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Understanding Multiple SSIDs
Understanding Multiple SSIDs
The SSID is a unique identifier that wireless networking devices use to establish and maintain wireless
connectivity. Multiple access points on a network or subnetwork can use the same SSIDs. SSIDs are case
sensitive and can contain up to 32 alphanumeric characters. Do not include spaces in your SSIDs.
You can configure up to 16 SSIDs on your HWIC-APs and assign different configuration settings to each
SSID. All the SSIDs are active at the same time; that is, client devices can associate to the access point
using any of the SSIDs. These are the settings you can assign to each SSID:
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If you want the access point to allow associations from client devices that do not specify an SSID in their
configurations, you can set up a guest SSID. The access point includes the guest SSID in its beacon.
If your access point will be a repeater or will be a root access point that acts as a parent for a repeater,
you can set up an SSID for use in repeater mode. You can assign an authentication username and
password to the repeater-mode SSID to allow the repeater to authenticate to your network like a client
device.
If your network uses VLANs, you can assign one SSID to a VLAN, and client devices using the SSID
are grouped in that VLAN.
SSID Configuration Methods Supported by Cisco IOS Releases
Cisco introduced global-mode SSID configuration in a prior Cisco IOS Release to simplify configuration
of SSID parameters under multiple interfaces. Configuration of SSID parameters at the interface level
was supported in some Cisco IOS releases for backward compatibility, but configuration of SSID
parameters at the interface level will be totally disabled in releases after Cisco IOS Release 12.4(15)T.
Cisco IOS Release 12.4(15)T supports configuration of SSID parameters at the interface level on the
CLI, but the SSIDs are stored in global mode. Storing all SSIDs in global mode ensures that the SSID
configuration remains correct when you upgrade to release later than Cisco IOS Release 12.4(15)T.
If you need to upgrade to a release later than 12.4(15)T, you should first upgrade to Cisco IOS Release
12.4(15)T, save the configuration file, upgrade to the target release, and load the saved configuration file.
This process ensures that your interface-level SSID configuration correctly translates to global mode.
If you upgrade directly from 12.4(15)T release or earlier to a 12.4(15)T or later release, your
interface-level SSID configuration is deleted.
Cisco Wireless ISR and HWIC Access Point Configuration Guide
3-2
VLAN
Client authentication method
Note
For detailed information on client authentication types, see
Authentication Types."
Maximum number of client associations using the SSID
RADIUS accounting for traffic using the SSID
Guest mode
Repeater mode, including authentication username and password
Redirection of packets received from client devices
Chapter 3
Configuring Multiple SSIDs
Chapter 6, "Configuring
OL-6415-04
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