Long Range Industrial Wireless Ethernet Bridge

Features

• Spread Spectrum operation at 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz (license free)
• Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint, Mesh, or Linear Network topologies.
  
• Wireless links in excess of 50 miles (80 km)
• Mobile support lets service vehicles roam between multiple hubs
• Rugged waterproof outdoor enclosure (IP66) allows mounting unit next to antenna, reducing RF coaxial cable losses and cost.
  
• Narrow RF bandwidth allows operation in crowded spectrum.
• Large number of non-overlapping channels.
• Remote management through Telnet, SNMP or "Afar Ethernet Console ".
• Optional Triple-DES, AES-128 or AES-256 encryption.
  
• Remote software updates.
• Synchronized RF transmissions allows deployment of large number of co-located radios.
• Optional serial synchronous interface supported by pairing with Afar NetCrossing Gateways .

With the proliferation of unlicensed radio devices it can be a challenge to deploy and operate a reliable RF network in the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz unlicensed bands. At Afar Communications we went to great extents to design a radio from the ground up that can provide dependable links under very adverse conditions. This includes the following features:

1. All the electronics are housed in an environmentally sealed enclosure rated for outdoor installation. You can mount the unit in close proximity to the antenna, which increases system performance by avoiding RF cable losses or expensive rigid coax cables.
2. The radio RF bandwidth is much narrower than other unlicensed devices in the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz band. This has several advantages, namely (i) the radio sensitivity is greatly improved allowing very long range wireless links, (ii) there is a much larger number of non-overlapping channels to choose from, and (iii) it is much easier to find an unused gap in a crowded spectrum.
3. In a long range wireless link under heavy interference, clear channels at each end of the link are often different. In the Afar radio the transmit and receive frequencies can be selected independently of each other, allowing you to select the two optimal frequencies to avoid local interferers.
4. The radio incorporates spectrum analysis and timing analysis tools, which allows you to quickly perform a survey of the RF environment without the need for expensive or heavy spectrum analyzers.
5. Unique antenna alignment aid provides audio feedback proportional to the RSSI, freeing the installer's hands to adjust and tighten the antenna without having to hold or look at other instrumentation.

The same radio can be used to deploy a back-haul point-to-point link, a point-to-multipoint network, or a Mesh/tree network where any radio in the network can be used as an access point for other radios downstream.  Radios come equipped with a dual antenna port which you may use, for example, to deploy a linear-network consisting of multiple nodes alongside a highway, pipeline, or railway track. The radios operate in Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and feature the Afar SPAN technology that automatically synchronizes the burst transmissions of all co-located radios. You can grow your central site with up to 24 co-located hub radios without worrying about self-interference.  In a point to multipoint network the hub radios allocate the available bandwidth dynamically among the remote radios that are currently active. 

The radio implements a transparent bridge algorithm, where each unit automatically learns the addresses of all stations in the network and forwards over RF only the traffic that needs to be delivered to the remote unit. This reduces the RF throughput required by the radio.

You can choose between 5 different models, two operating at 900 MHz and three at 2.4 GHz.  Within the same band different models have different RF occupied bandwidths which trade-off throughput for higher sensitivity and more non-overlapping channels.

Specifications

pulsAR - Long Range Industrial Wireless Ethernet Bridge

Model:	AR-9010E	AR-9027E	AR-24010E	AR-24027E	AR-24110E
Frequency Range (MHz):	902..928	902..928	2400..2483	2400..2483	2400..2483
RF Bandwidth (MHz):	1.7	4.6	1.7	4.6	17
RF channels (non-overlap):	13	4	35	11	3
Max data rate (Mbps):	1.1	2.75	1.1	2.75	11.0
Rx Sensitivity* at 10E-6 BER (dBm):	-95	-92	-92	-90	-86

*Download data sheet for complete sensitivity data

RF Specifications (all models)
	Transmit Power:	0 to 27 dBm (programmable in 1 dB steps)
	Modulation Type:	Direct sequence spread spectrum
	Maximum Receive Signal:	-30 dBm (to stay in receiver linear region) +20 dBm (to avoid damage)
Ethernet Port
	Speed:	10/100 MHz, full/half duplex, auto-negotiate, auto crossover
	Connector:	8 pin circular (Lumberg 0321-08) (RJ45 at the power inserter)
Network Operation
	Network topologies:	Point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, Mesh/Tree, Linear, Roaming
	Management:	Telnet, SNMP (MIB2), or Econsole reach any node over wireless
	Security:	Encryption: DES, Triple-DES, AES-128, AES-256 32 bit network ID / password
Console / Diagnostic Port
	Interface:	RS-232 / V.24, asynchronous 9600 to 115 kbaud
	Connector:	3 pin circular (Lumberg 0321-03)
Power
	Input Voltage:	DC: Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) or 10 to 58 Volts DC AC: 110 to 220 VAC (external supply)
	Consumption:	Rx:   2.8 W     Sleep:  0.7 W Tx: <4.0 W (900 MHz models)     Tx: <6.3 W (2.4 GHz models)
Environmental
	Operating Temperature:	-40 to +70 deg C -40 to +158 deg F
	Humidity:	up to 95% non-condensing
	Water and dust protection:	IP66 (Ingresss Protection rating per IEC 60529)
Mechanical
	Dimensions:	12.0 x 22.0 x 5.6 cm 4.72" (W) x 8.66"(H) x 2.20" (D)
	Weight:	1.5 Kg 3.4 lb

Specifications subject to change without notice