Welcome

Welcome to the KBC Networks newswire. It doesn't seem very long ago that we were writing our Christmas issue, getting ready for another year of developing our product range, and we're already into our second quarter with MeshII launched; a new PoE media converter available and work underway on a number of other new IP products. In this edition, we've a step-by-step guide to planning a wireless link for those who are new to the technology; there's more information about MeshII - our latest dual-radio, redundant wireless system, plus a case study about one of our recent wireless projects in Europe.

And not forgetting our fiber range... someone asked me the other day just how many fiber products we have. I couldn't do the math but once you consider that with ASFOM supporting up to 128 real-time video images plus combinations of audio, data, contact closure, Ethernet, telephone, DVI, HD-SDI, 3G-SDI and USB, I think you'll understand why!

I hope the start of 2012 has been both busy and rewarding for you, and please remember, that whether it's wireless, IP, fiber or HD video, our engineering teams are always on-hand to help.

John Crockett, CEO KBC Networks

Let's Meet Up

KBC EMEA will be at IFSEC 2012, 14-17 May 2012: Birmingham NEC, UK. We'll be on stand B30 in Hall 5 and would love to meet you. We'll have our new wireless ranges on the stand along with ThruLink demos, fibre and digital video broadcast products

	Click here to register for IFSEC 2012 now

KBC USA will be at PSA Tec,, on May 16 2012:Westminster, CO, USA, Booth B15

	Click here to register for PSA Tec now

Create Dual Redundant Wireless Networks with MeshII

Secure and reliable redundancy

Our latest addition to the KBC wireless range is MeshII, a dual radio, redundant mesh networking product that operates in the license-free 5GHz band. The units allow redundant wireless mesh networks to be established by connecting multiple nodes to one another in a ring configuration. Auxiliary links are set up for automatic backup should an active link fail, without the risk of bridge loops, or the need to manually enable or disable the backup path.

MeshII supports IEEE 802.3af, provides up to 23dBm output power, and is 802.11n and ETSI DFS & TPC compliant. With MIMO (Multiple In Multiple Out) and HT (High Throughput) technologies, a data throughput of up to 100Mbps is achievable.

As well as antenna alignment and site survey tools, MeshII features remote management and distance adjustment for long range transmission, and WPA2 with AES or TKIP encryption to prevent unauthorized access to the system.

The MeshII units have wide operating temperature ranges and weatherproof casings which are designed for wall or pole mounting.

Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, redundant ring operation

	IEEE802.11n compliant
	ETSI DFS & TPC compliant
	Up to 100Mbps throughput
	Supports IEEE802.3af
	Up to 23dBm output RF power
	WPA2: AES or TKIP encryption
	Weatherproof casing & extended operating temperature
	Remote management
	Distance adjustment for long range transmission

MeshII is available in wall-mount or pole-mount configurations. It is supplied as a base unit with 4 x N type connectors and 4 omni-directional 5dBi antennas, a power injection module, a 24Vdc power supply, plus assembly and mounting kit.

Higher gain, directional, patch antennas are also available

The Power of PoE - Gigabit Ethernet with PoE

Our latest addition to the KBC PoE range is a Gigabit Ethernet media converter with PoE+. The KBC MCGS1 series is a fully ruggedized 10/100/1000, IEEE 802.3at compliant unit which acts as a PSE (Power Sourcing Equipment) providing 25.5W @ 48Vdc. It supports transmission of an Ethernet channel over either one or two, multimode or singlemode fibers. Full duplex operation enables distances in excess of 30km on singlemode fiber.

Case Study - WESII Provides Straightforward Town Center Solution

Since we launched WESII last year, our new wireless units are proving to be a popular choice for a whole range of transmission systems. In a recent European town center project, a straightforward and cost-effective transmission solution has been provided by WESII where it just wasn't feasable to install new cable.

The new security system was planned to cover a number of sites within the town including a sports arena, schools, municipal buildings, traffic junctions and a port, with no line-of-sight between a number of the locations and the control center. A combination of fixed and PTZ IP megapixel cameras were to be installed with link distances of between 100m and 1.5km.

WESII Kit Solution

The KBC solution lay in a number of WESII point-to-point kits. The system includes a relay point set on higher ground to overcome the line-of-sight issues presented by some of the links. The KBC WESII kits were provided with power supplies, power injection modules and mounting brackets, and were supplied factory set with the client and host units locked together to make installation even easier.

