E-Band Trouble Shooting Guide v.07C PDF

Gigabit Wireless Ethernet Link
E-Link 1000EXR Troubleshooting Manual

With Clearwire Additions
P/N 980-0100-007 rev 0C
November 18, 2010
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Table of Contents
1 General Information .............................................................. 6
1.1 Introduction .........................................................................6
1.2 Purpose ...............................................................................6
1.3 Objective .............................................................................6
1.4 Audience ..............................................................................6
1.5 Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................7
2 Common error during installation .......................................... 9
2.1 Band of Operation ............................................................... 10
2.2 Polarity .............................................................................. 11
2.3 Plumb & Level Installation .................................................... 12
2.4 Antenna Mounts are installed straight and even ...................... 13
2.5 Silicone lubricant installed on “O Ring” ................................... 14
2.6 Remove dust cover from antenna .......................................... 15
2.7 Antenna is Installed Right Side Up ......................................... 16
2.8 Make sure the antenna was properly constructed .................... 17
2.9 Improper N-Connector Installation ........................................ 19
2.10 Obstructions in the Path .................................................... 20
2.11 Insure that all cables are labeled ........................................ 20
2.12 Using non penetrating roof mounts ..................................... 20
3 Possible Issues Encounter while Aligning Link .................... 21
3.1 Identifying Lobes ................................................................ 21
3.2 Sweeping Across a Link ........................................................ 22
3.3 Aligning Difficult Links.......................................................... 22
4 Other Common Installation Problems .................................. 24
4.1 Can’t Communicate with Radio Using Laptop .......................... 24
4.2 Voltage on Volt Meter different than GUI ................................ 24
4.3 No GBIC LOS on Copper ....................................................... 24
4.4 GBIC LOS Alarm / Can communicate with radio ...................... 25
4.5 Power failure when cable moved ........................................... 26
4.6 Site Boss does not reset radio ............................................... 27
5 Troubleshooting Active Link Issues ..................................... 28
5.1 Can’t Pass Traffic ................................................................ 28
5.2 RSSI Threshold Crossing Alarm ............................................. 30
5.3 BER Threshold Crossing Alarm .............................................. 31
5.4 CRC errors reported by switch .............................................. 37
5.4.1 For Copper radios: ......................................................................................... 37
5.4.2 For Fiber radios: ............................................................................................. 40
5.5 GBIC Not Present/Fault Alarm/Indication ................................ 42
5.6 IF LO Loss of Lock Alarm ...................................................... 42
5.7 RF LO Loss of Lock Alarm ..................................................... 42

5.8 GBIC LOS Alarm.................................................................. 43
5.9 Link Down on Tributary Switch Port ....................................... 43
5.10 Loss of Management Port Communications .......................... 43
5.11 Link Watch Does Not Display Radio ..................................... 44
5.12 No SNMP Alarms ............................................................... 45

List of Figures
Figure 1 Band of Operation Labels ............................................... 10
Figure 2 Band of Operation GUI................................................... 10
Figure 3 Vertical Polarity ............................................................ 11
Figure 4 Horizontal Polarity ......................................................... 11
Figure 5 Level Pipe .................................................................... 12
Figure 6 Not Level ..................................................................... 12
Figure 7 Clamps are not Tighten Evenly ....................................... 13
Figure 8 Bolts are not Parallel ..................................................... 13
Figure 9 Waveguide and O-Ring .................................................. 14
Figure 10 Grease in Waveguide ................................................... 14
Figure 11 Dust Cover on Waveguide ............................................ 15
Figure 12 Drain Hole on 1ft Antenna ............................................ 16
Figure 13 Proper Elevation Bolt Assembly ..................................... 17
Figure 14 Center Pivot Bolt should be Tight/Flush .......................... 17
Figure 15 Only Slipplate is between Antenna and Pipe Mount .......... 18
Figure 16 Azimuth Adjust Bolt Placement ...................................... 18
Figure 17 Improper N-Connector Crimp ........................................ 19
Figure 18 Possible LOS issues ..................................................... 20
Figure 19 Lobes ........................................................................ 21
Figure 20 Antenna aligned correctly .............................................. 21
Figure 21 No Main Lobe .............................................................. 22
Figure 22 Signal Missing Target Lobe ........................................... 23
Figure 23 RJ45 Standard pinouts ................................................. 25
Figure 24 Ethernet Weatherproof Boot ......................................... 25
Figure 25 Proper Pasternack wire Stripping ................................... 26
Figure 26 E-Band Correct Polyphaser Wiring ................................. 27

1 General Information
1.1 Introduction
This document defines E-Band‟s practices for trouble shooting and common
problems encountered during installation.
1.2 Purpose
Assisting Technicians and approved contacted vendors to properly install, align and
maintain the E-Link 1000 and E-Link 1000 EXR.
1.3 Objective
Adherence to this document is intended to reduce the time and expensive of
installation, and shorten any outages.
1.4 Audience
This document is intended for the use by E-Band certified installation, alignment and
maintenance personnel.

