MDU Workflow

Designer HFC supports the ability to design multi-dwelling units (MDUs). Examples of MDUs are duplexes, townhouses, small shared-tenant services, apartment buildings, and large office buildings.

TIP: MDU support has been added for:

Chaining where one signal exits from one MDU and feeds another.
Back-alley setup where a node inside an MDU feeds non-MDU areas outside.
MDUs being fed from one inside source and one outside source simultaneously.

Use the following workflow to create an MDU in your design:

Click the Backstage icon.
Select New and type a name for the design.
Select a project file and click Create.
Click the Place RF Network icon.
Using the existing stranding (from GIS), click a structure. The cursor will snap to that location and place a node.
Click additional structures until you have finished placing network components, then press Esc.
Click the Draw Footprint icon to begin drawing a polygon to represent the MDU.
Click once in the map to begin drawing the MDU, then click again when you are finished.
Extend stranding into the structure to bring connectivity to the MDU. Click the Place Strand icon.
To establish the MDU's connectivity to the network, create a building access point using the existing stranding. Click the tap nearest the MDU, hover over the perimeter line of the MDU, hold down the X key, and click once to place the building access point. This creates a splice point.
Click the Place RF Network icon.
Select the structure just below the MDU, then click the splice point to connect the RF network to the MDU.
Click the View Footprint icon then click the MDU. This takes you inside the MDU so that you can design the structure.
Create the layout for your MDU by using the Draw Floors tool. If you want to control the number of floors to place, in addition to changing vertical/horizontal alignment, right-click in the MDU before drawing.
Click once in a corner of the MDU to begin drawing, then click again when you are finished drawing floors in the MDU.
Use the Draw Text tool if you want to name each of the floors that you draw.
Click the Place Strand icon.
Click the splice point and extend stranding into the MDU.
Continue adding stranding to the MDU per your design.
To bring connectivity inside the MDU, click the Place RF Network icon.
Click the splice point at the bottom of the MDU then click at the end of one leg of the stranding.
To bring connectivity to the other leg of the network, add a directional coupler above the splice point. Right-click the splice point to invoke the Context Wheel.
When you select Insert, you are prompted to choose placement of the component either upstream or downstream.
Click the appropriate triangle and expand the Directional Coupler list.
Double-click the appropriate DC component to place it in the map.
Click the Place RF Network icon then click the directional coupler that you inserted. Extend the RF network to the end of the other leg.