Ch 3. Configuring WDS
Wireless Distribution System (WDS) uses wireless media to communicate with the other devices, like the Ethernet does. This function allows one or more remote LANs connect with the local LAN. To do this, you must set these devices in the same channel and set MAC address of other devices you want to communicate with in the WDS AP List and then enable the WDS.
When you decide to use the WDS to extend your WLAN, please refer the following instructions for configuration.
zThe bridging devices by WDS must use the same radio channel.
zWhen the WDS function is enabled, all wireless stations can’t connect the device.
zIf your network topology has a loop, you need to enable the 802.1d Spanning Tree function.
zYou don’t need to add all MAC address of devices existed in your network to WDS AP List. WDS AP List only needs to specify the MAC address of devices you need to directly connect to.
zThe bandwidth of device is limited, to add more bridging devices will split the more bandwidth to every bridging device.
WDS network topology
In this section, we will demonstrate the WDS network topologies and WDS AP List configuration. You can setup the four kinds of network topologies: bus, star, ring and mesh.
In this case, there are five devices with WDS enabled: WDS1, WDS2, WDS3, WDS4 and WDS5.
Bus topology:
Device | Entries of WDS AP List | Spanning Tree | |
Protocol Required | |||
|
| ||
WDS1 | The MAC Address of WDS2 | No | |
WDS2 | The MAC Addresses of WDS1 and WDS3 | No | |
WDS3 | The MAC Addresses of WDS2 and WDS4 | No | |
WDS4 | The MAC Addresses of WDS3 and WDS5 | No | |
WDS5 | The MAC Address of WDS4 | No |
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