RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N Access Point WN802T Reference Manual

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Management

v1.0, August 2007

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v1.0, August 2007

Chapter 5

Advanced Wireless Bridging

This chapter describes how to configure the advanced features of your WN802T to one of six

Access Point Modes or in Wireless Bridge and Repeater Mode.These features can be found under

the Advanced heading in the main menu on the Wireless Settings Wireless Bridging screens.

The RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N Access Point lets you build large wireless networks. Examples

of wireless bridging configurations are:

•

Access Point

. Standard Access Point mode (default mode). Operates as a standard 802.11b/g

or 802.11b//g/n Access Point. In this mode, the WN802T will communicate only with wireless

clients.

•

Wireless multi-point bridging

. Acts as the “master” and communicates with up to six bridge-

mode wireless access points. All of the other wireless access points communicate through the

WN802T when theWN802T is in this mode.

•

Repeater with Wireless Client Association

. Acts as a “repeater” and forwards all traffic to a

remote access point.

Configuring Wireless Multi-Point Bridging

In this mode, the WN802T will communicate with up to six bridge-mode wireless access points by

entering the MAC address (physical address) of each of the bridge-mode APs in the fields

provided. In addition, if you check the Enable Wireless Client Association checkbox, wireless

clients will also be serviced by this access point. Each wireless access point you enter will be listed

in the Wireless Remote Access Point List.

To configure wireless Multi-point Bridging:

1.

Open a web browser and log into the WN802T using the addressing scheme you have set up

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Advanced Wireless Bridging

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.

2.

Under

Advanced

on the main menu, click

Wireless Bridging.

The

Advanced

Wireless

Bridging

screen will display showing the default settings for the wireless access point.

3.

Select the

Wireless Multi-Point Bridging

radio button to enable multi-point bridging.

4.

Enter the MAC address of the first wireless access point and click

Add.

The AP’s MAC

address and connection information will appear in the

Wireless Accept Point List.

You can add wireless access points to the list for a total of six. (These wireless access points

must be configured for Multi-Point Bridging.)

5.

Check the

Enable Wireless Client Association

radio box to allow wireless clients access to

this wireless access point.

6.

Click

Apply

to save your changes.

To delete a remote AP from the list, click

Delete

adjacent to the AP’s MAC address in the Wireless

Remote Access Point List.

Figure 5-1

RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N Access Point WN802T Reference Manual

Advanced Wireless Bridging

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v1.0, August 2007

The following figure illustrates a multi-point bridge setup over three LAN segments.

To configure wireless access points in a multi-point configuration:

1.

Set the Operating Mode of the three RangeMax NEXTs as follows:

•

Configure AP2 on LAN Segment 1 in Point-to-Point Bridge Mode. Enable Wireless Client

Association and add the Remote MAC Address of AP1 on LAN Segment 2.

•

Because it is in the central location, configure AP1 on LAN Segment 2 in Multi-Point

Bridging mode. Enable Wireless Client Association and add the MAC addresses of the

adjacent Point-to-Point APs (AP2 and AP3).

•

Configure AP3 on LAN 3 in Point-to-Point Bridge mode. Enable Wireless Client

Association and add the Remote MAC Address of AP1 on LAN Segment 2.

2.

Verify the following parameters for all three wireless access points:

•

That the LAN network configuration of each of the RangeMax NEXTs is configured to

operate in the same LAN network address range as the other LAN devices (routers, hubs

and switches).

•

That only one wireless access point is configured in Multi-Point Bridging mode, and that

all the others are in Point-to-Point Bridge mode.

•

That all APs are be on the same LAN. That is, all the wireless access point LAN IP

addresses are in the same network.

Figure 5-2

AP2

AP1

AP3

LAN

Segment 1

LAN

Segment 2

LAN

Segment 3

PCs

PCs

PCs

Router

Hub or Switch

Hub or Switch

Wireless PC Card

in a Notebook Computer

192.168.0.1

Internet

Point-to-Point

Bridge Mode

Point-to-Point

Bridge Mode

Multi-Point

Bridge Mode

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•

If using DHCP, all wireless access points should be set to “Obtain an IP address

automatically (DHCP Client)” in the IP Address Source portion of the Basic IP Settings

menu.

•

That all wireless access points are using the same SSID, Channel, WEP authentication

mode, if any, and encryption (WPA is not available in bridge modes).

•

That each Point-to-Point AP has the Multi-Point AP MAC address in its Remote AP MAC

address table.

•

If Access Control has been enabled on the APs, verify that the Wireless Cards table (MAC

Address List) for each AP is complete and accurate.

3.

Verify connectivity across the LANs.

•

If you checked the Enable Wireless Client Association radio box on each AP, wireless

clients will be able to use the AP.

•

A computer on any LAN segment should then be able to connect to the Internet or share

files and printers with any other PCs or servers connected to any of the three LAN

segments.

•

If Access Control Lists are enabled on the APs, only computers in the access control list

will be able to use the AP.

Configuring Repeater with Wireless Client Association

In this mode, the WN802T will operate as a Repeater only, and send all traffic to the remote

wireless access point. You must enter the MAC address (physical address) of the remote wireless

access point.

Note:

You can extend multi-point bridging by adding a total of six WN802T APs

configured in Point-to-Point mode to connect additional wireless LAN

segments.