PulsAR-24027 Software Release Notes
(go to the latest version)
The most current firmware is identified as PMP06_XX which supports many topologies and features. However, previous versions had different identifications:
Up to version 3.23 the firmware filenames were:
TDD02_XX for point-to-point
TDD03_XX for point-to-multipoint
At version 3.25 we changed the designation to:
P2P0X_XX for point-to-point
PMP0X_XX for point to multipoint.
The last P2P release was version 3.26. Starting with version 4.00 the firmware PMP0X_XX supported both topologies.
With version 6.XX we introduced the Tree topology and roaming. The firmware PMP06_XX supports these topologies and also PmP, PtP and Linear Network.
Version: 3.10
Date: October 13,
2004
New Features
The Point to Multipoint network can now run at any of the four
RF speeds supported by the radios. In previous versions the network
could only run at the fastest RF speed (2.75 Mbps). The RF speed is
set at the hub radio with the command:
>rf-transmit speed=[0.25 | 0.5 | 1.37 | 2.75]
All links in both directions will run at the same speed.
Problems Fixed
Fixed some race conditions that could result in some packet
losses under heavy loads.
Version: 3.11
Date: December 20,
2004
Problems Fixed
Radio was errouneously filtering out some short IP packets
causing some protocols to not work across the radios.
Version: 3.14
Date: February 22,
2005
Problems Fixed
Telnet protocol packet retransmission had a problem that could
cause a telnet session to hangup.
A remote radio in an environment with strong interference could
eventually lose the hub and not get reconnected until rebooted
Version: 3.20
Date: April 19, 2005
New Features
Introduced three levels of packet priority for transmission over
RF. Packets are now sorted into three queues, which are transmitted
in the following order:
- Serial data packets from an attached NetCrossing Gateway
configured in bridge mode.
- IP packets with a TypeOfService (TOS) field set to C0H or E0H
(precedence 6 or 7). Also management packets to and from the Afar
ECON program.
- All other packets.
At a hub node you can now specify the maximum number of remotes
that the hub will acquire from 1 to 32 (use the ">node"
command). When the hub acquires the configured number of remotes,
it stops looking for new ones which improves the inbound throughput
efficiency. This is particualrly useful for a point to point link
where setting the max-remotes to 1 improves the inbound throughput
by more than 10%.
The radio now supports ethernet speed of 100 MHz full duplex.
The auto negotiate algorithm has also been improved.
You can now specify the antenna (a or b) when invoking the
antenna alignment command.
The layout of the various information pages has been
improved.
Problems Fixed
Under heavy bursts the radio could drop some packets due to
queue overflows. Queues have been increased to avoid that
occurrence.
Version: 3.21
Date: August 1, 2005
Problems Fixed
Introduced more accurate RF power transmit calibration.
Version: 3.22
Date: September 19,
2005
New Features
Allow SHOW command to monitor power supply voltage
Problems Fixed
Allow PING packets up to 1472 bytes (payload).
Resolve error causing ECONsole to hang on SAVE command if PC is
directly connected with crossover cable (i.e. no hub). (Problem is
not seen on Windows 98 or Windows ME)
Version: 3.23
Date: March 17, 2006
New Features
Added new command "distance-max km=16..160 miles=10..100". This
allows deploying networks with distances exceeding the nominal 80
Km (50 miles)
Added a new parameter to the "tdd" command:
ether-sync=[on|off|rx-only|tx-only] which controls how the PULSAR
synchronization propagates across the Ethernet port. The default
value, "on", should be used in most cases. Turning it off allows to
bypass the colocation synchronization over the Ethernet which may
be useful if the Ethernet connection between colocated radios has
variable delays causing the synchronization to break down.
Added four channels at the low end of the band in unrestricted
models
Problems Fixed
The monitor-link command now exits if the link drops. It used to
keep displaying stale information.
Known Problems
The spectrum-analysis and time-analysis commands do not work
(and cause the radio to reset). This has been corrected in version
3.25
Version: 3.25
Date: April 13, 2006
Problems Fixed
Corrected problem with the commands for performing the spectrum
and time analysis introduced in version 3.23.
Version: 3.26
Date: June 2, 2006
Problems Fixed
Corrected a problem that caused downloading of firmware updates
over telnet connections to fail on weak links (with TCP
retransmits).
Corrected several minor problems in SNMP code. Now shows "link
down" on the radio interface if radio does not have any neighbors.
Also, SNMP traps are now recognized by InterMapper and OpenView
managers.
