Difference between revisions of "N320/N321"

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m (PPS - Pulse Per Second: minor language fix)
(RF Specifications: add quick info about phase coherence)
 
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* Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
 
* Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
 
* 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
 
* 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
* 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range
+
* 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range [NOTE: phase coherence requires minimum of 450 MHz RF center frequency]
 
* Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
 
* Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
 
* Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
 
* Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
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* Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
 
* Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
 
* 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
 
* 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
* 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range
+
* 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range [NOTE: phase coherence requires minimum of 450 MHz RF center frequency]
 
* Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
 
* Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
 
* Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
 
* Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
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** 4100 – 6000 MHz
 
** 4100 – 6000 MHz
  
* External LO Frequency Range: 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
+
* External LO Frequency Range (required for phase coherence): 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:80%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:80%"
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** 4500 – 6000 MHz
 
** 4500 – 6000 MHz
  
* External LO Frequency Range: 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
+
* External LO Frequency Range (required for phase coherence): 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:80%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:80%"
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* '''REF IN''': Reference clock input
 
* '''REF IN''': Reference clock input
 
* '''PPS/TRIG IN''': Input port for the PPS signal
 
* '''PPS/TRIG IN''': Input port for the PPS signal
* '''TRIG OUT''': Output port for the exported reference clock
+
* '''TRIG OUT''': Output port for the exported PPS signal
 
* '''PWR''': Connector for the USRP N320 Series power supply
 
* '''PWR''': Connector for the USRP N320 Series power supply
  
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===Ref Clock - 10 MHz===
 
===Ref Clock - 10 MHz===
  
Using an external 10 MHz reference clock, a square wave will offer the best phase noise performance, but a sinusoid is acceptable. The power level of the reference clock cannot exceed +10 dBm.
+
An external 10 MHz reference clock may be used. The optimal signal is a square wave as created by the [https://kb.ettus.com/OctoClock_CDA-2990 OctoClock/CDDA-2990]. The input signal power level of the reference clock must not exceed +15 dBm.
  
 
===PPS - Pulse Per Second===
 
===PPS - Pulse Per Second===
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==Option: USRP N320/N321 Rackmount==
 
==Option: USRP N320/N321 Rackmount==
  
The USRP N320/N321 was designed to be used with a [https://www.ettus.com/all-products/n3xx-rack-mount/ 1U Rackmount Assembly] for building high-density MIMO systems in a compact and well-organized setup. This mount ''requires'' two compatible USRPs, and provides rubber standoffs between the USRPs to avoid both direct contact and surface scratching. If the user will be developing in a laboratory environment or building a high-channel count USRP system, then a 1U Rackmount Assembly is highly recommended. This specific mount is compatible with only the USRP N300, N310, N320, and N321, and allows the integration of up to eight bidirectional RF channels per 1U.
+
The USRP N320/N321 was designed to be used with a [https://www.ettus.com/all-products/n3xx-rack-mount/ 1U Rackmount Assembly] for building high-density MIMO systems in a compact and well-organized setup. This mount ''requires'' two compatible USRPs, and provides rubber standoffs between the USRPs to avoid both direct contact and surface scratching. If the user will be developing in a laboratory environment or building a high-channel count USRP system, then a 1U Rackmount Assembly is highly recommended. This specific mount is compatible with only the USRP N300, N310, N320, and N321, and allows the integration of up to eight bidirectional RF channels per 1U. NOTE that this mount places the USRPs side-by-side which can increase the thermal load on one of the 2 devices. In this setup, make sure the ambient environment is well cooled and ventilated to remove excess heat.
  
 
==Guidance on SFP+ Adapters for Fiber Connectivity on USRP N320/N321==
 
==Guidance on SFP+ Adapters for Fiber Connectivity on USRP N320/N321==

Latest revision as of 11:12, 7 November 2024

Notice

When you receive a brand-new device, it is strongly recommended that you download the most recent filesystem image from the Ettus Research website and write it to the SD card that comes with the unit. It is not recommended that you use the SD card from the factory as-is. Instructions on downloading the latest filesystem image and writing it to the SD card are listed below.

