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Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points
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Chapter 6 Configuring Radio Settings
Enabling and Disabling Reliable Multicast to Workgroup Bridges
Enabling and Disabling Reliable Multicast to Workgroup
Bridges
The
Reliable multicast messages from the access point to workgroup bridges
setting limits reliable
delivery of multicast messages to approximately 20 Cisco Aironet Workgroup Bridges that are
associated to the wireless device. The default setting,
disabled
, reduces the reliability of multicast
delivery to allow more workgroup bridges to associate to the wireless device.
Access points and bridges normally treat workgroup bridges not as client devices but as infrastructure
devices, like access points or bridges. Treating a workgroup bridge as an infrastructure device means that
the wireless device reliably delivers multicast packets, including Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
packets, to the workgroup bridge.
The performance cost of reliable multicast delivery—duplication of each multicast packet sent to each
workgroup bridge—limits the number of infrastructure devices, including workgroup bridges, that can
associate to the wireless device. To increase beyond 20 the number of workgroup bridges that can
maintain a radio link to the wireless device, the wireless device must reduce the delivery reliability of
multicast packets to workgroup bridges. With reduced reliability, the wireless device cannot confirm
whether multicast packets reach the intended workgroup bridge, so workgroup bridges at the edge of the
wireless device's coverage area might lose IP connectivity. When you treat workgroup bridges as client
devices, you increase performance but reduce reliability.
Note
This feature is best suited for use with stationary workgroup bridges. Mobile workgroup bridges might
encounter spots in the wireless device's coverage area where they do not receive multicast packets and
lose communication with the wireless device even though they are still associated to it.
A Cisco Aironet Workgroup Bridge provides a wireless LAN connection for up to eight
Ethernet-enabled devices.
This feature is not supported on the 5-GHz radio.
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure the encapsulation transformation
method:
Use the
no
form of the command to disable reliable multicast messages to workgroup bridges.
Command
Purpose
Step 1
configure terminal
Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2
interface dot11radio { 0 }
Enter interface configuration mode for the 2.4-GHz radio
interface.
Step 3
infrastructure-client
Enable reliable multicast messages to workgroup bridges.
Step 4
end
Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 5
copy running-config startup-config
(Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.