What is the AW12?
The AW12 is a complete radio modem device that operates on all AT&T bands and directly connects to PCs, Routers, and other equipment to create a broadband connection.
Does the AW12 operate with carriers other than AT&T?
No. The AW12 has been designed for exclusive use on the FirstNet and AT&T networks on all standard AT&T bands. By US regulations, the HPUE feature is only available on LTE Band 14 which is exclusively used by FirstNet and AT&T.
What is the output power of the AW12?
The AW12 provides HPUE operation (Power Class 1, +31 dBm) on AT&T/FirstNet LTE Band 14 and standard transmit power (Power Class 3, +23 dBm) on all other AT&T bands. The additional power on Band 14 greatly improves the range, coverage, uplink data speeds and overall connectivity of the AW12. Note that the actual output power of the AW12 is always under the full control of the connected cellular network and varies in real time to optimize the signal being received at the base station.
What operational improvements should be noticed when using the AW12?
AW12 users should expect better range, coverage, uplink speeds, and connectivity. The HPUE FAQ section gives more detailed information on the benefits of HPUE in various operational scenarios.
What is the input power for the AW12?
The AW12 operates from a nominal 5-12 VDC supply. Note that standard USB connections do not have the sufficient current capability to power the AW12 in high power modes so that a separate DC power supply (minimum 15W) is required. A 9 ft. vehicle power cable is included with the AW12. The companion AW12-EI is available to power the AW12 from 9 – 36V DC sources or PoE sources. An AC Power Supply (model AW12-DE-ACC) is also available.
What type of usb connection is required for the AW12?
The AW12 uses USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connection to operate at full Cat12 data speeds. The AW12 is compatible with USB 2.0 connections.
Does a PC or laptop connected to an AW12 require any special drivers or software?
Windows PCs will require downloading a free driver that can be found on the support page of our website at www.assured-wireless.com/support. Many Linux distributions natively support the AW12. After the driver is active the AW12 connection status can be viewed through the standard wireless connection manager. After the connection is established the AW12 will operate as would any Wi-Fi or other Internet connection.
What antenna connectors are provided on the AW12?
The AW12 has four standard SMA-type RF connectors. They are labeled as follows:
| PRI | This is the Primary LTE antenna port for all bands except Band 14 |
| B14 | This is the HPUE port for Band 14 only |
| DIV | This is the LTE Diversity antenna port for all bands |
| GNSS | This is the antenna port for the GPS antenna |
When connecting the AW12 to the antenna, always make sure that the appropriate leads from the antenna are connected to the appropriate RF connectors to avoid damage to the AW12 or antenna. See the list of certified antennas on Assured Wireless Support page that we have tested for compatibility with the AW12.
The GNSS SPA Connector provides both the RF and power connection to the external, active GNSS/GPS antenna.
Does the AW12 need its own SIM card?
Yes, the AW12 requires its own 3FF Micro SIM card. Follow the instructions in the Quick Start Guide to insert it. You should contact your FirstNet or AT&T Sales Representative, Authorized Dealer or Reseller for more information.
Does the network know that the connected AW12 has high power capability?
Yes. An HPUE-provisioned AW12 automatically identifies to base stations that it has HPUE capability.
What antennas have been tested and approved for use with the AW12?
We carefully curate antennas to work with AW12. Please see our support page for the latest list of approved antennas: www.assured-wireless.com/support
How should the HPUE antenna be situated compared to existing antennas?
To avoid interference, we recommend that the LTE antenna connected to the AW12 be physically separated by a meter (three feet) or more from existing LTE or LMR antennas on the rooftop of a vehicle.
Is HPUE safe to use?
Yes. The output power of our HPUE devices is 1.25 Watts maximum and is below the output power of 700 MHz LMR radios whose antennas are also often on the roof of Public Safety vehicles.
Aw12-Ei Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AW12-EI?
The AW12-EI is a companion product that provides an ethernet port and power conditioning to the AW12 device.
What kind of Ethernet connection does the AW12-EI provide?
The AW12-EI provides a high speed (Gigabit) Ethernet connection to the associated router, switch or other connected network device using a standard RJ-45 connector. It is also capable of PoE (Power over Ethernet) capability (see below).
What is the operating voltage range of the AW12-EI?
The AW12-EI has an extended DC input voltage range of 9 to 36 VDC providing protection from vehicular voltage transients. In addition, the AW12-EI also has the capability to accept operating power from PoE (Power over Ethernet) sources.
What are the PoE requirements of the AW12-EI?
When PoE operation of the AW12-EI is needed, care must be taken to assure that the power source meets IEEE 802.3at Type-2 PoE specifications, also known as PoE+. This ensures the connected PoE device has sufficient capability to provide the necessary DC power (up to 25 Watts) for full HPUE operation of the associated AW12.
What do the led status colors on the AW12-EI mean?
The multi-color LED on the AW12-EI provides invaluable data on the connection status of the associated AW-12 HPUE Modem:
Blue = Initialization
Flashing Red = Data connection error. Check that a properly provisioned SIM has been inserted.
Solid Red = No SIM is installed
Flashing Green = Connecting
Solid Green = Attached to the network
