3Com 3CRWX120695A, Configuration Manual

Page: 274 / 728

274 C
HAPTER
12: C
ONFIGURING
WLAN M
ESH
S
ERVICES
In the illustration, a client is associated with a Mesh AP , which is a MAP
without a wired interface to the network. The Mesh AP is configured to
communicate with a
Mesh Portal AP , a MAP with wired connectivity to a
WX switch.
Communication between the Mesh AP and the Mesh Portal AP takes
place using over a secure radio link (a
Mesh Link ). When associated with
the Mesh AP, the client has the same connectivity to the network as it has
over a Mesh AP with a wired link.
The Mesh AP and Mesh Portal AP are dual-radio MAPs. One radio (for
example, the 802.11a radio) can be used for Mesh Link communications,
using an SSID reserved for this purpose, while the Mesh AP can use its
other radio for client associations in the same manner as a non-Mesh AP.
The Mesh Portal AP beacons a mesh services SSID on the radio used for
the Mesh Link. When the Mesh AP is booted, it searches for a MAP
beaconing the mesh services SSID. It selects the Mesh Portal AP with the
greatest signal strength, then establishes a secure connection to the
Mesh Portal SSID. Once this connection is established, clients can
associate with the Mesh AP.
WLAN mesh services is supported on MAP models MP-620 and MP-422
only.
Configuring WLAN
Mesh Services
The basic configuration process for WLAN mesh services consists of the
following tasks:
„
Attaching the Mesh AP to the network and configuring mesh services.
„
Configuring a service profile for mesh services.
„
Setting security parameters to allow the Mesh AP to authenticate
on the
network.
„
Optionally configuring the Mesh Portal AP to emit link calibration
packets to
aid in positioning the Mesh AP.
„
Detaching the Mesh AP from the network and deploying it in its final
location.
After the Mesh AP is installed in its final location, and it has established a
connection to the Mesh Portal AP, it can be configured as any other MAP
on the WX switch.