Introduction To The Access Point - Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Getting Started Manual

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Introduction to the Access Point

The Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point (hereafter called the access point or AP) is
a ruggedized outdoor access point designed for service in mesh networks. The 1550 series leverages
802.11n technology with integrated radio and internal/external antennas. The 1550 outdoor platform
consists of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) WLAN radios and integrated spectrum
intelligence (Clean Air).
CleanAir provides full 802.11n data rates while detecting, locating, classifying and mitigating radio
frequency (RF) interference to provide the best client experience possible. CleanAir technology on the
outdoor 11n platform mitigates WiFi and non-WiFi interference on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios.
The 1550 AP series contains a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio with an option to configure in centralized,
Flexconnect, or mesh mode. The 2.4 GHz radios are used primarily for local access, and the 5 GHz
radios can be configured for both local access and/or wireless backhaul in the Mesh mode.
The 1550 series supports the modularity of the 1520 series and allows flexibility in radio
configuration. In addition to full interoperability with 802.11n clients, the 1550 series interoperates
with legacy clients and offers enhanced backhaul performance. The 1552C access point is configured
with an integrated DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem.
The access point is a standalone unit that can be cable strand or tower mounted. The access point can
also operate as a relay node for other access points not directly connected to a wired network.
Intelligent wireless routing is provided by the Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol (AWPP). This enables
each access point to identify its neighbors and intelligently choose the optimal path to the wired
network by calculating the cost of each path in terms of signal strength and the number of hops
required to get to a controller. The access point is configured, monitored, and operated through a Cisco
wireless LAN controller (WLC), referred to as a controller in this document. The WLC is described in
the appropriate Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide. The Cisco Mesh Networking
Solution Deployment Guide describes how to plan and initially configure the Cisco mesh network,
which supports wireless point-to-multipoint mesh deployments. The controllers use a browser-based
management system, a command-line interface (CLI), or the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS)
network management system to manage the controller and the associated access points. The access
point is compliant with Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) and employs hardware-based Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES) encryption between wireless nodes to provide end-to-end security.
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