To edit an access point's radio settings:
Description | Provide or edit a description (1 to 64 characters in length) for the radio that helps differentiate it from others with similar configurations. |
Admin Status | Select Enable to define this radio as active to the profile it supports. Select Disable to deactivate this radio configuration within the profile. It can be activated at any future time when needed. |
RF Mode | You can configure the radio to provide WLAN service
for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz enabled clients. You can also set the
radio to provide sensor support, scan-ahead support, or function as a
client bridge. Set the mode to either 2.4GHz-wlan or 5GHz-wlan or 6GHz-wlan, depending on the radio's intended client support requirement. Set the mode to sensor if using the radio for rogue device detection. To set a radio as a detector, deactivate sensor mode on the other access point radio. Set the mode to bridge if the radio functions as a client bridge. |
Lock RF Mode | Select Lock RF Mode to lock Smart RF for this radio. |
LDPC | Select this option to activate low-density parity-check for the selected radio. |
RIFS Mode | Set the RIFS mode for the selected radio. |
Radio Placement | Use the drop-down list box to specify whether the radio is located Indoors or Outdoors. The placement should depend on the country of operation and its regulatory domain requirements for radio emissions. |
Channel | Use the drop-down list box to select the channel of operation for the radio. Only a trained installation professional should define the radio channel. Select Smart for the radio to scan non-overlapping channels listening for beacons from other access points. After channels are scanned, the radio selects the channel with the fewest access points. In the case of multiple access points on the same channel, it selects the channel with the lowest average power level. The default value is Smart. Channels with a “w” appended to them are unique to the 40 MHz band. Channels with a “ww” appended to them are 802.11ac specific, and are unique to the 80 MHz band. |
Fallback Channel | Use the drop-down list box to select a fallback channel if the main channel doesn't work. |
Transmit Power | Select Smart to automate the transmit power for the
radio. Select Transmit Power and assign a value between 1 to 30 dBm. |
Client Power | Select Client Power and assign a value between 1 to 20 dBm. |
Max Clients | Use the spinner control or type a maximum permissible number of clients to connect with this radio. The available range is between 1 to 512 clients. The default value is 512. |
Dynamic Chain Selection | Select this option for the radio to dynamically change the number of transmit chains. |
Rate Selection Method | Specify a radio selection method for the radio. The selection methods are: Standard: standard monotonic radio selection method is used. Opportunistic: sets opportunistic radio link adaptation as the radio selection method. This mode uses opportunistic data rate selection to provide the best throughput. |
Radio QoS Policy | Use the drop-down list box to specify an existing QoS policy to apply to the access point radio with respect to its intended radio traffic. |
Association ACL | Use the drop-down list box to specify an existing Association ACL policy to apply to the access point radio. An Association ACL is a policy-based ACL that either prevents or allows wireless clients from connecting to an access point radio. An ACL is a sequential collection of permit and deny conditions that apply to packets. When a packet is received on an interface, its compared against applied ACLs to verify the packet has the required permissions to be forwarded. If a packet does not meet any of the criteria specified in the ACL, the packet is dropped. |
Data Rates | Once the radio band is provided, the Data
Rates drop-down list box populates with rate options
depending on the 2.4, 5.0, or 6 GHz band selected. Note: If the radio band is
set to Sensor or Bridge, the Data Rates drop-down list box is not
activated, as the rates are fixed and not user configurable.
