WiFi clients.
The AirBridge provides two 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 LAN ports for network
connections (see Bottom panel with Ethernet ports on page 15). One LAN port must
be connected to the provided power adapter (see Power adapter on page 16). Use
Category 5e (Cat 5e) or higher-rated Ethernet cables terminated with RJ-45 connectors
to make Gigabit connections.
The AirBridge provides administrative management options that let you configure,
monitor, and control the AirBridge and the WiFi network:
•Using the local browser user interface (UI) you can configure the AirBridge and set
up a WiFi connection between two or more units in any of the supported operation
modes.
Hardware Installation Guide6Introduction
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

For more information, see the user manual, which you can download from
netgear.com/support/download/.
•Using NETGEAR Insight, you can set up a pair or a group of AirBridges, with one
AirBridge functioning as the master and one or more other AirBridges functioning
as satellites.
For more information about NETGEAR Insight, visit netgear.com/insight and see the
NETGEAR knowledge base articles at netgear.com/support.
Features
The AirBridge supports the following key features:
•2.4 GHz dedicated radio for the management SSID
•5 GHz radio with 2x2 MU-MIMO for the support of 802.11ac/a/n WiFi clients
•WPA-PSK and WPA2-Enterprise WiFi security
•Advanced features such as WiFi output power level control, traffic shaping, and
realtime RSSI indication
•Automatic site survey to detect BSSIDs and SSIDs
•2 Gigabit Ethernet ports for network connections
(For more information, see Bottom panel with Ethernet ports on page 15 and Power
adapter on page 16.)
•Includes the following mounting hardware:
- Wall mounting screws and anchors
- Pole mounting strap
(For more information, see Step 5: Mount the AirBridge on page 40.)
•Full compatibility with IEEE switching standards:
- IEEE 802.3 Ethernet
- IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-T
- IEEE 802.3ab 1000BASE-T
- IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging
-IEEE 802.3x Full-duplex flow control
-IEEE 802.1p Class of Service (QoS)
- IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
- IEEE 802.1x RADIUS network access control
Hardware Installation Guide7Introduction
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

•AutoSensing, autonegotiating capabilities, and Auto Uplink technology for the LAN2
Ethernet port.
(For more information, see Bottom panel with Ethernet ports on page 15 and RJ-45
ports for 10/100/1000M BASE-T Ethernet connectivity on page 17.)
Safety instructions and warnings
Note: This device must be professionally installed. It is the installer’s responsibility to
follow local country regulations, including operations within legal frequency channels,
output power, and DFS requirements. The vendor, reseller, or distributor is not
responsible for illegal wireless operations. For more details, see the device’s terms and
conditions.
Use the following safety guidelines to ensure your own personal safety and to help
protect your system from potential damage.
To reduce the risk of bodily injury, electrical shock, fire, and damage to the equipment,
observe the following precautions:
•This product is designed for outdoor use but can be used indoors too. However,
the power adapter must be installed indoors. For more information, see the
environmental specifications in the user manual or the data sheet.
•Power the product only with an Ethernet cable that is connected from the LAN1 port
to the PoE port on the supplied power adapter. Do not use any other power source
such as a PoE switch. The LAN1 port is not a standard PoE port. Using any other
power source could damage the device.
•Do not service the product except as explained in your system documentation. Some
devices should never be opened.
•If any of the following conditions occur, unplug the product from the electrical outlet
and replace the part or contact your trained service provider:
- Depending on your device, the power adapter, power adapter cable, power
cable, extension cable, or plug is damaged.
-An object fell into the product.
- The product was dropped or damaged.
-The product does not operate correctly when you follow the operating
instructions.
•Do not push any objects into the openings of your system. Doing so can cause fire
or electric shock by shorting out interior components.
•Use the product only with approved equipment.
Hardware Installation Guide8Introduction
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

