Networks Without Wires™ Networks Without Wires ® Strix Systems Tempe Conference February 2006 Presented by: Bret Newman, Senior Systems Engineer

Networks Without Wires™ 2 Agenda Why a Mesh (current and future) Design Examples Single, Dual and Multi-Radio Offerings Strix IWS/OWS Product Overview Security Antennas NIC issues Network Management & CLI

Networks Without Wires™ 3 Structured Wireless Mesh Self-Configuring Standby/Available Mesh Path User Coverage Termination Point Active Mesh Path

Networks Without Wires™ 4 Future of Wireless Current a backhaul b/g client access CPE is can be a/b/g or combination Near Future – Standards Based 4.9 Public Safety (to client with possible A backhaul) WIMAX Licensed and unlicensed bands (Strix plans to support both) LOS/NLOS Client and backhaul uses QoS Granularity MIMO n (currently non-standards based) Client Technology today Mesh Technology in the future Lots of antennas outside may not aesthetically pleasing Different States will use wireless differently

Networks Without Wires™ 5 WiMAX Spectrum Plan

Networks Without Wires™ 6 Deployments with Mesh Networks Hotels & Hospitality Suites Public Safety Individual Homes & Businesses Resorts VOIP The Triple Play! Data VOIP Video Class of Service Prioritization Roaming

Networks Without Wires™ 7 Factors For Success Tempe looked for: 1.Number of radios & number of physical wired backhauls $$$ 2.Ease of installation 3.System Design Easy to maintain Ability to handle the hot and the cold temperatures Upgradeability (no fork lift upgrade) 4.Easy to manage & administer (firmware and features) 5.Security (AES, WPA, TKIP) 6.QoS with Prioritization (802.1q tagging) 7.Client roaming 8.Indoor and Outdoor integration

Networks Without Wires™ 8 Different Approaches To Mesh Networking Single Radio Dual Radio Multi-Radio High-Level Design Single Radio for mesh backbone and client access Single radio for mesh backbone, single radio for client access Dedicated radios for ingress and egress in mesh backbone, dedicated radios for client access Scalability Extremely limited LimitedMaximum Latency over Hops High Medium High Low Throughput over Hops LowLowHigh Real-Time Applications Support LimitedLimitedMaximum All mesh should be self-configuring, self-tuning, and self-healing - But all mesh is not the same

Networks Without Wires™ 9 One Radio Mesh - Competitors One radio mesh is considered the most basic of mesh networks. One radio/one channel per node Linear listen, receive, send For data to be relayed, it must be repeated Nodes listen and retransmit Retransmission requires adjacent radios to be quiet Minimum 50% degradation per hop! CH 1 Wire Requires access point to listen before broadcasting Adjacent radios must suppress broadcasting while other radios transmit May operate at layer 3 Proxy ARP

Networks Without Wires™ 10 Two Radio Mesh Two radio mesh networks. One B/G radio (client access) and one A radio (backhaul) per node Limited number of client associations Backhaul radio still has to listen then transmit (only one radio at a time) May require separate controller to connect to physical network Still has 50% hop degradation!

Networks Without Wires™ 11 Structured Wireless Mesh A G A G A G A G AES Encryption A G A G Legend Ch44 Ch56 Ch1Ch11Ch6 Dedicated Radios by Function a - Backhaul Egress, Backhaul Ingress a/b/g - Client Ingress (AP) Full Duplex Transmission Via Multi-Radio Hops Operates at Layer 2 for data and Layer 3 for Management 100 Megabit switching between radio modules AES encrypted links Encryption performed in hardware for minimal latency Dynamic Channel Allocation a EGRESS – Strix Network Connect a INGRESS – Strix/User Client Connect g INGRESS – User Client Connect

Networks Without Wires™ 12 Full Duplex Structured Mesh Strix Systems’ Access/One Network technology creates a structured mesh network, yielding “full duplex” performance Dedicated radios – a/b/g Client connect radios for full-time “listening” to client traffic Network connect radios, one for full time “listening” one for “speaking” Near-zero throughput loss per hop and minimal latency <3ms Self-healing/Self-tuning/Self-configuring High-speed roaming >95mph (for mobile vehicles Strix recommends a Strix IWS) Indoor access from a Strix or third party CPE CH 106 AES encrypted CH 1 Wire a g a g a g a g a CH 44 AES encrypted Access/One nodes start sending packets even before all are received CH 130 CH 153 CH 6 CH 11 CH 1CH 6 Use of AES encrypted a provides many non overlapping channels, reducing interference CH a CH g a EGRESS – Strix Network Connect a INGRESS – Strix/User Client Connect g INGRESS – User Client Connect

Networks Without Wires™ 13 Example of self healing Intelligent pathing based on: Availability Round trip delay Signal/noise ratio Interference Each node is always scanning alternate paths Network intelligently tunes accordingly Upon failure, nodes reroute within milliseconds CH 1 Wire a g a g a g a g a g a g CH 106 AES encrypted CH 44 AES encrypted CH 1 CH 11 CH a EGRESS – Strix Network Connect a INGRESS – Strix/User Client Connect g INGRESS – User Client Connect

Networks Without Wires™ 14 So What Does This Mean? Less than ms Latency Across 10 Hops – Suitable For Voice and Video Applications

Networks Without Wires™ 15 Strix Systems OWS High Performance Number of Hops Bandwidth (Mbps) Strix Systems Multi-Radio Mesh Competitive Single Radio Mesh Low Latency Across Multiple Hops Suitable for Real Time Voice and Video Applications a, 3 Radio System (client, ingress, egress) In a Noisy Environment 11g 11b

Networks Without Wires™ 16 Competition Point to point – wired access points Just about any outdoor single radio AP Wireless bridging or WDS – one radio does receive and send Tropos, Firetide, Cisco Bridged Mesh – dedicated radios, not switched BelAir, Cisco, Nortel Structured Mesh – Full time dedicated radios for ingress, egress and client connectivity Strix!

