S&C IntelliCom User manual

October 29, 2012© S&C Electric Company Instruction Sheet 1069-570
S&C IntelliCom®Mesh Radio
Throughput Reference Guide
Table of Contents
Section Page Section Page
Overview
MIMO Radio Technology.........................2
Dual-Radio Performance ........................3
IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radio Deployment
Considerations
With MIMO ...................................4
Without MIMO.................................4
IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radio Throughput Summary
802.11n MIMO Mode ...........................5
802.11n Non-MIMO Mode........................5
IntelliCom DA Mesh Radio Deployment
Considerations
Only Non-MIMO Mode Is Supported ...............6
IntelliCom DA Mesh Radio Throughput Summary
802.11n Non-MIMO Mode........................7

2S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570
Overview
MIMO Radio
Technology
This reference guide provides the configuration guidelines needed to ensure optimum
system throughput performance.
All IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radios ship as 802.11a/b/g/n dual-radio-
capable hardware. Enhanced functionality is enabled through software licensing.
Applications that do not require 802.11n MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) capacity,
or dual-radio capability can use the 802.11a/b/g-enabled single-radio configuration.
Dual-radio functionality can be enabled through a software license. A separate software
license can also enable MIMO functionality for operation in 40-MHz channels, allowing
users to take advantage of 802.11n technology for throughput of up to 300 Mbps outdoors
and 400 Mbps indoors.
MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology is available only in the IntelliCom WAN
Mesh Radio. MIMO radios use multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to
improve performance. MIMO significantly increases data throughput at the same transmit
power. It achieves this through higher spectral efficiency (more bits per second per hertz
of bandwidth) and link reliability or diversity (which reduces fading).
MIMO technology:
• Doubles the spectrum of each channel from 20 MHz to 40 MHz, effectively
doubling throughput.
• Uses Spatial Multiplexing to send multiple streams on a single channel.
IntelliCom radios send three streams per radio, which triples the bandwidth.
For the IntelliCom three-antenna (3x3) MIMO system (which sends two streams), the
data to be transmitted first passes through a specially designed mathematical matrix,
which divides it into three data streams. The transmitter then sends three streams
simultaneously, using multiple transmit antennas.
A three-antenna MIMO system is shown in Figure 1. In this case, the single data divided
into three streams is re-transmitted (or repeated) at antenna ports 2 and 3 to provide
transmission diversity. This approach sends the receiver multiple signals, allowing it to
select the strongest signal.
In Figure 1, nine signal paths are available. The receiver uses a complex mathemati-
cal matrix operation to determine which path has the best signal quality. With a 3X3
system, the receiver selects two of the three antenna data streams to use for processing
the signal. If you use a two antenna system, the receiver will use both antenna streams
to process the signal.
Figure 1. Three-antenna MIMO system.

S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570 3
Overview
Dual-Radio
Performance
To maximize performance, dual-radio IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radios support two
radio modes: bonded and linear (single).
• Bonded Mode—both radios are combined to operate as a single unit, that
provides double the bandwidth of a single radio equivalent.
• Linear Mode—both radios operate independently, enabling sustained band-
width levels over an unlimited number of hops. This approach enables long linear
topologies and provides a sustained level of service to each radio.
At the system level, when a MIMO license is enabled, additional functionality is available,
such as dual-stream support per mesh radio, packet aggregation, and 40-MHz channel
bandwidth support.
Bandwidth options for each frequency with MIMO support are:
• 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands = 20 MHz, 40 MHz
• 4.9-GHz band = 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 20 MHz, 40 MHz
MIMO features:
• Are enabled for all supported channel bandwidths when a MIMO license
is applied.
• Only one MIMO license is required per radio; the MIMO feature is enabled by
default for both radios.

