InfiPLANNER: Link Planning Tool

The EIRP Limitation

EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) refers to the hypothetical radiation power of a reference isotropic antenna in order to achieve the same signal strength in the direction of the maximum in the radiation pattern of the source antenna.

Each country or region imposes an EIRP limit in order to govern the usage of the radio devices and ensure the following tasks:

                        - a proper common functioning of the radio devices in the same region;

                        - the minimization of the impact of the radio emission on the human health.

The EIRP limit value depends on:

                        - the national legislation: each country has its own regulations;

                        - the used frequency range: each frequency range has its own EIRP limit value.

The state regulates the maximum allowable EIRP Limit level. Compliance with the legal regulations is achieved through the selection of devices / antennas and through the limitation of the radiated power of the radio transmitter.

The EIRP limit value can be set in InfiPLANNER from the project settings by accessing the "Regulatory domain" option. The settings can be performed when the project is created or afterwards as well, if for example new links using a new frequency range are added.

By default, the regulatory domain is set to "Worldwide", meaning there is no EIRP limitation. In order to configure the EIRP limit according to the regulations in your country and for a specific frequency range, select the "Manual" mode.

Once the "Manual mode" is selected, a new configuration menu will appear as it can be seen in the picture above. Here, you can click on "Add range" and specify the frequency range you are interested in along with the EIRP limit in your country.

The PtP mode toolbar

The PtP mode toolbar includes 3 sections:

1. Link Settings - allows you to configure the estimation method and the requirements for the radio parameters.
2. Site 1 parameters - allows you to specify the site coordinates, antenna height, device model.
3. Site 2 parameters - the same parameters as for site 1.

Note

For a flexible and efficient way of working in InfiPLANNER, the toolbar displays the mast pictogram for each site. If it is displayed without radio signals, it means that the configuration of the sites is not completed. If the radio signal is present, then the sites are configured and you can review the estimation results.

The Link Estimation Method

In the PtP mode, two link estimation methods are available:

• Geo-Located - the main estimation method using the precise equipment positioning on the map. This method provides the most accurate estimation of the wireless link characteristics. This mode must be enabled according to the picture below, as it is not selected by default.
• Calculator - the default method, without device positioning on the geographical map. Thus, it can be used at the earliest stages of the wireless network deployment, when the location of the sites are not yet known and preliminary calculations need to be made. In this case, a simplified radio wave propagation model will be applied, the results of which are less accurate compared to the results obtained using the geo-located method.

The estimation method is selected from the "Link Settings" section.

Settings when using the Geo-Located method

Link Settings (Site A - Site B)

The following channel settings are available for defining the parameters of the wireless link:

• frequency range and central frequency - your selection will determine the list of available devices. If you set the center frequency to 3.5 GHz, only the models that can operate on this frequency will be available
• the number of carriers - some device models receive and transmit simultaneously on two frequencies
• channel width

Site settings (Site A, Site B)

The following site settings are available:

Site name 

Coordinates - the coordinates of the site's location must be specified and this can be done in two ways:

      - Site positioning - by default, the sites are placed in an arbitrary location within the visible area of the working space. If you have multiple links, the first site of the newly created link will be installed at the place where the second site of the previous one is installed.

      - Coordinates positioning -  you can specify the coordinates manually, or use the search by locality name, address, company name, etc.

In order to prevent the displacement of the site, use the coordinates blocking function by clicking on lock image next to the input field for the coordinates.

Note

In order to quickly navigate to the site on the map, move the cursor over the "Site Settings" heading section and click on the centering icon.

• Antenna height - allows you to set the height of the antenna, ranging from 1 m to 100 m
• Power limit - allows you to configure the maximum transmit power of the radio device, considering the EIRP limitations in the area. The EIRP limit is set in the project settings as described in the first section of this page.

