VLAN/SSID
Avaya Wireless AP-3 User’s Guide 4-131
VLAN Workgroups and Traffic Management
Access Points that are not VLAN-capable typically transmit broadcast and
multicast traffic to all wireless Network Interface Cards (NICs). This
process wastes wireless bandwidth and degrades throughput
performance. In comparison, VLAN-capable AP is designed to efficiently
manage delivery of broadcast, multicast, and unicast traffic to wireless
clients.
The AP assigns clients to a VLAN based on a Network Name (SSID). The
AP can support up to 16 VLAN/SSID pairs per radio. (Note that 802.11b
APs (Single or Dual-radio models) and 5 GHz Upgrade Kits (for
Dual-radio APs) can only support one VLAN/SSID per radio.)
The AP matches packets transmitted or received to a network name with
the associated VLAN. Traffic received by a VLAN is only sent on the
wireless interface associated with that same VLAN. This eliminates
unnecessary traffic on the wireless LAN, conserving bandwidth and
maximizing throughput.
Traffic Management
In addition to enhancing wireless traffic management, the VLAN-capable
AP supports easy assignment of wireless users to workgroups. In a
typical scenario, each user VLAN represents a workgroup; for example,
one VLAN could be used for an EMPLOYEE workgroup and the other, for
a GUEST workgroup.