Firetide Instant Mesh Networks
11
Preparing the Site for Mounting
Prior to mounting the antenna and enclosure, prepare the site for mounting as described below.
Safety Considerations
Consider the following safety issues.
If using a ladder, use approved, non-conducting ladders.
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Use approved and non-conducting shoes and other safety equip-
•
ment. Make sure that all equipment is in good repair.
If mounting to a pole or tower, make sure all poles and towers are
•
securely grounded.
Make sure antenna cables have lightning arrestors.
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Weatherproofing
The two Ethernet ports on the bottom of the HotPort node feature
circular, watertight IP67-rated connectors. Use the included weath-
erized Ethernet transition cable/RJ-45 connector kit to connect
Ethernet devices with male RJ-45 connectors to the HotPort node.
Be sure to weatherize the entire Ethernet cable, from end to end.
Preparing Earth Ground
The HotPort node must be properly connected to earth
ground. Failure to do so may result in equipment dam-
age, injury, or death. The product warranty does not cov-
er damages resulting in part or in whole from improper grounding.
The components that will attract lightning strikes are the antenna,
the antenna pole, and the Ethernet and power cables. Below are
some guidelines for installing grounding components.
Having a proper ground is critical. The following steps repre-
•
sent minimum acceptable grounding practices. Consult your
location’s building and electrical codes regarding antennas and
follow them, or consult the National Electric Code (NEC).
If connecting to a tower or pole, connect the base of the tower
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pole directly to the building’s ground or to one or more approved
grounding rods using 10 AWG ground wire and corrosion-resis-
tant connectors.
Connect the grounding cable to rain gutters only if the
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rain gutter or other conductive material is connected to earth
ground.
Grounding rods should be copper and 1.8 meters to 2.4 meters
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(6 - 8 ft) long.
Install all grounding components in straight lines. If bends are
•
unavoidable, do not make sharp turns.
Earth-to-ground resistance should not be more than 10 ohms.
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Understanding the soil is very important in order to create a
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proper earth ground. If your soil is rocky or sandy, drive your
ground rods and then pull them back out and dump an approved
ground enhancement material into the holes where the ground-
ing rods go. Then replace the grounding rods. Keep in mind that
some salt compounds are corrosive and can cause copper to cor-
rode.
Outdoor Node Installation
Preparing the Unit
Pre-assemble the antenna, HotPort node, and other devices to
1.
a metal pole and antenna stand and then relocate and attach
the entire stand to a roof top. It is often easier to install all
devices to one object, such as a pole, and then attach the pole
to the roof. In many cases, connecting the devices to a pole al-
ready attached to the roof top can be difficult and dangerous.
A lightning surge suppressor must be used. Some antennas in-
2.
clude one. If not, you must install a lightning surge suppres-
sor.
Install the antenna and any wireless devices higher than the
3.
HotPort node. Take care when locating the HotPort node far
away from the antenna; a short antenna cable gives better per-
formance than a longer one. Firetide recommends that you use
antenna cables less than 3 meters; if you have an application
which requires a long antenna cable, consult the factory.
The HotPort node and its antenna must both be grounded.
4.
Use weatherproofing kits that include non-vulcanized rubber
5.
to weatherproof connectors and antennas. All Ethernet cables
must be waterproofed; standard RJ-45 connectors do not last
outdoors.
Power over Ethernet: Consider which devices require PoE and
6.
what the required input voltage will be.
Connect peripheral devices to the HotPort node.
7.
Connect power to the HotPort node and peripherals.
8.
WARNING
The staging antennas provided with Firetide outdoor
nodes and access points are for temporary use only.
They MUST be replaced with outdoor-rated antennas as
soon as the mesh is staged and operational.
The staging antennas are NOT waterproof and NOT moisture resis-
tant. If used outdoors or in humid environments, the antennas may
fail.
Your CD has a copy of Firetide’s Antenna Guide. Contact your Firetide
Reseller for assistance in selecting and ordering outdoor antennas
suitable for your application(s).
January 2009