1.5 Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronym Term Description
Is the angle from a reference vector in a reference plane to a

AZ Azimuth second vector in the same plane, pointing toward, In RF to sweep
the Azimuth is to sweep left to right.
To have (1) radio mounted Horizontal and the other radio in
XP Cross Polarization
Vertical
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed
EL Elevation reference point, In RF to sweep the elevation is to sweep up and
down
a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is locally
HZ Horizontal perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field, i.e., with the
direction of the gravitational force (per unit mass) at that point.
OD Outer Diameter Used to determine the size of a mast
-- Plumb perpendicular to a level horizontal line
Pol. Polarity Vertical or Horizontal
Receive Signal Strength Used to measure how strong the receive signal level is. Also
RSSI
Indicator known as RSL (Receive Signal Level)
Vertical direction, the direction aligned with the direction of the
Vert. Vertical force of gravity, as materialized with a plumb line substantially
constant in value
The web screens embedded in the Radio used to configure and
Graphical User Interface
GUI maintain the link.
GBIC GigaBit Interface Circuit This is the GigE interface within the radio
SNMP is a UDP-based network protocol. It is used mostly
Simple Network
in network management systems to monitor network-attached
Management Protocol
SNMP devices for conditions that warrant administrative attention.
LOS Loss Of Signal This is an alarm raised when the GigE interface has lost framing.
ODU OutDoor Unit Name given to the radio that mounts on the antenna.
OD Outside Diameter This is a common way to measure for pipes.
The Waveguide is the hole where the RF waves travel from the
Waveguide
ODU to the antenna.
Main Lobe This is the main beam of a wireless link
In RF there are 2nd and 3rd order harmonic signals or
Side Lobe
transmissions. These signals are called side lobes.
Sweeping
VDC Voltage Direct Current Notation for DC Voltage
MDI/MDX
Estimation of bit error rate of the link based on FEC block error
Bit Error Rate Monitor
BERM rate. (Only available on the E-Link 1000EXR)
BERT Bit Error Rate Test BERT is used in conjunction with a loopback on the other radio

Acronym Term Description
or GigE interface. It sends a random bit sequence and calculates
the Bit Error Rate for that link (only available on the E-Link
1000)
The BNC connector is a industry common Coax connector. This
Bayonet Neill-
one is used to connect a millivolt meter to our radio for RSL
Concelman
BNC messurements.
The N-connector is a industry common Coax connector. This one
N-Connector
N is used to supply power to our radio.
RG58 RG58 Coax A type of Coax cable.
Wiring methods for an Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet Copper
T568A/T568B cable.
MM/SM fiber Types of Fiber Multi-Mode (850nm) or Single-Mode (?nm)
This is basically the ground or power return line in a DC
Power Return
RTN lines connection
Types of Local These are Local Oscillators for different signal levels within the
RF LO / IF LO Oscillators radio.
RF Radio Frequency
IP Internet Protocol

2 Common error during installation
Before you align, please review the installation. Checking the items on the following
checklist, will help you more quickly & efficiently hit your target RSSI/RSL:
 Make sure you have a stable mount. No sway is allowed for an

80GHz link
 Make sure you have a high band radio on one side and low
band radio on the other
 Make sure the polarity is correct
 Insure your mounting pipe is plumb
 Insure your back plate is plumb
 Insure your brackets on the pipe are tightened evenly
 Insure your bolts are level and parallel
 Make sure the installation crew removed the dust tape from the
waveguide
 Make sure the slip plate is installed
 Make sure the silicone gel did not get into the waveguide
 Make sure the 1ft antenna drip hole is at the bottom
 Make sure the ODU is grounded
 Make sure the adjustment bolts are located where you can
reach them easily
 Make sure the antenna was properly constructed

2.1 Band of Operation
Insure that you have a High band radio at one end of the link and a Low band radio
at the other. The band of operation can be determined a number of ways:
1. By decoding the E-Band part number:
a. MRA-xxx-xxxx for Low Band
b. MBR-xxx-xxxx for High Band
2. On the E-Band product label “High Band”/”Low Band”
3. On the User Interface on the Operational Status screen.
Part Number MRA/MRB
Text High Band/Low Band
Figure 1 Band of Operation Labels
GUI
Figure 2 Band of Operation GUI