Note that if you are operating the device in Network Mode, then the versions of UHD running on the host computer and on the USRP N320/N321 device must match.

Device Overview

The USRP N320 is a networked software defined radio that provides reliability and fault-tolerance for deployment in large scale and distributed wireless systems. This is a high performance SDR that uses a unique RF design by Ettus Research to provide 2 RX and 2 TX channels in a half-wide RU form factor. Each channel provides up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth, and covers a frequency range from 3 MHz to 6 GHz. The baseband processor uses the Xilinx Zynq-7100 SoC to deliver a large user programmable FPGA for real-time, low latency processing and a dual-core ARM CPU for stand-alone operation.Support for 1 GbE, 10 GbE, and Aurora interfaces over two SFP+ ports and 1 QSFP+ port enables high throughput IQ streaming to a host PC or FPGA coprocessor. A flexible synchronization architecture with support for LO sharing for TX and RX, 10 MHz clock reference, PPS time reference, GPSDO, and White Rabbit enables implementation of phase coherent MIMO testbeds. The USRP N320 leverages recent software developments in UHD to simplify control and management of multiple devices over the network with the unique capability to remotely administrate tasks such as debugging, updating software, rebooting, resetting to factory state, and monitoring system health.

Key Features

N320

  • Xilinx Zynq-7100 FPGA SoC
  • Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
  • 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
  • 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range [NOTE: phase coherence requires minimum of 450 MHz RF center frequency]
  • Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
  • Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
  • 14 bit ADC, 16 bit DAC
  • Configurable sample rates: 200, 245.76, 250 MS/s
  • Two SFP+ ports (1 GbE, 10 GbE, Aurora, White Rabbit)
  • One QSFP+ port ( 2x 10Gb / Aurora )
  • RJ45 (1 GbE)
  • 10 MHz clock reference
  • PPS time reference
  • External RX, TX LO input ports
  • Built-in GPSDO
  • 1 Type A USB host port
  • 1 micro-USB port (serial console, JTAG)
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2
  • Watchdog timer
  • OpenEmbedded Linux
  • Reliable and fault-tolerant deployment
  • Remote management capability
  • Stand-alone operation
n320 kit.png

N321

  • Xilinx Zynq-7100 FPGA SoC
  • Dual-core ARM A9 800 MHz CPU
  • 2 RX, 2 TX in half-wide RU form factor
  • 3 MHz – 6 GHz frequency range [NOTE: phase coherence requires minimum of 450 MHz RF center frequency]
  • Up to 200 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth per channel
  • Sub-octave RX, TX filter bank
  • 14 bit ADC, 16 bit DAC
  • Configurable sample rates: 200, 245.76, 250 MS/s
  • Two SFP+ ports (1 GbE, 10 GbE, Aurora, White Rabbit)
  • One QSFP+ port ( 2x 10Gb / Aurora )
  • RJ45 (1 GbE)
  • 10 MHz clock reference
  • PPS time reference
  • External RX, TX LO input ports
  • LO Distribution for up to 128x128 MIMO
  • Built-in GPSDO
  • 1 Type A USB host port
  • 1 micro-USB port (serial console, JTAG)
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2
  • Watchdog timer
  • OpenEmbedded Linux
  • Reliable and fault-tolerant deployment
  • Remote management capability
  • Stand-alone operation
n321 kit.png


RF Specifications

Transmitter

  • Number of channels: 2
  • Frequency Range: 3 MHz to 6 GHz
  • Maximum instantaneous bandwidth: 200 MHz
  • Maximum output power (P​ out​ ): See Table 1
  • Gain range
    • 0 dB to 60 dB (1 MHz to 6 GHz)
  • Gain step: 1 dB
  • Supported I/Q sample rates:
    • 200 MHz, 245.76 MHz, 250 MHz
  • Output third-order intercept (OIP3) See Table 2
  • Tuning Time: 245 us
  • TX/RX Switching Time: 750 ns
  • Filter Banks
    • 450 – 650 MHz
    • 650 – 1000 MHz
    • 1000 – 1350 MHz
    • 1350 – 1900 MHz
    • 1900 – 3000 MHz
    • 3000 – 4100 MHz
    • 4100 – 6000 MHz
  • External LO Frequency Range (required for phase coherence): 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
Frequency Maximum Output Power
3 MHz - 450 MHz +10 dBm
450 MHz - 1000 MHz +20 dBm
1 GHz - 4.25 GHz +18 dBm
4.25 GHz - 6 GHz +15 dBm

