Plug and Play Hookup: The
majority of wireless networking equipment today is "plug
and play" which means that once you have hooked it
up, plugged it in, and configured it according to the manufacturers
instructions, it should work. These modules do not deal
with software issues, only hardware infrastructure creation.
It is helpful, if software issues arise, to have the equipment
manuals and/or a geek handy.
Having said this, occasionally issues
arise with hardware. At those times, it is useful to have
a troubleshooting guide.
Troubleshooting: If
the gear doesn't work for some reason, check the most obvious
things first, then dig deeper. The following chart is designed
as a starting point for troubleshooting the new network.
If the network
is not a new network, the first question to ask yourself
is: "Was it working before?" If it was, and it's
not now, then it is time to start thinking about what might
have changed.
Note that there
are some situations on this chart that people may think
are added as humorous anecdotes to see if people are paying
attention. They're not - these situations really happen
- people do park backhoes in the way of signals, and rats
or vermin do chew through cables. The picture below is proof
of what packrats can do to network cables, and they, and
other vermin - bears in particular - for some reason really
do like to eat network components.
Above: Packrat damaged waveguide.
Emergency Field Repairs:
Troubleshooting the network means that
emergency field repairs may need to be made on remote sites.
For this purpose, it is best to have spares of important
components, as well as materials on hand that may be required
to fix equipment. These supplies will vary depending upon
the network type and components that are installed, however
the following is a suggested list of equipment that may
be handy to have on hand when going out to the field to
troubleshoot wireless networking equipment:
 |
Spare Wave Guide cable |
|
Vinyl tape
(or electrical tape) |
|
Silicone sealant |
|
Spare Antennas |
|
Spare batteries
for any battery-powered equipment |
|
Spare Solar panel(s) (if small) |
|
Spare guy wire and clamps |
|
Extra nuts, bolts, and U-Bolt clamps |
