EMP820 Embedded OEM Mesh Point

Overview

EMP820 Embedded Mesh Points

The Fortress Embedded Mesh Points are designed specifically to integrate into various OEM platforms such as satellite transceivers, video endpoints, smart displays and rugged computers. The Fortress Embedded Mesh Points are custom-designed to meet to physical and performance constraints of the overall system and come in a broad range of form factors, power options and radio configurations.  Integration into OEM platforms allows for system wide optimization of Size, Weight and Power (SWaP).  In addition, it reduces the overall solution cost by eliminating redundant connectors and power supplies.

The Fortress Embedded Mesh Points inherit all the advanced technologies readily available in the ES product family. These technologies include FIPS-140-2, Suite B, FastPath Mesh and industry leading RF performance.  These Embedded Mesh Points allow the OEM to leverage Fortress's system level expertise, proven reliability, and superior performance in use today in the DoD's largest wireless deployments.

Features

Optimal SWaP (Size, Weight, Power & Cost)

Fortress provides the lightest and smallest Mesh Points in the industry, purpose built for frequent transportation and integration into land, sea and air vehicles. Mesh points operate with diverse power sources and have low power consumption requirements. For tactical applications, Size, Weight and Power + Cost (SWaP+C) are critical considerations.

Superior Performance

Fortress Mesh-Points use hardware crypto FPGA and hardware TRNG to provide fast, deterministic performance that is unmatched in the industry. They are equipped with powerful radios that can operate in 802.11 a/b/g/n modes, providing superior range and performance.

Ruggedized for Outdoor and Military Applications

Robust packaging and enhanced RF specifications are crucial to adapting standard Wi-Fi to the harsh and long range conditions typical in tactical wireless deployments and transportable networks. Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) and highest levels of environmental certification are the cornerstone of providing a solution that can withstand the toughest conditions, can survive constant portability, and can be easily embedded in larger systems. Better quality and high power RF enables reliable, high throughput long distance operation required for typical in-theater operational conditions. Fortress solutions are delivered in ruggedized form factors with superior RF hardware and antennas while remaining more cost effective than custom designed technology once typical in secure networks.

Comprehensive Security

The central component of DoD and other sensitive network solutions is the ability to ensure data security at all times and at all levels. Fortress products support the most advanced security implementations in the industry. Using standards based, interoperable and compliant security protocols certified to FIPS-140-2 and upgradable to NSA Suite B cryptography, Fortress is a leader in secure wireless networking. Fortress products are unique in that they support built-in RADIUS, advanced Wi-Fi WPA2 security with EAP-TLS, use a hardware crypto implementation and have a hardware based True Random Number Generator (TRNG) ensuring the richest security with the highest performance.

FastPath Mesh™

Fortress FastPath Mesh technology provides a self-forming, path optimizing, self-healing network architecture designed from the ground up to support truly mobile and often transported networks, elegantly addressing the needs of dynamic tactical networks. FastPath Mesh is link protocol agnostic and utilizes all interfaces and radio links to reach a destination using the lowest cost path. The resulting network is a unique mix of proactive and reactive protocols designed to work together to improve network performance and address moving nodes.
Overlaid on the mesh is end-to-end encryption and capabilities to eliminate multicast/broadcast flooding for improved overall network performance. Fortress’s implementation includes a fully distributed DNS capability and is IPv4 and IPv6 multicast-aware.
ft.icon.fastpath

ft.icon.dfs

...

Dynamic Frequency Selection

Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) allows automatic detection of radar signals and switching to another channel in less than 10 seconds as per the IEEE 802.11h standard. Fortress products are the only solution to support DFS in both Infrastructure and Mesh mode.

MTBF

To ensure products can be deployed for years in tough operating environments where failure is not an option, Fortress products are designed to have a very low failure rate and a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) greater than 100,000 hours or 11 years of continuous operation.
ft.icon.mtbf

ft.icon.cband.v2

4.4 GHz Licensed C Band for US Military and NATO Use

Fortress products can operate in the 4.4 GHz C Band a licensed band allocated to US and NATO military use. Operating at 4.4 GHz in the C Band offers several advantages. 4.4 GHz is a licensed band restricted to military use, so it offers an additional level of security, and less crowded use of the spectrum.

