MN10 - Managing Wireless Networks

Building Large Scale Wireless Water Control Networks

Eric Marske Product Manager ESTeem Wireless Modems

Presentation Overview

• Project Overview – Water/Wastewater SCADA

• Network Installation • Updates to Network

– Expansion • Wireless Network Design

– History of Wireless Networking – RF Design – Radio Site Survey – Site Commissioning

• Wireless Network Management – RF Configuration Tools – Management Tools

• Conclusion

Project Overview

• Portland Water District – Water, Wastewater and Environmental Services – 11 Communities In and Around Portland, Maine – 100+ Year Company – 190 Employee

Portland Water

• Portland Water District – Servicing 200,000 People – Service Area = 140 Square Miles – 21 Million Gallons Average Daily

Delivery – 1000 Miles Water Mains – 95 Miles of Wastewater Pipe

Water/Wastewater SCADA

• Water and Wastewater SCADA – 112 Remote Locations Throughout 140 Square Miles – All Report to Central SCADA HMI at Headquarters – Wireless Network to Remote Locations

SCADA Hardware

• Rockwell Automation Controllers – HMI Software for SCADA – Main ControlLogix Processor – Remote RTUs

• Various Generations • SLC, ControlLogix & MicroLogix

• ESTeem Wireless Modems – ESTeem Model 192C – 450-470 MHz Operating Frequency – 4 Watt Licensed Wireless Modems

Network Installation

• Water System – First Side of Network to Apply Wireless SCADA – Antenna Height From Owned Water Tanks – Water Tanks Built Infrastructure – Started 28 Remote Site System 2001

• Wastewater System – Used Existing Water Locations for Repeaters

• Water Tanks • Existing Repeater Sites

– Lowest Locations in Hilly Terrain

Network Updates

• Network Expansion – Water System Provided Easier Access for Wastewater – Total Number Increased over Last 10 Years to Current 100+ – Three RF Frequencies Used to Segment Network

• Approx 35 Remotes on Each Network Segment • Allowed Quicker Response Times with Simultaneous Polling

• Second Generation of ESTeem 192C Wireless Modems – Analog and Digital Squelch Levels

• Narrow Band Operation – Required 2013 Update

Future Projects

• Continued Expansion of Wireless Network – Fourth RF Frequency Added – Increased Update Speed from Remote Sites – Adding New Water/Wastewater Locations for City Expansion

• Wireless Ethernet – High-Speed Ethernet Backhaul

• Licensed 4.9 GHz • Unlicensed 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz

– Licensed UHF Frequencies • ESTeem 210C

History of Wireless

• Wireless Has Come a Very Long Way – ESTeem has been building wireless networks over 30 years – Patent on first wireless modem in 1984

• First Generation for Serial Networks – Lower data rates 2,400 bps – Latest hardware 19,200 bps

• Next Generation Narrowband – Ethernet Interface – 54,000 bps

• Spread Spectrum – Higher data rates in wideband channels

• Wireless Ethernet (WLAN) – Latest generations closing in on wired speeds – Open protocol standards

Primary Uses of Wireless

• Mobile Applications – Moving Hardware – Maintenance Vehicles – Factory Floor Machines – Overhead Cranes – Public Safety

Primary Uses of Wireless

• “Inaccessible” Areas – Difficult or Too Costly to Run Cable – Across waterways – Communication across roadways – Airfield lighting

Primary Uses of Wireless

• Long Distance Communication – City or County Coverage – Impracticable to Cable – Water Distribution – Wastewater Systems

Wireless Network Reliability

• Each Radio Application is Unique – Wireless is being applied in many applications but few have a working

knowledge of designing a successful wireless system • Wireless Networks Can Be As Reliable as Wired Network

– Time spent on wireless network will pay for itself many times over • System Reliability Is Only As Good As the Network Design • Building The Network Backbone

– Any hardware on poor communication link will have problems

Hardware Selection

• No one frequency or wireless standard will solve all applications

• Each frequency has its place • Correct selection for the specific application is key