2.2 Polarity
Insure that you have reviewed the Millimeterwave link budget for link being
installed. The link budget will specify “vertical” or “horizontal” for the polarity. To
install the radio in the vertical position install the radio with the handle mounted on
the left or right side of the radio (see Figure 3).
Figure 3 Vertical Polarity
To install the radio in the Horizontal plane position install the radio with the handle
mounted on the top or bottom of the radio (see Figure 4). Preferred position is the
handle mounts such that the connections are orientated „down”.
Figure 4 Horizontal Polarity

2.3 Plumb & Level Installation
It is very important to install the E Link 1000 on a Plumb and level mast. Before
mounting the radio onto a mast, check that the mast is minimum 2.5 “OD and that
the mast walls are at least 1/8” in thickness. Ensure that the mast is completely
vertical. Use a level of good quality and place on the mast. The air bubble on the
level must be between the lines on the level. Make sure that the bubble is not
touching the lines. (see Figure 5 & Figure 6). Some masts may be mounted in the
horizontal position, make sure it is level as well.
Figure 5 Level Pipe
Figure 6 Not Level

2.4 Antenna Mounts are installed straight and even
While mounting the antenna mounts to the mast make sure while tightening the
clamps that both clamps are tightened evenly. If one side is tighter than the other this
will cause the azimuth adjustment to bind. (see Figure 7 & Figure 8)
Figure 7 Clamps are not Tighten Evenly
Figure 8 Bolts are not Parallel

2.5 Silicone lubricant installed on “O Ring”
Every antenna comes with a small plastic vial of silicone grease. Apply a small thin
layer of the grease on the O Ring of the antenna (see Figure 9). Apply the grease
from the tube directly to the O ring. Do not use your finger; the oils will cause the
grease to breakdown over time. Be extra careful to not get grease on the wave
guide of the antenna. (see Figure 10) Leave dust cover on while applying silicone
grease to prevent getting grease in waveguide.
O-Ring
Waveguide
Figure 9 Waveguide and O-Ring
Figure 10 Grease in Waveguide

2.6 Remove dust cover from antenna
Remove the dust cover from the waveguide on the antenna after silicone grease has
been applied to “O Ring” in section 2.4. This will be a small piece of tape that keeps
dust and debris from getting inside the waveguide. (see Figure 11)
Figure 11 Dust Cover on Waveguide

2.7 Antenna is Installed Right Side Up
To insure that the antenna is install right side up make sure the drain hole is on the
bottom during installation. This will allow any water from the elements to drain and
not collect in the antenna. (see Figure 12)
Drain Hole
Figure 12 Drain Hole on 1ft Antenna

2.8 Make sure the antenna was properly constructed
To insure that the antenna was properly constructed, check the following:
1. The elevation adjust bolts have the plastic washer next to mount. (see Figure 12)
2. The pivot bolt must be flush with 2 thin flat washers next to bolt head (see Figure
14)
3. The slipplate must be inserted between the antenna and the mounting bracket.
This insures that the elevation adjustments are smooth. Metal against metal can
cause the mount to bind and jump, potentially missing the main lobe completely.
(see Figure 15)
4. No washers should be between the antenna and the mounting bracket. (see
Figure 15)
5. Place the Azimuth adjust bolt so that you can easily access it without placing
yourself in front of the antenna or stretching to obtain access (see Figure 16).
Figure 13 Proper Elevation Bolt Assembly
Figure 14 Center Pivot Bolt should be Tight/Flush

Figure 15 Only Slipplate is between Antenna and Pipe Mount
Figure 16 Azimuth Adjust Bolt Placement

2.9 Improper N-Connector Installation
The N-Connector should be crimped with a cable crimp tool for an RG58 cable, not an
electrical crimp tool. Electrical crimp tools will push the outer shield into the center
pin. (see Figure 17 for examples of electrical crimped cables)
Figure 17 Improper N-Connector Crimp

2.10 Obstructions in the Path
Always check the path before installing for possible obstructions that can get into the
path. Look for cranes, power wires, trees and any other obstructions that may get
into the path. If going over water make sure that boats will not pass though the line
of site. If installing in the winter, insure that the link is high enough to clear all new
leaves and growth come spring. (see Figure 18)
Figure 18 Possible LOS issues
2.11 Insure that all cables are labeled
Before pulling cat 5 or fiber cable it is best practice to label the cables. Many times
there are multiple radios being installed at one locations and cable can often times
get mixed up.
2.12 Using non penetrating roof mounts
Insure when using non penetrating roof mounts that there are the proper amount of
weights to keep the sled from moving in a heavy wind storm. If the mast moves this
will cause the radio to loss signal.