•If applicable to your device, allow the product to cool before removing covers or
touching internal components.
•Operate the product only from the type of external power source indicated on the
electrical ratings label. If you are not sure of the type of power source required,
consult your service provider or local power company.
•To avoid damaging your system, if your device uses a power supply with a voltage
selector, be sure that the selector is set to match the power at your location:
-115V, 60 Hz in most of North and South America and some Far Eastern countries
such as South Korea and Taiwan
- 100V, 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 100V, 60 Hz in western Japan
-230V, 50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East
•Be sure that attached devices are electrically rated to operate with the power available
in your location.
•Depending on your device, use only a supplied power adapter or approved power
cable:
If your device uses a power adapter:
-If you were not provided with a power adapter, contact your local NETGEAR
reseller.
-The power adapter must be rated for the product and for the voltage and current
marked on the product electrical ratings label.
If your device uses a power cable:
-If you were not provided with a power cable for your system or for any
AC-powered option intended for your system, purchase a power cable approved
for your country.
-The power cable must be rated for the product and for the voltage and current
marked on the product electrical ratings label. The voltage and current rating of
the cable must be greater than the ratings marked on the product.
•To help prevent electric shock, plug the system and peripheral power cables into
properly grounded electrical outlets.
•If applicable to your device, the peripheral power cables are equipped with
three-prong plugs to help ensure proper grounding. Do not use adapter plugs or
remove the grounding prong from a cable. If you must use an extension cable, use
a three-wire cable with properly grounded plugs.
•Observe extension cable and power strip ratings. Make sure that the total ampere
rating of all products plugged into the extension cable or power strip does not
exceed 80 percent of the ampere ratings limit for the extension cable or power strip.
Hardware Installation Guide9Introduction
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

•To help protect your system from sudden, transient increases and decreases in
electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninterruptible power
supply (UPS).
•Position system cables, power adapter cables, or power cables carefully. Route
cables so that they cannot be stepped on or tripped over. Be sure that nothing rests
on any cables.
•Do not modify power adapters, power adapter cables, power cables or plugs. Consult
a licensed electrician or your power company for site modifications.
•Always follow your local and national wiring rules.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result in damage to your NETGEAR product, which
might not be covered by NETGEAR’s warranty, to the extent permissible by applicable
law.
Hardware Installation Guide10Introduction
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

2
Hardware Overview
This chapter describes the AirBridge hardware features.
The chapter includes the following sections:
• Front panel
• Back panel with status LEDs
• Bottom panel with Ethernet ports
• Power adapter
• RJ-45 ports for 10/100/1000M BASE-T Ethernet connectivity
• Reset button
11

