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Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points
OL-11350-01
Chapter8 Configuring Spanning Tree Protocol
Understanding Spanning Tree Protocol
When a access point receives a configuration BPDU that contains superior information (lower access
point ID, lower path cost, and so forth), it stores the information for that port. If this BPDU is received
on the root port of the access point, the access point also forwards it with an updated message to all
attached LANs for which it is the designated access point.
If a access point receives a configuration BPDU that contains inferior information to that currently
stored for that port, it discards the BPDU. If the access point is a designated access point for the LAN
from which the inferior BPDU was received, it sends that LAN a BPDU containing the up-to-date
information stored for that port. In this way, inferior information is discarded, and superior information
is propagated on the network.
A BPDU exchange results in these actions:
•One access point is elected as the spanning-tree root.
•A root port is selected for each access point (except the spanning-tree root). This port provides the
best path (lowest cost) when the access point forwards packets to the spanning-tree root.
•The shortest distance to the spanning-tree root is calculated for each access point based on the path
cost.
•A designated access point for each LAN segment is selected. The designated access point incurs the
lowest path cost when forwarding packets from that LAN to the spanning-tree root. The port through
which the designated access point is attached to the LAN is called the designated port.
•Interfaces included in the spanning-tree instance are selected. Root ports and designated ports are
put in the forwarding state.
•All interfaces not included in the spanning tree are blocked.
Election of the Spanning-Tree Root
All access points in the Layer 2 network participating in STP gather information about other access
points in the network through an exchange of BPDU data messages. This exchange of messages results
in these actions:
•The election of a unique spanning-tree root for each spanning-tree instance
•The election of a designated access point for every LAN segment
•The removal of loops in the network by blocking Layer 2 interfaces connected to redundant links
For each VLAN, the access point with the highest access point priority (the lowest numerical priority
value) is elected as the spanning-tree root. If all access points are configured with the default priority
(32768), the access point with the lowest MAC address in the VLAN becomes the spanning-tree root.
The access point priority value occupies the most significant bits of the access point ID.
When you change the access point priority value, you change the probability that the access point will
be elected as the root access point. Configuring a higher value decreases the probability; a lower value
increases the probability.
The spanning-tree root is the logical center of the spanning-tree topology. All paths that are not needed
to reach the spanning-tree root from anywhere in the network are placed in the spanning-tree blocking
mode.
BPDUs contain information about the sending access point and its ports, including access point and
MAC addresses, access point priority, port priority, and path cost. STP uses this information to elect the
spanning-tree root and root port for the network and the root port and designated port for each LAN
segment.