Allied Telesis AT-WA7400/EU - Manual (Page 174)

Chapter 16: Configuring the Wireless Distribution System (WDS)
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Understanding the Wireless Distribution System
A wireless distribution system ( WDS ) is an 802.11f technology that
wirelessly connects access points, known as Basic Service Sets ( BSS ), to
form what is known as an Extended Service Set ( ESS ).
Note
A BSS generally equates to an access point (deployed as a single-
access point wireless “network”), except in cases where multi-
BSSID features make a single access point look like two or more
access points to the network. In such cases, the access point has
multiple unique BSSIDs.
Using WDS to
Bridge Distant
Wired LANs
In an ESS , a network of multiple access points, each access point serves
part of an area which is too large for a single access point to cover. You
can use WDS to bridge distant Ethernets to create a single
LAN . For
example, suppose you have one access point which is connected to the
network by Ethernet and serving multiple client stations in the Conference
Room (LAN Segment 1), and another Ethernet-wired access point serving
stations in the West Wing offices (LAN Segment 2). You can bridge the
Conference Room and West Wing access points with a WDS link to create
a single network for clients in both areas, as shown in Figure 50.
Figure 50. Example Wireless Network
Using WDS to
Extend the
Network Beyond
the Wired
Coverage Area
An ESS can extend the reach of the network into areas where cabling
would be difficult, costly, or inefficient.
For example, suppose you have an access point which is connected to the
network by Ethernet and serving multiple client stations in one area (East
Wing in the example) but cannot reach others which are out of range.
Suppose also that it is too difficult or too costly to wire the distant area with
WDS Bridge
Client Station
Client Station
Client Station
"Conference Room" AP
"West Wing" AP Client Station
LAN Segment 2 LAN Segment 1
Wire
d (E
ther
net)
Con
nect
ion Wire
d (E
ther
net)
Con
nect
ion