Allied Telesis AT-WA7501, AT-WA7500 Using Multiple Access Points Roaming Wireless End Devices

Using Multiple

Access Points and

Roaming

Wireless End

Devices

AT-WA7500 and AT-WA7501 Installation and User’s Guide

Allied Telesyn recommends that you always implement some type of security.

For larger or more complex environments, you can install multiple access points so wireless end devices can roam from one access point to another. Multiple access points establish coverage areas or cells similar to those of a cellular telephone network. End devices can connect with any access point that is within range and belongs to the same wireless network.

This illustration shows a wireless network with multiple access points. Wireless end devices can roam between the access points to communicate with the host and other end devices.

Host

Ethernet

Figure 8. Multiple Access Points with Roaming End Devices

An end device initiates a roam when it attaches to a new access point. The access point sends an attach message to the root access point, which in turn forwards a detach message to the previous access point, allowing each access point to update its forwarding database. Intermediate access points monitor these exchanges and update their forwarding databases.

With the access point’s multichannel architecture, you can have more than one access point within the same cell area to increase throughput and provide redundancy. For more information, see “Using Dual Radio Access Points for Redundancy” on page 37.

To install multiple access points with roaming end devices

1.Follow the instructions for installing a simple wireless network in “Using One Access Point in a Simple Wireless Network” on page 21.

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