3 Possible Issues Encounter while Aligning Link
3.1 Identifying Lobes
During installation the installer will want to identify as many lobes as possible. In
most cases there will be 2 lobes on each side of the main lobe, align to the highest
lobe or peak RSSI. (see Figure 19 & Figure 20)
Main Lobe
Side Lobes
Figure 19 Lobes
Main Lobe
Side Lobes
Figure 20 Antenna aligned correctly

3.2 Sweeping Across a Link
While aligning, the installer will want to coarsely sweep across the path to find the
initial signal and then fine adjust the alignment.
1) The installer needs to know the general area where the opposite side of the link is
located then point the antenna in this direction.
2) Using the Elevation adjustment slowly sweep up and down to identify the
highest possible RSSI in Elevation.
3) Using the Azimuth adjustment slowly sweep from left to right and identify the
highest possible signal level.
4) Repeat steps 1-3 on other side of the link.
5) This process may take up to 4-5 times until the desired RSL level is achieved.
3.3 Aligning Difficult Links
Occasionally there are paths that are more difficult to align than others. This is
sometimes caused by not seeing the main lobe, but seeing two side lobes with one
slightly better. If this happens or if you see two almost identical lobes follow this
procedure.
1) Align to the valley between the two lobes
2) On one end of the link, adjust the elevation to the valley between the two side
lobes.
3) Now adjust the azimuth and you should see three lobes like in the figure below.
(see Figure 21)
Main Lobe
Side Lobes
Figure 21 No Main Lobe

If the mast is not Plumb and Level this will cause the antenna mounting plate to
bind, possibly causing the adjustment to seize and then suddenly release during the
azimuth adjustment. This sudden release could miss picking up the main lobe. (see
Figure 22)
Figure 22 Signal Missing Target Lobe

4 Other Common Installation Problems
4.1 Can’t Communicate with Radio Using Laptop
There are a number of different causes why a laptop cannot communicate with the
radio using your laptop:
1) The radio is not powered up. Using a volt meter and an attached BNC cable,
check the RSSI port for voltage. If you do not get any voltage, then disconnect
the power and check for -48VDC. Using a volt meter place the red lead on the
center pin of the “N” male connector, and the black lead on the outer side of the
“N” male connector. The volt meter should read -48 vdc. Usually this can read
between -42 and -54 VDC, this is ok. However there must be a negative sign in
front of the numbers or the power feed is reversed and will need to be corrected.
If you have the correct power at the N-Connector but no voltage on the RSSI
port, then replace the radio.
2) The IP in the laptop is not set to the same network and subnet mask. The radios
IP address from the factory is 10.100.7.247 for the low band and 10.100.7.248
for the high band. Set the laptop‟s address using the network setting function.
3) Cable between laptop and radio is not a cross over cable. Most newer Laptops
have MDI/MDX Ethernet interface and does not matter if the cable is a cross
over cable or not. However older laptops are not equipped with MDI/MDX and
will require a cross over cable.
4.2 RSSI Voltage on Volt Meter different than GUI

It is normal for the voltage to be slightly different between the two locations.
However, if they are drastically different, this is either due to improper grounding or
due to the BERT/BERM being active in the unit. When the BERT/BERM is active,
the radio actually sends a tone out the BNC port for audio alignment. First insure
that the BERT/BERM is disabled. If this is disabled, then check to see if the unit is
grounded properly.
The voltage on the GUI in the RSSI Aid or Detailed Status page is correct and reads
the voltage at the receiver. The BNC port requires a ground reference and if the radio
is not grounded properly it may read incorrectly.
 On E-Link 1000 make sure BERT is in normal mode

 On E-Link 1000 EXR make sure BERM mode is in normal mode.
 For both types make sure the unit is properly grounded
4.3 No GBIC LOS on Copper

With Software loads 2.04 and before and on all E-Link 1000s, a mixed link (Copper
unit on one side and a fiber unit on the other) the copper radio will not show a loss of
signal tributary. With 2.09 Software and beyond, this is not a problem.