Networks Without Wires™ 17 Example Design Mesh Nodes Core Nodes Edge Nodes Access Nodes Termination Point Hardwired

Networks Without Wires™ 18 Example Design COMPETITOR 63 Nodes 7 Network Connections 9:1 Ratio STRIX 63 Nodes 1 Network Connection 62:1

Networks Without Wires™ 19 Access/One Network OWS Hardware

Networks Without Wires™ 20 Access/One Network OWS Multi-radio, multi-channel, multi-RF system Hardened for all environments Self-discovering, self-tuning, self-healing, high- performance mesh network Secure, manageable, & scalable Upgradeable to new technologies (WIMAX, 4.9) IWS & OWS - Seamless

Networks Without Wires™ 21 Access/One Network OWS Hardware Two Hardware Designs Multiple Mounting Options Power, antenna and data Protection Modular - up to six a/b/g Radios Multiple external antennas 2400 Series 3600 Series

Networks Without Wires™ 22 Each radio module supports up to 2 radios 1 “A”, 1 “B\G” Depending on chassis 2-6 radios Depending on chassis support up to 6 antennas + 2 diversity AC/DC Input Ethernet port OWS OWS 2400 Series

Networks Without Wires™ 23 Security Shield Secure Transmission of all Data Backhaul is all EAS 156bit encrypted Hardware Acceleration for AES Mesh Supports WEP, WPA, AES (TKIP) Multiple security schemes per SSID Ex: Hidden SSID plus authentication for private and Open SSID for public access Ex: No client to client access on one SSID while allowing it on another Authentication and Authorization Uses 802.1x standard RADIUS Client Functionality Built-In Supports Authentication Gateways & Radius Servers Network Segmentation 16 MAC Addresses per Radio with unique SSIDs 802.1q support, 250 VLANs per radio Security traverses with the user while roaming Transparent support for VPN Monitoring Rogue Access Point Detection Client-connect privacy (protects against broadcast storms and DoS attacks) MinimumBetterBest Authentication MAC access control list 802.1x EAP 802.1x EAP (TLS, TTLS, MD-5 or PEAP) EncryptionStatic WEPDynamic WEP, WPA, WPA-PSKDynamic AES, AES (TKIP) RequirementsRADIUS serverRADIUS server, AES NICs

Networks Without Wires™ Antennas?

Networks Without Wires™ 25 Antenna Options 11g Antenna(s) (Examples) 11a Antenna(s) (Examples) WiFi Core Wireless 3 Sectors to create 360° Omni pattern 14 dBi, Vertical polarization, 120 ° HBeam, 8° VBeam 2 Directional antennas for backhauls (SPPJ48) 21 dBi, Vertical polarization, 12° HBeam, 16° VBeam 2 Omni directional antennas for AP (SPDJ120) 9dBi, Vertical polarization, 11° VBeam WiFi Core Wired 3 Sectors to create 360° Omni pattern 14 dBi, Vertical polarization, 120 ° HBeam, 8° VBeam 3 Omni directional antennas for AP (SPDJ120) 9dBi, Vertical polarization, 11° VBeam WiFi Edge 2 Omni directional antennas (SPDG80) 9dBi, Vertical polarization, 11° VBeam properly spaced 1 Directional antenna for backhaul (SPPJ48) 21 dBi, Vertical, 12° HBeam, 16° VBeam 1 Omni directional antenna for AP (SPDJ120) 9dBi, Vertical, 11° VBeam WiFi Access 1 Omni directional, 5.5 dBi, 72° VBeam Strix provides a recommended list of antennas for usage in various scenarios

Networks Without Wires™ 26 Antennas 12 dBi Patch Antenna Beam width: 25° Vertical, 65° Horizontal Pole Mount Kit available (Shown in photo) 6" X 13" X 1.25" 12 dBi 120° Sector Antenna Beam width: 13° Vertical, 125° Horizontal Approx. 5" X 21" X 5" 0-20° Elevation Angle adjustment

Networks Without Wires™ 27 Coverage with Sectorized Antennas Vs Omni Radio 1 Coverage Area Radio 3 Radio 2 Extend the reach 120° coverage pattern Single radios for each sector Standard Omni coverage pattern

Networks Without Wires™ 28 NIC Cards Receive strength great but still no access??? The wireless NIC may display a good signal but your wireless NIC may not have the power to transmit back to the Access Point. Some wireless NIC drivers regulate transmit power in laptops. Not all wireless NICs are created equal!

Networks Without Wires™ Management

Networks Without Wires™ 30 Access/One Network OWS Management and Security Manager/One, Carrier Grade Management HTTP/HTTPS – GUI Telnet/SSH – Command Line SNMP Reporting & Traps Syslog support System and device level management Virtual/Strix Systems, Priority/One Multi-service networks Prioritized Traffic for end-to- end QOS Security, AES, Client level port blocking of all traffic Locate rogue access points

Networks Without Wires™ 31 Summary: Covered Mesh Technology Current Radio technology Tempe & Wisconsin designs Differences in radios How a multi-radio mesh functions Strix overview Security Antennas Management

Networks Without Wires™ Thank You! Questions ??