WI-MOD-E-100 & WI-MOD-E-300 Wireless Ethernet
User Manual
WI-MOD-E Manual v1.10
Page
36
The WDS configuration for unit B is shown above (this page is accessible via the
Repeaters
link
from the configuration web pages). WDS mode has been enabled, and “Only connect to APs in list”
has been selected so that the repeater path is fixed. Since this example is a bridged network (i.e. all
devices on the same IP network) and there is no possibility of loops (i.e. multiple paths to the same
location) we do not need to incur the overhead of enabling bridge spanning tree protocol. It can be
seen that there are 2 entries in the WDS connections list for unit B. We specify the Access Points at
the other end of the WDS links by SSID only – though MAC addresses could also have been
specified if there are multiple Access Points with the same SSID. Finally, in this example we
demonstrate the flexibility of the WI-MOD-E by specifying different Encryption on only one of the
WDS links.
In the example below, 4 Access Points (A, B, C, and D) form a mesh network using only WDS
bridge interfaces. Each of the Access Points may also have its own clients associated. Each Access
Point also has the same SSID, meaning the clients can roam freely throughout the mesh network and
also that WPA encryption may easily be used. A, B, C, and D can all exchange data with each other
(as can all of their clients) as if they were all on the same wired segment. It can bee seen that there
are redundant paths and therefore the possibility for loops to occur, so that the bridge Spanning Tree
Protocol should be enabled. To illustrate the redundancy, consider that if A needs to send data to D
it has redundant paths through both B and C. However, due to the spanning tree protocol only one
of B or C will relay the data, with the other taking over in the event of a failure.
The configuration for unit A is shown below (this page is accessible via the
Repeaters
link from the
configuration web pages). It can be seen that “WDS” mode and “Bridge Spanning Tree Protocol”
are enabled, and “Auto Connect to WDS enabled AP’s” is selected. Note that auto connect mode
requires that none of the Access Points disable their “SSID broadcast”, otherwise they must have the
same SSID. If this is not the case the connections must be manually entered into the WDS
connection list (described later).
“Inherit default encryption” has also been selected – thus allowing us to inherit the same encryption
mode used for the default wireless interface (i.e. the interface used to communicate with clients). If
WPA encryption is inherited, then all Access Points must have the same SSID otherwise the list of
possible allowed Access Points (by SSID) and their corresponding passphrases must be specified in
the connection list since WPA Pre-Shared Keys are derived from both passphrase
and
SSID.