4.4 GBIC LOS Alarm / Can communicate with radio
When connecting the tributary to the local switch, you must use one of the two RJ45
standard pinouts for the Gigabit Ethernet (1000BaseT) port to function.
Figure 23 RJ45 Standard pinouts
We recommend using T-568A on both sides of the Cat5E/Cat6 cable. It really does
not matter which standard you use, just as long as you use the same at both ends of
the cable.
If the pinouts are correct, you either have too long of a Cat5E/Cat6 drop or you have
a faulty connection somewhere in the cable. 1000BaseT and 10/100BaseT both have
a 328ft (100m) limit. Any cable longer than 328ft may have intermittent
communications with the radio. You are required in this case to use a MM Fiber
Tributary radio and an Ethernet Booster on the management port. Please see you E-
Band Representative for more information on the MM Fiber option.
If you still have the issue, double check to make sure the Ethernet Boot is properly
assembled. The cable may not be extending far enough out to make contact with the
internal RJ45 port.
Figure 24 Ethernet Weatherproof Boot

Or the internal port may be pushed into the radio‟s shell. Push with your finger to
see if the port moves. If so, replace the radio.
4.5 Power failure when cable moved

If you twist or move the pasternack connector and the radio loses communication or
resets, the Pasternack connector may have been improperly crimped on to the RG58
coax. If so, replace the pasternack splitter.
Note: Pasternack recommends that the center pin be soldered not crimped.
This same problem can occur at the N-Connector at the radio. E-Band suggests that
you do the same twist/move test on the N-Connector and replace if the radio resets.
Figure 25 Proper Pasternack wire Stripping
If there is no continuity, double check the polyphaser ports to insure no wires are
shorting out or falling out of the screw terminals.

4.6 Site Boss does not reset radio
The Polyphaser 107-1105T, Acentria cable and Pasternack splitter are a common
source of this problem. Insure that the black wires of the Acentria cable is connected
to -48VDC. If this part of the cable is connected to RTN, then the radio will not reset
when the Site Boss attempts to reset the unit. The correct wiring is shown below:
Rtn Fuse Panel
-48VDC
Site Boss
Rtn
Rtn
Rtn
P -48V Pasternack
-48V
R Rtn Pasternack
-48V
O S -48V Color Code
T U Issue RG58
-48VDC
E R Power
C Polyphaser G Cable
T AAR-107-1105T E
E
D
E-Band Radio
Figure 26 E-Band Correct Polyphaser Wiring

5 Troubleshooting Active Link Issues
5.1 Can’t Pass Traffic
If either of your radios is not updating the remote radios uptime, then the traffic may
need to be restarted.
To restart the traffic, go to the Unit Control screen and select “Fault Recovery”

In the Fault Recovery screen, select reset traffic. Select remote radio traffic first and
then local. This may need to be done a few times, since the remote reset may not be
transmitted successfully if the air transmission is failing.
You may also need to reset the traffic manual on the remote radio, by logging into
the remote radio.

5.2 RSSI Threshold Crossing Alarm
There are a number of different causes to an RSSI Threshold Crossing Alarm. The
most common cause of an RSSI Threshold Crossing alarm is due to rain. First look
to see if there is a storm in the area. If there is, wait until the storm subsides before
taking action.
When there appears to be no weather related reason for the low RSSI, follow these
steps to determine the source of the problem:
1) First check to see if you have communication to the other radio on the link.
a) If there is no communication, then roll a truck to that link and determine why
the radio is not in service. Most likely reason being a power outage or surge
protector failure.
b) If there is communication, check to see if that unit also has a low RSSI level.
i) If this unit also has a low RSSI, then the most probable cause is an
alignment issue or ice buildup on the radome. Have someone check for
ice buildup or re-align the antenna.
c) If there is communication, but the RSSI is good, then either the transmitter
has failed or the receiver of the unit with the low RSSI has failed.
i) First check the radio with the good RSSI to see if the transmitter is
muted.
ii) If so, un-Mute the transmitter.
iii) If not, check to see if any other alarms are present on this unit. If so, use
that alarm to debug the failure situation.
iv) If no other alarms, then replace the unit with the good RSSI (possible
transmitter failure).
v) If that does not fix the problem, then return the old unit to service and
replace the unit with the low RSSI (possible receiver failure).

5.3 BER Threshold Crossing Alarm
BER Threshold Crossing Alarms usually occur in conjunction with the RSSI
Threshold Crossing Alarm. If there is an RSSI alarm, or if there is low RSSI, follow
the steps in the “RSSI Threshold Crossing Alarm” section to determine the cause of
the BER problem. If there is no alarm, then the possible sources are:
1) Copper / Fiber radio mismatch

When a Copper radio is at one end of a link and a fiber radio is at the other end
of the link then either special programming is required or a special radio called a
Copper Mix radio (E-Band Part Number MRA-125-1213 or MRB-125-2213) is
required.
When using a standard Copper radio (E-Band Part Number MRA-125-1203 or

MRB-125-2203) you will need to program the 1000BaseX interface (the over-
the-air GigE interface in the radio) to auto-negotiation enabled. The standard
Copper radio defaults to disabled and works without modification when the other
radio on the link is a standard Copper radio. When the other radio is fiber, you
need to modify this interface.
To do this, go to the Unit Control screen under the Fault Recovery button, there is a
Tributary/SFP Parameter button.