Table 1: Maximum Output Power

Frequency Output Third-Order Intercept (OIP3)
3 MHz - 450 MHz > 15 dBm
450 MHz - 1.6 GHz > 28 dBm
1.6 GHz - 5.8 GHz > 25 dBm
5.8 GHz - 6.0 GHz > 23 dBm

Table 2: Output Third-Order Intercept (OIP3)


Frequency Offset 1.0 GHz 2.0 GHz 3.0 GHz 5.5 GHz
10 kHz -117 -110 -108 -103
100 kHz -117 -110 -108 -104
1 MHz -145 -137 -135 -130

Table 3: TX Phase Noise (dBc/Hz)



Receiver

  • Number of channels: 2
  • Frequency Range: 3 MHz to 6 GHz
  • Maximum instantaneous bandwidth: 200 MHz
  • Gain range
    • 0 dB to 60 dB (1 MHz to 6 GHz)
  • Gain step: 1 dB
  • Maximum recommended input power (P​ in​ ) 1 dB: -15 dBm
  • Noise figure: See Table 3
  • Third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) See Table 4
  • Supported I/Q sample rates
    • 200 MHz, 245.76 MHz, 250 MHz
  • Tuning Time: 245 us
  • TX/RX Switching Time: 750 ns
  • Filter Banks
    • 450 – 760 MHz
    • 760 – 1100 MHz
    • 1100 – 1410 MHz
    • 1410 – 2050 MHz
    • 2050– 3000 MHz
    • 3000 – 4500 MHz
    • 4500 – 6000 MHz
  • External LO Frequency Range (required for phase coherence): 450 MHz - 6.0 GHz
Frequency TX/RX Port Noise Figure RX2 Port Noise Figure
< 800 MHz 11.0 dB 10.0 dB
800 MHz - 1.8 GHz 6.5 dB 5.5 dB
1.8 GHz - 2.8 GHz 7.0 dB 6.0 dB
2.8 GHz - 3.8 GHz 7.5 dB 6.5 dB
3.8 GHz - 5.0 GHz 8.5 dB 7.5 dB
5.0 GHz - 6.0 GHz 11.0 dB 10.0 dB

Table 3: RX Noise Figure


Frequency RX Input Third-Order Intercept (IIP3) (dBm)
450 MHz - 1.0 GHz > 13 dBm
1.0 GHz - 4.5 GHz > 17 dBm
4.5 GHz - 6.0 GHz > 16 dBm

Table 4: RX Input Third-Order Intercept (IIP3) (dBm)

Onboard DRAM

  • DDR3 Memory size
    • 2,048 MB (PL)
    • 1,024 MB (PS)

Power

You must use either the Level VI Efficiency power supply provided in the shipping kit, or another UL listed ITE power supply marked ​LPS, with the USRP N320/N321.

  • Input voltage: 12 VDC
  • Input current: 7.0 A, maximum
  • Typical power consumption: 60 W to 75 W, varies by application

Hardware Specifications

  • Ettus Research recommends to always use the latest stable version of UHD
  • If you need to clean the module, wipe it with a dry towel.

