User Manual

Building Automation User’s Guide 1-3
General Network Characteristics
• WebGen Controller, model: Web-i
• Tridium Controller, model: JACE-403
Gateway Server
Millennial Net’s Gateway Server translates messages from the controller’s RS-485 port to
Millennial Net packets for wireless transmission to a thermostat’s Sub-base Router and vice
versa. The Gateway Server also manages the wireless network.
Sub-base Router (mounted to back of thermostats)
Millennial Net’s Sub-base Router provides each thermostat with wireless communications.
The Sub-base Router converts data on the thermostat’s RS-485 line to/from Millennial Net
packets.
Standalone Router
Millennial Net’s Standalone Router is used in applications requiring increased distances
between Sub-base Routers, Sub-base Router(s) and the Gateway Server, or to circumvent
obstacles preventing good wireless communications.
General Network Characteristics
Characteristics of the Building Automation system include the following:
• Communication path: Messages are passed from i-Bean node to i-Bean node until they
reach their destination, extending the range and allowing for routing around obstacles.
Up to six intermediate i-Bean nodes (Sub-base Routers or Standalone Routers) can hop the
signal from source to destination.
• Range: Typically, 20 meters maximum between any of the i-Bean nodes. This value is
based on a same-floor application, in which all the devices are on one floor without any
obstacles between them. The actual distances between devices will vary depending on
environmental issues, such as the number of floors between devices, construction
material, etc.
• Number of thermostats: Up to seven thermostats and seven Sub-base Routers and/or
Standalone Routers can be used in a wireless network with one controller and one
Gateway Server.
• Polling rate: Typically, from two to three nodes (Sub-base Routers with attached
thermostats or Standalone Routers) per second, depending on network topology. A star
network topology, in which Sub-base Routers or Standalone Routers are only one or two
hops from the Gateway Server, supports a higher polling rate than a linear topology, in
which the furthest node is reached through several hops. For more information on
different network topologies, refer to ’i-Bean Network Overview’ on page 1-4.
• Radio frequency: i-Bean network nodes use the license-free 916 MHz band.
• FCC Compliance: All radio components are designed to be compliant with FCC 15.249.