RF System Design

• Phase 1 – RF Design Program – Computer program to estimate RF results – Point in design to make system changes

• Phase 2 – Radio Site Survey – On-site analysis – Confirming results in RF design phase

• Phase 3 – Site Commissioning – After final installation – Building system backbone

• Phase 4 - Network Monitoring – System monitoring over time

RF Design Program

• Conservative computer model of expected radio results – Perform RF Design Program analysis for each link in the system

• Anticipated Antenna Heights Needed • Expected Signal Strength • Projected Data rates • Antenna options

• Used in Conjunction with Google Earth – Longitude and Latitude – Distance Between Locations – Path Profile for Line of Sight

• RF Design Program Available on CD

Wildcat WWTP

Booster Station

Buffalo Park Tank

Repeater Site

Arizona Snowbowl Resort

Sample Network Design Diagram

RF Design Program

RF Design Program

Path Profile

• Step 2 – Radio Site Survey • Confirming results in RF design phase

– Evaluate and Test each location in the proposed system • RF Background noise and spectrum analysis to choose the

correct channel for operation • Identify LOS obstructions not seen on mapping (buildings,

etc) and possible repeater locations • Measure actual Signal Strength and Data Rates • Data transmission testing • Document findings and results for future reference

RF Site Survey

Installation and Commissioning

• Step 3 – Installation and Commissioning – Final installation of equipment

• RF Background noise and spectrum analysis to choose the correct channel for operation

• Identify LOS obstructions not seen on mapping (buildings, etc) and possible repeater locations

• Measure actual Signal Strength and Data Rates • Data transmission testing

Wireless Ethernet Design

• New way of thinking when designing radio system • Network designed from Ethernet data flow • Back-hauls on primary links • Backup (MESH) links must follow same rules • Multiple frequencies available in same wireless network

Ethernet Design Diagram

Internet

Main Office

Repeater & Remote Site

Highest Data Rate

2nd Highest Data Rate

Mesh Technology

• Redundant Repeater Routes – Configured Priority Routing

• Manual Input • Direct Control Over Routing

– Auto Configuration • Shortest Path to Root Bridge • Highest Signal Strength

• Priority Routing Configuration – “Meshing” Technology – “Self Healing Networks”

Redundant Path Overview

Wireless Network Management

• RF Design Tools – RF Design Program – Provides point to point and data rate analysis

• RF Configuration Tools – ESTeem Network Configuration (ENC) Utility – Visual network configuration utility

• Management Tools – ESTeem Network Monitoring (ENM) Utility – Wireless HMI interface

• Support Tools – Remote support utilities

ESTeem Network Configuration Utility

• Greatly simplified network configuration • Visual point and click RF link connections • Simplified Mesh network layout • Network layout prior to receiving hardware

– Network design for client – Network review by ESTeem

• System wide network updates – Configuration updates – Firmware updates

• Programming through wireless network

ESTeem Network Configuration Utility

ESTeem Network Monitoring Utility

• Wireless network monitoring – HMI interface – Configuration utility import – SNMP protocol

• Critical network information displayed on-screen – Signal strength – RF Data rates – Redundant routing

• Database trending – Alarms – Graphs

ESTeem Network Monitoring

Remote Site Support

• Allows wireless network technical support world wide – No travel required – Real-time access to working network

• Allows support specialists to view and troubleshoot customer network

• Provides remote access to customer’s configuration utilities and monitoring utilities

• Only internet connection required – No corporate firewall access required – No VPN or dial-up necessary

Conclusion

• Building a Large Scale Wireless Network – Training

• Understanding Capability/Limitation of Wireless • Selection of Correct Hardware for Application

– RF Network Design • Critical Steps to Reliable Network

– RF Design – Site Survey – Site Commissioning

– Flexibility of Wireless Hardware • Frequency Agile • Narrowband Capable

• Small or Large a Wireless Network Will Only Be as Good as Design

Additional Questions?

• ESTeem Booth 1300 • RF Design Program Disk

– Available to all attendees • Web Site - www.esteem.com • ESTeem Support 509-735-9092