USRobotics Instant802 APSDK - Manual (Page 45)

Professional Access Point
Administrator Guide
Access Points - 45
participate in a self-organizing cluster which makes it easier for you to deploy, administer, and secure your
wireless network. The cluster provides a single point of administration and lets you view the deployment of
access points as a single wireless network rather than a series of separate wireless devices.
What is a Cluster?
A cluster is a group of access points which are coordinated as a single group via Professional Access
Point administration. You cannot create multiple clusters on a single wireless network (
SSID ). Only one
cluster per wireless network is supported.
How Many APs Can a Cluster Support?
Up to eight access points are supported in a cluster at any one time. If a new access point is added to a
network with a cluster that is already at full capacity, the new access point is added in standalone mode.
Note that when the cluster is full, extra APs are added in stand-alone mode regardless of the configuration
policy in effect for new access points.
For related information, see “Cluster Mode” on page 47, “Standalone Mode” on page 47, and “Set
Configuration Policy for New Access Points” on page 39.
What Kinds of APs Can Cluster?
A single Professional Access Point can form a cluster with itself (a cluster of one) and with other
Professional Access Points of the same model. In order to be members of the same cluster, access points
must be on the same
LAN.
Having a mix of APs on the network does not adversely affect Professional Access Point clustering in any
way. However, access points of other types will not join the cluster. Those APs must be administered with
their own associated administration tools.
Which Settings are Shared as Part of the Cluster Configuration and Which Are Not?
Most configuration settings defined via the Professional Access Point Web User Interface will be
propagated to cluster members as a part of the cluster configuration.
Settings Shared in the Cluster Configuration
The cluster configuration includes:
• Network name (SSID)
• Administrator Password
• Configuration policy
• User accounts and authentication
• Wireless interface settings
• Guest Welcome screen settings
• Network Time Protocol (NTP) settings