Workgroup Bridge - Cisco WAP571 Administration Manual

Wireless
Bridge
NOTE
Cisco WAP571/E Administration Guide
• WDS ID—Enter an appropriate name for the new WDS link 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.
• 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 AP WorkGroup Bridge feature enables the WAP device to extend the
accessibility of a remote network. In WorkGroup Bridge mode, the AP acts as a
wireless station (STA) on the wireless LAN. It can bridge traffic between a remote
wired network and the wireless LAN that is connected using the WorkGroup
Bridge mode.
The WorkGroup Bridge feature enables support for STA-mode. The WAP device
can operate on Basic Service Set (BSS) as an STA device. When WorkGroup
Bridge mode is enabled, the AP supports only one BSS with which the AP
associates as a wireless client.
It is recommended that WorkGroup Bridge mode be used only when the WDS
bridge feature cannot be operational with a peer AP. WDS is a better solution and
is preferred over the WorkGroup Bridge solution. Use WDS if you are bridging
Cisco WAP571/E devices. If you are not, then consider WorkGroup Bridge. When
the WorkGroup Bridge feature is enabled, the VAP configurations are not applied;
only the WorkGroup Bridge configuration is applied.
The WDS feature does not work when the WorkGroup Bridge mode is enabled on
the AP.
In WorkGroup Bridge mode, the BSS managed by the 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.
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