AP-5131 Access Point Product Reference Guide
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10. Select the Use Secure Beacon checkbox to not transmit the AP- 5131’s ESSID
amongst the AP-5131s and devices within the mesh network. If a hacker tries to find an
ESSID via an MU, the AP- 5131’s ESSID does not display since the ESSID is not in the
beacon. Symbol recommends keeping the option enabled to reduce the likelihood of
hacking into the WLAN.
11. Select the Accept Broadcast ESSID checkbox to associate an MU that has a blank
ESSID (regardless of which ESSID the AP-5131 is currently using). Traffic within a mesh
network probably consists of known devices, so you may want to leave the checkbox
unselected and configure each MU with an ESSID. The default is selected. However, for
WLANs used within a mesh network, Symbol recommends unselecting this option as it
would prevent the AP from answering to blank ESSID probes from other mobile units.
12. If there are certain requirements for the types of data proliferating the mesh network,
select an existing policy or configure a new QoS policy best suiting the requirements of
the mesh network. To define a new QoS policy, select the Create button to the right of
the Quality Of Service Policy drop-down menu.
For detailed information on configuring a QoS policy, see
Setting the WLAN Quality of Service (QoS) Policy on page 5-34.
13. Click Apply to save the changes made to the mesh network configured WLAN.
An AP-5131 radio is now ready to be configured for use with this newly created mesh
WLAN.
9.2.3 Configuring the AP-5131 Radio for Mesh Networking Support
An AP-5131 radio intended for use within a mesh network requires configuration attributes unique
from a radio intended for non-mesh support.This section describes how to configure an AP-5131 radio
for mesh network support.
To configure the AP-5131 radio for mesh networking support:
NOTE The dual-radio model AP-5131 affords users better optimization of the
mesh network feature by allowing the AP-5131 to transmit to other AP-
5131s (in base or client bridge mode) using one independent radio and
transmit with its associated devices using the second independent radio.
A single-radio AP-5131 has its channel utilization and throughput
degraded in a mesh network, as the AP’s single radio must process both
mesh network traffic with other AP-5131s and MU traffic with its
associated devices.