SecureMesh
TM
Extender Bridge
Installation Guide
Trilliant Incorporated
page 4 of 26
I
NTRODUCTION
The
SecureMesh™ Extender Bridge
combines the functionality of a SecureMesh Wide Area Network (WAN)
relay node and a SecureMesh Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) access point to create an integrated
product.
Each SecureMesh Extender Bridge employs a 5 GHz SecureMesh WAN radio with an array of 8 directional
antennas to interoperate as an element of the SecureMesh WAN and a 2.4 GHz SecureMesh NAN radio with
an omnidirectional dipole antenna to act as an access point for SecureMesh NAN devices. The Extender
Bridge uses the same enclosure as an Extender to house the WAN antenna array, the WAN Extender circuitry,
and optional 802.11b/g 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi access point circuitry as well as the NAN Collector circuitry.
Extender Functionality
The Extender Bridge’s 5 GHz SecureMesh WAN radio uses its array of eight, beam-switched, directional
antennas to provide extended range and full 360° coverage and acts as a relay node within the SecureMesh
WAN network.
The Extender Bridge offers an Ethernet port for WAN client devices, allowing a single client device or, by using
an external IP router or Ethernet switch, many client devices to connect to the WAN. If deployed using a
SecureMesh Power Service Unit (PSU), the Ethernet port for WAN client devices is made available through the
PSU’s port.
Collector Functionality
The Extender Bridge provides the functionality of a 2.4 GHz SecureMesh NAN Collector, supporting
SecureMesh electric meters, gas meters, load control switches, and other SecureMesh NAN devices to create
a wireless mesh subnetwork of the SecureMesh Neighborhood Area Network. The Extender Bridge
establishes time synchronization and coordinates overall operation of the NAN subnetwork defined by its
associated nodes and then routes NAN traffic to/from the UnitySuite Head-End Software via the SecureMesh
WAN.