N320

  • Current Hardware Revision: A
  • Minimum version of UHD required: 3.14.0.0
  • Due to product compliance restrictions on products with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) components to a few countries, the USRP N320/N321 is available in two variants:
    • Standard variant with TPM
    • Non-TPM variant

N321

  • Current Hardware Revision: A
  • Minimum version of UHD required: 3.14.0.0
  • Due to product compliance restrictions on products with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) components to a few countries, the USRP N320/N321 is available in two variants:
    • Standard variant with TPM
    • Non-TPM variant

Clocking and Sampling Rates

There are three master clock rates (MCR) supported on the N320/N321: 200 MHz, 245.76 MHz, 250 MHz

The sampling rate must be an integer decimation rate of the MCR. Ideally, this decimation factor should be an even number. An odd decimation factor will result in additional unwanted attenuation (roll-off from the CIC filter in the DUC and DDC blocks in the FPGA). The valid decimation rates are between 1 and 1024.

If the desired sampling rate is not directly supported by the hardware, then it will be necessary to re-sample in software. This can be done in C++ using libraries such as Liquid DSP [1], or can be done in GNU Radio, in which there are three blocks that perform sampling rate conversion.

Physical Specifications

Dimensions

(L × W × H)

  • 35.71 cm × 21.11 cm × 4.37 cm
  • 14.06 in. × 8.31 in. × 1.72 in.

Weight

  • 3.13 kg

Drawings

N320

N321

CAD/STP Models

Environmental Specifications

Operating Temperature Range

  • N320 / N321: 0 to 50 °C

Storage Temperature Range

  • N320 / N321: -40 to 70 °C

Operating Humidity Range

  • 10% to 90% non-condensing

Schematics

N320/N321

GPSDO

  • Support GPSDO NMEA Strings

Sensors

You can query the lock status with the gps_locked sensor, as well as obtain raw NMEA sentences using the gps_gprmc, and gps_gpgga sensors. Location information can be parsed out of the gps_gpgga sensor by using gpsd or another NMEA parser.


Specifications

Module Specifications
1 PPS Timing Accuracy from GPS receiver <8ns to UTC RMS (1-Sigma) GPS Locked
Holdover Stability (1 week with GPS) <±50us over 3 Hour Period @+25°C (No Motion, No Airflow)
1 PPS Output 3.3VDC CMOS
Serial Port TTL Level, GPS NMEA Output with 1Hz or 5Hz update rate, Integrated into UHD
GPS Frequency L1, C/A 1574MHz
GPS Antenna Active (3V compatible) or Passive (0dB to +30dB gain)
GPS Receiver 65 Channels, QZSS, SBAS WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS capable

Supports Position and Hold over-determined clock mode

Sensitivity Acquisition -148dBm, Tracking -165dBm
TTFF Cold Start: <32 sec, Warm Start: 1 sec, Hot Start: 1 sec
ADEV 10s: <7E-011

10Ks: <2E-012 (GPS Locked, 25°C, no motion, no airflow)

Warm Up Time / Stabilization Time <10 min at +25C to 1E-09 Accuracy
Supply Voltage (Vdd) 3.3V Single-Supply, +0.2V/-0.15V
Power Consumption <0.16W
Operating Temperature -10°C to +70°C
Storage Temperature -45C to 85C
Oscillator Specifications (internal)
Frequency Output of low Phase Noise crystal 20MHz CMOS 3Vpp
20MHz Retrace ±2E-08 After 1 Hour @ +25°C without GPS
RF Output Amplitude 3Vpp CMOS
20MHz Phase Jitter (100Hz to 10MHz) <0.135ps rms
Frequency Stability Over Temperature (0°C to +60°C) ±0.1ppm (internal TCXO without GPS)
Warm Up Time < 1 min at +25C
Phase Noise at 20MHz 1Hz -65 dBc/Hz
10Hz -97 dBc/Hz
100Hz -116 dBc/Hz
1kHz -136 dBc/Hz
10kHz <-148 dBc/Hz
100 kHz <-155 dBc/Hz

Datasheet

FPGA

FPGA User Modifications

The Verilog code for the FPGA in the USRP N320/N321 is open-source, and users are free to modify and customize it for their needs. However, certain modifications may result in either bricking the device, or even in physical damage to the unit. Specifically, changing the I/O interface of the FPGA in any way, or modifying the pin and timing constraint files, could result in physical damage to other components on the motherboard, external to the FPGA, and doing this will void the warranty. The constraint files should not be modified. Please note that modifications to the FPGA are made at the risk of the user, and may not be covered by the warranty of the device.

