Symptoms:

• LiteBeam shows no signal strength reading
• "Searching for signal" or similar message
• Cannot connect to hub

1. LOS Obstruction

Check: Verify clear line-of-sight to hub. Walk path between POP and hub if possible, looking for obstructions.

Solution: Reposition POP to position with clear LOS, or raise mast higher if available.

2. Hub Equipment Offline

Check: Contact ACES IT coordinator to verify hub sector antenna is powered on and operational.

Solution: Wait for hub to be restored, or troubleshoot hub equipment.

3. LiteBeam Not Powered

Check: Verify LiteBeam LED indicators are lit. Check power connections and PoE injector.

Solution: Verify battery voltage is adequate (>12V). Check all power connections. Reboot LiteBeam if needed.

4. Wrong Frequency/Channel

Check: Verify LiteBeam is configured for correct frequency band and channel to match hub.

Solution: Contact ACES IT support—configuration should be preset, but may need adjustment.

Symptoms:

• Signal detected but very weak
• Slow speeds or intermittent connectivity
• Frequent disconnections

1. Misalignment

Check: Even 5-10° misalignment can cause 10-20 dB signal loss.

Solution: Repeat fine alignment process. Be patient and make small adjustments.

2. Partial LOS Obstruction

Check: Trees, buildings, or terrain partially blocking path.

Solution: Relocate POP slightly to improve LOS, or consider alternate site.

3. Excessive Distance

Check: Measure distance to hub. >5 km is marginal for LiteBeam 5AC.

Solution: If distance is excessive, consider intermediate repeater or higher-gain antennas (requires IT support).

4. POP Outside Sector Coverage

Check: Verify POP is within 90° coverage arc of sector antenna.

Solution: If POP is outside coverage area, hub may need additional sector antenna or omnidirectional antenna (contact IT).

Symptoms:

• Connection drops periodically
• Signal strength fluctuates significantly
• Works sometimes, fails other times

1. Loose Mounting Hardware

Check: Wind or vibration can loosen antenna mounting, causing alignment to shift.

Solution: Tighten all mounting bracket bolts. Re-align if necessary. Consider lock washers.

2. Weather Effects

Check: Does problem occur during rain, wind, or temperature extremes?

Solution: Heavy rain can cause 1-3 dB attenuation (usually not critical). If weather consistently causes outages, signal margin may be insufficient—improve alignment or relocate.

3. Interference

Check: Other wireless networks or radar on same frequency.

Solution: Use WiFi analyzer to scan for interference. Contact IT to change channel if needed.

4. Low Battery Voltage

Check: Monitor battery voltage via Cerbo GX. If voltage drops below 11.5V, equipment may shut down.

Solution: Verify solar panels are clean and properly oriented. Check for battery issues (see Module 2).

Symptoms:

• Signal strength is good (-50 to -65 dBm)
• But throughput is much lower than expected
• High latency or packet loss

1. Hub Bandwidth Congestion

Check: Multiple POPs sharing same hub, or heavy usage on hub's internet connection.

Solution: Test during off-peak hours. If consistently slow, hub may need bandwidth upgrade (contact ACES IT).

2. Local WiFi Congestion

Check: Many devices connected to POP's WiFi access points.

Solution: WiFi bandwidth is shared. Limit number of connected devices or add additional access points.

3. Configuration Issues

Check: QoS settings, bandwidth limits, or other configuration problems.

Solution: Contact ACES IT support for configuration review.

Contact NMSU ACES IT support if you encounter any of these situations:

• No signal detected despite clear LOS and proper alignment
• Signal strength consistently < -85 dBm even after optimization
• Equipment appears damaged or malfunctioning
• Configuration changes are needed (channels, frequencies, etc.)
• Persistent connectivity issues that basic troubleshooting doesn't resolve
• You're unsure about any procedure or safety concern