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TESSCO Wireless JournalSelling Brief
HotPort High Performance Mesh Network
The Firetide HotPort High Performance Mesh Network provides a high capacity, self-healing broadband wireless network that operates seamlessly indoors and outdoors, making the system ideal for many campus and metropolitan area networking applications. Designed for maximum performance, scalability and ease of use, the mesh delivers a throughput of up to 25 Mbps -- ideal for voice, video and data applications. Each HotPort mesh node can operate at 2.4 GHz for maximum range and penetration, or at 5 GHz to minimize interference with wireless LANs. A special HotPort Public Safety High Performance Mesh Network is available for use in the U.S.-licensed 4.9 GHz spectrum.
The HotPort mesh consists of HotPort 3100 Series Indoor Wireless Mesh Nodes and/or HotPort 3200 Series Outdoor Wireless Mesh Nodes, each with multiple auto-sensing 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports for connectivity to Ethernet devices, such as access points or digital video surveillance cameras, as well as for LAN/MAN/WAN internetworking. The AutoMeshTM protocol makes the mesh fully self-forming and self-healing, with both load-balancing and automatic failover capabilities, to afford rapid deployment and dependable operation. The MultiMeshTM capability enables an authorized administrator to manage multiple mesh networks from a single screen. These networks can be independent, or integrated with MeshBridgeTM to form a single mesh environment with up to 1000 nodes.
HotPort 3100 Indoor Mesh Nodes
HotPort 3200 Outdoor Mesh Nodes
HotView Network Management Software
Mesh Management Software
HotViewTM and HotView ProTM Mesh Management Software provide real-time monitoring and management of a Firetide HotPort High Performance Mesh Network via an intuitive graphical user interface. HotView is intended for single mesh environments, including deployments in pilot, temporary or portable networks. HotView Pro adds support for advanced features, such as MultiMesh for simplifying monitoring and management in a multiple mesh environment.
Firetide HotPort Mesh Key Attributes
1 High performance HotPort wireless mesh networks combine high throughput with low latency at broadband data rates up to 25 Mbps. For even greater performance, EthernetDirect substitutes a full-duplex 10/100 Mbps wired link between any two nodes, allowing them to receive and transmit traffic simultaneously.
2 High quality of service
Quality of service in combined data and voice/video ("triple play") applications is assured with these advanced capabilities:
Adjustable transmit power levels and Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to minimize radio/radar interference
• Traffic prioritization by class of service (CoS) designation
• Multi-Hop Optimization for reduced contention in large mesh networks
• Received Signal Strength settings that prioritize paths by link quality
• Adjustable transmit power levels and Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to minimize radio/radar interference
• Virtual LANs that segment and direct traffic along specific VLAN routes
3 Scalable The mesh topology is remarkably scalable, which is why it is employed in the global Internet.  The MeshBridge feature enhances scalability by allowing multiple mesh networks to be interconnected into a single, integrated mesh environment with up to 1000 nodes.  The MeshBridge link can be directly wired, or made via any separate switched or routed LAN, MAN or WAN infrastructure. 
4 Extensible The HotPort product architecture is fully modular with most features implemented in upgradeable software.  This design allows existing features to be enhanced for and new capabilities added to existing platforms.
5 Dual Spectrum
HotPort mesh networks operate in the unlicensed spectrum at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The dual frequency bands, combined with channel selection flexibility, facilitate optimization for minimal interference with wireless LANs and/or for deploying multiple mesh networks in close proximity to one another. The MeshBridge feature can optionally integrate two or more mesh networks in campus or metropolitan area deployments.
HotPort/PS wireless mesh nodes operate in the 4.9 GHz licensed band (U.S. only) in addition to the 2.4 Ghz or 5 GHz bands.
6 Easy to deploy and operate Firetide's advanced AutoMesh protocol makes the HotPort mesh network fully self-forming and self-managing.  For this reason, deploying and operating a HotPort mesh network is comparatively trouble-free.  The effort requires only moderate technical expertise and planning, and extensive site surveys are unnecessary in many situations. 
7 Ethernet Connectivity Standard 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports on all HotPort nodes provide "plug-and-play" connectivity with virtually any equipment, including wireless access points, digital video surveillance cameras, PCs, servers, printers, RFID systems, network switches or routers, and more. 
8 Indoor Outdoor Operation The HotPort High Performance Mesh Network operates seamlessly in an indoor-outdoor environment using any combination of HotPort 3100 series indoor and HotPort 3200 series outdoor wireless mesh nodes. 
9 LAN/Wan Integration A HotPort mesh can be internetworked with any other LAN, MAN or WAN domain, including the Internet, via any node designated as a Network Gateway Interconnect (NGI).  Multiple NGI nodes can be used to add redundancy and increased throughput to the same external network.  A Gateway Server node can optionally be used to consolidate the multiple NGIs into a single, high-bandwidth link.  VLANs support IEEE 802.1q tagging for compatibility with external VLAN domains. 
10 Reliable Firetide's advanced AutoMesh protocol makes the HotPort mesh network fully self-healing to achieve mission-critical reliability.  Any problem, whether caused by outages, obstructions or RF interference, is immediately detected and automatically corrected by routing via an alternate mesh path. 
11 Secure HotPort mesh networks provide end-to-end traffic encryption using Advanced Encryption Standard at 128 or 256 bits.  Access control is provided by MAC address filtering on either an explicit Allow or Deny basis.  VLANs, which segment traffic within the mesh, add yet another layer of security.  
12 Versatile The HotPort mesh network provides unparalleled versatility with its seamless indoor-outdoor operation, "plug-and-play" Ethernet connectivity, LAN/MAN/WAN internetworking, VLAN support, traffic management capabilities, practical deployment options, and more. 
13 Mobile Because the AutoMesh protocol adapts automatically in real-time to changes in the mesh topology, HotPort nodes can be installed in moving vehicles or vessels to accommodate mobile applications.
14 Fully Manageable HotView and HotView Pro Mesh Management Software provide real-time monitoring, and comprehensive local and remote management of one or more HotPort mesh networks.  An intuitive graphical user interface affords "point-and-click" control over all mesh-wide and individual node settings for security, traffic prioritization, radio behavior, internetworking, and more. 
15 Affordable Industry-leading low capital/operational expenditures (CapEx/OpEx) and full investment protection combine to yield the lowest available total cost of ownership (TCO), placing a HotPort High Performance Mesh Network within reach of just about any IT budget.