Wireless Operation; Ap Controller Dependence - Proxim Harmony 8550 Manual

This chapter describes how the Harmony 802.11b Access Point provides network access
to mobile clients.
It begins with a discussion of the Access Point's operating modes and the parameter
known as AP Controller Dependence. AP Controller Dependence determines whether
the Access Point operates on its own or in conjunction with an AP Controller.
This chapter concludes with a description of how mobile clients roam between Access
Points while maintaining seamless network connectivity.

AP Controller Dependence

The Harmony wireless infrastructure family is designed to grow with your network. For
isolated Ethernet networks that contain less than 512 nodes and connect to a single
router, the Harmony 802.11b Access Point can operate as a stand-alone bridge to pro-
vide network access to mobile clients.
But as you increase the number of Access Points or the complexity of the network, you
can add an Access Point Controller to provide centralized management and configuration
for the Access Points. Also, a Harmony system with an AP Controller offers several
additional features that are not available with the stand-alone Harmony 802.11b Access
Point, such as:
G Authorization Table for Added Security
G Roaming Across a Router
G Packet Filtering Based on Protocol Type
G SNMP Management
G Management of Access Points via a Single User Interface
Refer to the Harmony Access Point Controller Model 7560 User's Guide for more
information on these features.

3. Wireless Operation

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