Ask The Expert: How can I get more from SwiftBroadband connection?

The EMS SATCOM Customer Service Team Gets into the Details of Some of Your Frequently Asked Questions

Product Support representative WILSON (WEIJIAN) JIANG illustrates how to configure separate PDP contexts with SwiftBroadband to provide better performance.

Enabling a second PDP context on a High-speed Data Terminal (HSD transceiver) with SwiftBroadband service, allows the IP traffic from connected equipment (for example a router but in this case a Laptop) to be directed through different PDP contexts using distinct Qualities of Service. For example, the VoIP traffic can be configured to operate over a second PDP context with a guaranteed bandwidth of 128Kbps while Web browser traffic is delivered through a primary PDP context operating in the background. This configuration provides better performance for simultaneous applications.

The following illustrates how to set-up and test a second PDP context on an eNfusion HSD transceiver with SwiftBroadband.

01. First you need to set your PC to a Static IP.
Here are the steps:

• From Windows XP, open the Control Panel and double-click Network Connections.
  
  
  
• Right click on Local Area Connection and select Properties
  
  
• Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties. Select Use the following IP address and enter the info as shown above. Click OK. Close all windows except Network Connections by clicking OK

• Using the Windows Network Wizard we create a Background session.
  
  
  
• In your open Network Connections window click Create a new connection. The New Connection Wizard window opens. Click Next.  
• Ensure that Connect to the Internet is selected and click Next.
  
  
  
• Select Set-up my connection manually. Click Next.
• Select Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password. Click Next.  
• In the ISP Name text box, type HSD. Click Next.
  
• Ensure that Anyone’s use is selected. Click Next.
• Type the correct User name and Password. Click Next.
• Click Finish. The Wizard window closes. Open another window:
  
• Click on the Properties tab. In the Service name textbox, type the following service string: BGAN:BACKGROUND@APN=[service provider name].bgan.inmarsat.com. Click OK. The previous window appears, click Connect. The primary PDP context is now defined as a background BGAN connection.

• Be sure your laptop is connected to Ethernet port on the eNfusion HSD transceiver.
• You can verify the connection between your laptop and the HSD transceiver by sending “ping 192.168.0.1” from the DOS window.
  
  
• Use HyperTerminal or another telnet client (VT-100) to login into the HSD transceiver:
  
  host IP = 192.168.0.1 (dataIO card), port=22222
• From the HSD transceiver, type or paste the following AT commands to define the second PDP context and create a 128K stream:
  
  AT_IPDPS=<IP ADDRESS FROM SBB:BACKGROUND>
  AT+CGDSCONT=2,1,0,0 AT+CGFTF=2,1,2,,17
  AT+CGEQREQ=2,1,128,128,128,128
  AT+CGACT=1,2
• This defines the traffic filter and directs any UDP packets  (17)  to use this secondary PDP. Each line will echo an OK.

• If the secondary PDP context hasn’t been set-up, your VoIP quality will suffer when the FTP download is started because the two streams of internet traffic are going through the primary PDT context; however,
• Once the secondary PDP context is established, you will notice your VoIP quality will remain high quality whether traffic on the primary PDP context is heavy or light because the VoIP traffic is now in UDP (protocol 17) and is being delivered through the secondary PDP context which has been configured to offer a guaranteed minimum bandwidth of 128Kbps.

To learn more or get assistance on how to set-up a secondary PDP context, contact Product Support at +1 (888) 300-7415.