Wireless
Bridge
Wireless Bridge enables high-speed long-range outdoor links
between buildings and is ideal for installations subject to plenum
rating and harsh environments. It is designed to meet the
requirements of even the most challenging applications. Some of the
most important features of Wireless Bridge include the
following:
- High-speed
(11-Mbps), high-power (100-mW) radios, delivering
building-to-building links of up to 25 miles (40.2
km)
- A metal case
for durability and plenum rating and an extended operating
temperature rating for harsh environments
- Supports both
point-to-point and point-to-multipoint
configurations
- Broad range
of supported antennas
- Simplified
installation, improved performance, and upgradeable firmware,
ensuring investment protection
Designed to
connect two or more networks (typically located in different
buildings), Wireless Bridge delivers high data rates and superior
throughput for data-intensive, line-of-sight applications. The
Wireless Bridge connect hard-to-wire sites, noncontiguous floors,
satellite offices, school or corporate campus settings, temporary
networks, and warehouses. They can be configured for point-to-point
or point-to-multipoint applications and allow multiple sites to
share a single, high-speed connection to the Internet. For
functional flexibility, the wireless bridge may also be configured
as an access point.
The high-speed
links between the Wireless Bridge deliver throughput several times faster
than E1/T1 lines for a fraction of the cost— eliminating the need
for expensive leased lines or difficult-to-install fiber-optic
cable. Because Wireless Bridge has no recurring charges, savings on
leased-line services quickly pay for the initial hardware
investment. Wireless bridges connect discrete sites into a single
LAN, even when they are separated by obstacles such as freeways,
railroads, and bodies of water that are practically insurmountable
for copper and fiber-optic cable. Combining powerful 100-mW radios,
industry-leading receive sensitivity, installation tools to assist
in bridge placement, delay spread capabilities, and a broad array of
directional and omni directional
antennas.
Wireless Bridge features an extended operating temperature
range of -20° to 55° C; it should be in a durable metal case. These
products come in different flavors, as manufacturers experiment with
different price / feature combinations. Here are some of the
different modes you'll find in
Wireless Bridge products:
Note: Different
manufacturers may use different names to describe these operating
modes.
Point to Point
(Master / Slave): This mode connects two LAN segments by using two
Bridge units. In some
cases, such as the SMC2682W, one unit is set to Master mode, the
other to Slave mode.
Other products, such as the upgraded Linksys WAP11, allow you
to control which of multiple Bridge units to connect to by entering
the MAC address of the unit at the other end of the wireless
bridge.
Point to
Multi-Point: As the name implies, this mode lets you construct a
network that has multiple Bridge units talking to each other
wirelessly. Again,
there are differences in implementation. The SMC2682W uses a single
Master and multiple Slave units. The Linksys WAP11 uses a
mode that sets all units in a multi-point network to a "Point to
Multi-Point" mode.
Master plus AP:
This mode may be unique to the SMC2682W. It allows a unit set to
Master mode to communicate with Slave units, as well as wireless
clients within its range.
NOTE that Slave units don't have the same ability, and can
communicate only with the Master unit.
