RapidWave RL54-BR-22 Assembly instructions

RapidLink 54 Wireless Point-to-Point Bridge
Installation Guide/Users Manual
1

Rev. 3.0 04-01-05
RapidLink is a trademark of RapidWave, Inc. Other trademarks or brand names mentioned herein are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
RapidWave, Inc.
6296 A San Ignacio Ave.
San Jose, CA 95119
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
URL: http://www.rapidwaveinc.com
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's
authority to operate the equipment.
Copyright © RapidWave, Inc. – All Rights Reserved
No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent
of RapidWave, Inc.
RapidWave makes no warranties with respect to this documentation and disclaims any implied warranties of
merchantability, quality, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information in this document is subject to change
without notice. RapidWave reserves the right to make revisions to this publication without obligation to notify any
person or entity of any such changes.
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Table of Contents:
1. For your safety...........................................................................................…..4
2. Components...........................……………………………...........................…...5
3. Installation................................……………………………….......……………...5
3.1 Connecting the Outdoor Units……………………………………..…….5
3.2 Connecting the Indoor Units (Power-over-Ethernet Injectors)………..8
4. Basic Configuration……………………………………………………………….11
4.1 Overview of the RapidLink 54 Web Interface…………………………11
4.2 Setting Basic Network Parameters…………………………………….11
4.3 Establishing a Wireless Link……………………………………………12
4.4 Aligning the Antennas………………………………………………...…14
5. Advanced Configuration Options and Tools……………………………………16
5.1 Advanced Page…………………………………………………………..16
5.2 Security………………………………………………………………..…..21
5.3 Antenna Alignment……………………………………………………….24
5.4 Firmware Upgrade………………………………………………………..24
6. Notes………………………………………………………………………………..25
7. Warranty……………………………………………………………………………26
__________________________________________________________________________
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Section 1: For Your Safety
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WARNING
Use extreme care when installing equipment or working near power lines.
CAUTION
When the unit is in operation, avoid standing directly in
front of the antenna. Strong RF fields are present when
the transmitter is on.
The antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a
separation distance of at least 150 cm from all persons.
This Point-to-Point device and its antenna(s) must not be co-located or
operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
RF output power limits
FCC and Industry Canada regulate the maximum equivalent isotropic
radiated power (EIRP) for RapidWave products, depending on antenna
gain and type of deployment. Installers must insure that the power
output limits in the following tables are met for the various types of
antennas sold for use with the RapidWave RL 54 transceiver:
Antenna Type Deployment Gain Maximum Allowed Power
Level at Antenna Input
Panel antennas Point to Point 22 - 28 dBi 23.5 dBm (226 mW)

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Section 2: Components for models RL54-BR-22, RL54-BR-23, RL54-BR-26
& External Antenna RL54-BR-28
Model RL54-BR-23 comes with an integrated 22dBi gain antenna, installed from the manufacture.
Model RL54-BR-23 comes with an integrated 23dBi gain antenna, installed from the manufacture.
Model RL54-BR-26 comes with an integrated 26dBi gain antenna, installed from the manufacture.
Model RL54-BR-28 comes with external 28dBi gain antenna, must be installed by a professional.
ALL OTHER COMPONENTS ARE IDENTICAL.
Mounting
Hardware
Bridge Radio Unit
Weatherproof
Wire Gland
Indoor Power-
Over-Ethernet
Adapter Base Unit
Indoor AC/DC
Power Adapter
TWO SETS OF EACH SHOWN
Section 3: Installation
3.1 Connecting the Outdoor Units
NOTICE To meet regulatory restrictions, RapidWaves’external antenna bridge configuration and any
external antenna must be professional installed.
Step 1: Select optimal locations for the two outdoor units. Consider the following criteria to ensure maximum
performance and stability of your wireless connection:
 Best signal path possible, ideally with visual line of sight
 Frensel zone clearance
 The shortest distance possible between the Bridge
 Less than 320 feet from either bridge to the indoor Power-Over-Ethernet adapter
 Optimal transmission range (visit the online range calculator at http://www.rapidwaveinc.com)

