Intel 2011B - PRO/Wireless LAN Enterprise Access Point Configuration Manual

Product Model Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/2011B LAN Adapter product models: WEAP2011NA WEAP2011EU WEAP2011JP WEAP2011AR WEAP2011SG WEAP2011KR WEAP2011EO WEAP2011BAK WEAP2011BRW WEAP2011BJP Copyright Copyright © 2001, 2002 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel Corporation, 5200 N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124-6497 Intel Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document. Nor does Intel make any commitment to update the information contained herein. Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/2011B LAN is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. †Other product and corporate names mentioned herein may be trademarks of other companies and are used only for explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe. A79771-001

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) iii About This Document Conventions Keystrokes are indicated as follows: Typeface conventions used include. ENTER identifies a key. FUNC, CTRL, C identifies a key sequence. Press and release each key in turn. Press A+B press the indicated keys simultaneously. Hold A+B press and hold the indicated keys while performing or waiting for another function. Used in combination with another keystroke. indicates mandatory parameters in syntax. [brackets] for command line, indicates available parameters; in configuration files, brackets act as separators for options. GUI Screen text indicates the name of a control in a GUI-based application. Italics indicates the first use of a term, book title, variable or menu title. Bold indicates important user information, license provisions or warranty conditions. Screen dialog indicates screen dialog and user input options, and the exact syntax of items. Screen text indicates text and data displayed in an application screen on a computer monitor. Terminal text Terminal text Terminal text Terminal text indicates text shown in a radio terminal LCD screen. URL indicates a Uniform Resource Locator, such as a Web page address.

iv Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) This document uses the following for certain conditions or information: indicates tips or special requirements. indicates conditions that can cause equipment damage or data loss. indicates a potentially dangerous condition or procedure that only Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/ 2011B LAN-trained personnel should attempt to correct or perform.

v Product Model.............................................................................................................. ii Copyright...................................................................................................................... ii About This Document................................................................................. iii Conventions ................................................................................................................ iii Contents......................................................................................................v Chapter 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 1.1 Basic Settings for Access Points............................................................................1 1.2 Recommended Settings for Root Access Point .....................................................2 Chapter 2. Extending a Network’s Radio Coverage ................................................................4 2.1 One-Hop Wireless Network Example.....................................................................4 2.2 Two-Hop Wireless Network Example.....................................................................4 Chapter 3. Verifying Wireless AP Operations............................................................................6 3.1 Viewing the WLAP RF Statistics Screen................................................................6 3.2 Viewing the Known Access Points Screen.............................................................7 3.3 Observing the Access Point’s LED Indicators........................................................8 3.3.1 Functional State............................................................................................9 3.3.2 Send Probe State .........................................................................................9 Chapter 4. Using the Link Required Option..............................................................................11 4.1 Link Required for Maintaining Ethernet Link ........................................................11 4.2 Link Required for Backing Up Root Access Point ................................................13 Chapter 5. Bridging Two Ethernet Networks............................................................................16 5.1 Verifying the Bridging Operation ..........................................................................16 5.2 Using the Ethernet Timeout Settings 2 & 3..........................................................17 5.2.1 Ethernet Timeouts and Access Point Settings............................................18 5.2.2 Sequence of Events in Special Network.....................................................20 5.3 Using the Ethernet Timeout Setting 4 ..................................................................21 Chapter 6. RF Link Test .................................................................................................................22 6.1 Basic Setup for the RF Link Test .........................................................................22 6.2 The Connection Quality Test Screen ...................................................................23 6.2.1 Low and Zero RSSI Readings ....................................................................24 6.3 Preparing for the RF Link Test.............................................................................25 6.4 Running the RF Link Test ....................................................................................25 6.4.1 Running the RF Link Test with Telnet.........................................................27 6.5 Using RF Link Test with Mobile Units ..................................................................29 6.6 Using RF Link Test to Align Directional Antennas ...............................................30 6.6.1 Setting Up for the Antenna Alignment Procedure.......................................31 6.6.2 Procedure for Aligning Directional Antennas..............................................32 6.6.3 Additional Suggestions on Antenna Alignment...........................................34 Omni-Directional Antenna...........................................................................................34 Contents