Front panel
The Airbridge enclosure is IP55-rated for outdoor use. The following figure shows the
front panel of the AirBridge.
Figure 1. Front panel
The only component on the front panel is the latch that lets you open the cover so that
you can access the ports and Reset button on the bottom panel.
•Open the cover. To open the cover, carefully pull the latch toward you and pull the
cover downward so that it slides out of the enclosure.
•Close the cover. To close the cover, slide the cover into the enclosure and push the
cover upward until the latch locks into the enclosure.
Hardware Installation Guide12Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Back panel with status LEDs
The back panel of the AirBridge shows the status LEDs.
The following figure shows the back panel of the AirBridge.
Figure 2. Back panel
The following table describes the status LEDs on the back panel.
Hardware Installation Guide13Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Table 1. Status LEDs
DescriptionLED
Solid amber. The AirBridge is powered on.Power LED
Blinking amber. The physical Reset button was pressed and the AirBridge is resetting to
factory default settings or user default settings.
Off. Power is not supplied to the AirBridge.
Solid amber. The port is connected to the supplied power adapter, and the LAN port on
the power adapter is connected to an Ethernet device.
LAN1 LED
Off. No port link is established.
Solid amber. The port is directly connected to another Ethernet device.LAN2 LED
Off. No port link is established.
Solid amber. One or more 5 GHz SSIDs are enabled.AirBridge Master
operation mode
WLAN LED
Off. All 5 GHz SSIDs are disabled.
Note: If the AirBridge mode is enabled, a single 5 GHz SSID only is
supported. You cannot disable that SSID.
Note: If the management mode is NETGEAR Insight, a single 5 GHz
SSID only is supported.
Solid amber. The satellite is connected to the master.AirBridge
Satellite
operation mode Off. The satellite is not connected to the master.
Solid amber. One or more 5 GHz SSIDs are enabled.Access Point
operation mode
Off. All 5 GHz SSIDs are disabled.
Solid amber. The client bridge is connected to the access point.Client Bridge
operation mode
Off. The client bridge is not connected to the access point.
On an AirBridge that functions either as a satellite or a client bridge, a single SSI LED lights
to indicate the strength of the signal for the WiFi connection, either between the satellite
and the master or between the client bridge and the access point.
Signal strength
indicator (SSI) LEDs
(AirBridge Satellite
or Client Bridge
operation mode) Right SSI LED solid green. The signal for the WiFi connection is strong.
(The RSSI is better than –70 dBm.) The left and middle SSI LEDs are off.
Middle SSI LED solid amber. The signal for the WiFi connection is
moderately good. (The RSSI is between –70 dBm and –85 dBm.) The
left and right SSI LEDs are off.
Left SSI LED solid red. The signal for the WiFi connection is weak. (The
RSSI is weaker than –85 dBm.) The middle and right SSI LEDs are off.
All SSI LEDs off. No WiFi connection is established or the signal strength
cannot be determined.
Hardware Installation Guide14Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Bottom panel with Ethernet ports
The following figure shows the bottom panel with the cover removed.
1
2
3
Figure 3. Bottom panel with the cover removed
The bottom panel of the AirBridge is covered. When you remove the cover (see Front
panel on page 12), the following components display:
1. Reset button. Recessed Reset button (see Reset button on page 18).
2. LAN1 (PoE-24V) port. One 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 PoE port that provides both
PoE power and network connectivity to the AirBridge.
Using an Ethernet cable, connect the LAN1 port on the AirBridge to the PoE port
on the supplied power adapter (see Power adapter on page 16) that is supplied in
the package. For an AirBridge that functions as a master in a master-to-satellite setup
or as an access point (either in an access point-to-client bridge setup or as standalone
access point) at a main site, the network can include wired Internet access.
WARNING: Power the AirBridge only with an Ethernet cable that is connected from
the LAN1 port to the PoE port on the supplied power adapter. Do not use any other
power source such as a PoE switch. The LAN1 port is not a standard PoE port. Using
any other power source could damage the device.
3. LAN2 port. One 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 port that allows you to connect an
optional single device (such as an IP camera) directly to an AirBridge that functions
as a client bridge at a detached site.
Hardware Installation Guide15Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Do not use the LAN2 port to connect the AirBridge to a network. Instead, connect
the LAN1 port on the AirBridge to the PoE port on the supplied power adapter and
connect the LAN port on the power adapter to the network (see Power adapter on
page 16).
Power adapter
The following figure shows the power adapter and power cord.
1
2 3
4
Figure 4. Power adapter
In addition to a receptacle for the power cable, the power adapter provides the following
LED, ports, and button:
1. PWR LED. The power LED lights green when you insert the three-prong plug of the
power cable into the receptacle on the power adapter and the other side into an
AC outlet.
2. PoE port. One 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 PoE port that you must connect to the
LAN1 port on the AirBridge.
The Ethernet cable between the PoE port on the power adapter and the LAN1 port
on the AirBridge provides PoE power to the AirBridge and serves as the network
connection for the AirBridge.
3. LAN port. One 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 port that you must connect to a network
device that provides network connectivity. For an AirBridge that functions as a master
Hardware Installation Guide16Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

