rf-mode

interface-config-radio-instance

Configures the radio‘s mode of operation

This command sets the mode to either 2.4 GHz WLAN or 5.0 GHz WLAN support depending on the radio‘s intended client support.

Set the mode to sensor if using the radio for rogue device detection.

Supported in the following platforms:

Syntax

rf-mode [2.4GHz-wlan|5GHz-wlan|bridge|scan-ahead|sensor]

Parameters

rf-mode [2.4GHz-wlan|5GHz-wlan|bridge|scan-ahead|sensor]
rf-mode Configures the radio‘s mode of operation
Note: For information on the software modes supported on AP5XX and AP4XX AP radios, click here .
2.4GHz-wlan Provides WLAN service in the 2.4 GHz bandwidth
Note: For AP410i/e and AP460i/e Radio 1 can only be configured as 2.4 GHz WLAN.
5GHz-wlan Provides WLAN service in the 5.0 GHz bandwidth
Note: For AP410i/e and AP460i/e Radio 2 can only be configured as 5 GHz WLAN.
scan-ahead Enables this radio to operate as a scan-ahead mode

A radio functioning in the scan-ahead mode is used for forward scanning only. The radio does not support WLAN or mesh services.

The scan ahead feature is used in Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) aware countries for infrastructure devices, static, and vehicular mounted modems (VMMs). It enables a secondary radio to scan ahead for an active channel for backhaul transmission, in the event of a radar trigger on the primary radio. The device then switches radios allowing transmission to continue. This is required in environments where handoff is required and DFS triggers are common.

With a secondary radio dedicated for forward scanning, the primary radio, in case of radar hit, hands over the channel availability check (CAC) function to the secondary radio. This avoids a break in data communication, which would have resulted if the primary radio was to do CAC itself.

The secondary radio periodically does a scan of the configured channel list, searching for the other available meshpoint roots. When configured on the root meshpoint, the scan-ahead feature also scans for cleaner channels.

Note: rf-mode scan-ahead is not supported on the AP505i, AP510i/e, ap560i model access points.
bridge Enables this radio to operate as client bridge that can authenticate and associate to a defined infrastructure Wireless LAN (WLAN) access point.
Note: This option is applicable only on the AP7522, AP7532, and AP7562 model access points. Enable this option only if the access point is to provide client-bridge support. Once enabled, configure the client-bridge parameters.
Note: This option is not enabled on AP410, AP460, AP505, AP510 and AP560 model access points.
sensor Operates as a sensor radio. Configures this radio to function as a sensor, providing scanning services on both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands. The radio does not provide WLAN services.
Following is the sensor mode setting for the 802.11ax APs:
  • AP410i/e and AP460i/e: Only radio 3 can be set as sensor.
  • AP505: both radio 1 and radio 2 must be configured as sensors. You cannot set one radio as sensor and the other radio for WLAN service.
  • AP510i/e, AP560i: Only radio 1 can be set as sensor. If setting radio 1 as sensor, configure radio 2 as 5 GHz WLAN.
Note: For information on the software modes supported on AP5XX and AP4XX AP radios, click here.
Note: For information on AP510e antenna-id configuration, see antenna-id (ap510e).

For information on AP560h antenna-id configuration, see antenna-id (ap560h).

For information on AP410e and AP460e antenna-id configuration, see antenna-id ap410e.

Usage Guidelines: Possible Combinations of RF Mode Configuration

Table 1. AP410i/e and AP460i/e Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3: Software Modes
Software Mode 1 Radio 1: Set to 2.4 GHz WLAN, Channels 1 - 11 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz bandwidths
Note: Radio 1 is 2.4 GHz band-locked.
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Note: Radio 2 is 5 GHz band-locked.
Radio 3: Not configured
Software Mode 2 Radio 1: Not Configured
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Radio 3: Set to 2.4/5 GHz Sensor
Software Mode 3 Radio 1: Set to 2.4 GHz WLAN, Channels 1 - 11 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz bandwidths
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Radio 3: Set to 2.4/5 GHz Sensor
Table 2. AP510i/e and AP560i/h Radio 1 and Radio 2: Software Modes
Software Mode 1 Radio 1: Set to 2.4 GHz WLAN, Channels 1 - 11 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz bandwidths
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Software Mode 2 Radio 1: Set to 2.4/5 GHz Sensor
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Software Mode 3
Note: Starting with the WiNG 7.2.0 release, SMART RF is supported on AP510i/e and AP560i/h model access points running in the dual-5GHz mode.
 Radio 1: Set to 5 GHz, Channels 36 - 64 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz bandwidths
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz, Channels 100 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz bandwidths
Note

