Example 2: Deploying A Cluster - Black Box LWN602A User Manual

Chapter 11: Deployment Examples CLI

11.2 Example 2: Deploying a Cluster

Building on "Deploying a Single SmartPath AP" in Section 11.1, the office network has expanded and requires more SmartPath
APs to provide greater coverage. In addition to the basic configuration covered in the previous example, you configure all three
SmartPath APs to form a cluster within the same Layer 2 switched network. The following are the configuration details for the
cluster:
• Cluster name: cluster1
• Preshared key for cluster1 communications: s1r70ckH07m3s
NOTE: The security protocol suite for cluster communications is WPA-AES-psk.
SmartPath AP-1 and -2 are cabled to a switch and use the native ("untagged") VLAN for wired backhaul communications. They
communicate with each other over both wired and wireless backhaul links, the wired link taking precedence. However, SmartPath
AP-3 only communicates with SmartPath AP-1 and -2 over a wireless link (see Figure 2). Because SmartPath AP-1 and -2 connect
to the wired network, they act as portals. In contrast, SmartPath AP-3 is a mesh point.
Wireless Network-1
Wireless Network-2
NOTE: If all cluster members can communicate over wired backhaul links, you can then use both radios for access. The wifi0 inter-
face is already in access mode by default. To put wifi1 in access mode, enter this command: interface wifi1 mode access. In
this example, however, a wireless backhaul link is required.
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SmartPath
AP-1 (Portal)
SmartPath
AP-2 (Portal)
Wired Cluster Backhaul Communications
Wireless Cluster Backhaul Communications
Wired Network Access Connections
Wired Ethernet Network Communications
Figure 11-3. Three SmartPath APs in a cluster.
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Cluster 1
Internet
Firewall
Switch
DHCP
Server
Wireless Network-3
SmartPath AP-3
(Mesh Point)
SmartPath AP-1 and SmartPath AP-2 are
portals and use both wired and wireless
backhaul methods to communicate with
each other. SmartPath AP-3 is a mesh
point, using only a wireless connection
for backhaul communications with the
other two cluster members.