Step 2: Set up your poles in the two locations you ascertained in step 1.
Perform the following steps (3-4) for the Master Bridge first, and then repeat these steps for the Partner Bridge.
Step 3: Attach the outdoor units mounting brackets.
Tip Only use the supplied extension bracket if necessary, otherwise it is recommended to mount the antenna-
mounting bracket directly to the female pole-mounting bracket as depicted below. If the extension bracket is
required for appropriate installation, than it will also be necessary to remount the antenna bracket on the back of the
antenna, to maintain an upright and vertical position.
Step 4: Install “User Supplied” CAT5 Weatherized Ethernet straight-through cable.
------ Do not exceed 320 feet (100 Meters) of cable per link------
Step 6: Determine the appropriate routing length for your Ethernet cable and cut to length.
Step 7: Splice and crimp indoor mounting side of the CAT5 Ethernet Cable with an RJ-45 connector.
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Step 8: The RL54 mounting side of the Ethernet cable must first be routed through the supplied weatherized wiring
gland, than spliced and crimped with a RJ-45 connector. It is Highly recommended that you test the
cable with an RJ-45 wiring tester before installing.
Step 9: Connect the RJ-45 to the female connecter located directly inside the enclosure, make sure the
connection is locked in place before tightening the gland.
Step 10: Tighten the gland to the enclosure and than tighten the compression nut around the Ethernet
Cable
Step 5: Mount the outdoor units to the poles you set in step 2
Step 6: ****GROUND ALL ENCLOSURES****
Tip After mounting the outdoor unit, loosen its pole mounting clamp just enough to maneuver the antenna vertically and
horizontally. Point the antenna toward the remote device. If you are close enough to see the remote location, visually align
the antenna toward the Partner Bridge location as accurately as possible. If you cannot see the remote location, use
binoculars, a telescope or laser pointer.
Do not completely tighten the screws immediately because you will later perfect the alignment with the RapidLink 54 antenna
alignment tool.
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Step 7: Secure the outdoor unit’s Ethernet cable (that you attached to the bottom of the outdoor unit) along the length
of the pole using tie-wraps, run the cable toward the inside of the building.
Tip For best results, secure this cable to the pole at least every 10 feet with tie-wraps.
3.2 Connecting the Indoor Units (Power-over-Ethernet Injectors)
The indoor unit is the point at which the outdoor units connect with your indoor LAN. More specifically, the indoor unit
connects your wireless bridge to the network and transmits both data and power to the outdoor unit.
Perform the following steps (1-6) to connect the indoor unit of the Master Bridge first, and then repeat these steps for
the Partner Bridge.
Step 1: Place the indoor unit in an appropriate location that meets the following criteria:
 The distance from the outdoor unit to the indoor Power-Over-Ethernet adapter must not exceed the length of
your Ethernet cable after attached to the bottom of the outdoor unit
 The distance from the indoor unit to the Ethernet network backbone device (e.g., hub or switch) must not
exceed 320 ft (100 meters)
 The distance from the indoor unit to an available AC outlet must not exceed the length of the supplied power
cable
Step 2: Bring the Ethernet cable into to the wiring closet (where the indoor unit is located), and plug the RJ-45
connector into the combined Ethernet/power output port (P + Data Out) on the front panel of the indoor unit.
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Caution Connecting any device other than the outdoor unit to the indoor unit may cause permanent hardware
damage. Do not confuse the RJ-45 connector of the outdoor unit’s with that of the Ethernet cable connected to
your backbone device.
Step 3: Connect one end of the brick style power adapter cable to the power jack (Power In) on the rear panel of the
indoor unit, and plug the other end of the power cable into the AC wall outlet.
Step 4: Check the front panel of the indoor unit to make certain that the power LED is on.If the power LED is not on,
confirm that the power cable is securely connected and that your power source is operational.

Step 5: Plug your Ethernet patch cable into the Ethernet input port (Data In) of the indoor unit and into the data port of
your backbone device.
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Caution Do not confuse the Ethernet input port with the Ethernet/Power output port. To avoid permanent hardware
damage, make certain that you connect your backbone device to the Ethernet input port (not the Ethernet/Power
output port).
Step 6: Check the link LED on your backbone device to confirm that it is on.
Congratulations! At this point, you have completed all the hardware related steps necessary to
establish your point-to-point wireless link. However, your wireless link is not yet operational. The nex
t
section will describe basic software configuration and antenna alignment procedures necessary to
activate the wireless link.

