VectaStar RT Configuration iPhone App User Guide

Cambridge Broadband Networks

Tuesday, 02 April 2013

CB-002856-UG Issue 3

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1 Introduction

The VectaStar RT Configuration app for the Apple iPhone provides a simple interface to allow installers to

perform start-of-day configuration and optimise the alignment of VectaStar remote terminals (RTs). This

document describes how to use the app in combination with a WiFi router to perform these tasks. Some

familiarity with the VectaStar system is assumed throughout.

2 Equipment

In addition to the VectaStar RT equipment, you will require:

One Apple iPhone (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S or iPhone 5)

One WiFi router

One CAT-5 network cable

The configuration information in this guide is based on a TP-Link TL-MR3040 150Mbps Wireless B

Portable Battery Powered Router. This device has a USB-rechargeable battery and is compact and

simple to configure. Other WiFi routers may also be suitable.

3 Workflow

The basic workflow is shown in figure 1.

Figure 1

Connect WiFi

router to RT and power on

Join WiFinetwork in

iPhone Settings

In ‘Connection’ screen, connect

to RT

AT RT SITEBEFORE ARRIVING AT RT SITE

Configure WiFirouter

Install app on iPhone

In ‘Frequency’ screen, configure

RT’s channel

Troubleshoot connection

Connection not made

Connection made

Roughly align RT and verify it has

registered

Find maximum RSSI in ‘Alignment’

screen

Fine-tune RT’s alignment

Set RT’s position using ‘Position’

screen

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4 Preliminary Work

These steps can be undertaken before visiting an RT installation site.

4.1 Configuring the WiFi router

The WiFi router should be configured so that its wired Ethernet port has an address on the

192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0 network, because the default IP address for VectaStar RTs is 192.168.1.1. In

addition, it is helpful to enable a DHCP server on the WiFi network so that when the iPhone selects the

network it is automatically allocated an address.

The detailed instructions below apply to the TP-Link MR-3040 as noted above.

4.1.1 Connect to the WiFi router’s web interface

Connect to the WiFi router on its default IP address of 192.168.0.1. You can connect over its wireless

network, which defaults to an open (no WPA) network with a name something like TP-

LINK_POCKET_3040_xxxxxx and with a DHCP server enabled. The default user and password are

both „admin‟.

When you log in you will see a status page something like this:

4.1.2 Change the mode to ‘Standard AP mode’

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Click on „Operation Mode‟ in the left-hand pane. The default mode is „3G Router Mode‟ but the

desired mode is „Standard AP Mode‟. Select „Standard AP Mode‟ and click „Save‟. You will be

prompted to allow the WiFi router to reboot, which you should permit.

4.1.3 Change the LAN port’s IP address

When the router has restarted, click on „Network‟ in the left-hand pane. Change the IP address from

its default value of 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.1.99. Again, click „Save‟ and permit the router to reboot.

The WiFi router is now correctly set up and will hand out DHCP IP addresses in the range

192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.199. You may now switch off the router.

4.2 Installing the app

If you were sent the app as a “.ipa” file, follow the instructions included in the email. Otherwise, connect

to the App Store and install the app in the usual way.

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5 At an RT Site

5.1 Connect the WiFi router to the ODU via a wallbox, GPI or IDU

Power up the Wifi router and connect it using a CAT-5 cable to the network port of the wallbox (VS1 or

VS2 systems), or to the network port of the IDU-GPI (VSG), or to port 1 of an IDU-4VL-4E1 (VS1, VS2 or

VSG). Alternatively you may connect the router to an “installer wallbox” or other “breakout” device. Be

careful not to connect the router to a powered Ethernet port carrying -48VDC as well as data; this may

result in permanent damage to the router.

5.2 Join the WiFi network

On your iPhone, open the Settings app and tap the Wi-Fi line. You should see the WiFi router in the list

under “Choose a Network”. Tap the name of the router to select it. Once it is selected you may tap the

“(>)” icon to verify that the IP address handed out by DHCP is in the range 192.168.1.102 to

192.168.1.199 as expected.