If 2.4 GHz is selected as the radio band, select separate 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n rates and define how they are used in combination. If 5 or 6 GHz is selected as the radio band, select separate 802.11a and 802.11n rates then define how they are used together. When using 802.11n (in either the 2.4, 5 or 6 GHz band), set a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) with respect to the radio's channel width and guard interval. An MCS defines (based on RF channel conditions) an optimal combination of 8 data rates, bonded channels, multiple spatial streams, different guard intervals and modulation types. Clients can associate as long as they support basic MCS (as well as non-11n basic rates). If dedicating the radio to either 2.4, 5, or 6 GHz support, a Custom Rates option is available to set an MCS with respect to the radio's channel width and guard interval. An MCS defines (based on RF channel conditions) an optimal combination of rates, bonded channels, multiple spatial streams, different guard intervals and modulation types. Clients can associate as long as they support basic MCS (as well as non-11n basic rates). If Basic is selected within the 802.11n Rates field, the MCS0-7 option is auto selected as a Supported rate and that option is grayed out. If Basic is not selected, any combination of MCS0-7, MCS8-15 and MCS16-23 can be supported, including a case where MCS0-7 and MCS16-23 are selected and not MCS8-15. The MCS0-7 and MCS8-15 options are available to each support access point. |
Adaptivity Recovery |
Select this option to switch channels when an access point‘s radio is in adaptivity mode. In adaptivity mode, an access point monitors interference on its set channel and stops functioning when the radio‘s defined interference tolerance level is exceeded. When the defined adaptivity timeout is exceeded, the radio resumes functionality on a different channel. This option is enabled by default. |
Adaptivity Timeout |
Set the adaptivity timeout from 30 to 3,600 minutes. The default setting is 90 minutes. |
DFS Revert Home |
Select this option to enable a radio to return to its original channel. DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) prevents a radio from operating in a channel where radar signals are present. When radar signals are detected in a channel, the radio changes its channel of operation to another channel. The radio cannot use the channel it has moved from for the next 30 minutes. When DFS Revert Home is selected, the radio can return back to its original channel of operation when the 30-minute period is over. When not selected, the radio cannot return back to its original channel of operation ever after the mandatory 30-minute evacuation period is over. |
DFS Duration |
Set the DFS duration between 30 and 3,600 minutes. This is the duration for which the radio stays in the new channel. The default value is 90 minutes. |
802.11AX |
Use the slider button to enable or disable 802.11ax mode functionality for the AP. The AP3000/X and AP5xx model APs are 802.11ax capable. 802.11ax support is enabled by default. |
BSS Color | Configures support for 802.11ax BSS coloring and
assign the BSS color associated with the radio. BSS coloring is a means by which 802.11ax radios differentiate between overlapping Basic Service Sets (BSSs) in multi-path channels. A BSS represents a set of communicating devices consisting of one AP radio and one or more client stations. In an 802.11ax enabled wireless network, each BSS is identified by a numerical identifier (the BSS color) added to the header of the PHY frame. BSS coloring impacts channel access behavior and spatial reuse operation. Based on the BSS color detected, APs can assign new channel access behavior. Spatial reuse, is another advantage of enabling BSS color. It applies adaptive Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) thresholds for detected Overlapping BSS (OBSS) frame transmissions, enabling APs to ignore transmissions from an OBSS and transmit at the same time. BSS color support is disabled by default. |
TWT | Enables 11ax Target Wake Time (TWT)
support on the radio. The IEEE 802.11ax standard defines power saving enhancements and improved resource scheduling features, such as scheduled sleep and wake times. TWT allows devices, APs and stations, to negotiate when and how frequently they will wake up to send or receive data. TWT increases device sleep time, thereby substantially improving the client device's battery life. TWT is enabled by default. |
OFDMA |
Enables support for Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) in both directions or in one direction. 802.11ax APs use OFDMA technology to partition a channel into
smaller sub-channels called resource units (RUs)
allowing multiple users, with varying bandwidth needs, to be served
simultaneously. OFDMA is ideal for low bandwidth applications and
results in better frequency reuse, reduced latency, and increased
efficiency. When enabled, the AP mandates the RU allocation for
multiple clients for downlink (dl) and
uplink (ul) OFDMA. A series of trigger frames are
exchanged to allow multi-user transmission in the downlink and
uplink directions.
Note: Specify a Guard Interval to avoid overlapping of OFDMA
symbols.
