Getting Started
© 2021 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Page 17 of 177
In context of the overall network architecture, the two local networks are
called
network segments.
Figure 1. Point-to-point network architecture
All network activity that takes place on wireless bridges is 'transparent' to
the network hosts. In other words, a wireless bridge forwards packets
from one network segment to another according to a 'Forwarding table'. The
forwarding table is built by learning the network topology from analysis of
incoming traffic.
In this configuration, no explicit interaction takes place between the wireless
bridge and the network hosts. The network segments on either side of the
wireless bridge share the same IP subnet. Therefore, each network host
must use a unique IP address within the subnet.
3.2.4. Mesh network architecture
Fluidmesh Networks offers wireless networking solutions that are based
on the
mesh networking
architecture, but can also fill more traditional
networking roles if needed. This allows substantial reliability and flexibility
advantages when compared to traditional wireless solutions.
A simplified example of a wireless mesh network is shown in
. In such a network, every Fluidmesh hardware component transmits the
data packets that come from the components directly linked to it.
In a reliable mesh network with an acceptable amount of redundancy, every
stream of data packets may reach the base station through any of a variety
of paths. The Cisco FM3500 Endo is designed to act as an 'intelligent router'
that is able to forward packets coming from other