This button brings up a new page, which allows you to program the Copper Radios auto
negotiation. The left side is for the Tributary out to the switch, and the right side is the over-
the-air link to the other radio.
This needs to be enabled to communicate properly with Fiber radios and disabled to
communicate properly with Copper radios.

The following table shows which combinations need to be modified to work together. The
blue background are the only ones that need to be modified from their default settings.
Local Radio Local Radio Auto-Negotiation Remote Radio Remote Auto-Negotiation

Type State for Local Radio Radio Type State for Remote
(1000BASE-X) Radio (1000BASE-X)
MRA-125-1203 (low) Copper Disabled (default) MRB-125-2203 Copper Disabled (default)
MRA-125-1203 (low) Copper Enabled MRB-125-2113 Fiber Not Settable
MRA-125-1203 (low) Copper Disabled (default) MRB-125-2213 Copper Mix Enabled (default)
MRA-125-1213 (low) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRB-125-2203 Copper Disabled (default)
MRA-125-1213 (low) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRB-125-2113 Fiber Not Settable
MRA-125-1213 (low) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRB-125-2213 Copper Mix Disabled
MRB-125-2203 (high) Copper Disabled (default) MRA-125-1203 Copper Disabled (default)
MRB-125-2203 (high) Copper Enabled MRA-125-1113 Fiber Not Settable
MRB-125-2203 (high) Copper Disabled (default) MRA-125-1213 Copper Mix Enabled (default)
MRB-125-2213 (high) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRA-125-1203 Copper Disabled (default)
MRB-125-2213 (high) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRA-125-1113 Fiber Not Settable
MRB-125-2213 (high) Copper Mix Enabled (default) MRA-125-1213 Copper Mix Disabled
2) Copper/Copper Mix Mismatch / Non-default programming

It is possible that a radio has been re-used or a Copper Mix has been used with a
standard Copper radio in a link. In any case, now that we have the feature to
program the over-the-air negotiation, we need to insure that the correct
programming has been set before debugging the other possible sources of BER.
Therefore, please refer to the table above to make sure you have the 1000BaseX
interface properly programmed.
3) Interference on the GigE Port

When the GigE isport is online, the radio uses it as the clock reference for the
airlink. To test this interference, either turn the port down on the switch or
disconnect the GigE from the radio.
To disable the tributary, go to the Unit Control screen and select “Test Mode”

Select either “Disable Local Tributary” or “Disable Remote Tributary” based on
the radio receiving the better BER.
If the BER cleans up after disabling the tributary, then the problem is with the
fiber or copper GigE cable or surge protector. In the case of fiber, clean all fiber
connectors. In the case of copper, check for non-shielded or not properly
connected shielded RJ45connectors at the Polyphaser GigE surge protector or
faulty Cat6 cable. Please see section 5.4 CRC errors reported by switch for
details on how to test the Cat6 cable and its connectors.
4) Local Interference
We have found that the placement of high band vs. low band sometimes causes a
BER issue. If the GigE ports are disabled or the cables not connected and the
BER problem does not go away, swapping the high and low band sides can
resolve the problem.
5) -48VDC Power Fluxuations
Go to Detailed Status screen and watch -48VDC value. If it is fluctuating, then

check the -48VDC power cable and connectors for a short or a bad connection.

Sometimes removing and reconnecting the N-connector at the radio fixes the
problem.
6) Fresnel zone interference

Do a line of sight review to see if there is an obstruction in the Fresnel zone.
7) Reflection
Look for possible reflection sources
8) 80GHz Interference
Turn off or mute the transmitter and see if the other end still has power being
received

9) Radio Transmitter failure
Try increasing the transmit power to see if the radio is beginning to fail.
One way to detect this fault is to watch the TX Monitor voltage in the Detailed
Status screen. This value should be relatively stable. If this value is changing
often, the radio should be replaced.
Another way to detect this fault is to mute the radio. Go to the Unit Control and
select Mute and submit.
If the other radio does not drop in RSL at all, then the transmitter may have
failed, the radio should be replaced.

