BelAir20E User Guide
Using Layer 2 Tunnels
April 2, 2012
Confidential
Document Number BDTM02201-A01 Standard
Using Layer 2 Tunnels
Layer 2 tunnels use the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), version 2, to provide
the following benefits:
• provide a bi-directional communication path between the BelAir20E and a
central router. The path is unaffected by the size, topology and complexity
of the Layer 2 and Layer 3 access network between them.
• ensure efficient handling of mobile client MAC addresses, especially for
customers using DOCSIS technology in their access network
shows how wireless mobility is implemented with L2TP. When a
wireless client transmits an 802.11 frame, the BelAir AP converts it to an
Ethernet frame with VLAN information, encapsulates it within an IP packet and
then sends the packet to a Tunnel End Point (TEP). The TEP is usually part of a
network central router. The BelAir implementation of Layer 2 tunnels currently
operates with a Cisco 7200 router or equivalent, with a RedBack SmartEdge
router or equivalent., with other routers that use Generic Router
Encapsulation (GRE), or with Proxy Mobile IPv4 (PMIP) implementations.
Figure 7: Wireless Mobility using L2TP
BelAir Access Points (APs)
Mobile wireless client
device going from
one AP to another
BelAir Access Points (APs)