Allied Telesis AT-WA7501 - Manual (Page 27)

AT-WA7500 and AT-WA7501 Installation and User’s Guide
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The access points communicate with each other through the spanning
tree. The wireless end devices are configured as stations with LAN ID set
to 0 and SSID set to Op3rat!ons.
Using an Access
Point as a WAP
You can extend the range of your wireless network by configuring a dual
radio access point as a wireless access point (WAP). The WAP and the
wireless end devices it communicates with comprise a secondary LAN.
You can position WAPs in strategic locations so they receive data from
end devices and then forward the data to the wired network. This
configuration can be useful when distance or physical layout impedes
radio reception and transmission
This illustration shows a simple wireless network with one access point
and one WAP. Wireless end devices use the WAP to forward data to the
access point.
Figure 10. Access Point as a WAP
WAPs send data from end devices to the access points via wireless hops.
Wireless hops are formed when data from end devices move from one
access point to another access point through the radio ports. The master
radio in the access point transmits hello messages, which allow the WAPs
to attach to the spanning tree in the same way as access points.
The number of radios required in the WAP depends on the type of radio
installed:
ˆ If you have an 802.11a radio, the WAP only needs one radio because
this radio can simultaneously be a master and a station. This radio will
create wireless hops automatically when it cannot communicate to the
wired network.
ˆ If you have an 802.11g or 802.11b radio, the WAP must contain two
radios: one configured as master and one as station. The WAP master
radio must match the end devices radios, and the WAP station radio
must match the master radio in the access point.
Note
Currently, 802.11g networks cannot use WAPs because this radio
does not support wireless hops.
Ethernet
Access
point
Host
WAP