Wireless LAN Extension
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2
Using the Meraki MR58 for your Point-to-Point Link
This chapter summarizes the equipment requirements for setting up a
wireless link and how the Meraki MR58 would be configured for this
deployment scenario.
2.1
Setting up the MR58 for Point-to-Point Connectivity
While all MR-
series Meraki AP’s have the capability to extend a LAN
wirelessly between buildings, the MR58 is the best choice for this type of
deployment. The MR58 is a triple-radio device, with two radios in the
5GHz band and one configured for the 2.4GHz band. In most cases,
wireless point-to-point equipment will be mounted outdoors and will
require external antennas which can be aimed for optimal connectivity.
The Meraki MR58 meets both of these requirements, as well as having
full mesh capability and offering client connectivity.
The most common configuration of the unit in a point-to-point scenario is
to attach a panel antenna to one of the 5GHz radios on each unit, and
point these antennas at each other. This is the connection that will span
the distance between the two buildings. The second and third radios
have omni-directional antennas attached to them in order to offer
wireless client connectivity at both sides of the link.
2.2
Adding Wired Connectivity to the Remote Site
The manner in which a point-to-point link will link sites is to have one unit
serve as the Meraki gateway (at the home site) and one unit function as
a repeater (at the remote site).
It is important that the Meraki unit at the remote site act as a repeater.
The way Meraki determines whether a device should be a repeater or a
gateway is that, at boot time, the unit sends out a DHCP request.
.
If it
receives a DHCP reply from any device on the wired network, it assumes
this is a valid LAN connection and it should use this connection to
become a Meraki Gateway. This means that in order for the point-to-
point link to establish correctly, no network elements on the remote site
should respond to DHCP requests. Note it is not possible to configure a
static IP address for the repeater at the remote site because doing so will
automatically designate the device as a gateway instead of a repeater.
Once the Meraki Gateway is established, the repeater on the remote
side can be configured to accept wired clients on its Ethernet interfaces.
At the remote site, a switch can be plugged into the available Ethernet
port(s) on the MR58 to provide wired client connectivity to more than one
wired client, creating a small office LAN. Note the picture below.
