|
From the field, a comparison between SmartBridges and Tranzeo |
|
|
|
|
Written by Marlon Schafer
|
|
Sunday, 08 May 2005 |
|
Hi All,
I've got at least 100 smart bridges radios in place now. Been using them since before they really even had a US distribution channel. Like everyone else, I've been frustrated by the relatively low reliability level so earlier this year I started trying some of the Tranzeo units. I've probably got the better part of 2 dozen of them deployed now as well.
Now, first off let me point out the word relatively as used above. Every one of my cars needs more attention than any of the radios. But when most gear is nearly 100% reliable even a few failures seems like a lot.....
Anyway, here's what I see as the major +/- points for each as objectively as I can.  
SmartBridgesPluses: - Great software interface
- Hardware reset button
- Nice package - All parts in one box (nothing gets scuffed up in the back of the pickup on the way to the installs)
- Compact size
- LEDs are on the bottom, viewable from the ground most of the time
- Great tech support
- Gobs of integrity, they've never tried to hide a problem (others kindly take notes here!!!) with their gear of methods.
- They listen to what the wisps want and build it
- Great people
| TranzeoPluses: - They work
- 19dB panel version - Actual dB readout
- Higher power available (though I've almost always found speeds to be highest when dropping the power by 6dB)
- Cheap
- Web interface well thought out and easy to understand
- Will allow more than 100' of cat 5 cable with the standard power supply
- Mounting bracket is strong
- LEDs are large and bright (also not colors that look much the same from a distance)
| Minuses: - Reliability has been spotty. One unit will be doa and the next one will go through walls.
- Dang 1.5" mounting system instead of 2"
- Thin mounting bracket easily bends if over tightened, heck just getting them tight enough to hold up in the 60 to 80 mph winds not unusual around here will often bend them.
- Weather seal for cat5 must be held horizontal or it can leak
- On the client units, double-clicking on the ap puts the mac addy into the bssid spot by default, later changing the ap out drops all clients offline.
- RSSI readout is off by at least 20dB and shouldn't be used
| Minuses: - 8 little teeny tiny nuts hold the mounting bracket and cat 5 connector cover on, impossible to work with when one's hands are cold and wet
- Packaging sucks, most of the "kit" ships separate and loose unless you order a master box, then it's all loose when you leave the shop to do the install
- The covers scratch easily when tossed in the back of a pickup for the trip to the customer
- No instructions shipped with individual units
- No hardware reset button
- HTTP rather than HTTPS
- No real error statistics so troubleshooting a link is sometimes more difficult
- The mounting bracket lacks flexibility
- N-connector version is in the same box as the 15dB antenna version and is therefore huge
- Shipped with high power turned on by default
- POE injector has grounding strap but I can't see any connecting point for cat 5 shielding on the all plastic cat 5 connector (I could be missing this though)
|
I think that's the better part of my list. Hope it helps both brands do a better job moving forward....
As a WISP these two products really underline what's nice about having a choice of vendors. One of my first Tranzeo installs was done at a location where a smartbridges total just would not work. Speeds sucked, when it worked at all. Pulled that and installed a Tranzeo unit with an 18dB panel (wayyyy overkill on a 1.5 mile link), turned the power WAY down and things took right off. Just a week or so ago, I installed a Tranzeo unit and got about 60 KBps. Pulled it out and dropped in a Total from Smartbridges and got the customer up to 600 KBps. Moved the whole thing up another two feet and got him 2.5m down and 1.5 m up. Customer's happy. I'm happy that I decided to use more than one brand on the network. Why did one work one place and the other not? My guess is that it's something to do with how they each handle multipath issues as in both cases there were some power line issues involved....
Hope that helps,
Marlon
(509) 982-2181 Equipment sales
(408) 907-6910 (Vonage) Consulting services
42846865 (icq) And I run my own wisp!
64.146.146.12 (net meeting)
www.odessaoffice.com/wireless
www.odessaoffice.com/marlon/cam |
Equipment and Network Configuration