Section 4: Basic Configuration
4.1 Overview of the RapidLink 54 Web Interface
All configuration parameters are accessible through an embedded web server interface called the Wireless Link
Manager (WLM). Using a web browser, you can easily log into the web server of the Master and Partner Bridge. From
this user-friendly interface, you can communicate with any RapidLink 54 unit and perform configuration, management
and trouble-shooting tasks.
4.2 Setting Basic Network Parameters
In this section, you will log into the RapidLink 54 WLM for the first time and identify your bridges. After performing
steps 1-9 for the Master Bridge, repeat these steps for the Partner Bridge.
Step 1: Load your web browser.
Step 2: Type the factory default IP address: 192.168.1.54 into the address field of your browser and press Enter.This
will load the RapidLink 54 WLM.
NOTICE When Setting up the Partner Bridge, type in IP address: 192.168.1.55
Step 3: Enter the default (Case Sensitive) Login: admin and Password: rl54 when prompted and click Enter.
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Tip It is strongly recommended that you change the Password and Login as soon as you have completed the
basic configuration by clicking on the Security tab. See section 5.2 under Security for full details on changing
password.

Now you will see the RapidWave 54 WLM. Along the top of the page, you will find five tabs that contain all the
configuration options available for RapidLink 54. These tabs are: Setup, Advanced, Security, Antenna Align and
Upgrade. You will use the Setup page to set network parameters and establish your wireless link. The other tabs will
be described in later sections.
Step 4: Enter a new IP Address for the Master Bridge (the IP address of each device must be unique) and write it
down for future reference in the NOTES section of this Installation Guide.
Step 5: Enter a Subnet Mask (if different than the default value).
Step 6: Enter the current Gateway Address of the Master Bridge to which you are connected.
Step 7: Enter the Name of your Master Bridge.
Step 8: Click Apply.
Step 9: To put the changes into effect, click on Restart, a dialog box will appear, click OK. The bridge will then
restart.
4.3 Establishing a Wireless Link
The following steps will help you establish a wireless connection between the Master and Partner Bridge:
Step 1: Type the new IP address that you created in previous steps in the address field of your browser and press
Enter to load the web interface of the Master Bridge. Login with your user name and password. Before moving
on to the next step, make certain that the Setup page shows the new settings you initiated in the previous
section.
Tip Now that you have assigned the final IP address, it is a good time to bookmark your user interface for
easy access as you manage your wireless link.
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Step 2: The MAC address of the Partner Bridge is listed under Partner Bridge Identity. If the desired connection
partner is available, the two radios initiate the association process and establish a wireless link. After this link
is established, the correct status will be reported on the status bar of the web interface, and any association
requests by other stations will be blocked.
Tip You will not be able to connect if certain Master and Partner Bridge settings are not identical. By
factory default, the Master and Partner Bridge are configured to match. If you have changed any of the
following parameters: Transmit Mode, Data Rate, Channel, SSID, Encryption Mode and Active
Encryption Key, ensure that the configurations of both the Partner and Master Bridge are compatible. In
cases where the settings match
and Connect is still unsuccessful, ensure that:
 The Partner Bridge is not out of transmission range
 The antennas are in alignment
If any of these issues have caused the Connection process to fail, skip the rest of section 4.3 and solve
the issues by referring to the instructions corresponding to the issue. When you have solved the problem,
go back to step 2 and continue the steps in this section.
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Step 3: You should now have an active link. In order to monitor your link status on an ongoing basis, enable the Auto-
Refresh Display option and specify the time Interval in which the screen updates the status information.
4.4 Aligning the Antennas
Now that you have activated the wireless link between the Master and Partner Bridge, you can adjust your antenna
alignment to maximize performance. Depending upon the characteristics of your antennas and the distance between
them, antenna alignment can be performed visually or you may opt to use more sophisticated tools and methods of
aiming such as telescopes or laser pointers. The WLM provides a tool designed to help you optimize antenna
alignment, ensuring the highest signal quality and stability possible. The longer the distance, the greater the need for
this tool. As you make physical adjustments to the antenna, the antenna alignment tool will show the resultant
transmission quality between the two devices in the form of signal strength and RSSI value. Follow the procedures
below for the Master Bridge, and then repeat these steps for the Partner Bridge:
Step 1: Take a laptop computer to the antenna location and load the RapidLink 54 user interface.
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Step 2: Select the Antenna Align tab and click Start to enable the antenna alignment tool. The Signal Strength and
Received Value indicators will now show dynamically updated measurements until you click Stop.
Step 3: Monitor the Signal Strength indicator as you align the antenna vertically (if antennas are not on the same
elevation). When the signal quality reaches an acceptable level, tighten the screws. Should not exceed 55 to
60% ratio. Ideal signal strength is 47 to 50% in the best-case applications.
Step 4: Repeat step 3 for horizontal alignment.
Congratulations! You have now completed all the steps to set up an operational wireless link. The
next section will describe the various configuration options and walk you through the process of
changing system settings to meet your specific requirements.

