Normal operation – Brocade Mobility 5181 Access Point Product Reference Guide (Supporting software release 4.4.0.0) User Manual
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Brocade Mobility 5181 Access Point Product Reference Guide
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Mesh networking overview
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The access point can manipulate the path cost assigned to a bridge connection based on that
connection’s RSSI. This results in the spanning tree selecting the optimal path for forwarding data
when redundant paths exist. However, this can be overridden using the preferred list. When using
the preferred list, the user enters a priority for each bridge, resulting in the selection of the
forwarding link.
Limit the wireless client’s connections to reduce the number of hops required to get to the wired
network. Use each radio’s "preferred" base bridge list to define which access points the client
bridge connects to. For more information, see
“Configuring mesh networking support”
Mesh networking and the two subnets of the
Mobility 5181 Access Point
The access point now has a second subnet on the LAN side of the system. This means wireless
clients communicating through the same radio can reside on different subnets. The addition of this
feature adds another layer of complexity to the access point’s mesh networking functionality.
With a second LAN introduced, the LAN’s Ethernet port (and any of the 16 WLANs) could be
assigned to one of two different subnets. From a layer 2 perspective, the system has two different
bridge functionalities, each with its own STP. The WLAN assignment controls the subnet (LAN1 or 2)
upon which a given connection resides. If WLAN2 is assigned to LAN1, and WLAN2 is used to
establish a client bridge connection, then the mesh network connection resides on LAN1.
Therefore, (depending upon the WLAN-to-LAN mapping), the access point could have multiple
mesh connections on either LAN1 or LAN2.
Normal operation
Once the mesh network is defined, all normal access point operations are still allowed. Clients are
still allowed to associate with the access point as usual. The user can create WLANs, security
polices and VLANs as with any other access point. DHCP services function normally and all layer 3
communications are allowed.
WNMP is used to send information about each mesh network so information can be displayed to
the user from any access point on the system. WNMP messages are AP-AP info messages used to
send system status.
Impact of importing/exporting configurations
to a mesh network
When using the access point’s Configuration Import/Export screen to migrate an access point’s
configuration to other access points, mesh network configuration parameters will get sent or saved
to other access points. However, if using the Known AP Statistics screen’s Send Cfg to APs
functionality, “auto-select” and preferred list” settings do not get imported.