Deploying A Smart Mesh Network; Overview Of Smart Mesh Networking; Smart Mesh Networking Terms - Ruckus Wireless ZoneDirector 1100 User Manual

Deploying a Smart Mesh Network

Overview of Smart Mesh Networking

Overview of Smart Mesh Networking

A Smart Mesh network is a peer-to-peer, multi-hop wireless network wherein participant nodes
cooperate to route packets. In a Ruckus wireless mesh network, the routing nodes (that is, the
Ruckus Wireless APs forming the network), or "mesh nodes," form the network's backbone.
Clients (for example, laptops and other mobile devices) connect to the mesh nodes and use
the backbone to communicate with one another, and, if permitted, with nodes on the Internet.
The mesh network enables clients to reach other systems by creating a path that 'hops' between
nodes.
Smart Mesh networking offers many advantages:
• Smart Mesh networks are self-healing: If any one of the nodes fails, the nodes note the
blockage and re-route data.
• Smart Mesh networks are self-organizing: When a new node appears, it becomes assimi-
lated into the mesh network.
In the Ruckus Wireless Smart Mesh network, all traffic going through the mesh links is encrypted.
A passphrase is shared between mesh nodes to securely pass traffic.
When deployed as a mesh network, Ruckus Wireless APs communicate with ZoneDirector
through a wired LAN connection or through wireless LAN connection with other Ruckus
Wireless access points.
NOTE: For best practices and recommendations on planning and deploying a Ruckus Wireless
Smart Mesh network, refer to

Smart Mesh Networking Terms

Before you begin deploying your Smart Mesh network, Ruckus Wireless recommends getting
familiar with the following terms that are used in this document to describe wireless mesh
networks.
Table 33. Mesh networking terms
Term
Mesh Node
Root AP (Root
Access Point)
Mesh AP (Mesh
Access Point)
eMAP (Ethernet
Mesh AP)
"Smart Mesh Networking Best Practices"
Definition
A Ruckus Wireless ZoneFlex AP with mesh capability enabled.
A mesh node that communicates with ZoneDirector through its Ethernet
(that is, wired) interface.
A mesh node that communicates with ZoneDirector through its wireless
interface.
An eMAP is a mesh node that is connected to its uplink AP through a
wired Ethernet cable, rather than wirelessly. eMAP nodes are used to
bridge wireless LAN segments together.
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