Interfaces and Connectivity

N320

Front Panel

  • PWR: Power switch
  • RF 0 Group
    • TX/RX SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the TX/RX channel on daughterboard 0, channel 0
    • RX2 SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the RX2 channel on daughterboard 0, channel 0
  • RF 1 Group
    • TX/RX SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the TX/RX channel on daughterboard 1, channel 0.
    • RX2 SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the RX2 channel on daughterboard 1, channel 0
  • LO IN
    • TX: Input port for TX LO. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
    • RX: Input port for RX LO of Daughterboard 0. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
  • GPIO
    • GPIO: DB15 GPIO Interface. Additional details below.


N320 Front.png


Rear Panel

  • GPS ANT: Connection for the GPS antenna
  • REF IN: Reference clock input
  • PPS/TRIG IN: Input port for the PPS signal
  • TRIG OUT: Output port for the exported PPS signal
  • PWR: Connector for the USRP N320 Series power supply
  • RESET: Input button to reset device
  • MicroSD: MicroSD Card for OE Linux File System
  • Console JTAG: Micro USB connector for the on-board USB-JTAG programmer as well as TTY login to the console
  • USB 2.0: Host USB connector to ARM CPU
  • SFP+: 1/10Gb SFP+ ports for Ethernet interfaces
  • QSFP+: QSFP+ port for Ethernet interfaces (2 x 10Gb lanes)
  • 10/1000/1000: 10/100/1000 Mb Ethernet interface to ARM CPU
N320 Rear.png

Front Panel GPIO (N320 Only)

The GPIO port is not meant to drive big loads. You should not try to source more than 5mA per pin.

The +3.3V is for ESD clamping purposes only and not designed to deliver high currents.

Power on state

The hardware power on state and UHD initial state for the front-panel GPIOs is high-Z. For the N320, there are no external pull-ups/pull-downs for the GPIO pins, but the FPGAs do have them and they are configured as follows: pull-down.

Pin Mapping
  • Pin 1: +3.3V
  • Pin 2: Data[0]
  • Pin 3: Data[1]
  • Pin 4: Data[2]
  • Pin 5: Data[3]
  • Pin 6: Data[4]
  • Pin 7: Data[5]
  • Pin 8: Data[6]
  • Pin 9: Data[7]
  • Pin 10: Data[8]
  • Pin 11: Data[9]
  • Pin 12: Data[10]
  • Pin 13: Data[11]
  • Pin 14: 0V
  • Pin 15: 0V

Note: Please see the E3x0/X3x0/N3x0 GPIO API for information on configuring and using the GPIO bus.

N321

Front Panel

  • PWR: Power switch
  • RF 0 Group
    • TX/RX SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the TX/RX channel on daughterboard 0, channel 0
    • RX2 SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the RX2 channel on daughterboard 0, channel 0
  • RF 1 Group
    • TX/RX SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the TX/RX channel on daughterboard 1, channel 0.
    • RX2 SMA/LED: RF Input Port / Indicates that data is streaming on the RX2 channel on daughterboard 1, channel 0
  • TX LO
    • IN0: Input port for TX LO. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
    • IN1: Input port for TX LO. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
    • OUT0-3: TX LO Outputs from 1:4 splitter
  • RX LO
    • IN0: Input port for RX LO of Daughterboard 0. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
    • IN1: Input port for RX LO of Daughterboard 0. Supported LO frequency range is from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. External LO inputs below 450 MHz are not supported. The LO input signal level should be +5 dBm, but may be between +3 dBm and +7 dBm.
    • OUT0-3: RX LO Outputs from 1:4 splitter
N321 Front.png