• Interference - manually specify the interference signal level in the area where the link is located. Any external signal level higher than the sensitivity of the devices will impact the estimations for the wireless link. The external interference must be assessed across the entire radio spectrum of the device before deploying and planning the links. This can be achieved using one of the following methods:

     - use the Spectrum Analyzer tool present in all our product families. The tool is user-friendly and allows you to perform detailed spectrum scans across a specified input frequency range. It provides detailed information about the scanned radio signals as follows: signal level (dBm), Frequency (MHz), Noise Floor (dBm), indicators of RSSI (dBm), High RSSI (dBm), Max RSSI (dBm) and their values in dB. "High RSSI" allows you to estimate the number of signal sources - if the value is significantly different from the average RSSI, then there are several sources of interference.

     - during site survey, perform a scan of the radio emissions in the area using an external tool in order to determine the interference in the area where the link is installed

• Temperature - allows you to set the air temperature at the site's location

Path profile

The maximum visibility between two antennas must be obtained during installation. This can be done by selecting the optimal site locations (on a plain or on top of hills/mountains), as well as by changing the antenna's height.
 

InfiPLANNER allows to manually add artificial obstacles.

In the new window you can specify the obstacle coordinates, its dimensions and the angle of rotation. The influence of obstacles on a visibility between devices will be displayed in the link path profile.

The visibility control is performed with the path profile.

You can find the following information in the path profile :

1. The antenna height of each site. The value of this parameter can be changed from the path profile and from the "Site Settings" section of the toolbar.
2. The terrain profile and the distance between the sites.

The first Fresnel zone and its overlapping. The most preferable situation is when having a complete absence of obstacles in the Fresnel zone.

Note

The terrain profile in InfiPLANNER does not take into account artificial obstacles (buildings, towers, etc.), as well as the type of the earth surface, for example, trees. This feature should be taken into account when determining the device location, as well as the antenna height.

Settings when using the Calculator method

Link Settings

Since the use of the "Calculator" method does not involve the positioning of the sites on the map, unlike the geo-located method, you will need to define a number of additional parameters:

1. Terrain type
2. Climate type
3. Estimation type:
   1. Distance - the wireless link will be estimated based on the specified distance. Thus, the availability value will be determined in the estimation results.
   2. Availability - the wireless link will be estimated based on the availability level. The maximum distance for which the specified availability can be achieved will be determined in the estimation results.

When using the "Calculator" method, the coordinates of the devices are not specified and the path profile menu is also unavailable. 

Site Settings

All the site settings described for the geo-located method are applicable, exception being the coordinates of the site since the positioning is an estimative.

Equipment and results view

The link estimation results are available in a special "Equipment & Results" view that includes three main menus:

1. Device model selection for site 1. If previously configured in the Site Settings menu, the corresponding device will be already selected. From this menu, you can select or change the device of Site A
2. Device model selection for site 2. If previously configured in the Site Settings menu, the corresponding device will be already selected. From this menu, you can select or change the device of Site B
3. Estimation results.

If you select a device model without an integrated antenna, you must also specify the type of RF cable and the external antenna model.

In order to select the optimal model you can return any time to one of the previous steps, which allows you to quickly replace the device and re-estimate the results. 

How to read the estimation results

The results are presented in summary and detail forms. The summary report allows you to make an overall estimation of the planned link. It includes the following information:

• Link parameters and device models for each site.
• Modulation scheme and link characteristics for the maximum availability.
• Modulation scheme and link characteristics for the maximum throughput.

The characteristics for each modulation scheme can be found in the "Detailed performance report" link.

Links Comparison Mode

While planning link you may want to compare the characteristics of multiple links or the same one, but with different device models.

Different Links Comparison

In the links list, select the icon of the links that you want to compare.

The selected links will be displayed in comparison mode with the following features:

1. Antennas height changing.
2. Devices models selection.
3. Modulation scheme selection.

One Link Comparison

In order to compare the characteristics of the same link but with different models, it is enough to select only this link. Then, in the comparison mode click on "Add link to compare", that will create a temporary copy of the link.

Let us suppose that during the comparison you find that other models are more suitable than the ones you have earlier selected. In this case you can change the temporary copy to the primary by clicking on "Make primary".