Wi-Fi Alliance

Fortress products are certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance for interoperability including; WPA™- Enterprise and Personal, WPA2™- Enterprise and Personal, and Extensible Authentication Protocols; EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS/MSCHAPv2, PEAPv0/EAP-MSCHAPv2, PEAPv1/EAP-GTC, and EAP-SIM.

Certification

Certification

Fortress Mesh Points are purpose-built to operate in harsh environments and have undergone rigorous independent testing and validation. This includes MIL-STD-810G testing for shock, vibration and temperature, MIL-STD-1275 for vehicle power input, MIL-STD-461F for RF immunity, and IP67 for water and dust resistance. Additionally, Fortress Mesh Points are designed to minimize their unintentional RF signature. They meet MIL-STD-461F for unintentional RF emissions and standards for operation in proximity to personnel, ordinance and fuel.


Made in the USA

Fortress products are designed and manufactured in the USA to maintain the highest levels of quality with oversight to provide manufacturing design assurance. All software or programmable hardware devices are built from source code that is controlled in house.

usa

 


Applications

Typical applications where an Embedded Mesh Point would be an appropriate solution





Expanding the Network through Fortress OEM Integration

Fortress extends its capabilities by offering embedded systems for integration into other equipment manufacturer’s platforms.
Fortress’ flexibility to design embedded mesh point or embedded client solutions into network systems or intelligent device platforms, leverages our core technology and delivers value to our customers and partners. OEM integration partnerships drive incremental utility to existing systems, optimizing SWAP+C and accelerating the adoption of wireless technology more broadly across the market. Fortress designs and controls the entire implementation and collaborates with strategic partners to uniquely adapt and integrate secure wireless mesh capabilities into a variety of solutions.

Read More

Specifications

Mechanical

Dimensions:
• Board: 5.3" x 4.95"

Weight:
• 6 ounces

Environmental

Operating temperature:
• -40⁰C to +70⁰C
  (-40⁰F to +158⁰F)

Storage Temperature:
• -40⁰C to +70⁰C
  (-40⁰F to +158⁰F)

Cooling:
• Convection cooled (no fans)

Humidity:
• 5% - 95% non-condensing

Power

Voltage:
• 10 to 30 VDC
   with built-in power
   conditioner

Interfaces

(via connector)

• 2x 10/100BT
• USB
• Serial
• LED Status (Power, Status,
  Enet1,
Enet1, Radio1, Radio2)
• Control Signals (Power, Blackout
• Mode, RF Kill, Reset, Zeroize)
• Power Connector
• 2x Antenna

Security

FIPS:
• FIPS 140-2 level 2

Encryption:
• AES-CTR-128/192/256
• AES-GCM-128/256
• AES-CCM-128
• WPA2 (802.11i)
• IPsec (Suite B and Legacy)
• NSA Suite B Upgradeable*

Performance

Sustained FIPS
Throughput

50 Mbps

Management

Access:
• Secure Browser-based GUI
• Serial CLI (physical access)
• SSH (Network)
• SNMP monitoring

Indicators:
• Power
• Status
• Ethernet 1 link/activity
• Ethernet 2 link/activity
• Radio 1 activity
• Radio 2 activity
• Crypto

Control via Connector:
• Power
• Blackout Mode
• RF Kill
• Reset
• Zeroization

Networking

IP Compatibility:
• IPv4 and IPv6
• Integrated DHCP and DNS

Wireless:
• Self-forming, self-healing,
  and path optimizing Fortress
  FastPath Mesh™



RF

Two Radios Slots
Supporting Multiple
Radio Options:

• 250mW 802.11 a/b/g/n
• 500mW 802.11 a/n
• 800mW 802.11 n 4.4GHz

Certification

Ready

Safety and Emissions:
• CE, FCC, ETSI, CB Test, IC, RoHS

DFS:
• FCC, ETSI

NIST:
• FIPS 140-2 level 2

Wi-Fi Alliance:
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/WMM

HERO/HERF/HERP:

EMI :
• MIL-STD 461F

Harsh Environments
Shock, Vibration
& Temperature:

• MIL-STD 810G

MTBF:
• 100,000 hrs

Manufacture & Warranty

Manufacturing Origin:
• USA

Warranty:
• Includes 1 year of
  limited warranty

 

 

* NSA Approval Required

Technology

Hardware Crypto FPGA and TRNG

Fortress products deliver much higher performance by using a hardware crypto FPGA that enables fast, deterministic performance to protect against timing attacks. Our hardware-based true random number generator (TRNG) is especially critical for devices that do not have user interaction from which to collect entropy to reliably generate random numbers. A fast, reliable hardware implementation is critical in supporting real-time applications such as encrypted voice and video, as well as scaling to handle increasing application throughput and bandwidth needs. Fortress' cryptographic implementation has passed rigorous examination and been approved by NIST.

ft.icon.hardwareCrypto
ft.icon.suiteB

Suite B Capable

The NSA Suite B initiative is a common set of cryptographic algorithms to create products that meet the widest range of US Government needs. Suite B Cryptography is built on COTS information-assurance products using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and is under evaluation by the NSA to protect information up to the SECRET level. Fortress products are NSA Suite B capable and can be upgraded where approval is achieved.

FastPath Mesh™

Fortress FastPath Mesh technology provides a self-forming, path optimizing, self-healing network architecture designed from the ground up to support truly mobile and often transported networks, elegantly addressing the needs of dynamic tactical networks.

FastPath Mesh is link protocol agnostic and utilizes all interfaces and radio links to reach a destination using the lowest cost path. The resulting network is a unique mix of proactive and reactive protocols designed to work together to improve network performance and address moving nodes.

Overlaid on the mesh is end-to-end encryption and capabilities to eliminate multicast/broadcast flooding for improved overall network performance. Fortress's implementation includes a fully distributed DNS capability and is IPv4 and IPv6 multicast-aware.

ft.icon.fastpath
ft.icon.multicast

Multicast

Fortress FastPath Mesh products are optimized to minimize multicast and broadcast traffic, improving the performance of the network. FastPath Mesh snoops Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) and Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) requests, subscribes to the streams on behalf of the listeners and forwards traffic only on relevant interfaces. Minimizing multicast and broadcast traffic frees up bandwidth for other uses, increased throughput and better latency.

RF Performance

Fortress products offer Industry-leading Wi-Fi range and performance. Using industry standard 802.11 a/b/g and n, Fortress radios operate in the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz Wi-Fi bands and optional 802.11a-type communications in the 4.4 GHz and 4.9 GHz bands. Fortress has demonstrated performance with distances in excess of 32 miles.

ft.icon.rf
ft.icon.mimo

MIMO

Multiple Input – Multiple Output (MIMO) uses several antennas to move multiple data streams from one place to another. Instead of sending and receiving a single stream of data, MIMO can simultaneously transmit multiple data streams. MIMO also utilizes multiple antennas to take advantage of multi-path effects in 802.11 transmissions, as opposed to other 802.11 radios that experience degraded performance due to multipath. MIMO technology greatly improves both the range and capacity of wireless connections, and provides substantially more reliable signal quality and greater bandwidth.

802.11n

802.11n uses MIMO, channel bonding and payload optimization to provide better Wi-Fi performance. MIMO uses several antennas to move multiple data streams from one place to another and offers better performance with multipath signals. Channel bonding, uses two separate nonoverlapping channels to transmit data at the same time. This technique also increases the amount of data that can be transmitted. Payload optimization allows more data to be stuffed into each transmitted packet.

80211n
Photos

Embedded
Embedded

Other Info

Product Datasheet