Version: 4.00
Date: August 11, 2006
New Features
In previous versions the TDD cycle split was fixed at 50/50
between transmit/receive. This resulted in the throughput of the
radio in each direction to max out at half of the total radio
capacity. In this version you can control the split in increments
of 10%, from 10/90 all the way to 90/10. In addition there is an
"auto" mode whereby the hub radio allocates the cycle split
dynamically based on the the traffic load in each direction. You
control this TDD split at the hub radio with the command:
>tdd transmit-percent=20
In this case the hub allocates 20% of the cycle for transnmit and
80% for receive. All remote radios attaching to this hub will
automatically set their transmit phase to the complementary value
(80%). For dynamic allocation, which is the factory default,
specify "auto" for this parameter value.
If you do not have co-located radios in your network leave this
parameter in the "auto" setting. If you co-locate radios and want
to avoid self-interference (using the PULSAR network technology),
then you must use a static split. Choose a split based on the
expected traffic pattern but note that all co-located radios need
to be set with the same value.
We automated the "heartbeat" synchronization protocol used
between co-located radios. In previous versions you had to
designate one of the co-located units as a "master", and if that
unit was turned off no hub radios would transmit. Now co-located
radios automatically negotiate which radio becomes the source of
the "heartbeat" for all other radios. You can add or turn off hub
radios (including the current source) without disrupting the other
links. You may use the ">show" command to see the result of the
heartbeat negotiation and identify the current source.
The "TDD sync-mode" command now takes two parameters only ("master"
mode was dropped):
>tdd sync-mode=off or auto
When set to "off" the radio does not participate in the auto
negotiation and will not attempt to synchronize its transmissions
with the other co-located radios. This may be useful if the
Ethernet connection between co-located radios has variable delays
causing the synchronization to break down. This setting replaced
the "ether-sync" parameter introduced in version 3.23.
Added a new command, "monitor-flow". At the hub this command
shows the current data flow to and from each remote and updates
this information once per second. At a remote unit this command
shows the data flow statistics to the hub.
Compatibility Issues
The over the air RF protrocol of version 4.XX is not compatible
with version 3.XX. If you are updating the firmware over RF links
make sure you download the new code and reboot the radios starting
from the units that are reached with the larger number of RF
hops.
The heartbeat negotiation protocol over the Ethernet is not
compatible with previous versions. The hearbeat protocol is
designed to work across NetCrossing Gateways and to allow
co-locating PMP radios with radios running the Linear Network
software. Make sure you are running the latest versions of the
software in the radios and gateways
Version: 4.02
Date: September 17,
2006
Problems Fixed
Changing a node type from hub to remote could cause a unit to
reboot.
The hub could fail to acquire the "last" remote as specified by
the max-remotes parameter
Radio status was not being transmitted to the NetCrossing
Gateway. This is used by the gateway to drive the "radio link" LED
and show the radio status
Solved some inconsistencies in the heartbeat negotiation when
NetCrossing Gateways are involved.
Version: 4.50
Date: March 13, 2007
Problems Fixed
A marginal outbound link (from the hub to a remote), could cause
a remote radio to reboot.
With multiple remotes, a marginal inbound link (from remote to
hub), could cause the hub to drop some inbound packets from other
remotes that had a strong signal.
The "recent drops" statistic reported in monitor-link is now
updated every second for every packet received or dropped.
Previoulsy it was only updated after every 100 packts.
Improved the scheduling of inbound traffic, allocating more
unrequested slots to active nodes.
Compatibility Issues
The synchronization protocol over the ethernet for co-located
devices changed. If you are co-locating radios that need to be
synchronized make sure they all have version 4.50 or later. If you
are co-locating NetCrossing Gateways with radios also make sure the
gateways have a NXG 4.50 or later.
Version: 4.51
Date: May 31, 2007
Problems Fixed
The audio antenna alignment aid now works at a hub radio. It tracks the
signal strength of the first remote in the list and is useful when deploying
a point-to-point link.
In a point-to-multipoint environment with multiple remotes, heavy traffic
could induce a reboot of the hub. Also heavy outbound traffic to one remote
could cause a small number of outbound packets to other remotes to be dropped.
Version: 4.52
Date: October 15, 2007
Problems Fixed
Corrected various minor issues.
Version: 5.00
Date: May 21, 2007
Problems Fixed
The audio antenna alignment aid now works at a hub radio. It tracks the
signal strength of the first remote in the list and is useful when deploying
a point-to-point link.
New Features
Roaming: Remote radios can now be programmed with multiple receive channels. They
survey the environment on all receive channels and attach to the strongest hub.
As they they move, they may drop and reattach automatically to maintain a link
to any of the hubs. See details under "solutions".
