Wireless Mesh - Cisco SD2008T-NA Configuration Manual

Cisco Aironet 1510 Series Lightweight Outdoor Mesh Access Points

Wireless Mesh

In a wireless mesh deployment (see
network. One or more AP1510s have a wired connection to the controller and are designated as root
access points (RAPs). Other AP1510s that relay their wireless connections to connect to the controller
are called mesh access points (MAPs). The MAPs use the AWPP protocol to determine the best path
through the other AP1510s to the controller. The possible paths between the MAPs and RAPs form the
wireless mesh that is used to carry traffic from wireless LAN clients connected to MAPs and to carry
traffic from devices connected to MAP Ethernet ports.
The mesh network can carry two types of traffic simultaneously: wireless LAN client traffic and MAP
bridge traffic. Wireless LAN client traffic terminates on the controller, and MAP bridge traffic
terminates on the Ethernet ports of the AP1510s. You need to keep in mind three important concepts
when considering the configuration of a mesh network:
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Membership in the mesh network is controlled in a variety of ways:
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Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide
7-10
Sector—A collection of mesh access points connected together by the AWPP and through a single
RAP to the controller.
Network—A collection of sectors that cover a proximate geographic area.
Controller subnet service set—A collection of controllers on a subnet servicing one or more
sectors.
Each AP1510 MAC address must be entered into the MAC filter list database to ensure that the
access points are authorized to use the controller. Each controller to which the access point may
connect must have its MAC address entered into the database.
The MAC filter list works in conjunction with the certificate that is stored in the access point's
nonvolatile memory to provide strong security for access points connecting to the network. As such,
the MAC filter list is required for mesh access points to be able to connect to the controller.
Note The MAC filter lists of all controllers on a controller subnet service set must be identical and
include all the RAPs and MAPs that may connect on that subnet. Failure to have uniform
MAC filter lists on the service set may prevent access points from being able to
communicate.
AP1510s are configured with a shared secret for secure access point-to-access point communication
over the backhaul. In order to communicate, all radios in the network must have the same shared
secret.
A bridge group name can be used to logically group access points into sectors. Each sector has a
unique bridge group name. Cisco recommends that you use bridge group names whenever multiple
sectors are proximate.
An access point that is unable to connect to a sector with its bridge group name temporarily connects
to the sector with the best RF characteristics so that its bridge group name can be configured. The
access point connects for short periods of time only (roughly 30 minutes) and then disconnects to
seek the sector with the correct bridge group name. When an access point connects to the network
using a mismatched bridge group name, the parent access point does not allow it to accept children
access points or clients.
Chapter 7
Figure 7-3), multiple AP1510s are deployed as part of the same
Controlling Lightweight Access Points
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