4S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570
IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radio Deployment Considerations
With MIMO
Without MIMO
Configuration selections establish the performance of an IntelliCom Mesh Radio network.
The following information shows maximum capacity for the IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radio.
SystemParameters
A pair of mesh radios is installed outdoors, operating at a maximum modulation level of
64 QAM 5/6 in a Clear LOS PtP setup. Multiple streams are required to measure the system
performance with a single PC-to-PC test setup. Recommended measurement tools are:
• Iperf version 1.7.0 for all iperf tests.
• Iperf for all TCP tests.
• IXIA for all UDP tests.
OperationMode
Linear—A single radio operating at 40-MHz channel bandwidth will yield 150 Mbps
UDP (120 Mbps TCP) throughput.
Bonded—Both radios are enabled (dual-radio license key required); each radio operating
on a 40-MHz channel bandwidth in bonded mode configuration allows you to achieve
300 Mbps UDP throughput (240 Mbps TCP).
NOTE: Taking advantage of IntelliCom’s unique dual-radio-capable hardware architecture
(in Linear mode configuration), both radios operate independently to enable sustained
bandwidth levels over an unlimited number of hops. The radios can also be deployed as
two standalone radios, each with a separate sector antenna, facing opposite each other,
for extended connectivity using a single hardware unit. This is used where a project
demands two radios at the same tower/pole site.
SystemParameters
A pair of mesh radios is installed outdoors, operating at a maximum modulation level of
64 QAM 5/6 in a Clear LOS PtP setup. Multiple streams are required to measure the system
performance with a single PC-to-PC test setup. Recommended measurement tools are:
• Iperf version 1.7.0 for all iperf tests.
• Iperf for all TCP tests.
• IXIA for all UDP tests.
OperationMode
Linear—Single radio (radio 1) is operating at 20-MHz channel bandwidth—35 Mbps
UDP (30 Mbps TCP).
Bonded—Both radios are enabled (dual-radio license key required); each radio
operating at a 20-MHz channel bandwidth in bonded mode configuration allows you
to achieve 70 Mbps UDP (55 Mbps TCP).
NOTE: There is no support for 40-MHz channel bandwidth in 802.11 non-MIMO mode.

S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570 5
IntelliCom WAN Mesh Radio Throughput Summary
This information applies for all channel bandwidths, regardless of the operating
frequency band.
802.11n MIMO Mode
802.11 Non-MIMO Mode
LinearMode (single radio)
• 5 MHz = 18 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 35 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 75 Mbps UDP
• 40 MHz = 150 Mbps UDP
BondedMode (both radios)
Doubles single-radio throughput for each channel bandwidth.
• 5 MHz = 35 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 75 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 150 Mbps UDP
• 40 MHz = 300 Mbps UDP
LinearMode (single radio)
• 5 MHz = 9 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 18 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 35 Mbps UDP
BondedMode (both radios)
Doubles single-radio throughput for each channel bandwidth.
• 5 MHz = 18 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 35 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 70 Mbps UDP

6S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570
IntelliCom DA Mesh Radio Deployment Considerations
Configuration selections establish the performance of an IntelliCom Mesh Radio network.
The following information shows maximum capacity for the IntelliCom DA Mesh Radio.
Only Non-MIMO Mode
Is Supported
SystemParameters
A pair of mesh radios is installed outdoors, operating at a maximum modulation level of
64 QAM 5/6 in a Clear LOS PtP setup. Multiple streams are required to measure the system
performance with a single PC-to-PC test setup. Recommended measurement tools are:
• Iperf version = 1.7.0 for all iperf tests.
• Iperf for all TCP tests.
• IXIA for all UDP tests.
OperationMode
Linear—Single radio (radio 1) is operating at 20-MHz channel bandwidth—35 Mbps
UDP (30 Mbps TCP).
Bonded—Both radios are enabled (dual-radio license key required); each radio
operating at 20-MHz channel bandwidth in bonded mode configuration allows you
to achieve 70 Mbps UDP (55 Mbps TCP).
NOTE: 40-MHz channel bandwidth is not supported in 802.11 non-MIMO mode.

S&C Instruction Sheet 1069-570 7
IntelliCom DA Mesh Radio Throughput Summary
802.11 Non-MIMO Mode
This information applies for all channel bandwidths, regardless of the operating
frequency band.
LinearMode (single radio)
• 5 MHz = 9 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 18 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 30 Mbps UDP
BondedMode (both radios)
Doubles single-radio throughput for each channel bandwidth.
• 5 MHz = 18 Mbps UDP
• 10 MHz = 35 Mbps UDP
• 20 MHz = 60 Mbps UDP

Printed in U.S.A.