Section 5: Advanced Configuration Options and Tools
Now that you have established a functional link, you may wish to customize parameters according to your needs and
preferences. From radio-related parameters and security algorithms to diagnostic tools and firmware upgrade utilities,
the WLM offers numerous options that help you effectively manage the system and achieve the highest performance
possible. This section describes RapidLink 54’s advanced configuration options, which you can find in the following
categories:
Advanced Security Antenna Align Upgrade
Accessing the advanced options is simple. From the RapidLink 54 WLM, simply click on the tab corresponding to the
category you need. The following sub-sections will explain how to configure each parameter within these categories.
Tip While the options differ, each page functions similarly. As you read the next subsections, keep in mind that
regardless of the page, any change you make can only go into effect if you click Apply. If you do not click Apply
before moving to the next page, your changes will be lost.
Also be advised that certain parameters in the Advanced and Security pages require you to restart the system in
order to take effect. In such cases, go back to the setup page and click on Restart. If you know that you will be
making more changes, you can complete all other changes, and restart the system later.
5.1 Advanced Page
This page allows you to control radio-related parameters, including Transmit Mode, Data Rate, SSID, Channel and
Link Distance. As mentioned in section 4.3, step 2, these parameters must be identical on both sides of the wireless
link. Therefore, any change on the Master Bridge should also be executed for the Partner Bridge. This sub-section
explains the options in each field of the Advanced page.
Tip Transmit Mode, Data Rate, and Channel settings are interdependent. Data Rate and Channel are always
updated according to the Transmit Mode setting. It is therefore recommended that you select the Transmit Mode
first and follow the instructions below in the order that they are presented.
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Set Transmit Mode:
Simply click the drop-down menu in the Transmit Mode field and select either Turbo or Standard Mode. Data Rate
and Channel options will then update according to the new setting.
Set Data Rate:
RapidLink 54 supports several possible data rates ranging from 6 to 108 Mbps. The highest transmission rate is 108
Mbps, with automatic fallback rates that allow the unit to operate in the most efficient manner. By default, the system
automatically switches between these rates to maximize coverage. However, you may wish to select a fixed Data Rate
based on your specific objectives or needs.
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Step 1: To adjust this parameter, click the drop-down menu in the Data Rate field and select the desired rate.
Note The default setting, Auto, is recommended.
 Auto: When the Data Rate is set to Auto, the Master Bridge will follow an algorithm to determine the
highest bit rate possible for communication with its Partner Bridge.
 Fixed Bit Rate: The Auto setting is disabled by selecting a specific bit rate to be used for the wireless link.
This would be appropriate when operating in a well-understood environment, and when full rate operation is
not possible. It is recommended that you start with the lowest bit rate.
Step 2: Click on Antenna Align to check signal strength. Be advised that different data rates have different
sensitivities, which impact range.

Tip Make certain that you still have a good signal. If the Received Value is not high enough, then scale
down the Data Rate.
Enter SSID:
The SSID is a service set identifier that uniquely describes your bridge pair. Always use the same SSID for both
bridges.
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Set Channel:
Channels are used to set the center frequency used to transmit data over the wireless bridge link. You can avoid active
interference by switching channels if you suspect interferers operating on the same frequency. Available channels
shown in the drop-down menu are based on local regulatory requirements.
To set the Channel: Click the drop-down menu in the Channel field and select the desired frequency.
 Five channels are available in Transmit Mode Standard
 Two channels are available in Transmit Mode Turbo
Tip If active interference is not an issue, it is recommended that you choose the default
Channel (lowest frequency) in order to maximize range.
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