The document discusses frequently asked questions about the Motorola AP 7181, a high-capacity outdoor 802.11n access point. The AP 7181 offers maximum data rates of 300 Mbps using 3x3 MIMO and dual-polarization antennas. It achieves high capacity through its dual-radio design and advanced antenna technology. The AP 7181 can extend wireless networks outdoors and allows seamless roaming between indoor and outdoor networks. It is supported by Motorola's wireless network management tools.

1. Mesh Wide Area Networks (MWAN) AP7181 Frequently Asked Questions
Wireless Network Solutions
MWAN AP 7181 FAQ
The AP 7181 is one of the highest performing multi-radio outdoor 802.11n access points in the
market today. It offers superior network capacity with a maximum data rate of 300 Mbps,
Motorola’s exclusive integrated ADEPT (ADvanced Element Panel Technology) antenna system
and coupled with a complete portfolio of indoor and outdoor access points, cameras, software
tools and applications the needs of cities and businesses can be met for years to come.
Q) What are the key differentiators of the AP 7181?
The Motorola AP 7181:
• Is one of the highest capacity outdoor WiFi mesh networks available in the industry, offering 300
Mbps connections between nodes.
• Offers the integrated ADEPT (ADvanced Element Panel Technology) Antenna System, which
increases client throughput and ensures consistent coverage with no self-shadowing or notching.
• Incorporates high performance radios, specifically developed by Motorola to maintain full power
and high data rates.
• Is supported by Motorola’s best-in-class One Point Wireless Suite of planning, deployment, and
security and management solutions.
• Is part of Motorola’s comprehensive portfolio of indoor and outdoor wireless access points,
vehicular modems, cameras, VoIP phones, software tools and applications, providing customers
with an end-to-end solution from a trusted partner.
Q) How does the AP 7181 achieve such high capacity?
The AP 7181 features new standard based 802.11n radios specifically developed by Motorola to
operate at maximum power at high data rates. The high capacity is achieved through a number of
elements. First, the AP 7181 is a dual radio device that uses 802.11n 3x3:2. This means that there
are 3 transmitters and 3 receivers per radio. Additionally, there are 2 spatially diverse data streams.
This enables the 7181 to achieve a data rate up to 300 Mbps.
Q) Why doesn’t the AP 7181 have stick antennas?
Most wireless 802.11 a/b/g access points transmit using vertical dipole antennas (sticks). These
antennas use only vertically polarized transmissions, effectively limiting the access point to a single
spatial stream. The AP 7181, uses Motorola’s exclusive ADEPT (ADvanced Element Panel
Technology) antenna system, which incorporates both horizontally and vertically polarized antennas
for every radio. This allows the antenna system to deliver higher data rates and greater range
compared to other systems. Having dual polarization panels enhances performance throughout the
coverage area and helps ensure multiple data streams can be sent and received by clients and
between nodes. Also, OMNI sticks produce a “self shadowing” coverage pattern, where nearby
antennas shade or “notch” the desired OMNI-directional antenna pattern and lead to unpredictable
coverage holes. The innovative engineering and seamless coverage delivered by ADEPT technology
eliminates holes or gaps.

2. Q) How does the AP 7181 handle interference in an outdoor environment?
The AP 7181 has a feature called Dynamic Interference Avoidance. This feature of the AP 7181
enhances 802.11n’s MRC (Maximal Ratio Combining) capabilities for superior receiver sensitivity.
The AP 7181 not only combines all three chains as per the MRC but, the AP 7181 enhances the
802.11n standard by also using the MRC to combine both the vertical and horizontal polarized
receive signals of each antenna panel as well as the individual antenna panels themselves. The
combination of all these receivers maximizes overall receiver sensitivity for each chain, a polarized
receiver signal and a direction via an antenna panel. If interference is received on one chain, the AP
7181 will maximize the receiver on the other chains, resulting in better RF sensitivity. If vertically
polarized interference is received, the AP 7181 will maximize the receivers on all horizontally
polarized panels. If interference is received on a particular panel antenna, the AP 7181 will maximize
the receiver capabilities on the remaining panels. This allows the AP 7181 to mitigate interference
whether it originates on a particular stream, a direction or polarization.
Q) Is the AP 7181 compatible with the MWAN 4300 product series?
Motorola offers mesh compatibility between the AP 7181 and MWAN (Mesh Wide Area Network)
4300 products. This allows an outdoor network to deploy a mix of AP 7181s and MWAN 4300s. This
enables 802.11 a/b/g clients to roam between 4300s and 7181s with 802.11n clients connecting to
the 7181.
Q) Is the AP 7181 backwards compatible to 802.11a/b/g clients?
Yes, the AP 7181 will not only support 802.11n based clients, but it will also support legacy
802.11a/b/g clients as well. In fact, with the innovation of the ADEPT Antenna system in
combination with the 802.11n standard, 802.11 a/b/g client performance will be improved when
compared to an all 802.11a/b/g network.
Q) Can I use the VMM 4300 in an AP 7181 network for mobility?
For vehicular mobility requirements, the VMM (Vehicle Mounted Modem) 4300 will provide
connectivity to vehicles and metro-rail trains that are within the coverage area of this mixed
network. This will enable mobile connectivity while traveling up to 80 mph.
Q) Can I use the AP 7181 to extend wireless coverage from an indoor network to the outdoors?
A common use case is indoor to outdoor wireless connectivity. For example, a warehouse has
deployed the indoor 802.11n AP-7131s for their indoor clients. They would like to extend wireless
connectivity outdoors to the parking lots. This can be achieved by attaching an AP 7181 via Ethernet
to the indoor network, and then extending the coverage outdoors.
Q) Will a client moving from the indoors to the outdoors have seamless connectivity?
By deploying AP 7181s outdoors, the network coverage can then be extended from the indoors to
the outdoors. By designing the network to have common elements such as the same IP address,
SSID and security, a client can move seamlessly indoor to outdoors and visa versa.
Q) Is a network management system available for the AP 7181?
The AP 7181 is supported by Motorola’s One Point Wireless Manager. One Point Wireless Manager
offers complete network management, with a Google Maps interface and monitoring of all indoor
and outdoor Motorola wireless broadband network equipment in a single application and is visible on
a single computer screen. One Point Wireless Manager makes it easy to manage the complexities
of a multi-layer wireless network by clearly showing performance metrics, network relationships and
locations of all wireless equipment.

3. Q) Are their any tools available to design an AP 7181 network?
Yes, BroadbandPlanner will have full design support for the AP 7181. This tool replaces the
previous design tool, MeshPlanner. This new powerful network design software helps to propose,
design, deploy and measure wireless network solutions that include MWAN and Point-to-
Multipoint products. This tool enables easy optimization of network designs with views that show
optimal equipment placement, signal strength heat maps, optimal urban-canyon remote access
point locations and terrain obstruction path profiles.
Q) Where can I get more information?
• More information on the AP 7181 can be located on the internal WNS Sales Rack site at
http://compass.mot.com/web/wnssales.
• The AP 7181 external product page is located at the following link: AP 7181 Webpage
Motorola Wireless Network Solutions
Motorola delivers seamless connectivity that puts real-time information in the hands of users, giving customers the
agility they need to grow their business or better protect and serve the public. Working seamlessly together with its
world-class devices, Motorola's unrivaled wireless network solutions include indoor WLAN, outdoor wireless mesh,
point-to-multipoint, point-to-point networks and voice over WLAN solutions. Combined with powerful software for
wireless network design, security, management and troubleshooting, Motorola's solutions deliver trusted
networking and anywhere access to organizations across the globe.
motorola.com/mesh
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