OFDMA support is enabled for both directions by default. |
MU-MIMO | Select this option to enable multi-user multiple input
multiple output (MU-MIMO) for the radio. When enabled, multiple users are able to simultaneously access the same channel using the spatial degrees of freedom offered by MIMO. OFDMA is disabled by default. |
PSC | Select this option to enable PSC channels-only mode
for the radio. PSC is disabled by default. |
FILS | Select this option to enable 6 GHz Discovery Method
FILS for the radio. FILS is disabled by default. |
MBSSID | Select this option to enable Multiple Basic Service
Set ID (MBSSID) capability for the radio. MBSSID is disabled by default. |
RNR | Select this option to enable 6 GHz Discovery Methods
for the radio. RNR is disabled by default. |
UMUSCHEDBRCMONLY | Do not select this option. It is used only for debugging purposes. |
Beacon Interval | Set the interval between radio beacons in milliseconds (either 50, 100, or 200). A beacon is a packet broadcast by adopted radios to keep the network synchronized. The beacon includes the WLAN service area, radio address, broadcast destination addresses, time stamp and indicators about traffic and delivery such as a DTIM. Increase the DTIM/beacon settings (lengthening the time) to let nodes sleep longer and preserve battery life. Decrease these settings (shortening the time) to support streaming-multicast audio and video applications that are jitter-sensitive. The default value is 100 milliseconds. |
Guard Interval | Use the drop-down list box to specify Any, Base, Double, Long, or Quadruple guard interval. The guard interval is the space between the packets being transmitted. The guard interval is there to eliminate inter-symbol interference (ISI). ISI occurs when echoes or reflections from one transmission interfere with another. Adding time between transmissions allows echo's and reflections to settle before the next packet is transmitted. A shorter guard interval results in a shorter times which reduces overhead and increases data rates by up to 10%.The default value is Long. |
RTS Threshold | Specify a Request To Send (RTS) threshold (between 1
to 65,536 bytes) for use by the WLAN's adopted access point radios.
RTS is a transmitting station's signal that requests a Clear To
Send (CTS) response from a receiving client. This RTS/CTS
procedure clears the air where clients are contending for transmission
time. Benefits include fewer data collisions and better communication
with nodes that are hard to find (or hidden) because of other active
nodes in the transmission path. Control RTS/CTS by setting an RTS threshold. This setting initiates an RTS/CTS exchange for data frames larger than the threshold, and sends (without RTS/CTS) any data frames smaller than the threshold. Consider the trade-offs when setting an appropriate RTS threshold for the WLAN's access point radios. A lower RTS threshold causes more frequent RTS/CTS exchanges. This consumes more bandwidth because of additional latency (RTS/CTS exchanges) before transmissions can commence. A disadvantage is the reduction in data-frame throughput. An advantage is quicker system recovery from electromagnetic interference and data collisions. Environments with more wireless traffic and contention for transmission make the best use of a lower RTS threshold. A higher RTS threshold minimizes RTS/CTS exchanges, consuming less bandwidth for data transmissions. A disadvantage is less help to nodes that encounter interference and collisions. An advantage is faster data-frame throughput. Environments with less wireless traffic and contention for transmission make the best use of a higher RTS threshold. |
Probe Response Rate | Use the drop-down list box to specify the data transmission rate used for the transmission of probe responses. Options include, highest-basic, lowest-basic and follow-probe-request (default setting). |
Probe Response Retry | Select Probe Response Retry to retry probe responses if they are not acknowledged by the target wireless client. |
Short Preamble | If using an 802.11bg radio, select this checkbox for the radio to transmit using a short preamble. Short preambles improve throughput. However, some devices (SpectraLink or Polycomm phones) require long preambles. |
DTIM Interval BSSID |
Set a DTIM Interval to specify a period for Delivery Traffic Indication Messages (DTIM). A DTIM is periodically included in a beacon frame transmitted from adopted radios. The DTIM period determines how often the beacon contains a DTIM, for example, 1 DTIM for every 10 beacons. The DTIM indicates broadcast and multicast frames (buffered at the access point) are soon to arrive. These are simple data frames that require no acknowledgment, so nodes sometimes miss them. Increase the DTIM/ beacon settings (lengthening the time) to let nodes sleep longer and preserve their battery life. Decrease these settings (shortening the time) to support streaming multicast audio and video applications that are jitter-sensitive. |
DTIM Interval - All BSSIDS | Select Use Same DTIM Interval for All BSSIDS to apply the same DTIM period setting to all defined BSSIDs |
Select Add to create a new WLAN/BSS Mapping for the selected radio.
