Tower with backbone and distribution nodes, basic questions

We have an extensive network in Irvine, CA.  We have three hilltop relay nodes that all connect directly to the City PD that is our hub in the Radio Room across from the EOC.

Each hilltop has a 5 GHz 120 degree sector antenna and a 3 GHz dish pointing to the PD.  It's not really a backbone setup, but more like a star with the PD in the center or HUB.   3 GHz equipment is pretty much not available anymore new.   At the time, we wanted our links to the PD from the hilltops to be on a different band.  However, there is no reason that we couldn't use 5 GHz to the PD on a different channel than the sector antennas.  With 5 GHz, there are more options for channels than 2GHz which we do not use at all, mainly due to the urban area we're in with all the WiFi stuff.  All the hill tops either run off of AC with backup generator, or backup Solar power, or exclusively on Solar power.

At each hilltop, we use a Netonix WS-8-150-DC WISP switch programmed so the 5 GHz and the 3 GHz radios are DtD'd to each other.   

Members with Go-Kits use a  5GHz dish (Ubiquiti Powerbeam or Mikrotik LHG) to point and connect to the best hilltop. Then the signal is sent via 3 GHz link to the PD hub.

We could add another link direct between hilltops if we wanted to make it a true MESH network but our HUB layout seems to work quite well.

All Go-Kits run off of 12vDC and have VoIP phones and cameras.  Capabilities or our network include a commercial Server at the PD hub that hosts a PBX for the phones, a File server for documents, and a Mail server for our internal MESH Mail as we call it.  We also utilize MESH Chat hosted on the server.

Probably more then you asked, but yes, to connect multiple nodes, you must use a programmable V-lan switch so the nodes can DtD to each other.

73
Bob
KE6GYD


 

 In cases where there are 2 or more nodes are on a tower, there is a small box at the base of the tower that I'm assuming is a VLAN connecting the nodes using DTD links.  If this is true, are there any preferred devices?   I'm assuming that these do not need AREDN firmware.   

I assume you are referring to the drawing about half way down the page, shortly after the header "Types of Links". Normally that would be a POE switch that provides two functions.  First it to provide power to the power mounted nodes, and the other is the DtD link between them.  It does not need AREDN code and in MOST cases does not even need to be a VLAN aware switch - as MOST dumb switches will happily pass the VLAN headers just fine.
 

I know you should not put co-located radios on the same frequency, but am unsure whether a DTD connection between them might mitigate this problem.   Another solution would be to use the other shared 2 GHz channels, or go to 5 GHz for 2 or all three of the nodes.

Correct you are far better to NOT share the same channel at the same site.  Not a lot you can do about that if limited to 2 GHz.
 

I've bought some cheap TPlink switches off Ebay for $10 that pass the Vlan just fine.  I can use it on either LAN or VLAN no problem.

A tower brings up the question about where the power supply and the switch will be.  You can put it indoors, you can put it in a weatherproof box, or you can use the Nanoswitch N-SW which is a fantastic and easy way to take one Cat5/6 LAN with POE and power three nodes VLAN from that.  It's outdoor rated easy to deploy.

Forget 2.4Ghz, waste of time for a theoretical propogation advantage that simply does not exist in the real world.  Stick to the 5.8 gear.

Ed