•
WDS ID
— Enter an appropriate name for the new WDS link that you have created. It is important that
the same WDS ID is also entered at the other end of the WDS link. If this WDS ID is not the same for
both WAP devices on the WDS link, they will not be able to communicate and exchange data.
The WDS ID can be any alphanumeric combination within a range of 2-32 characters.
•
Key
— Enter a unique shared key for the WDS bridge. This unique shared key must also be entered for
the WAP device at the other end of the WDS link. If this key is not the same for both WAPs, they will
not be able to communicate and exchange data.
The WPA-PSK key is a string of at least 8 characters to a maximum of 63 characters. Acceptable characters
include uppercase and lowercase alphabetic letters, the numeric digits, and special symbols such as @
and #.
WorkGroup Bridge
The Work Group Bridge feature enables the WAP device to extend the accessibility of a remote network. In
the Work Group Bridge mode, the WAP device acts as a wireless station (STA) on the wireless LAN. It can
bridge traffic between a remote wired network or associated wireless clients and the wireless LAN that is
connected using the Work Group Bridge mode.
The Work Group Bridge feature enables support for STA-mode and AP-mode operation simultaneously. The
WAP device can operate in one Basic Service Set (BSS) as an STA device while operating on another BSS
as a WAP device. When the Work Group Bridge mode is enabled, the WAP device supports only one BSS
for wireless clients that associate with it, and another BSS with which the WAP device associates as a wireless
client.
We recommend that you use the Work Group Bridge mode only when the WDS bridge feature cannot be
operational with a peer WAP device. WDS is a better solution and is preferred over the Work Group Bridge
solution. Use WDS if you are bridging the Cisco WAP150 and Cisco WAP361 devices. If you are not, then
consider the Work Group Bridge. When the Work Group Bridge feature is enabled, the VAP configurations
are not applied; only the Work Group Bridge configuration is applied.
The WDS feature does not work when the Work Group Bridge mode is enabled on the WAP device.
Note
In Work Group Bridge mode, the BSS managed by the WAP device while operating in WAP device mode is
referred to as the access point interface, and associated STAs as the downstream STAs. The BSS managed
by the other WAP device (that is, the one to which the WAP device associates as an STA) is referred to as
the infrastructure client interface, and the other WAP device is referred as the upstream AP.
The devices connected to the wired interface of the WAP device, as well as the downstream stations associated
with the access point interface of the device, can access the network connected by the infrastructure client
interface. To allow the bridging of packets, the VLAN configuration for the access point interface and the
wired interface must match that of the infrastructure client interface.
The Work Group Bridge mode can be used as a range extender to enable BSS to provide access to remote or
hard-to-reach networks. A single radio can be configured to forward packets from associated STAs to another
WAP device in the same ESS, without using WDS.
Before you configure
Work Group Bridge
on the WAP device, note these guidelines:
• All WAP devices participating in Work Group Bridge must have the following identical settings:
Cisco WAP581 Wireless-AC/N Dual Radio Access Point with 2.5GbE LAN Administration Guide
65
Wireless Bridge
WorkGroup Bridge