BSSID | The BSSID is automatically assigned to the radio |
Wireless | Select a WLAN from the drop-down list box |
Note
Set the radio's RF Mode to bridge before configuring these settings.Bridge SSID | Set the infrastructure WLAN‘s BSSID, with which the client-bridge access point associates. |
Bridge Encryption Type | Set the packet encryption mode. The encryption mode specified here
should be the same as that configured on the infrastructure WLAN. The
options are None, CCMP, and
TKIP. The default setting is None. For information on WLAN encryption, see Wireless Network Security Configuration. |
Channel Dwell Time | Set the channel-dwell time from 50 to 2000 milliseconds. This is the time the client-bridge radio dwells on each channel (configured in the list of channels) when scanning for an infrastructure WLAN. The default is 150 milliseconds. |
Link Loss Shutdown Radio | Select this option to enable shutting down of the non-client
bridge radio (this is the radio to which wireless clients associate)
when the link between the client-bridge and infrastructure access
points is lost. When enabled, wireless clients associated with the
non-client bridge radio are pushed to search for and associate with
other access points having backhaul connectivity. This option is
disabled by default. If you enable this option, specify the time for which the non-client bridge radio is shut down. Use the spinner to specify a time from 1 - 1,800 seconds. |
Bridge Inactivity Timeout | Set the inactivity timeout for each bridge MAC address from 0 to 864,000 seconds. This is the time for which the client-bridge access point waits before deleting a wired/wireless client‘s MAC address from which a frame has not been received for more than the time specified here. For example, if the inactivity time is set at 120 seconds, and if no frames are received from a client (MAC address) for 120 seconds, it is deleted. The default value is 600 seconds. |
Max Clients | Set the maximum number of client-bridge access points that can associate with the infrastructure WLAN. Specify a value from 1 to 64. The default value is 64. |
Connect through Bridge | Select this option to enable the client-bridge access point radio to associate with the infrastructure WLAN through another client-bridge radio thereby forming a chain. This is referred to as daisy chaining of client-bridge radios. This option is disabled by default. |
Link Up Refresh | Select this option to enable the Switch Virtual Interface (SVI) to refresh on re-establishing client bridge link to the infrastructure access point. If you are using a DHCP assigned IP address, this option also causes a DHCP renew. This option is enabled by default. |
Protected Management Frames |
Select this option to enable protected management frames between the client and its associated access point radio. |
Roam Criteria Missed Beacons | Set this interval from 0 to 60 seconds. This is the time for which the client-bridge access point waits, after missing a beacon from the associated infrastructure WLAN access point, before roaming to another infrastructure access point. For example, if Missed Beacon is set to 30 seconds, and if more than 30 seconds have passed since the last beacon received from the infrastructure access point, the client-bridge access point resumes scanning for another infrastructure access point. The default value is 20 seconds. |
Roam Criteria RSSI Threshold | Set the minimum signal-strength threshold for signals received from the infrastructure access point. Specify a value from -128 to -40 dBm. If the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) value of signals received from the infrastructure access point falls below the value specified here, the client-bridge access point resumes scanning for another infrastructure access point. The default is -75 dBm. |
Keep Alive Type | Set the keep alive frame type exchanged between the client-bridge and infrastructure access points. This is the type of packets exchanged between the client-bridge and infrastructure access points, at specified intervals, to keep the client-bridge link up and active. The options are null-data and WNMP packets. The default value is null-data. |
Keep Alive Interval | Set the keep alive interval from 0 to 86,400 seconds. This is the interval between two successive keep alive frames exchanged between the client-bridge and infrastructure access points. The default value is 300 seconds. |
Bridge Authentication | Set the mode of authentication with the infrastructure WLAN. The
authentication mode specified here should be the same as that
configured on the infrastructure WLAN. The options are None and
EAP. If you select EAP,
specify the EAP authentication parameters. The default setting is None. For information on WLAN authentication, see Wireless Network Security Configuration. |
Channels 2.4 GHz | Use the drop-down list to define a list of channels for scanning across all the channels in the 2.4 GHz radio band. |
Channels 5 GHz | Use the drop-down list to define a list of channels for scanning across all the channels in the 5 GHz radio band. |
Channels 6 GHz | Use the drop-down list to define a list of channels for scanning across all the channels in the 6 GHz radio band. |
