disabling card remotely

[bobbyc]

Hi, is there a way to disable a 4th card by the software, like not send power to it? We would like to store a 4th card in the cpu.... we have a hilltop with a sector antenna that has no customers on it... but we would like to keep it powered down until we need to activate it remotely when we finally have a customer to install in that sector.
Thanks, Bob C

[lonnie]

Not as we have implemented the software. It might be possible, so we will take a look.

My guess is that you would be wise to just have it live and ready to go. At some point you have to supply the power and deal with its output, so it might as well just be ready.

[bobbyc]

Thanks, that is what we will probalby do, and then use a 1, 4, 7, 11 on that tower until we get some 5.8 backhaul. Thanks for prompt reply.
Bob C

[Skaught]

I have a soekris with a card in it as a standby. If it happens to be on the same channel as the other card I am concerned speeds will take a hit. Even though the spare is unused and has no antenna on it.

Keeping it powered up is ok, but turning off TX would be ideal.

I was at the site in question last night and associated witht the card with no antenna.

[lonnie]

If it is not connected to anything it would mean you have to go onsite and connect it, so my advice is to leave it unplugged but onsite so it is there if a need arises.

When we have extra units we set them to Infrastructure mode and have them associate with the local AP or some other unit and we simply reprogram as needed. In Infrastructure they do not cause much trouble since they would not pass any traffic.