FLOSS01: Communications Messages: 5 Entries..

Tried raising the antenna a bit more on a round pole and aligned to the base
antenna.  Made the number of errors worse -- 47% vs. 42%.

Data Network

BCAP: Breezecom Access point in base trailer
BCSA: Breezecom Station Adaptors at tower and in OSU box

aster: NCAR base system, Dell Latitude, linux
tiny:  OSU linux system
ambra: Windows 486 running Breezecom DS.11 diagnostic software

****************** 192.168.10.0 *************************************

aster -- 5port --  BCAP ---RF---  BCSA --cable-- 5port ----- cosmos
ambra -- hub        |             tower          hub   ----- marigold
tiny  --            |                                  ----- web cam
                    RF
                    |
                    |-------RF--  BCSA --cable-- 4port ----  cr5000
		                  OSU            hub   ----  lunch

*********************************************************************

These addresses are assigned on the Data Network:

  192.168.10.1	aster
  192.168.10.10-20  allocated dynamically by DHCP server on aster
		    Breezecom radios and Ambra PC

NCAR Data Acq Systems
  192.168.10.30	cosmos	
  192.168.10.31	cosmos-bp	
  192.168.10.32	goldenrod	
  192.168.10.33	marigold	
  192.168.10.34	marigold-bp	
  192.168.10.35	arnica	

OSU PCs
  192.168.10.50 lunch
  192.168.10.51 cr5000

The 3com LAN-modem has been configured to dial-up the Earthlink
ISP in Steamboat Springs.

To configure the modem from a system connected to it,
go to this URL with a browser:

  http://3com.oc.lanmodem

I've added it as "Lan-modem" to aster's personal toolbar in netscape, so
you can just click on that.

The administrator password is the same as the root password on aster.

ISP info:

  steamboat phone number: 871-2640
  username: see gordon
  password: see gordon

We've set the call duration to 15 minutes.

AP: Access point, this will be the radio at the base, in the trailer
SA: Station adaptor, this is the radio out at the tower.

Community strings:
  read: ncar/atds
  write: (see gordon)

  WLAN parameters -> ESS ID: see gordon
  WLAN parameters -> fixed channel, #11

For testing in the building, I have 2 little dipole antennals
on each radio:
  WLAN parameters -> Transmit Diversity -> both antennas

Security:
  Default key ID: First
  WEP Keys: see gordon
    1st: 
    2nd: 
    3rd: 
    4th: 


Breezecoms were showing a high FCS error rate.  According to the
DS11 manual this is a CRC error statistic.  The adams seemed to
be suffering, losing data, and crashing.

Tried various things, which didn't work, including 1/2 meter dipole antenna
on AP, moving radios further apart, resetting to factory defaults.

What did help was changing the channel number from 6 to 11.  It appears
that another wireless ethernet in the building is using channel 6.

According to the breezecom manual (Appendix, page B-2), only channels
1,6 and 11 are non-overlapping.

Settings:
  SA: WLAN Parameters -> Channel Settings -> Fixed Channel, #11
  AP: WLAN Parameters -> Channel 11

To view the FCS statistic, select the SA, click on the "Counters" tab.
A useful tool is to click on the FCS number and drag it to the
graph image.  Once the graph appears, click on scale to change
the scale to 0-10 counts. Currently we're seeing an FCS error 
rate of 5%, with one or two errors every 5 seconds.  This 
seems to be acceptable.

The adams have been transmitting via the breezecoms since yesterday
(fri Nov 9) afternoon.  The security was set to "secured key",
which SCD recommends.

The network has not been working well since then.
The adams would start reporting lost samples
and crashed several times.

The radios are set up with the indoor dipole antennas.  Until now
I had both antennas connected.   The DS11 program was showing a bunch
of errors.  The FCS Error rate was about 75%.

According to the DS11 manual, only antenna #1 should be connected.
After making that change, things have improved. We'll see how it goes.
The breezecoms are about 8 feet apart in the staging area.

Current error status shown on DS11 program, 

  SA showing 80-85 % signal quality,  RSSI -27dBm (62)
     FCS Error 11%

  AP: FCS Error 11%

It looks like the FCS error rate is a critical number.