Mesh | Set the mesh mode for this radio – either Client, Portal, or Disabled. Select Client to scan for mesh portals, or nodes that have connection to portals, and connect through them. The Portal operation begins beaconing immediately and accepts connections from other mesh supported nodes. In general, the portal is connected to the wired network. The default value is Disabled. |
Mesh Links | Specify the number of mesh links (1 -6) an access point radio will attempt to create. The default setting is 6 links. |
Mesh PSK | Use the field to define the shared key for mesh. From the
drop-down, select the type of the key: ASCII or
HEX. Click the View
icon ![]() |
Preferred Peer Devices | Select Add to configure a preferred peer device for connection in a mesh network. For each peer being added, enter its MAC address and a priority from 1 - 6. Priority for mesh connection is given to the device that has the lowest number assigned. |
Mesh Mappings | Select Add to create a mesh point mapping assignments to available BSSIDs for an existing access point deployment. The BSSID is automatically assigned when creating a new MCX mesh mapping. |
Gain | Set the antenna between 0.0 to 14.5 dBi. The access point's Power Management Antenna Configuration File (PMACF) automatically configures the access point's radio transmit power based on the antenna type, its antenna gain (provided here) and the deployed country's regulatory domain restrictions. Once provided, the access point calculates the power range. Antenna gain relates the intensity of an antenna in a given direction to the intensity that would be produced ideally by an antenna that radiates equally in all directions (isotropically), and has no losses. Although the gain of an antenna is directly related to its directivity, its gain is a measure that takes into account the efficiency of the antenna as well as its directional capabilities. Only a professional installer must set the antenna gain. The default value is 0 |
Mode | Set the number of transmit and receive antennas on the access point. 1×1 is used for transmissions over just the single "A" antenna, 1×3 is used for transmissions over the "A" antenna and all three antennas for receiving. 2×2 is used for transmissions and receipts over two antennas for dual antenna models. 3×3×3 is used for transmissions and receipts over three antennas models. The default setting is dynamic based on the access point model deployed and its transmit power settings |
Diversity | Select to activate antenna diversity on supported antennas. Antenna diversity uses two or more antennas to increase signal quality and strength |
A-MSDU Modes | Use the drop-down list box to define the A-MSDU mode supported.
Options include:
|
A-MPDU Modes | Use the drop-down list box to define the A-MPDU mode supported. Options include Transmit Only, Receive Only, Transmit and Receive and None. The default value is Transmit and Receive. Using the default value, long frames can be both sent and received (up to 64 KB). When enabled, define either a transmit or receive limit or both |
Receive A-MPDU Frame Size Limit | If the A-MPDU mode is set to Receive Only or
Transmit and
Receive, use this option to define an advertised maximum limit
for received A-MPDU aggregated frame size. The options include:
|
Minimum Gap Between A-MPDU Frames | Use the drop-down list box to define, in microseconds, the minimum
gap between consecutive A-MPDU frames. The options include:
|
Transmit A-MPDU Frame Size Limit | If the A-MPDU mode is set to Transmit Only or
Transmit and
Receive, use the spinner control to set limit on transmitted
A-MPDU aggregated frame size. The range depends on the AP type and the radio selected. For 802.11ac capable APs, the range is
as follows:
|
Enable | Select Enable to scan across all channels using this radio. Channel scans use access point resources and can be time consuming, so only enable when your sure the radio can afford the bandwidth be directed towards to the channel scan and does not negatively impact client support. |
2.4 GHz Channels | Define a list of channels for off channel scans using the 2.4 GHz access point radio. Restricting off channel scans to specific channels frees bandwidth otherwise utilized for scanning across all the channels in the 2.4 GHz radio band. |
5 GHz Channels | Define a list of channels for off channel scans using the 5 GHz access point radio. Restricting off channel scans to specific channels frees bandwidth otherwise utilized for scanning across all the channels in the 5 GHz radio band. |
6 GHz Channels | Define a list of channels for off channel scans using the 6 GHz access point radio. Restricting off channel scans to specific channels frees bandwidth otherwise utilized for scanning across all the channels in the 6 GHz radio band. |
Max Multicast | Set the maximum number from 0 to 100 of multicast or broadcast messages used to perform off channel scanning. The default setting is four |
Scan Interval | Set the interval from 2 to 100 dtims off channel scans occur. The default setting is 20 dtims |
Sniffer Redirect Host | Specify the IP address of the host to which captured off channel scan packets are redirected. |
Forwarding Host | Specify the Aeroscout engine‘s IP address. When specified, the AP forwards Aeroscout beacons directly to the Aeroscout locationing engine without proxying through the controller or RF Domain manager |
Forwarding Port | Set the port on which the Aeroscout or Ekahau engine is reachable. The range is between 0 to 65,535 |
MAC Address to be Forwarded | Specify the MAC address |