ZyXEL Communications NWA 1121-NI -, User Manual

Page: 14 / 206

Chapter 1 Introducing the NWA1121-NI
NWA1121-NI User’s Guide
14
1.2.3 Root AP
In Root AP mode, the NWA1121-NI ( Z ) can act as the root AP in a wireless network and also allow
repeaters ( X and Y ) to extend the range of its wireless network at the same time. In the figure
below, both clients A , B and C can access the wired network through the root AP.
Figure 3
Root AP Application
On the NWA1121-NI in Root AP mode, you can have multiple SSIDs active for reqular wireless
connections and one SSID for the connection with a repeater (universal repeater SSID). Wireless
clients can use either SSID to associate with the NWA1121-NI in Root AP mode. A repeater must
use the universal repeater SSID to connect to the NWA1121-NI in Root AP mode.
When the NWA1121-NI is in Root AP mode, universal repeater security between the NWA1121-NI
and other repeater is independent of the security between the wireless clients and the AP or
repeater. If you do not enable universal repeater security, traffic between APs is not encrypted.
When universal repeater security is enabled, both APs and repeaters must use the same pre-shared
key. See
Section 6.6 on page 74 for more details.
Unless specified, the term “security settings” refers to the traffic between the wireless clients and
the AP. At the time of writing, universal repeater security is compatible with the NWA1121-NI only.
1.2.4 Repeater
The NWA can act as a wireless network repeater to extend a root AP’s wireless network range, and
also establish wireless connections with wireless clients.
Using Repeater mode, your NWA1121-NI can extend the range of the WLAN. In the figure below,
the NWA1121-NI in Repeater mode (
Z ) has a wireless connection to the NWA1121-NI in Root AP
mode ( X ) which is connected to a wired network and also has a wireless connection to another
NWA1121-NI in Repeater mode ( Y ) at the same time. Z and Y act as repeaters that forward traffic