Configuring the WDS Wireless APs Through the Wireless Controller

Note

You must identify and mark the Preferred Parents, Backup Parents and the Child APs in the proposed WDS topology before starting the configuration process.

Configuring the WDS wireless APs involves the following steps:

• Creating a WDS WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) Service.
• Defining the SSID name and the pre-shared key.
• Assigning roles, parents and backup parents to the WDS APs.

For ease of understanding, the WDS configuration process is explained with an example. The following figure depicts a site with the following features:

• An office building, denoted by a rectangular enclosure.
• Four APs — Ardal, Arthur, Athens and Auberon — are within the confines of the building, and are connected to the wired network.
• The space around the building is the warehouse.
• The solid arrows point toward Preferred Parents.
• The dotted arrows point toward Backup Parents.

WDS Deployment

Note

With the single WDS VNS, the tree structure for the WDS deployment will be as depicted on the bottom right of the figure above. You can also implement the same deployment using four WDS VNSs, each for a set of APs in the four corners of the building. Each set of APs will form an isolated topology and will operate using a separate SSID and a separate Pre-shared key. For more information, see Examples of WDS Deployment.

To configure the WDS wireless APs through the wireless controller:

1. From the top menu, click VNS.
2. In the left pane, expand the WLAN Services pane and select a WDS service to edit or click the New button.
3. Enter a name for the service in the Name field.
4. The SSID field is automatically filled in with the name, but you can change it if desired.
5. For Service Type, select WDS.
   

   
6. To save your changes, click Save.
   The WLAN configuration window displays again to show additional configuration fields.

   

   
7. To improve security for WDS links and reduce inadvertent user associations to WDS SSID, check the Suppress SSID checkbox. (This option is available after you save the WDS type WLAN Service.)
   When this option is checked:

   • The SSID name is not included in the SSID IE field.
   • The child AP inspects the beacon for proprietary information that identifies the service.
8. In the WDS Pre-shared Key box, type the key.
   

   Note

   The pre-shared key must be 8 to 63 characters long. The WDS APs use this pre-shared key to establish a WDS link between them.

   

   Note

   Changing the pre-shared key after the WDS is deployed can be a lengthy process. For more information, see Changing the Pre-shared Key in a WDS WLAN Service.
9. Assign the roles, preferred parents and backup parents to the AP Radios.
   

   Note

   The roles — parent, child, and both — are assigned to the Radios of the APs. An AP may connect to its parent wireless AP and children APs on the same Radio, or on a different Radio. Similarly, a AP can have two children operating on two different Radios.The Radio on which the child AP operates is determined by the parent AP.If the AP will be serving both as parent and child, you must select both as its role.
10. To configure the WDS with a single WDS VNS, you must assign the roles, preferred parents and backup parents to the APs according to the following table.
    

    Wireless APs and Their Roles

    ExtremeWireless AP	Radio b/g	Radio a	Preferred Parent	Backup Parent
    Ardal	Parent	Parent	See the note below.	See the note below.
    Arthur	Parent	Parent	See the note below.	See the note below.
    Athens	Parent	Parent	See the note below.	See the note below.
    Auberon	Parent	Parent	See the note below.	See the note below.
    Bawdy	Both	Child	Ardal	Arthur
    Bern	Both	Child	Arthur	Ardal
    Barend	Both	Child	Athens	Auberon
    Barett	Both	Child	Auberon	Athens
    Osborn	Child	Child	Bawdy	Ardal
    Oscar	Child	Child	Bern	Arthur
    Orson	Child	Child	Barend	Athens
    Oswald	Child	Child	Barett	Auberon

    

    Note

    Since the Root APs — Ardal, Arthur, Athens and Auberon —are the highest entities in the tree structure, they do not have parents. Therefore, the Preferred Parent and Backup Parent drop-down lists of the Root APs do not display any AP. You must leave these two fields blank.

    

    Note

    You must first assign the ‘parent‘ role to the APs that will serve as the parents. Unless this is done, the Parent APs will not be displayed in the Preferred Parent and Backup Parent drop-down lists of other APs.

    

    Note

    The WDS Bridge feature on the user interface relates to WDS Bridge configuration. When you are configuring the WDS Bridge topology, you must select WDS Bridge for Satellite AP that is connected to the wired network. For more information, see Wireless Bridge Configuration.
11. To assign the roles, preferred parent and backup parent:
    1. From the radio b/g drop-down list of the Root APs — Ardal, Arthur, Athens and Auberon, click Parent.
    2. From the radio a drop-down list of the Root APs — Ardal, Arthur, Athens and Auberon, click Parent.
    3. From the radio a and radio b/g drop-down list of other APs, click the roles according to Wireless APs and Their Roles.
    4. From the Preferred Parent drop-down list of other APs, click the parents according to Wireless APs and Their Roles.
    5. From the Backup Parent drop-down list of other APs, click the backup parents according to Wireless APs and Their Roles.
       

       Wireless AP Services

       
12. Click Save to save your changes.