Secure Operation; Robust Radio Operation; Flexible Services; Flexible Management - GE MDS iNET Series Reference Manual

For basic services, simply connect an antenna, connect your Ethernet LAN to the transceiver's
apply primary power, set a few operating parameters, and you are done. No license is required for operation
in the U.S.A., Canada, and many other countries. Check requirements for your region before placing the
transceiver in service.

Secure Operation

Data network security is a vital issue in today's wireless world. MDS iNET Series radios provide multiple
tools to help you build a network that minimizes the risk of eavesdropping and unauthorized access. Some
are inherent in the radio's operation, such as the use of 900 MHz spread-spectrum transmissions; others
include data encryption, enabling/disabling remote access channels, and password protection.
Remember, security is not a one-step process that can simply be turned on and forgotten. It must be practiced
and enforced at multiple levels, 24 hours-a-day and 7 days-a-week. See "Cyber Security" on Page 11 for
more information about the transceiver's security tools.

Robust Radio Operation

The transceiver is designed for frequency-hopping spread-spectrum operation in the license-free 900 MHz
Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. It can provide reliable communications at distances up to 25
miles (40 km) over favorable terrain, even in the presence of weak signals or interference. Frequency hop-
ping allows the transceiver to avoid interference from other transmitters in the same band, and provides fre-
quency diversity for more reliable transmission. The over-the-air MAC increases reliability by adding
retries to failed messages.
The iNET-II transceiver, which is certified to operate under DTS rules (hopping not required), also hops in
order to achieve the same benefits that are realized with the iNET transceiver which is certified under FHSS
rules.

Flexible Services

Users with a mixture of equipment having Ethernet and serial data interfaces can choose to use one or two
of the user-configurable serial ports through the use of a Remote Dual Gateway. This flexibility allows the
transceiver to provide services in data networks that are being migrated from legacy serial/EIA-232-based
hardware to the faster and more easily interfaced Ethernet world.

Flexible Management

Configuration, commissioning, troubleshooting and other maintenance activities can be done locally or
remotely. Four different modes of access are available: local RS-232 console, local or remote Internet Pro-
tocol (IP) access via Telnet or SSH, web browser (HTTP, HTTPS), and SNMP (v1/v2/v3). The text-based
interface (RS-232 console Telnet and SSH) is implemented in the form of easy-to-follow menus, and the
terminal server configuration includes a wizard to help you set up the units correctly.

Transceiver Features

The transceiver's design makes the installation and configuration easy, while allowing for changes in the
future.
• Long Range operation in line-of-sight conditions. Repeater stations may be used to extend the range.
(Refer to "TRANSMIT/RECEIVE RANGE (Nominal)" on Page 129 for more detailed information
on range.)
• Industrial-Grade Product—Extended temperature range for trouble-free operation in extreme envi-
ronments
• Robust Radio Communications—Designed to operate in dense, high-interference environments
• Robust Network Security—Prevents common attack schemes and hardware from gaining access or
control of network. Common attack events logged and reported by alarms.
• High Speed—1 Mbps (iNET-II) is 100-times faster than 9.6 kbps radios. MDS iNET transceiver
speed is 512 kbps.
• Plug-and-Play Connectivity—Ethernet bridge configuration option requires minimal setup
2 MDS iNET Series Reference Manual
port,
LAN
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