Preparing for Installation
This chapter provides the safety warnings, guidelines and related information which you must follow before starting with the installation of the access point. These sections are included in this chapter:
Safety Warnings
To see translated versions of all safety warnings, browse to the document on Cisco.com, see Translated Safety Warnings for instructions.
Warning IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents. Use the statement number provided at the end of each warning to locate its translation in the translated safety warnings that accompanied this device. Statement 1071
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Warning This equipment is to be installed by trained and qualified personnel, as per these installation instructions. The installer is responsible for obtaining any required local or national safety inspections of the structural integrity of the installation by the local authority/inspection department.
Warning Do not operate the unit near unshielded blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless the device has been modified to be especially qualified for such use. Statement 364
Warning The cables specified in this installation guide that are used with the specified cable glands provide protection against ingress of moisture for a Type 4/IP67 classified enclosure. If substitute cable are used, the installer must ensure that the size (OD) of the cable meets the acceptable range allowed by the cable gland.
Warning This equipment must be externally grounded using a customer-supplied ground wire before power is applied. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain that suitable grounding is available. Statement 366
Warning Read the installation instructions before connecting the system to the power source. Statement 1004
Warning Ultimate disposal of this product should be handled according to all national laws and regulations. Statement 1040
Caution
All installation methods for mounting an access point on any wall surface is subject to the acceptance of local jurisdiction.
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this equipment. Statement 1030
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes. Statement 1074
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes. Statement 1074
Warning In order to comply with radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, see Appendix B, “Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information”, to find the safe operating distance as required for your local regulatory domain. Statement 339
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity. Statement 1001
Warning A readily accessible two-poled disconnect device must be incorporated in the fixed wiring.
Statement 1022
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes. Statement 1074
Warning To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunication line cord. Statement 1023
Warning This unit might have more than one power supply connection. All connections must be removed to de-energize the unit. Statement 1028
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this equipment. Statement 1030
Warning Connect the unit only to DC power source that complies with the safety extra-low voltage (SELV) requirements in IEC 60950 based safety standards. Statement 1033
Warning When installing or replacing the unit, the ground connection must always be made first and disconnected last. Statement 1046.
Warning Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take extreme care not to come into contact with such circuits, because they may cause serious injury or death. For proper installation and grounding of the antenna, please refer to national and local codes (for example, U.S.:NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Article 810, Canada: Canadian Electrical Code, Section 54). Statement 1052
Caution
Before connecting or disconnecting a power cord, you must remove power from the power cord using a suitable service disconnect.
FCC Safety Compliance Statement
The FCC, with its action in ET Docket 96-8, has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to RF electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC-certified equipment. When used with approved Cisco Aironet antennas, Cisco Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environmental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper operation of this radio device according to the instructions in this publication results in user exposure substantially below the FCC recommended limits.
Safety Precautions
For safety and to achieve a good installation, please read and follow these safety precautions:
- Select your installation site with safety, as well as performance in mind. Remember: electric power lines and phone lines look alike. For safety, assume that any overhead line can kill.
- Call your electric power company. Tell them your plans, and ask them to come look at your proposed installation.
- Plan your installation carefully and completely before you begin. Successful raising of a mast or tower is largely a matter of coordination. Each person should be assigned to a specific task and should know what to do and when to do it. One person should be in charge of the operation to issue instructions and watch for signs of trouble.
- When installing the access point and antennas, remember:
– Do not use a metal ladder.
– Do not work on a wet or windy day.
– Do dress properly—shoes with rubber soles and heels, rubber gloves, long sleeved shirt or jacket.
- Use a rope to lift the access point. If the assembly starts to drop, get away from it and let it fall.
- If any part of the antenna system should come in contact with a power line, do not touch it or try to remove it yourself. Call your local power company. They will remove it safely.
If an accident should occur, call for qualified emergency help immediately.
Access Point Installation Guidelines
Personnel installing the access point must understand wireless access points and bridging techniques and grounding methods.
Because the access point is a radio device, it is susceptible to common causes of interference that can reduce throughput and range. Follow these basic guidelines to ensure the best possible performance:
Note To calculate path loss and to determine how far apart to install access points, consult an RF planning expert.
Site Surveys
Every network application is a unique installation. Before installing multiple access points, you should perform a site survey to determine the optimum use of networking components and to maximize range, coverage, and network performance.
Site surveys reveal problems that can be resolved before the network is operational. Because 802.11a/b/g/n/ac operates in an unlicensed spectrum, there may be sources of interference from other 802.11a wireless devices (especially in multi-tenant buildings) that could degrade your 802.11 signals. A site survey can determine if such interference exists at the time of deployment.
A proper site survey involves temporarily setting up mesh links and taking measurements to determine whether your antenna calculations are accurate. Determine the correct locations and antenna types before you drill holes and route cables and mounting equipment.
Consider the following operating and environmental conditions when performing a site survey:
- Data rates—Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data bit rates. The maximum radio range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate. A decrease in receiver sensitivity occurs as the radio data increases.
- Antenna type and placement—Proper antenna configuration is a critical factor in maximizing radio range. As a general rule, range increases in proportion to antenna height. However, do not place the antenna higher than necessary, because the extra height also increases potential interference from other unlicensed radio systems and decreases the wireless coverage from the ground.
- Physical environment—Clear or open areas provide better radio range than closed or filled areas.
- Obstructions—Physical obstructions such as buildings, trees, or hills can hinder performance of wireless devices. Avoid locating the devices in a location where there is an obstruction between the sending and receiving antennas.
- How far is your wireless link?
- Has a previous site survey been conducted?
- Do you have a clear Fresnel zone between the access points or radio line of sight?
