ZyXEL Communications ZyAIR B-5000, User Manual

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ZyAIR B-5000 User’s Guide
Site Installation
B-2
Grounding
A safe grounding system is necessary to protect your outdoor installation from lightning strikes and the
build-up of static electricity.
Direct grounding of the antenna mast, Outdoor Wireless Bridge and Surge Arrester are very important. The
Outdoor Wireless Bridge has a built in Surge Arrester. The Outdoor Wireless Bridge should be connected
to the same grounding system as the antenna mast and the AC wall outlet.
The grounding system must comply with the National Electrical Code and safety standards that apply in
your country. Always check with a qualified electrician if you are in doubt as to whether your outdoor
installation is properly grounded.
What is Lightning Protection?
All outdoor electronic equipment is susceptible to lightning damage. Proper grounding to national and local
codes is instrumental in providing human safety. Lightning Protection is used when a customer wants to
maximize the reliability of the electronic system by diverting the excess energy that can be induced on any
transmission lines (data, power) though a series of surge protection devices. The energy is dissipated
through heat and is also diverted to the ground.
Why is Additional Protection Recommended?
Lightning, even with the built-in protection, can still damage ZyAIR equipment. This can occur for any
number of reasons, such as an improperly grounded installation or if the amount of transient energy from
nearby lightning exceeds what the devices can handle.
If the ZyAIR unit fails due to damage from lightning, the link is out-of-service until the unit is replaced or
repaired. An external, reverting protection device can provide a higher level of protection, and greater
probability of surviving lightning strikes without damage to the ZyAIR equipment.
Antenna Alignment
For optimal performance of your wireless link, make sure that the antennas are properly aligned (facing one
another “eye-to-eye”). To align the antennas:
Use a pair of binoculars and/or a map of the area and compass to point the antennas to one
another.
Optimize antenna alignment if required, by making small modifications in the antenna orientation.
Alternatively, consult a professional Antenna Installation Service to optimize the antenna
alignment.
Omni-directional antennas are characterized by a wide radiation pattern. Therefore alignment of this type of
antennas is less critical than for directional antennas.