5.3 Launch the app and connect to the RT

Locate the “RT Config” icon on the phone‟s home screen and tap it. The app will start and immediately

attempt to connect via ssh to the ODU on the default IP address of 192.168.1.1:

5.4 Troubleshooting the connection

The connection to the ODU should succeed straight away, resulting in a “connected” icon in the top right

corner of the screens as shown here:

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If the connection does not succeed, try the following troubleshooting steps. After each troubleshooting

step, you can tap the Retry Connection button to try the ssh connection again. Once you have a working

connection, proceed to the next step.

Check the WiFi router is switched on and has a valid Ethernet connection on its WAN port. For the TP-

Link 4030 the lights should look as follows (the three lights represent, from left to right, wireless network

connectivity, wired network connectivity, power).

Check the ODU is receiving power by referring to the relevant LEDs on the wallbox, GPI or IDU.

Check the iPhone is correctly using the WiFi router network and not another nearby WiFi network, which

will not have the necessary connectivity.

Power-cycle the ODU by removing and replacing the power connector from the wallbox, GPI or IDU.

Verify that the ODU has not previously been installed and configured. If it is running in a live network, it

will not itself ordinarily respond to IP traffic on its Ethernet port.

5.5 Configure the RT’s frequency

Select the “Frequency” tab by tapping on the icon in the tab bar.

First set the channel bandwidth by tapping in the Channel Size field and selecting from the popup. Next,

tap in the Downstream field and, using the keypad, enter the downstream centre frequency in kilohertz.

It is critical that the correct channel is entered here, so that the next step aligns the RT to the correct AP:

check the settings with the local network operations or deployment team.

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When you enter the downstream channel, the app automatically fills in the upstream centre frequency and

chooses the frequency band for you and will check the frequencies entered against the band limits. If the

channel is valid, the button labelled Set RT’s Channel will become active. If not, check the error

message and correct the entries.

Finally, press Set RT’s Channel. The app configures the channel on the RT – this takes one to two

seconds. You can now move to the next step.

If the RT has previously been configured with a channel, that data is read by the app when it first connects

to the RT. You may then change the channel, but you will be asked to confirm before doing so.

5.6 Optimise the RT’s alignment

Select the “Alignment” tab by tapping the icon in the tab bar.

Once the RT‟s frequency is set, it will attempt to register with an AP. Until registration has taken place,

you will see the following message:

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Once registration has occurred, the app monitors the received signal strength indicated (RSSI) reported

by the RT, updating the figures shown on the screen once a second:

The purpose of this step is to optimise the alignment of the RT to the AP. Therefore, pan the RT‟s

directional antenna in azimuth and elevation to find the maximum value shown by the app. The best and

worst values are recorded and shown at the top of the screen as guidance. You can reset the best and

worst recorded values by pressing the button. For example, you might roughly align the antenna by

sweeping 5 degrees at a time in azimuth. Then reset the best/worst values and perform a fine sweep in

order to complete the alignment process.

Once the alignment is optimal, tighten the antenna mounting fixtures so that no further movement will take

place.

Note: the software version running on the RT is shown in the alignment tab as a convenience to the user.

It is not possible to upgrade the RT from the iPhone in the current version of the app.

5.7 Set the RT’s geographical position

This step is optional but highly recommended for networks that will be managed using the VectaStar

Network Management System (VNMS). The VNMS is a sophisticated, fully FCAPS-compliant network

management suite that can show a geographical overview of the performance of a network. In order to do

this, it needs to poll the network elements for their locations, which are intended to be set at installation

time.

To do this, select the “Position” tab by tapping the icon in the tab bar.

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You may be asked whether you want to give the app “RT Config” permission to use your current location if

this is the first time you have used this functionality in the app. You should choose OK here.

The Latitude, Longitude and Height fields are automatically filled in using the phone‟s GPS location.

The additional fields Downtilt and Bearing should be filled in by tapping and entering a decimal value in

degrees. You may also override the GPS setting for the Height field simply by tapping in the field and

entering a value. This may be necessary because the altitude calculated by GPS is not usually as

accurate as the latitude and longitude readings, or because the iPhone is not at the same height as the

ODU when performing this step. To return to the iPhone‟s GPS receiver providing the altitude, delete all

characters from the field (it will read “Set from GPS” and then be overwritten by the next update).

When all fields are correctly filled in and the reported GPS accuracy is acceptable, click the Set RT’s

Position button. The procedure takes one to two seconds to complete.

Please note that the RT‟s positional data will not be visible via the VectaStar Network Management

System until the RT has been re-registered or power cycled.