Cisco Systems DL-2159-05 manual Setting Up a Repeater Access Point, 12-2

Chapter 12 Special Configurations

Setting Up a Repeater Access Point

Setting Up a Repeater Access Point

A repeater access point is not connected to the wired LAN; it is placed within radio range of an access point connected to the wired LAN to extend the range of your infrastructure or to overcome an obstacle that blocks radio communication.

Note Non-Cisco client devices might have difficulty communicating with repeater access points.

The repeater forwards traffic between wireless users and the wired LAN by sending packets to either another repeater or to an access point connected to the wired LAN. The data is sent through the route that provides the greatest performance for the client.

You can only set up one of the radios in your access point as a repeater, the other performs as a normal root access point radio. When one of the radios is a repeater, the access point’s Ethernet port is blocked. However, you can still configure the access point through the Ethernet port using a crossover cable when the repeater link is deactivated. Figure 12-1shows an access point acting as a repeater.

Caution To keep your network secure, make sure you set security levels on all access point radios. Security levels in a dual-radio access point, regardless of whether they are repeater or root access points, must be set separately. If you do not set security levels for both radios, unauthorized clients may be able to gain access to your network.

Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Point Software Configuration Guide

12-2 OL-2159-05