Why WESII?
Straightforward, simple and stable ... and great value for money

KBC Fiber - over a million products - really

Counting our Digital Standard and ASFOM products is a job for a mathematician, because the KBC fiber optic range really does stretch into millions of possible product configurations. With Digital Standard offering an extensive range of essential point-to-point transmission units, and our multi-interface ASFOM supporting up to 128 real-time video images plus audio, data, contact closure, Ethernet, telephone, DVI, HD-SDI, 3G-SDI and USB, the number of feasible combinations is huge.

ASFOM allows you to custom design your own fiber optic modems in both point-to-point and bus configurations, enabling you to save power, space, fiber and cost as well as building in capacity for future expansion.

	Multimode and singlemode
	All digitally-encoded video - 8 bit & 10 bit
	Single fiber
	Broad power inputs
	High density chassis solutions
	Wide operating temperature range: -40 ~ +74°C

Because our ASFOM range is modular, we can have your customized products on site before you know it.

First Steps in Wireless

Today's wireless networks provide an economical solution for situations where it's not possible or practical to install cable, such as city centers, historical sites or for temporary deployments. Like any successful project, the key to success is planning, and wireless is no exception. With the right steps at the outset, wireless will provide a cost-effective transmission system that is reliable, straightforward to deploy and secure.

Carrying out a site survey

A comprehensive site survey is vital. If you've never commissioned one before, here are some of the things that need to be considered:

'Line-of-sight' - this takes on a very different meaning when the term is applied to wireless systems. Being able to see from one location to the next isn't good enough. As a rule of thumb, if you could drive a double decker bus between the two locations without encountering any obstructions, then wireless transmission between them will be possible. This wireless 'line-of-sight' is known as the Fresnel zone - an envelope in free-space, unseen by the human eye. Without a clear wireless line-of-sight, the wireless system may not transmit the signal the required distance. Overcoming this could involve repositioning the antennas e.g. on longer poles, or installing a relay point to overcome obstacles.

Environmental interference - everything from water to foliage can cause interferance.Whilst it may seem obvious, it's important to remember that from one season to the next, the amount of leaves on trees can vary dramatically.

In-band interference - this is caused by more than one device attempting to use the same transmission frequency, which can reduce throughput, lower the distance capability and often mean you'll have to select a different frequency. On some sites, frequencies are managed, but in the majority of cases e.g. city centers, everything from wireless LANs to amateur radio can cause in-band interference.

Specifying your wireless system & produicts
When you're specifying a wireless system, we'll ask you for a number of different things to help us advise you on product selection.

A Google Earth map of the site with the host and client (camera) point locations marked on it. This is never a substitute for a comprehensive survey, but this helps us to work out distances, determine the site characteristics and identify any potential obstacles that may be in the path of the proposed links.

System drawings these help us to identify possible topologies, where Ethernet switches may be used to group multiple streams and show how any non-video signal sources that require transmission fit into the system.

Transmission distances we need this information to work out which antennas are required.

Possible sources of interference any other wireless devices could cause interference and should be identified if at all possible

Camera information Analog or IP lets us know if we need to include encoders and decoders, and the bandwidth requirements of each camera enable is to determine how many links are required.

Fresnel zone diameters
The Fresnel zone maximum diameters at the central point various distances are shown in the table below. The diameters listed indicate the maximum requirement and in some cases successful transmission can be achieved if a smaller Fresnel zone diameter is available across the given path, however it cannot be guaranteed. Site testing is always recommended in questionable applications.

Range Distance	Required Fresnel Zone Diameter (5GHz)
300m / 1000ft	4m / 14ft
760m / 2500ft	6m / 20ft
1.6km / 1 mile	9m / 30ft
6.4km / 4 miles	18m / 60ft
16km / 10 miles	30m / 100ft

Setting up
With comprehensive planning, setup should be straightforward and WESII and MeshII both include setup tools to help make installation and commissioning that much easier. The interferance analyzer tools surveys the frequencies in use within the local area and an alignment tool helps you to line up the antennas for the very best transmission path. Again, these can never substitute for a proper site survey but will make things run a whole lot smoother on site.

Operation of KBC products relies on correct system design and installation. We’re happy to provide technical support and pre-sales assistance, so please contact your nearest KBC office for further information about any KBC products.

Due to ongoing technological improvements, product specifications are subject to change without notice. KBC is not liable for any errors, omissions or changes of any description of the goods contained herein. KBC makes no warranty that the products conform to any description contained herein. Do not rely solely on any representations, statements, or assertions concerning these Products contained herein.

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