5.4 CRC errors reported by switch
This procedure is designed to determine the root cause of CRC errors reported by
your layer 2 switch. If you also have BER issues, please see the BER section above
for details on how to determine the source. The following procedure can help you
isolate which part of the cable is causing your CRC or BER problems, if you isolate
the BER problems to the tributary cable.
5.4.1 For Copper radios:

The procedure requires a GigE test set (Acterna, T-Bird or similar) with a
1000BaseT interface and a known good Gigabit Ethernet cables. This test is service
affecting and will be required to perform with a MOP and in a maintenance window.
1) Identify Ethernet cable from E-Band E-Link 1000 EXR, locate the Polyphaser
107-1105 T. On the protection side of the Polyphaser 107-1105 T trace Ethernet
cable back to switch.
(1) Cable will be routed and terminated into a 10/100 port (Port XX). This
will be the management cable.
(1) Cable will be routed and terminated into a Gig E port on the same layer
2 switch (Port XX).
NOTE: This link must be disconnected from the switches at both ends of the link
before you proceed. Ethernet loop backs can cause packet storms.
2) Log into E-Link 1000 EXR radio with Installer access level (admin or Installer
user id). On the left side menus click on <Unit Control>, on the right side click
on <Test Mode>.

Under the <test mode option> type in <desired minutes> then click <tributary>.
Suggest that you run for 60 minutes and double check before and after each test.
3) Terminate cable that was disconnected from the switch into a GigE port on Gig E
tester. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit Errors are present test the other end
of the link. If Bit Errors are present continue to step 4.
4) Unplug cable on the protect side of the Polyphaser 107-1105 T. Using a known
good Ethernet jumper, terminate one end of cable into Gig E tester, and the other
end into the Polyphaser 107-1105 T. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit Errors
are present, change Ethernet cable between switch port and Polyphaser 107-1105
T. If Bit Errors are present proceed to step 5
The Cable can be tested by itself, if you have a dual port GigE tester. Connect
just the cable into the two ports to test. Run the same Layer 2 BERT test.
5) On the Unprotected side of the Polyphaser 107-1105 T, Unplug tributary cable.

Terminate cable into Gig E tester. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit Errors
are present, replace Polyphaser 107-1105 T with an H+S 3414.99.0008 Ethernet
Surge Protector. If Bit Errors are present, proceed to step 6
The Polyphaser 107-1105 T can be tested by itself, if you have a dual port GigE
tester. Connect one known good Ethernet cable into the two ports on the
Polyphaser 107-1105 T and the two ports on the GigE Tester. Run the same
Layer 2 BERT test.

6) Unplug the tributary cable from the tributary port at the radio. Using known good
jumper, terminate one end of jumper to tributary port, and terminate other end to
Gig E tester. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit Errors are found:
 check connector at each end,
 check the Tributary port on the radio to see if it is pushed in,
 check the Ethernet boot to make sure it is properly assembled, or
 possibly replace tributary cable from radio to Polyphaser 107-1105 T.
Note a shielded RJ45 connector must be used at the Polyphaser 107-1105 T and
non-shielded RJ45 connector at radio.
Remove loopback feature, <Unit Control>, <Test Mode>, <Disable Loopback>.
If Bit Errors are found proceed to Step 7.
7) Replace radio. Then terminate all cables at radio, Polyphaser 107-1105 T and
switch. Using Gig E tester repeat process to insure that CRC errors are gone.
This process shall be used on both sides of the link.
The faulty cable/connector/surge protector or interference that cause CRC errors

can appear on either side of the link and are not generally found on the side with
the switch reporting the errors.

5.4.2 For Fiber radios:
The procedure requires a GigE test set (Acterna, T-Bird or similar) with a dual LC
Fiber interface of the appropriate type (MM or SM). This test is service affecting
and will be required to perform with a MOP and in a maintenance window.
1) Disconnect the fiber from the switch.
NOTE: This link must be disconnected from the switches at both ends of the link
before you proceed. Ethernet loop backs can cause packet storms.
2) Log into E-Link 1000 EXR radio with Installer access level (admin or Installer
user id). On the left side menus click on <Unit Control>, on the right side click
on <Test Mode>.
Under the <test mode option> type in <desired minutes> then click <tributary>.
Suggest that you run for 60 minutes and double check before and after each test.