In the "show" command, remote radios now track and display the outbound packet
drop rate from the current hub.
Compatibility Issues
Version 5.00 is incompatible with previous versions.
Make sure you upgrade all radios in the network to version 5.xx.
Version: 5.01
Date: June 15, 2007
Problems Fixed
In a point-to-multipoint environment with multiple remotes, heavy traffic
could induce a reboot of the hub. Also heavy outbound traffic to one remote
could cause a small number of outbound packets to other remotes to be dropped.
Version: 5.02
Date: August 2, 2007
Problems Fixed
A roaming unit could pick up broadcast packets from hubs other than its current hub. These would show up as repeated packets on the local LAN.
At a romaing unit the channel reported in monitor-link could be erroneous.
The units now implement a running average on the RSSI level resulting in less jumping between hubs when the signals are weak.
In the cycle following a survey cycle a roaming unit would occasioanlly miss the outbound packets from its own hub.
The hub was underestimating the number of slots required for inbound which could result in a "Plan error" event at a remote.
Version: 5.03
Date: Septemebr 11, 2007
Problems FixedIn some topologies after a unit roams to a different hub the packet routing in the network was incorrect and could take up to the Ethernet address timeout before the packets were routed to the new mobile position. This has been corrected.
Reduced the multic-ast ethernet address timeout default value to 30 seconds.
Version: 6.01 (Beta)
Date: September 24, 2007
New FeaturesIntroduced the Tree topology where a radio can be configured as "root", "branch" or "leaf". Brnach nodes can have a link with a parent and also serve as access points to up to 32 children.
This still supports the Point-to-Multipoint topology with the nodes configured as "hub" and "remote", so it supersedes all previous versions.
Compatibility Issues
Version 6.xx is incompatible with previous versions.
Make sure you upgrade all radios in the network to version 6.xx.
Version: 6.20
Date: November 28, 2007
New FeaturesNew command structure to program the different nodes (root-1 and root-2) and the two different rf configurations. We now allow the user to select the antenna for each configuration .
Problems FixedMany issues fixed from the original beta version.
Compatibility Issues
Version 6.2x is incompatible with previous versions.
Make sure you upgrade all radios in the network to version 6.2x.
Version: 6.22
Date: January 15, 2008
New Features
Added the "show tree" command which performs an inventory of all radios and displays them in a tree hierarchical fashion.
Radio now accepts multiple commands in the same line spearated by semi-colons.
Problems FixedDuring start-up a branch node attached to a root-1 might accept broadcast packets during the wrong phase and they could show up as repeated packets on the LAN.
Version: 6.23
Date: February 8, 2008
New Features
Command "monitor-link" now stays in place when the link to the parent drops.
Problems FixedThe "distance" command could cause a reboot when entering a distance in excess of 83 miles. We now accept the maximum distance to 255 km or 158 miles.
Multiple remotes trying to attach at the same time to a root-1 node
could find that the parent was Full and give up trying to attach for 90
seconds.
Stopped interpreting numbers with leading zeroes as octal. They are now interpreted as decimal.
A branch node could sporadically miss the transition from receive from
its children to receive from the parent due to a loose conection in the
Xilinx.
Version: 6.24
Date: February 20, 2008
New Features
Added the "monitor-roaming" command. Also pressing the zero key while in monitor-link mode, it zeroes the cumulative error statistics.
Problems FixedAfter opening multiple ECON sessions to the same radio, the radio might stop accepting new requests and the old sessions would not timeout. Now we always accept a new request: if more than 5 sessions are opened we close the one that has been idle for the longest time.
Version: 6.25
Date: February 29, 2008
Problems FixedA root-1 node with simultaneous traffic from three or more children could erroneously transmit too long and lose inbound packets.
Over ECON the reboot command quickly followed by pressing F4 could result in the radio not rebooting.
Version: 6.28
Date: March 31, 2008
Problems FixedA sudden and sustained traffic burst on the Ethernet could cause a radio reboot.
The radio now checks and discard packets that "age" too long in the transmit queue.
Corrected labeling of the destination segment (BCast and Local) in the show ether tables.
New FeaturesThe firmware now recognizes a hardware board type 2424, which widens the LO2 loop filter to make the radio more resilient to vibration.
Added debug command "display-tx-queues"
Version: 6.29
Date: (not released)
Problems FixedImprovements to Telnet behavior.
New FeaturesAdded the UDP command interface suitable for commands to be issued by a progarm in a host computer.
Added the capability to turn off the ethernet port on a command session over the console or RF.
Added a Linear Network option key that allows a linear "tree" topology
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