To expand on one point made by Bob... If you need to add T-1's you can do that using Psuedowire with some boxes from Dragonwave... but you will probably find the ODU/IDU combo a bit easier to play with.
To add a point for an all outdoor version CAT5 cable is much cheaper than LMR-400 and others... Daniel White 3-dB Networks http://www.3dbnetworks.com >-----Original Message----- >From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On >Behalf Of Bob Moldashel >Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 4:38 PM >To: WISPA General List >Subject: Re: [WISPA] Ceragon, Dragonwave and whatelse? > >Well....a couple of notes... > >I personally would use an all ODU version because it makes servicing a >breeze and also swapping out a bad radio quick and simple. No guessing >about is it the indoor unit, is it the outdoor unit, is it the interface >cable??? Get an all ODU like the Dragonwave Horizon and you run CAT5 >and you're done. If you get a cable issue you either can't log in or see >no handshake with your switch/router or..If one of the POE lines are bad >your radio will continue to reboot. Troubleshoot the radio on the ground >with a patch cable and you rule out your cabling system. > >Like was mentioned elsewhere here if you are concerned with theft you >can lock the radios in place. This can be done by putting a security >screw in place of the grounding screw and use a cable assembly to lock >it up. If the theft concern is that high you should probably consider >another location. > >With weather being a concern you could always install a second parallel >link on the same antenna using a DPRM mount. Then if one link fails the >other could be engaged to carry the traffic. > >I do not see this link really working (high 9's reliability) without 4' >antennas. That of course leads to new mounting issues. At 6 Ghz. you >are looking at 6' minimum dishes. Figure 600-800 lbs per antenna with >mount not to say the least about cost, shipping and installation. > >I personally like Dragonwave for 2 reasons. 1 - The service facility is >in this part of the hemisphere which allows me to get equipment >overnight in emergencies. 2 - One year advanced replacement is only >$500/year per radio. Allows me to sleep easily. > >This does not mean I do not like Ceragon. They are just doing some >growing pains things at the moment and most of the stuff is serviced >overseas unless it is an interface or something simple. > >Dragonwave support is very responsive though you do have to leave your >name with a service and they call you back. I have installed more than >45 Dragonwave links in the past 2 years and have only had 2 failures. > >There are other options but history, price or delivery will kill them as >an option. > >And stay away from equipment that does switching for you. Do all your >control external to the radio. > >Bob > > > > >Paolo Di Francesco wrote: >> Dear All, >> >> we are considering to move to licensed frequencies for back hauling >and >> therefore some hints would be really appreciated. We are looking at 2 >> main manufacturers (Ceragon/Dragonwave) so the problem is "which one >> fits better for our needs"? >> >> Just to summarize: >> >> a) links are around 20-25 miles >> b) antennas: the smaller the better >> c) robustness is very important >> d) average life: 3 years >> >> >From what I have read in the data sheets I have done the following >> considerations: >> >> 1) Dragonwave Horizon is nice but only if your site is well protected >> from "sabotage and stealing". The "all outdoor" approach is nice but >it >> has the drawback that if somebody takes the whole unit they will have >a >> brand new unit working. With the IDU/ODU approach they will have only >> half of the "banknote", so after the first or second time, they will >not >> spend time having something useless. >> 2) Dragonwave Horizon can be a problem if you don't use fiber from the >> unit down to your switch. In few words, we have sites with huge amount >> or EM fields, so even using shielded cables (e.g. Belden 1300A) we get >> only few ethernet megabits. So we should use fiber to go up the tower, >> but maybe be IDU/ODU approach is more robust (comments welcome). >> 3) All outdoor means that when you have to re-use the devices >somewhere >> else, you have to buy a whole new thing instead of just swapping the >ODU. >> 4) In any case the (all outdoor or IDU/ODU) when the tower is frozen >> (and when I mean frozen I mean a whole block of ice) then it does not >> change much, you have to wait the better season to work on that. >> 5) Performances look more or less the same. >> 6) I don't know much about prices, I have looked on some website, I am >> still exploring this aspect >> 7) Is anybody using the software-switch capabilities on this devices >or >> just using them as transparent bridges for your router/switch? Do you >> need to reset them often? >> >> Comments are welcome. >> >> Am I missing some other good brand? >> >> Thank you. >> >> > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >-------- >WISPA Wants You! Join today! >http://signup.wispa.org/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >-------- > >WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
