Wlan Service Overview - H3C EWPA1PCID User Manual

WLAN Service Overview

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) have become very popular
because they are very easy to setup and use, and users need not
care about the complex wiring connections and relocation problems.
A WLAN is not completely wireless because the servers in the
backbone are fixed and clients are mobile.
Using the WLAN solution, network operators and enterprises can
provide wireless LAN services to their customers. These services
include:
WLAN client connectivity to conventional 802.3 LANs.
Secured WLAN access with different authentication and
encryption methods.
Seamless roaming of WLAN clients in the mobility domain.
Terminology:
1) Client
A handheld computer or laptop with a wireless Network Interface
Card (NIC) can be a WLAN client.
2) Access Point
A device that performs the bridging function from wireless to wired
conversion and wired to wireless conversion of frames between a
client and the Local Area Network (LAN).
3) Access Controller (AC)
A device that controls and manages all the APs in the WLAN. The AC
communicates with an Authentication server for WLAN client
authentication.
4) FAT Access Point (Fat AP)
A device that controls and manages all the wireless stations and
performs the bridging operation from wireless to wired conversion
and wired to wireless conversion of frames between a client and the
LAN.
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