Wireless Bridge 1410 vs 1310

Question

I am trying to design Video Surveillance Solutions for foot ball field. Here, we can not pull cable from cameras to MDF the building in Campus Environment. I am trying to incorporate Cisco bridges (Point to Multipoint Environment) in order carry data from cameras to MDF. I have attached diagram for your reference. For this solution I would like to have your advice as I am planning to deploy these bridges for the first time. I have some questions for you.
1.) I am planning to use Cisco 1410 bridges instead of 1310 bridges. Do you think Cisco 1310 series would be sufficient for my application? Please advice me on antenna selections on root and non-root bridges in case of 140 and also 1310. I would like to use external antenna specially omni for root bridge and sectoral antennas for non-root. Please advice me for the best selection.
2.) As Cisco bridging solution does not have LWAPP option. I was thinking of using WLSE for managing those bridges but I came to know that is on its EOL. Do we have any other option?
-Do we have to have separate appliance for WLSE? Can you advice me how should I order that? Please let me know how much bridges will be supported by WLSE (1 license)?
3.)I am thinking of using external antenna. I would like to use omnidirectional antenna for root bridge and sectoral antennas for non-root bridges. Please advice which antenna I should be using in case of 1410 and 1310 series.

Answer 1

I can understand your concern for the cost of the 1400 series, but the 1400 series is built for point-to-point links for up to 25 MILES!! Obviously less in cases of point-to-multipoint. The 1310 bridge can go a couple of miles as well, but the data rate is going to suffer at 2.4 GHz 'g' only. That's why I said to do some testing to verify you can get the data rates you need to support your application. The only time you actually want to use omni directional antennas with bridging are if you are creating a mesh or a repeater. For PtP to PtM, you would reduce your link budget, distance, and overall throughput by using omni directional antennas. The fact that we use the term 'point-to-point' tells you that you only want your signal to go from the root to the non-root and not elsewhere. Since we can't really contain wireless signals once they're in the air, it's up to engineers to design antennas for us that essentially cheat physics and shape the antenna pattern so that it is directional. Higher gain directional antennas will have a high 'front-to-back' ratio (F/B ratio) telling you that a certain percentage is going in front of the antenna, and a certain amount is going out the back. When the amount going out the front exceeds the amount going out the back, you begin to have a directional antenna. In addition, at larger distances, if you don't use directional antennas, it will be very difficult to align them and keep a stable connection due to the fade margin of the omni directional antennas. The bridges have a built in alignment mode with lights to help you achieve maximum throughput. When you align them, make very calculated, small changes. Don't move both sides, and don't move in both planes (horizontal, vertical). Keep your antennas pointed at one another using some binoculars or other pointing devices and get the best reading you can at the root after an initial setup. Then lock the root into place and go to the other side. Again, make calculated changes to vertical until you find the best, and then lock it down. Finish with sweeping horizontal until you get the best and lock it down. It may take you several iterations until you get it right. As for the non-root antennas, you don't want to mix antennas too much if you can avoid it, but in the case of point-to-multipoint, you've got it backwards. You want a larger angle on the root bridge, and high gain directional on the non-roots pointing back to the root. It is imperative that you know what the polarization is of each antenna (vertical vs. horizontal) and that you MATCH that polarization at both ends. Most antennas have this clearly labeled on the antenna itself, or it is specified in the user manual.
Good luck!