Picking the right location for your AQ Hub is vitally important because it is the central device of your building that collects and sends all data. Simply put, if your AQ Hub goes down then your whole building goes down.
When installing your Hub (and modem if applicable), there are three main factors to consider: 1. A secure, open space to mount; 2. Your connection to the internet; 3. Wiring your meters
1. A Secure, Open Space To Mount
For your AQ Hub to both receive and send data to the other devices in the building, good radio frequency is required. This means it needs to be away from metallic structures and cannot be mounted inside a metallic box or enclosure.
Leave clearance above to attach your antenna after mounting and, if applicable, room for a modem mounted directly to the right of the modem. If space is too restrictive then a longer ethernet cable can be used (not supplied) to connect to the modem.
Keep the Hub in a restricted area so it cannot be damaged or moved by unauthorized personnel.
2. Connecting the Hub to the Internet
Modem - With this method, you’ll use the modem you were shipped. Clear space is needed to mount the modem directly to the right of the Hub. If your location has bad cell signal then you will need to mount your Hub and Modem elsewhere and use a Bridge to connect to the meters in this location.
Tip: Your Cradlepoint modem will connect to the internet via cellular signal, so test your location's signal strength with your cell phone before deciding where to mount.
OR
Building's internet connection - You’ll connect to your building’s internet with a Cat 5 cable. The Hub uses a few ports to communicate with various services:
>> Port 443 (TCP) for VPN access to allow Aquicore to manage the device
>> Port 123 (UDP) for NTP time synchronization
Tip: Contact your IT department for further assistance.
3. Wiring to meters
If you are connecting meters directly to your Hub it is important to factor in wiring distance. Your wiring should be as short as possible (but can still be up to 4000 ft) and far away from electrical noise.
If you cannot find a location to mount the Hub that has open space, good cell signal, and is close to your meters then you may need to use a Bridge to wire to your meter and install the Hub in a different location.