www.cooperbussmann.com/BussmannWirelessResources 39
Cooper Bussmann BU-245U-E Wireless Ethernet & Device Server User Manual
Example – Extending Range Using WDS
One of the most common uses for WDS is to extend the range of the wireless network using repeaters.The diagram above illustrates a simple
example where the four Access Points are all at fixed locations (each of the Access Points could,of course, have one or more client/stations
connected). Since the locations are fixed,we can avoid the overhead of using the Bridge Spanning Tree protocol here by configuring fixed WDS
links to ensure that each Access Point will only connect to the next Access Point in the chain.Any number of additional intermediate repeaters
could be added to the chain in a similar way.
Site B WDS Configuration 1
The WDS configuration for unit B is shown above (this page is accessible via the Repeaters link from the configuration web pages).Site B is acting
as an Access point for Site A,and is a client to Site C, likewise Site C is acting as an Access Point for Site B, and a Client for Site D. Since this
example is a bridged network i.e., all devices on the same IP network and each link is using a different SSID,there is no possibility of loops
(i.e., multiple paths to the same location) therefore we do not need to incur the overhead of enabling STP (bridge spanning tree protocol).
We specify the devices at the other end of the WDS links by SSID only –MAC addresses can be used to specify point-to-point links to third party
devices which do not support meshing via SSID.
In this example each Virtual connection is using the same Encryption method (WPA-PSK (AES) with a key of “Pass Phrase”,however as in example
#1 the Encryption method and key can be different for each virtual link or even disabled (no encryption). Also the Spanning Tree Protocol is
disabled as there is no possibility of network loops.
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