Proxim AP-2000 manual Wireless Distribution System WDS

Performing Advanced Configuration

–802.11b/g mode: This is the default mode. Use this mode if you want to support a mix of 802.11b and 802.11g devices.

–802.11g-wifi:This mode was developed for Wi-Fi compliance testing purposes. It is similar to 802.11g only mode.

In general, you should use either 802.11g only mode (if you want to support 802.11g devices only) or 802.11b/g mode to support a mix of 802.11b and 802.11g devices.

•Physical Interface Type: Depending on the Operational Mode, this field reports:

–For 802.11b mode only: "802.11b (CCK/DSSS 2.4 GHz)"

–For 802.11g and 802.11g-wifi modes: "802.11g (OFDM/DSSS 2.4 GHz)"

–For 802.11b/g mode: "802.11b/g (ERP-CCK/DSSS/OFDM 2.4 GHz)"

OFDM stands for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing; this is the name for the radio technology used by 802.11a devices. DSSS stands for Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum; this is the name for the radio technology used by 802.11b devices.

•MAC Address: This is a read-only field that displays the unique MAC (Media Access Control) address for the Access Point’s wireless interface. The MAC address is assigned at the factory.

•Regulatory Domain: Reports the regulatory domain for which the AP is certified. Not all features or channels are available in all countries. The available regulatory domains include:

—FCC - U.S./Canada, Mexico, and Australia

—ETSI - Europe, including the United Kingdom, China, and South Korea

—TELEC - Japan

—IL - Israel

•Network Name (SSID): Enter a Network Name (between 1 and 32 characters long) for the wireless network. You must configure each wireless client to use this name as well.

•Auto Channel Select: The AP scans the area for other Access Points and selects a free or relatively unused communication channel. This helps prevent interference problems and increases network performance. By default this feature is enabled; see 802.11g Channel Frequencies for a list of Channels.

•Frequency Channel: When Auto Channel Select is enabled, this field is read-only and displays the Access Point’s current operating channel. When Auto Channel Select is disabled, you can specify the Access Point’s operating channel. If you decide to manually set the unit’s channel, ensure that nearby devices do not use the same frequency (unless you are setting up a WDS). Available Channels vary based on regulatory domain. See 802.11g Channel Frequencies.

•Transmit Rate: Select a specific transmit rate for the AP. The values available depend on the Operational Mode. Auto Fallback is the default setting; it allows the AP to select the best transmit rate based on the cell size.

—For 802.11b only -- Auto Fallback, 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbits/sec

—For 802.11g only -- Auto Fallback, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbits/sec

—For 802.11b/g and 802.11g-wifi -- Auto Fallback, 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbits/sec

•DTIM Period: The Deferred Traffic Indicator Map (DTIM) is used with clients that have power management enabled. DTIM should be left at 1, the default value, if any clients have power management enabled. This parameter supports a range between 1 and 255.

•RTS/CTS Medium Reservation: This parameter affects message flow control and should not be changed under normal circumstances. Range is 0 to 2347. When set to a value between 0 and 2347, the Access Point uses the RTS/CTS mechanism for packets that are the specified size or greater. When set to 2347 (the default setting), RTS/CTS is disabled. See RTS/CTS Medium Reservation for more information.

•Closed System: Check this box to allow only clients configured with the Access Point’s specific Network Name to associate with the Access Point. When enabled, a client configured with the Network Name "ANY” cannot connect to the AP. This option is disabled by default. See Broadcast SSID and Closed System for more information.

Wireless Distribution System (WDS)

A Wireless Distribution System (WDS) creates a link between two 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11b/g APs over their radio interfaces. This link relays traffic from one AP that does not have Ethernet connectivity to a second AP that has Ethernet connectivity. WDS allows you to configure up to six (6) point-to-point links between Access Points.

In the WDS Example below, AP 1 and AP 2 communicate over a WDS link (represented by the blue line). This link provides Client 1 with access to network resources even though AP 1 is not directly connected to the Ethernet network. Packets destined for or sent by the client are relayed between the Access Points over the WDS link.

49