Cabletron Systems 3Com manual Wireless LAN Service Area, 802.1d Spanning Tree Support

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16CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF DIGITAL WIRELESS NETWORKING

APs with the same WLAN service area deﬁne a coverage area. The wireless client searches for APs with a matching wireless LAN service area and synchronizes with an AP to establish communications. This allows wireless clients within the coverage area to roam between AP cells. As you roam from cell to cell, your wireless client switches APs. The switch occurs when the wireless client analyzes the reception quality at a particular location and selects an AP to communicate with, based on such factors as signal strength and wireless client load.

When the wireless client begins to lose the signal as it moves away from an associated AP, it performs a scan to ﬁnd another AP. As wireless clients switch APs, the AP updates the association table. Roaming is invisible to the user.

Wireless LAN Service Area

The network administrator assigns the wireless LAN service area for the APs in a WSA. A valid wireless LAN service area is an alphanumeric, case-sensitive identiﬁer of up to 32 characters. All nodes within one LAN use the same wireless LAN service area to communicate on the LAN. Multiple wireless LANs can coexist in

a single environment by assigning different wireless LAN service areas for the corresponding APs.

802.1d Spanning Tree Support

This protocol creates a loop-freetopography with exactly one path between every LAN. This is the shortest path from the Root AP to each AP and LAN. If an AP or LAN fails, a new route is calculated and added to the tree. All packet forwarding follows the spanning tree. APs have to choose one AP as the Root AP. The same holds true for WLANs associating with the root AP or another AP connected to the Ethernet LAN to prevent forming loops.

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Contents AirConnect 11 Mbps Wireless LAN Access Point User Guide Version3Com Corporation Bayfront Plaza SantaClara, California 95052-8145Contents Installing Access Point Hardware Monitoring Wireless Clients Access Point Installation Conﬁguring the AP Access Point Specifications Technical Support Page Overview of Digital Wireless Networking IntroductionAirConnect Network TopologiesOverview of Digital Wireless Networking AirConnect Network Topologies AirConnect Access Wireless clientsPoint To the Ethernet LANAirConnect Access Point PowerBASE-T Wireless clients and APsRadio Basics Results in the original digital dataRadio Basics Wireless LAN Service Area 802.1d Spanning Tree SupportSite Surveys Filtering and Access Control Network Control Protocol NCP as described PPP Connection Data Rate Requirement Overview of Digital Wireless Networking Theory of Operation Simple Network Management Protocol Snmp Using Snmp Programmable Snmp Trap SupportManagement protocol MIB Increased MIB SupportUsing the User Interface Method DescriptionInstalling Access Point Hardware PrecautionsPackage Contents RequirementsPower Options Standard power supply 115/230VAC, 50/60Hz, 24V/14Remote power distribution system, Part Number AP-PS-11 US line cord Part NumberBelow Mounting the APWall Mount To mount an AP on a wall Ceiling Mount To mount an AP on a ceiling Mounting the AP PowerBASE-T UsingPowerBASE-T can be used to power the AP Off Blinking Power No power Power on During boot sequence LED IndicatorsCondition, and other activity Troubleshooting 3Com Support CenterVerify AP Operation Electrical Management System EMS operating outletVerify Network Wiring Topology Network connection veriﬁcationPage Monitoring Statistics System PropertiesInterface Statistics Forwarding CountsRadio Frequency Ethernet StatisticsStatistics Miscellaneous Statistics window, select Main Menu→Misc StatisticsPress Esc or Previous F4 to exit Type Name DefinitionKnown APs Clearing StatisticsSelect Clear All Statistics Gaining Access to the User Interface UI Using a Web Browser Gaining access to the User Interface UIHelp File Access Setup Network Web Server Help File AccessAccessing the Web Browser UI Select Virtual DirectorySelect Close/Exit Select System ConﬁgurationSelect Special Functions Select Reset AP Select Save F1 to save the conﬁgurationUnder Conﬁguration, select Security Select System Password Type the case sensitive AP nameSelect Easy Setup--Easy Setup Click Add/Delete Gateways Select Easy Setup--Easy SetupParameter Description Adding or Deleting a Range of Allowed Wireless Clients Adding Allowed Wireless ClientsAdding or Deleting Disallowed Wireless Clients For the Short RF Preamble setting, click Disabled ConsiderationsEnabling or Disabling Encryption Select Conﬁguration--SecurityInterface Description Default Condition Enable or disable interfaces on the APFrequency No. of Channels Country Enter the Multicast Mask data and voice values Select Enabled or Disable All for All Snmp Traps Snmp Trap Description Default ValueConﬁguring the Originating Modem Filtering to Forward Packets Conﬁguring the Answering ModemFiltering to Discard Packets Removing Filtered Packet Types Networking Protocols Click Delete FilterDisabling Type Filtering Under Conﬁguration, select FirmwareActive. Clear the wireless client association table for Special Function DescriptionWireless Clients Monitoring Wireless ClientsSelect Regular at the Wireless Clients prompt Indicates a 3Com voice-enabled device Latest version. Refer to Manually Updating AP Firmware on Ascii InterfaceVersions Conﬁgure the AP for the following Enable serial portArrow/Function Key Control Character To exit from submenus, press Esc Prompt DescriptionSelect Telnet Logins Press Tab to select System PasswordTo enable and conﬁgure the serial port connection on the AP Conﬁguring The Serial PortSetting Description Conﬁguring the Dial-Up SystemHanging Up Select Modem HangupInstallation WindowConfiguring the AP That can associate with this AP. The default is Disabled Wsaid Establishing a Connection PPP DirectPPP with Modems Set the Connect Mode to Answer Originating APAnswering AP From the answering APs UIFor automatic dial-out, reset the AP Range of Wireless Clients Press up/down arrows to toggle between range and individualEnable/Disable the ACL Removing Allowed Wireless ClientsRemoving All Allowed Wireless Clients Load ACL from Wireless Client List Adding Disallowed Wireless ClientsRemoving Disallowed Wireless Clients Address FilteringClearing Wireless Setting LoggingClients from the AP OptionsAP Firmware Manually UpdatingPrevious version of AP ﬁrmware Select Alter Filenames/HELP URL/TFTP and press Enter Remainder of this procedure uses Windows 98 as an exampleType the ﬁrmware ﬁle name in the Download Filename ﬁeld Select Transfer from the emulation program menu bar Open the Special Functions windowSelect Send File Download is complete when the UI displays Select Alter Filenames/HELP URL/TFTP Server and press EnterUsing MD5 AuthenticationPerforming Pings Extended RoamingEncryption Wireless client and the access pointHex-digit sequence Press the Tab key to highlight .Short RF Preamble Enabled Restoring ConﬁgurationsSelect Restore Factory Conﬁguration Access Point Specifications Physical CharacteristicsRadio Characteristics Frequency No. of Channels Country Output CharacteristicsNetwork Characteristics Services Technical SupportOnline Technical World Wide Web SiteLatin America North AmericaTo obtain an RMA number, call or fax Page Index AsciiSnmp agent 3Com Corporation Limited Warranty 3Com AirConnect Access PointObtaining Warranty Regulatory Compliance Information Radio Frequency Interference Requirements CanadaImportant Read Before Using This Product 3Com End User Software License Agreement