Rear Panel

  • GPS ANT: Connection for the GPS antenna
  • REF IN: Reference clock input
  • PPS/TRIG IN: Input port for the PPS signal
  • TRIG OUT: Output port for the exported reference clock
  • PWR: Connector for the USRP N320 Series power supply
  • RESET: Input button to reset device
  • MicroSD: MicroSD Card for OE Linux File System
  • JTAG: Micro USB connector for the on-board USB-JTAG programmer
  • USB 2.0: Host USB connector to ARM CPU
  • SFP+: 1/10Gb SFP+ ports for Ethernet interfaces
  • QSFP+: QSFP+ port for Ethernet interfaces (2 x 10Gb lanes)
  • 10/1000/1000: 10/100/1000 Mb Ethernet interface to ARM CPU
N321 Rear.png

Ref Clock - 10 MHz

An external 10 MHz reference clock may be used. The optimal signal is a square wave as created by the OctoClock/CDDA-2990. The input signal power level of the reference clock must not exceed +15 dBm.

PPS - Pulse Per Second

Using a PPS signal for timestamp synchronization requires a square wave signal with 5 Vpp amplitude.

To test the PPS input, you can use the following tool from the UHD examples:

  • <args> are device address arguments (optional if only one USRP device is on your machine)
   cd <install-path>/lib/uhd/examples ./test_pps_input –args=<args>

Certifications

RoHS

As of December 1st, 2010 all Ettus Research products are RoHS compliant unless otherwise noted. More information can be found at http://ettus.com/legal/rohs-information

China RoHS

Management Methods for Controlling Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products Regulation

Chinese Customers

National Instruments is in compliance with the Chinese policy on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) used in Electronic Information Products. For more information about the National Instruments China RoHS compliance, visit ni.com/environment/rohs_china.

Certificate of Volatility

Found on the NI Product Certifications lookup tool here.

Downloads

FPGA Resources

UHD Stable Binaries

UHD Source Code on Github

Choosing a Host Interface

10 Gigabit Ethernet

Recommended 10 Gigabit Ethernet Cards

International Power Supply Options

The power supply provided with the USRP N320 kit is packaged with a power cord that is compatible with power outlets in the US/Japan. If you are not using the USRP N320 in the US/Japan, we recommend purchasing the International USRP N320 Power Cord set.

Option: USRP N320/N321 Rackmount

The USRP N320/N321 was designed to be used with a 1U Rackmount Assembly for building high-density MIMO systems in a compact and well-organized setup. This mount requires two compatible USRPs, and provides rubber standoffs between the USRPs to avoid both direct contact and surface scratching. If the user will be developing in a laboratory environment or building a high-channel count USRP system, then a 1U Rackmount Assembly is highly recommended. This specific mount is compatible with only the USRP N300, N310, N320, and N321, and allows the integration of up to eight bidirectional RF channels per 1U. NOTE that this mount places the USRPs side-by-side which can increase the thermal load on one of the 2 devices. In this setup, make sure the ambient environment is well cooled and ventilated to remove excess heat.

Guidance on SFP+ Adapters for Fiber Connectivity on USRP N320/N321

Ettus Research currently offers direct-connect, copper cabling accessories for the USRP N320/N321. However, it is also possible to use multi-mode fiber instead of copper connections for these devices. In this section, we will provide general guidance on the types of fiber adapters and cables that can be used with these products.

The USRP N320/N321 USRP is compatible with most brands of SFP+ fiber adapters. In some cases, other equipment in the systems such as 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet switches are only compatible with specific brands of SFP+ adapters and cables. As a general rule, we recommend checking compatibility with the switches and network cards in your system before purchasing an adapter.

Ettus Research does test the USRP N320/N321 USRP devices with our 10 Gigabit Ethernet Connectivity Kit and a Blade Networks G8124 1/10 GigE switch. Here are is a list of known-good cables and adapters.

Ettus Research has only tested multi-mode fiber accessories.

Known-Good Adapters

Known-Good Cables


Guidance on 10Gb SFP+ to RJ45 Adapters

Many new motherboards come equipped with an onboard 10Gb RJ45 NIC. It is possible to use a SFP+ to RJ45 adapter and operate at 10Gb speeds using a Cat6/7 Ethernet cables.

Ettus Research has tested the adapters linked below.

Known-Good Adapters