Note

The AP510e and AP510i/h have the same hardware specifications with one basic difference, AP510e has eight, external antennas, whereas, AP510i/h has eight, internal antenna ports.
Note

Note

The AP560h supports the following two antenna types: 30 degree and 70 degree. Whereas, the AP560i supports only a single omni-directional antenna type on all eight antenna ports.
Table 3. AP505i Radio 1 and Radio 2: Software Modes
Software Mode 1 Radio 1: Set to 2.4 GHz WLAN, Channels 1 - 11 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz bandwidths
Radio 2: Set to 5 GHz WLAN, Channels 36 - 165 in the 20 MHz /40 MHz /80 MHz /160 MHz
Software Mode 2 Radio 1: Set to Sensor.
Radio 2: Set to Sensor.

Usage Guidelines: AP510e Radio and Antenna Modes

Note

Note

The AP510e and AP510i are dual-radio APs with one basic difference, AP510e has eight, external antennas. Whereas, AP510i has eight, internal antennas.

The following table lists the external antenna configurations required to support the different software modes on the AP510e model access point.

Table 4. AP510e: External Antenna Configurations
Antenna Ports
Software Mode 2.4/5G Antennas: 1, 2, 3, 4 5G Antennas: 5, 6, 7, 8
Mode 1
  • Radio 1 - 2.4 GHz WLAN
  • Radio 2 - 5 GHz WLAN
Note: This mode requires only FOUR, dual-band antennas connected to ANT sockets 1 to 4.
 Dual-band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz None
Mode 2
  • Radio 1 - 2.4/5 GHz Sensor
  • Radio 2 - 5 GHz WLAN
Note: This mode requires FOUR, dual-band antennas connected to ANT sockets 1 to 4, and FOUR, 5G-band antennas connected to ANT sockets 5 to 8.
 Dual-band 2.4 GHz/5 GHz 5 GHz
Mode 3
  • Radio 1 - 5 GHz WLAN
  • Radio 2 - 5 GHz WLAN
Note: Requires FOUR, 5G-band antennas connected to ANT sockets 1 to 4, and FOUR, 5G-band antennas connected to ANT sockets 5 to 8.
 5 GHz 5 GHz
Note

Note

To enable the AP510e radio, you must map a WLAN to the AP radio and also configure the antenna-id for the group-1 (1 to 4) or group-2 (5 to 8) antennas. For Software Mode 1, only group-1 antenna-id needs to be configured, since, in this mode the 5G, 5 - 8 antennas are not used. For Software Mode 2 and Software Mode 3 both group-1 and group-2 antenna-ids need to be configured, since both sets of antennas are used. For information on configuring the antenna-id, see antenna-id (ap510e).

Example

nx9500-6C8809(config-profile-510TestProfile-if-radio1)#rf-mode sensor

nx9500-6C8809(config-profile-510TestProfile-if-radio1)#show context
 interface radio1
  rf-mode sensor
  placement outdoor
  mesh client
  off-channel-scan channel-list 2.4GHz 1
  guard-interval long
  aggregation ampdu tx-only
  aeroscout forward
  ekahau forward ip 172.16.10.1 port 3
  non-unicast tx-rate bss 1 dynamic-all
  --More--
nx9500-6C8809(config-profile-510TestProfile-if-radio1)#

ap505-134006(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-06-if-radio1)#rf-mode 2.4GHz-wlan

ap505-134006(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-06-if-radio2)#rf-mode 5GHZ-Wlan

ap505-13403B(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-38-if-radio1)#wlan wlan123 bss 1 primary

ap505-13403B(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-38-if-radio2)#wlan wlan123 bss 1 primary

ap505-134006(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-06)#show cont
ap505 94-9B-2C-13-40-06
use profile default-ap505
use rf-domain default
hostname ap505-134006
interface radio1
  channel 1
  wlan wlan123 bss 1 primary
interface radio2
  channel 36
  wlan wlan123 bss 1 primary
no adoption-mode
ap505-134006(config-device-94-9B-2C-13-40-06)#..

ap505-134006(config)#commit wr mem
[OK]
ap505-134006(config)#show wi rad
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RADIO              RADIO-MAC             RF-MODE    STATE   CHANNEL   POWER  #CLIENT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ap505-134006:R1    94-9B-2C-0E-88-80 2.4GHz-wlan     On   1 (    1)  14 (smt)  1
ap505-134006:R2    94-9B-2C-0E-88-90   5GHz-wlan     On   36 (   36) 16 (smt)  1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total number of radios displayed: 2
ap505-134006(config)#

Related Commands

no (radio-interface-config-command) Resets the radio‘s mode of operation
data-rates Configures the 802.11 data rates on this radio
9036514-01 Rev AA