or access point (either in an access point-to-client bridge setup or as standalone
access point) at a main site, the network can include wired Internet access.
4. Reset button.AReset button that lets you reset the power adapter to factory default
settings by inserting a device such as a straightened paper clip into the opening and
pressing for at least 10 seconds.
WARNING: Although the AirBridge is designed for outside installation, the power
adapter is not. You can use an Ethernet cable up to 328 ft (100 m) to connect the power
adapter from an inside location to the AirBridge at either an inside or outside location.
RJ-45 ports for 10/100/1000M BASE-T
Ethernet connectivity
Both RJ-45 Ethernet ports on the AirBridge and both RJ-45 ports on the power adapter
support autosensing. When you insert a cable into an RJ-45 port, the AirBridge or power
adapter automatically ascertains the maximum speed (10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 1 Gbps)
and duplex mode (half-duplex or full-duplex) of the attached device. The Ethernet ports
support a Cat 5e cable (or higher-rated Ethernet cable) terminated with an 8-pin RJ-45
connector.
To simplify the procedure for attaching devices, all RJ-45 ports support Auto Uplink
technology. This technology allows attaching devices to the RJ-45 ports with either
straight-through or crossover cables.
When you insert an Ethernet cable into an RJ-45 port, the AirBridge or power adapter
automatically performs the following actions:
•Senses whether the cable is a straight-through or crossover cable.
•Determines whether the link to the attached device requires a normal connection
(such as when you are connecting the port to a computer) or an uplink connection
(such as when you are connecting the port to a router, switch, or hub).
•Automatically configures the RJ-45 port to enable communications with the attached
device. The Auto Uplink technology compensates for setting uplink connections
while eliminating concern about whether to use crossover or straight-through cables
when you attach devices.
Hardware Installation Guide17Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

Reset button
The AirBridge provides a recessed Reset button on the bottom panel so that you can
return the AirBridge to its factory default settings, causing all custom settings to be
erased.
Note: If you use the local browser UI to overwrite the factory default settings with user
default settings, the AirBridge is returned to user default settings when you press the
physical Reset button, as described in the following task. In such a situation, to return
the AirBridge to the actual factory default settings, access the local browser UI, and use
the software Reset button. For more information, see the user manual, which you can
download by visiting netgear.com/support/download/.
To return the AirBridge to its factory default settings or user default settings:
1. Insert a device such as a straightened paper clip into the opening of the Reset button.
2. Press the Reset button for at least 10 seconds, or until the Power LED starts to blink.
The AirBridge restarts and returns to factory default settings or user default settings.
WARNING: To avoid the risk of corrupting the firmware, do not interrupt the reset.
Do not turn off the AirBridge. Wait until the AirBridge finishes restarting.
Hardware Installation Guide18Hardware Overview
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide

3
Applications
The AirBridge is designed to provide a WiFi connection over a distance of up to 1.8 miles
(3 km), depending on the network situation, physical conditions, and configured WiFi
options. The AirBridge can function in various operation modes, each one suited for a
particular application.
This chapter includes the following sections:
• Applications overview
• Extend your network to a detached site
• Provide a WiFi Internet connection to a detached, independent network
• Centrally manage video surveillance networks located at different sites
• Provide long-range WiFi service to outdoor clients
• Provide a WiFi connection to an outdoor device that is not WiFi-capable
19

Applications overview
The AirBridge can function as a master, satellite, access point, or client bridge in various
applications:
•Extend your network to a detached site.
Set up one AirBridge that functions as a master at the main site to connect to another
AirBridge that functions as a satellite at a detached site. The network at the detached
site is an extension of the network at the main site. For more information, see Extend
your network to a detached site on page 21.
•Provide a WiFi Internet connection to a detached, independent network.
Set up one AirBridge that functions as a master at the main site to connect to another
AirBridge that functions as a satellite at a detached site. By connecting a router to
the satellite, the network at the detached site is independent from the network at
the main site. For more information, see Provide a WiFi Internet connection to a
detached, independent network on page 23.
•Centrally manage video surveillance networks located at different sites.
Set up one AirBridge that functions as a master at the main site to connect to two,
three, or four AirBridges that function as satellites at detached sites. Connect video
surveillance equipment to the satellite at each detached site. For more information,
see Centrally manage video surveillance networks located at different sites on page
25.
•Provide long-range WiFi service to outdoor clients. Set up an AirBridge that
functions as an access point to serve multiple outdoor WiFi clients at a long range.
For more information, see Provide long-range WiFi service to outdoor clients on
page 27.
•Provide a WiFi connection to an outdoor device that is not WiFi-capable. Set
up an AirBridge that functions as a client bridge to connect to any WiFi access point.
Provide a WiFi connection to an outdoor device such as a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera
by connecting it directly to the client bridge. For more information, see Provide a
WiFi connection to an outdoor device that is not WiFi-capable on page 29.
Hardware Installation Guide20Applications
Insight Instant AirBridge WBC502 Hardware Installation Guide