Google Network Planner for Tarana

Intended Audience & Abstract

This document is intended for use by engineers interested in designing and deploying Tarana Gigabit products. It is assumed that the reader has a good working knowledge of RF, fixed wireless access, and networking concepts.

This document describes guidelines for using Google Network Planner to design broadband wireless access with Tarana Gigabit products. This is intended to be a starting point for new Tarana deployments.

Google Network Planner is an accurate, fast, easy-to-use tool that is integrated with Google geospatial data for highly accurate (1 meter resolution) visualization. This includes street as well as 3D modeling of terrain, trees, and buildings. Google Cloud compute power runs advanced RF propagation (ray tracing) models, individual link analysis, and heat maps based on real-world data that is constantly maintained and updated.

Tarana recommends the use of Google Network Planner where available to achieve accurate, high quality results.

NOTE: A companion zip file is also provided that contains resource files described in this document. This file is available in the resources library on the Tarana G1 portal: https://private.taranawireless.com/.

Configuring Your First Tarana Network

Google Network Planner is a powerful tool that can provide fast, accurate results. Before using it with Tarana equipment, some initial set up is required. Specifically, the following steps must occur:

• Upload Tarana antenna files
• Create and map sites, cells, and sectors
• Define frequencies and bands
• Configure heat map settings to match Tarana specifications for received signal strength (RSSI)

Logging In

To log into Google Network Planner, open a browser and enter the URL: https://wirelessconnectivity.google.com/networkplanner/welcome. Click login to enter your credentials for the planner.

Figure 1: Google Network Planner login

Adding Antenna Files

To accurately model a Tarana Gigabit product, antenna files must be loaded into the planner. These files are available from the Tarana G1 portal: https://private.taranawireless.com/. To add the files, click the View Antennas icon in the lefthand navigation pane.

Figure 2: View available antennas

Once on the Antennas page, click, hold, and drag the antenna files onto the page to upload them to the planner. Click Upload to continue.

Figure 3: Drag and drop antenna files into the planner

Figure 4: Upload antenna files

Once the files are uploaded, confirm they appear on the left-hand side of the screen.

Figure 5: Verify antenna list

Working with Projects

To modify the settings for a project, click the gear icon in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.

Figure 9: Modify project settings

When planning for a 5 GHz network, the Network Type should be set to Fixed Wireless. For CBRS, set Network Type to Mobility Macro. Specific frequencies (bands) are configured in the Bands portion of the settings.

Figure 10: Configuring network type and band

More detailed configuration is also available. The image below shows the steps to create a custom configuration for four 40 MHz-wide channels starting at 5725 MHz. It also sets the RN antenna height to 5 meters above ground level (AGL) and 1 meter above the roofline. The Tarana_RN_5GHz_R0 antenna file is used in this example.

Figure 11: Detailed configuration for 5 GHz (example)

Click Save to save your modifications.

Figure 12: Save settings

Site, Cell, and Sector Creation (Bulk uploads)

Once a project has been modified to the correct frequency settings, then sites, cells, and individual sectors can be created within the project. The easiest way to do this is with a bulk upload via a CSV file. The image below shows an example of what this file looks like. Note that this example is for a single 5 GHz cell with four BN sectors. The example CSV file can be expanded to include additional 5 GHz cells and sectors at this site (using a different AGL or band) or for additional sites, azimuths, etc.

Figure 13: Bulk upload of new sites, cells, and sectors

Once the CSV file has been created, it must be imported into the planner. To do this, click Import at the top of the screen. Click Computer to upload the file from your computer’s file system.

Figure 14: Importing a CSV file

Alternatively, the CSV file may also be dragged and dropped onto the map screen.

Figure 15: Two options for uploading a CSV file

Once the CSV file has been uploaded, the user is prompted to verify the import process. This provides a chance to confirm that the entries in the CSV file are being interpreted correctly. To verify the upload process ensure the following is true:

• The left-most column is all green checked circles
• The channel and band rows have no annotations next to them
• There are no question mark bubbles next to any row

Figure 16: Verify CSV file upload

If everything looks correct, click the Upload button in the top right-hand corner to proceed. You will see a message that the sites are uploading. The amount of time this takes will be determined by the number of sites.

Figure 17: Sites uploading

As sites are uploaded, they will appear on the map.

Figure 18: Mapped site

Create Ray Tracing/Propagation Mapping

Once sites have been uploaded to the planner, the next step is to initiate a study. A study is when Google Network Planner creates ray tracing and propagation mapping for each uploaded site. To start this process, click Run all study layers from the map.

Figure 19: Run a study from the planner map

Once the study is initiated, the blue Run all study layers button will display a “Computing …” message until the study is complete.

Figure 20: Computing study

Coverage Options

When a study completes, coverage display options are available for selection. To view options, click the View overlays icon on the left-hand side of the map screen and then click Coverage.

Figure 21: Planner coverage options

A list of options is shown on the left. Click the eye icon to the right of each option to select or unselect it. Right mouse click on any unneeded line items and select Delete data raster. To save the results, click the date and time and then right mouse and choose Save all viewable.

Figure 22: Select and save coverage view options

Display Clutter Heat Map

To display the clutter heat map, click on the Select coverage drop-down menu on the top right-hand side of the map view and select the desired band and option.

Figure 23: Display Clutter Heat Map

Figure 24: Initial clutter display

If desired, you can toggle between a map view and satellite view. To toggle the view, click on the Satellite image in the lower left-hand side of the screen.

Figure 25: Toggle between satellite and street map view

Displaying the Received Power Heat Map

To view the heat map for received power, click the Coverage overlays icon on the left-hand side of the window, then click the Coverage tab.

Figure 26: Open the Coverage settings

Note: there are two unneeded items in the layers list and will be shown in gray. Right click each line item and select Delete data raster to remove them.

Figure 27: Delete unused data rasters

Each item in this list refers to a specific overlay that can be shown on the map. To enable an overlay, click the struck eye icon.

Figure 28: Enable map overlays

Initial Clutter Data Display

The initial heat map will have a color-coded legend in the top right corner. This shows the relationship between heat map color and specific received power settings.

Figure 29: Initial clutter data display

Creating a Custom Coverage Heat Map

Google Network Planner allows for customizing heat maps for received power. To create a custom heat map, make sure Received power has been selected on the map.

Note: for accurate results, these values must be edited to reflect Tarana-specific values.

Hover the mouse over the Received Power legend in the upper right and click Edit.

Figure 30: Open heat chart legend settings

In the Intervals section, click Custom to display the current mapping of received power to colors and modify as desired.

Figure 31: Edit (sync) RSSI values

To add a new color bucket, click the three dots next to a color and click Add bucket above or below.

Figure 32: Create a new custom color for the heat map

To modify the received signal (RSSI) values mapped to each color, click the value next to the colors. A recommended mapping for Tarana is shown below. A picture of this mapping is available in the companion resource files and Appendix A: MCS Index at the end of this document.

Figure 33: Creating custom RSSI values

Summary

Once the steps covered in this document have been performed, the final coverage heat map is ready for analysis and use. The final project should have Tarana antennas, all sites and sectors, frequencies, and the correct heat map settings as shown below.

Figure 34: Final coverage map

Appendix A: MCS Index