3) Terminate cable that was disconnected from the switch into a GigE port on GigE
tester. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit Errors are present test the other end
of the link or replace the SFP in the switch. If Bit Errors are present continue to
step 4.
4) Locate the Fiber Termination box near the radio. Unplug cable on the switch side
of the patch panel in the fiber termination box. Using a known good fiber
jumper, loop back the fiber towards the GigE test set. Run the Layer 2 BERT
test. If no Bit Errors are present, clean the fiber on both ends of the fiber cable
and re-run step 3. If Bit Errors are present proceed to step 5
5) On the radio side of the patch panel in the fiber termination box, unplug tributary
cable. Terminate cable into GigE tester. Run the Layer 2 BERT test. If no Bit
Errors are present, double check the seating of the fiber into the fiber patch panel
and clean the fiber. If Bit Errors are present, proceed to step 6
6) Clean the E-Band supplied fiber jumper at the both ends and Run the Layer 2
BERT test. If no Bit Errors are present, reconnect all fibers and proceed to step 3
to retest. If Bit Errors are present, proceed to step 7
7) Replace the E-band supplied fiber jumper to the radio and Run the Layer 2
BERT test. If no Bit Errors are present, reconnect all fibers and proceed to step 3
to retest. If Bit Errors are present, proceed to step 8
8) Replace radio, reconnect all fibers and proceed to step 3 to retest.
The faulty cable/connector/surge protector or interference that cause CRC errors

can appear on either side of the link and are not generally found on the side with
the switch reporting the errors.

When complete Remove loopback feature, <Unit Control>, <Test Mode>,
<Disable Loopback>.
5.5 GBIC Not Present/Fault Alarm/Indication

When this occurs, replace the radio. There is no way to service this failure in the
field.
5.6 IF LO Loss of Lock Alarm

field.
5.7 RF LO Loss of Lock Alarm

field.

5.8 GBIC LOS Alarm
This alarm means that the tributary has lost communications with the local switch.
This can be due to someone turning down the port in the local switch or a cable cut
or connector coming loose. If resetting the local switch port remotely does not
resolve the issue, have someone go out and check the wiring.
5.9 Link Down on Tributary Switch Port

Since the E-Band Point-to-Point Wireless GigE is a layer 1 device, this failure can
point to any number of issues. The following issues can cause this failure condition:
1) Remote switch has been turned down or off.
2) Weather has caused the wireless link to degrade and the GigE port in the E-Band
radio has been automatically disabled by Automatic Port Shutdown at 1.0xE-6.
3) Low RSSI in either direction has cause the PBT protocol to turn down the port.
4) Power outage on either radio in the wireless link.
5) Faulty Tributary cable or connection.
6) SFP failure in switch.
7) The transmitter on one of the radios has been disabled (TX-Mute or RF Power
Supply has been turned off).
8) Ethernet Surge Protector has been shorted out.
5.10 Loss of Management Port Communications

There are a number of reasons why the management port has lost communications.
Here are the items to check:
1) Switch port has been disabled.
2) Power outage on radio.
3) Faulty Management cable or connection.
4) Ethernet Surge Protector has been shorted out.
5) If this is a fiber radio, the Ethernet booster or the Ethernet Power Injector has
failed.

5.11 Link Watch Does Not Display Radio
Login to radio and check the following on the Installation Parameters:
1) SNMP Community Strings. Both should be ctipublic.

5.12 No SNMP Alarms
Login to radio and check the following on the Installation Parameters:
1) SNMP Trap IP Address or Port not set or incorrect.


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Gigabit Wireless Ethernet Link

E-Link 1000EXR Troubleshooting Manual

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or distributed

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E-Band Communications Corp. www.e-band.com Phone: +1-858-408-0660

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Is the angle from a reference vector in a reference plane to a

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 Make sure you have a stable mount. No sway is allowed for an

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Part Number MRA/MRB

Text High Band/Low Band

Figure 1 Band of Operation Labels

Figure 2 Band of Operation GUI

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Figure 3 Vertical Polarity

Figure 4 Horizontal Polarity

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Figure 5 Level Pipe

Figure 6 Not Level

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Figure 7 Clamps are not Tighten Evenly

Figure 8 Bolts are not Parallel

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Figure 9 Waveguide and O-Ring

Figure 10 Grease in Waveguide

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Figure 11 Dust Cover on Waveguide

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Figure 12 Drain Hole on 1ft Antenna

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Figure 13 Proper Elevation Bolt Assembly

Figure 14 Center Pivot Bolt should be Tight/Flush

Figure 16 Azimuth Adjust Bolt Placement

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Figure 17 Improper N-Connector Crimp

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Figure 18 Possible LOS issues

2.11 Insure that all cables are labeled

2.12 Using non penetrating roof mounts

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Figure 20 Antenna aligned correctly

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3.3 Aligning Difficult Links

Figure 21 No Main Lobe

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Figure 22 Signal Missing Target Lobe

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4.2 RSSI Voltage on Volt Meter different than GUI

 On E-Link 1000 make sure BERT is in normal mode

4.3 No GBIC LOS on Copper

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Figure 23 RJ45 Standard pinouts

Figure 24 Ethernet Weatherproof Boot

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