Aruba Networks AirOS v2.3, User Manual

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2 Aruba AirOS Part 0500036-02
v2.3 User Guide January 2005
Getting Started
1 Planning
Decide where you wish to locate the APs in advance of physical installation. Aruba RF
Plan can be utilized to provide an AP placement map relative to a building floor plan to
ensure optimal RF coverage. (For more information on RF Plan, see the
Aruba RF Plan
for Windows User Guide .)
When deploying APs, note the AP MAC address and serial number against the physical
location. This will be useful in assigning location code identifiers to APs (see
“Assigning
AP Location Codes” below), which will greatly enhance location-based services and wire-
less network calibration.
2 Provisioning the Network for AP-Switch Communications
There are deployment prerequisites that must be met before deploying APs in a live net-
work environment. These prerequisites ensure that the APs are able to discover and attach
to a host Aruba WLAN switch (defined as the
master
). This also relieves the administra-
tor from the need to manually configure each AP.
N
OTE
—
Aruba APs can only obtain their software image and configuration from a
master Aruba WLAN switch.
The deployment prerequisites for Aruba APs are:
z
A Valid IP Address
Aruba APs require a unique IP address on a subnet that has routable Layer-3 connec-
tivity to a master Aruba WLAN switch. Aruba recommends assigning the AP an IP
address via DHCP (either from an existing network server or directly from an Aruba
WLAN switch configured with a DHCP server).
To configure the AP IP address, go to “Assigning the IP Address to the AP” .
z
Master Aruba WLAN Switch/loopback IP Address
This is the IP address from which the AP will attach to and obtain its software image
and configuration. The master Aruba WLAN switch/loopback IP address can be
provided to an Aruba AP using one of the following methods: