I Completed an Internship at a Wireless ISP 📶 (Here is What I Have Learnt So Far)
Charles Uneze shares his knowledge about a Wireless ISP network architecture, after completing his undergraduate internship.
This is part 2 of the wireless ISP series I began. In part 1, I wrote about how I went from wishing to learn a wireless ISPs network architecture, to landing an internship at a Wireless internet service provider.
Before we begin, we need to get an overview of this architecture by looking at the divisions which make up the Wireless ISP architecture. I have separated each division into 3 parts:
Main Site
Distribution Site
Access Site
Think of it like the Headquarter-to-Branch office network topology design which spans different cities like the one in the image below. But in a Wireless-ISP scenario their network topology span within a city (aka Metropolitan Area Network).
Fig 1: Headquarter-to-Branch Office Network Topology
Okay, if you do not understand the above network topology because you have a mobile telecommunication background, the Wireless-ISP topology is also similar to a cellular network topology, where the wireless network covers small areas across a city, like the one in the image below.
Fig 2: A Cellular Network Topology
Now that you have gotten a proper perspective on what a Wireless-ISP (WISP) architecture looks like, let us briefly look at three parts that make up a WISP architecture; Main site, Distribution site, and Access site.
Okay, let's get into it!
Main Site
The main site houses core equipment which will transmit internet wirelessly to other medium scale sites called the Distribution site. All heavy network equipment is on the main site as it should be. Just like the way all heavy equipment is kept at the Data Center.
But how does the main site get the internet service which it then transmits to other Distribution sites?
The Main Site Internet Providers
There are several ways the main site receives internet services:
A Fiber Cable Provider
A Wireless Radio 📡 Provider
A Satellite🛰️ Radio Provider
During my internship, I experienced hands-on installation made by a Fiber Cable provider and a Wireless Radio Provider.
The network equipment used at the main sites are almost the same, the only difference is in the equipment used in delivering internet to that site.
Let us see images of the network equipment used by these different internet providers;
Fig 3: Fiber Cable Provider
Image Source: Brookings Institution
Fig 4: Wireless Mobile Radio Provider
Image Sources: Wikipedia and EC Systems
Fig 5: Satellite Radio Provider
Image Source: Alibaba and Horizon Sat
Okay, now you have seen how a Wireless-ISP receive internet access at the main site. Let us briefly take a look at the typical network equipment on the main site.
Mast
Sector Antennas
Fiber cable
Fiber patch panel
Router
Firewall
Switch
Wireless Access Points
Fig 6: Main Site Logical Topology (using a Fiber Cable Provider)
In Fig 6 above:
The Fiber provider will run a fiber cable to the main site. That fiber cable is plugged into the fiber patch panel.
A fiber cable runs from the fiber patch panel to the Router SFP module.
A Cat 6 cable is plugged from the Routers WAN port to the switch. This is to provide internet access across all switch ports.
Cat 6 cables are run from each switch port to the Sector antenna, indoor wireless access points, etc. This is to transmit the internet access received from the router.
The Sector antenna will transmit internet access to the distribution site.
Note
If you are new to IT, and you are good with your hands, chasing a cabling engineering role will be a good place to begin. You have a higher chance of getting hired in an IT firm and starting a career in IT with this skill. This is a great book I will recommend begin with, along with tools like a Crimper, cat 6 & fiber cables.
Okay, back to our article. Here is an image of a physical wireless mobile radio antenna installation at the main site covering one community, and also its logical topology.
Fig 7: The Main Site using a Wireless Mobile Radio Antenna, and retransmitting it to the Distribution site
All cables used in this topology is a Cat 6 Cable
From figure 7 above:
The wireless internet provider will transmit high-speed internet to the main site. This will be received by the Radio antenna 📡
A Cat 6 cable runs from the Radio antenna 📡 to the Routers WAN port.
A Cat 6 cable is plugged from the Routers WAN port to the switch. This is to provide internet access across all switch ports.
A Cat 6 cable is plugged from the Routers WAN port to the switch. This is to provide internet access across all switch ports.
The Sector antenna will transmit internet access to the distribution site.
I won’t be going into the satellite network topology, this is because it is almost the same as the receiving internet from a wireless mobile radio antenna. The only difference is that the provider uses a Satellite, while the wireless ISP uses a dish to receive the internet. See Figure 5.
Note:
To also get your foot at the door of a wireless ISP, I will strongly recommend this book to learn the foundations of wireless technology.
Distribution Site
The distribution site logical topology is pretty simple, the site receives internet from the main site, and then transmits it to access sites that will provide internet to end devices.
Fig 8: The Distribution Site receiving internet from the Main site, and retransmitting it to the Access site
From figure 8 above:
The Main site will transmit high-speed internet via its Sector antenna to the distribution site. This will be received by the Power Beam 📡 antenna at the distribution site. Note that, usually these distribution sites are more than one, for simplicity I used one site.
A Cat 6 cable runs from the Power Beam antenna 📡 to a port on the switch.
A Cat 6 cable providing internet access is plugged from the switch to an outdoor access point, the network admin laptop, and a sector antenna.
a. Outdoor Access Point: This provides internet access to customers living around the distribution site.
b. Network Admin Laptop: This is when the network admin does initial configurations, things like configuring SSH, associating all wireless antennas to the main site, etc.
c. Sector Antenna: This provides internet to access sites.
4. The Sector antenna will transmit the internet to the access sites around its vicinity.
Access Sites
The access sites provide direct internet services to customers who will buy cheap internet data from the Wireless-ISP.
Fig 9: The Access Site receiving internet from the Distribution site
From figure 9 above:
The Distribution site will transmit high-speed internet via its Sector antenna to the access site. This will be received by the Power Beam 📡 antenna at the access site. Note that, usually these access sites are more than one, for simplicity I used one site.
A Cat 6 cable runs from the Power Beam antenna 📡 to a port on the switch.
A Cat 6 cable providing internet access is plugged from the switch to an outdoor access point, the network admin laptop, and a sector antenna.
a. Outdoor Access Point: This provides internet access to customers living around the distribution site.
b. Network Admin Laptop: This is when the network admin does initial configurations, things like configuring SSH, associating all wireless antennas to the main site, etc.
c. Sector Antenna: This provides internet to access sites.
4. The Sector antenna will transmit the internet to the access sites around its vicinity.
If you noticed, two new devices are introduced at the distribution and access site:
1. Power Beam
2. Lite Beam
These two devices perform the same task, but the Power beam reaches a farther distance, is more expensive, and provides better bandwidth than the Lite beam. Enterprises mostly use a power beam at their customer end, while home customers go for the Lite beam.
Okay, now let us bring all divisions into one image.
Fig 10: A Main Site, Distribution Site, and Access
Note:
So, maybe you are not into how these wireless antenna works, but you love to configure the routers, firewalls, wireless access points, and switches. I will strongly recommend this book to learn the foundations about computer networking.
Wow, so this does it for the article, if you find it interesting and you have any questions, post it in the comment section.
Also, I have a thread on Twitter where I shared my experiences with pictures of what I was learning during my internship.
Have fun guys, and stay grinding!