- What is the minimum acceptable data rate within the link?
- Do you have the correct antenna (if more than one antenna is being offered?)
- Do you have access to both of the mesh site locations?
- Do you have the proper permits, if required?
- Are you following the proper safety procedures and practices?
- Have you configured the access points before you go onsite? It is always easier to resolve configurations or device problems first.
- Do you have the proper tools and equipment to complete your survey.
Before Beginning the Installation
Before you begin the installation process:
- Ensure that a site survey has been performed.
- Ensure that your network infrastructure devices are operational and properly configured.
- Ensure that your controllers are connected to switch trunk ports.
- Ensure that your switch is configured with untagged access ports for connecting your access points.
- Ensure that a DHCP server with Option 43 configured is reachable by your access points, or manually configure the controller information in the access point (for additional information, refer to the “Configuring DHCP Option 43” section).
- Become familiar with the access point installation components.
Safety Precautions when Installing Antennas
Warning Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take extreme care not to come into contact with such circuits, as they may cause serious injury or death. For proper installation and grounding of the antenna, please refer to national and local codes (e.g. U.S.: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Article 810, Canada: Canadian Electrical Code, Section 54). Statement 280
1. Before you install an antenna, contact your Cisco account representative to explain which mounting method to use for the size and type of antenna that you are about to install.
2. Select your installation site with safety, as well as performance, in mind. Remember that electric power lines and phone lines look alike. For your safety, assume that any overhead line can kill you.
3. Contact your electric power company. Tell them your plans and ask them to come look at your proposed installation.
4. Plan your installation carefully and completely before you begin. Each person involved in an installation should be assigned to a specific task and should know what to do and when to do it. One person should be in charge of the operation to issue instructions and watch for signs of trouble.
5. When installing your antenna, follow these guidelines:
– Do not use a metal ladder.
– Do not work on a wet or windy day.
– Do dress properly—wear shoes with rubber soles and heels, rubber gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt or jacket.
6. If the assembly starts to drop, move away from it and let it fall. Because the antenna, mast, cable, and metal guy wires are all excellent conductors of electrical current, even the slightest touch of any of these parts to a power line completes an electrical path through the antenna and the installer.
7. If any part of the antenna system should come in contact with a power line, do not touch it or try to remove it yourself. Call your local power company to have it removed safely.
8. If an accident should occur with the power lines, call for qualified emergency help immediately.
Safety Instructions for Antennas and Radios
Warning In order to comply with radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, see Appendix B, “Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information”, to find the safe operating distance as required for your local regulatory domain. Statement 339
Warning Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take extreme care not to come into contact with such circuits, because they may cause serious injury or death. For proper installation and grounding of the antenna, please refer to national and local codes (for example, U.S.: NFPA 70, National Electric Code, Article 180, Canada: Canadian Electrical Code, Section 54). Statement 1052
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this equipment. Statement 1030
Avoiding Damage to Radios in a Testing Environment
The radios on outdoor units (bridges) have higher transmit power levels than radios on indoor units (access points). When you test high-power radios in a link, you must avoid exceeding the maximum receive input level for the receiver. At levels above the normal operating range, packet error rate (PER) performance is degraded. At even higher levels, the receiver can be permanently damaged. To avoid receiver damage and PER degradation, you can use one of the following techniques:
- Separate the omnidirectional antennas by at least 2 ft (0.6 m) to avoid receiver damage or by at least 25 ft (7.6 m) to avoid PER degradation.
Note These distances assume free space path loss and are conservative estimates. Required separation distances for damage and performance degradation levels in actual deployments are less if conditions are not non-line-of-sight.
- Reduce the configured transmit power to the minimum level.
- Use directional antennas, and keep them away from each other.
- Cable the radios together using a combination of attenuators, combiners, or splitters to achieve a total attenuation of at least 60 dB.
For a radiated test bed, the following equation describes the relationships among transmit power, antenna gain, attenuation, and receiver sensitivity:
txpwr + tx gain + rx gain - [attenuation due to antenna spacing] < max rx input level
txpwr = Radio transmit power level
tx gain = transmitter antenna gain
rx gain = receiver antenna gain
For a conducted test bed, the following equation describes the relationships among transmit power, antenna gain, and receiver sensitivity:
txpwr - [attenuation due to coaxial components] < max rx input level
Caution
Under no circumstances should you connect the antenna port from one access point to the antenna port of another access point without using an RF attenuator. If you connect antenna ports, you must not exceed the maximum survivable receive level of 0 dBm. Never exceed 0 dBm, or damage to the access point can occur. Using attenuators, combiners, and splitters having a total of at least 60 dB of attenuation ensures that the receiver is not damaged and that PER performance is not degraded.
Safety Instructions for Powering the Access Point
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes. Statement 1074
Warning This equipment must be externally grounded using a customer-supplied ground wire before power is applied. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain that suitable grounding is available. Statement 366
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity. Statement 1001
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes. Statement 1074
Warning This equipment must be externally grounded using a customer-supplied ground wire before power is applied. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain that suitable grounding is available. Statement 366
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity. Statement 1001
Warning Connect the unit only to DC power source that complies with the safety extra-low voltage (SELV) requirements in IEC 60950 based safety standards. Statement 1033
Warning To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunication line cord. Statement 1023
Caution
Power injectors must be used indoors only. Do not place a power injector in an unprotected outdoor environment because water could get into the power injector and cause a short circuit and possible fire.
Caution
When the access point is installed outdoors or in a wet or damp location, the AC branch circuit that is powering the access point should be provided with ground fault protection (GFCI), as required by Article 210 of the National Electrical Code (NEC).