Other Equipment .........................................................................................................35 Chapter 7. Regulatory Compliance Information......................................................................36 Index .........................................................................................................................................................37

1 Chapter 1. Introduction This document describes how to set up an Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/2011B LAN Access Point. For the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011B LAN Access Point, the firmware is version 3.x. For the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011 LAN Access Point, the firmware is version 2.5x. The features in the access point firmware allow network communication between access points. You can use access points to extend radio coverage of a single Ethernet network or to bridge two Ethernet networks. A wireless network consists of a root Wireless Access Point (WLAP) and one or more designated WLAPs. The root access point is typically connected to the Ethernet network; although, this is not a requirement. The network in Figure 1-1 uses two access points operating in the wireless mode to extend radio coverage. The solid line in the figure represents an Ethernet network. Figure 1-1: Extending Network Radio Coverage Using Wireless Access Points Access points maintain their wireless connections through the radio broadcasting of probe, beacon, and Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) messages. Probe and beacon messages are part of the 802.11 protocol. BPDU messages are part of the Spanning Tree Protocol. At the start of a wireless connection, access points send out probe requests and probe responses to gather operating status of other access points. Designated WLAPs also send out probes if they lose the beacon message from the root access point. The beacon messages are broadcast by the access points to keep the network synchronized. It contains information such as the access point’s Extended Service Set Identifier (ESS ID) and MAC address. The ESS ID is also called the Network Name or SSID. There are two types of BPDU messages. One type is a configuration BPDU. At the start of the wireless connection, the configuration BPDU messages determine the network configuration for the root access point and designated WLAPs. The other type of BPDU is the WLAP-Alive. These messages keep track of access points operating in the wireless network. The procedures and examples in this document are for Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011 and 2011B LAN Access Points with firmware version 2.5x or higher. Additional information on access points is available in the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/2011B LAN Point Product Reference Guides available on the Intel support web site at www.support.Intel.com. 1.1 Basic Settings for Access Points For a wireless Access Point (AP) operation, make sure that all access points have: • The same ESS ID (Net ID) on the Access Point Installation screen. An example screen is A B C

2 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) shown in Figure 1-2. The ESS ID is sometimes referred to as a SSID or Network Name. • The WLAP Mode set to Enabled. This setting is on the RF Configuration screen. An example screen is shown in Figure 1-3. • The same settings for the Rate Control and Short RF Preamble. These settings are on the RF Configuration screen. An example is shown in Figure 1-3. Rates set to Required are those at which all access points in the network must be capable of operating. Optional rates are those at which access points may operate if they are capable. This is to accommodate other manufacturers’ access points that operate only at the 1- and 2-Mbps rates. For example, if all rates are set to Required, older access points that operate at only 1 and 2 Mbps would not associate. If only the 1- and 2-Mbps rates (or only the 1-Mbps rate) are set to Required, the older access points would associate. Intel recommends setting rates 1 and 2 Mbps to Required and 5.5 and 11 Mbps to Optional as shown in the example screen of Figure 1-3. • The same setting for the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and WEP Algorithm. These settings are on the RF Configuration screen. An example is shown in Figure 1-3. After making these settings, save them by pressing the F1 key. Reset the access point. Figure 1-2: Setting the ESS ID (Network Name/SSID) 1.2 Recommended Settings for Root Access Point On the root access point, pay attention to the following settings on the RF Configuration screen, as shown on Figure 1-3: • WLAP Priority • WLAP Manual BSS ID WLAP Priority Set the root access point’s WLAP Priority setting to a lower number such as 7000 hex. The default value for the WLAP Priority setting is 8000 hex, and it has a range from 0000 through FFFF hex. Changing the WLAP Priority to a lower number ensures that the access point is recognized as the root access point. A WLAP ID is created for each access point from a concatenation of its WLAP Priority number and its MAC address. The priority number becomes the most-significant portion of the WLAP ID. The access point with the lowest WLAP ID becomes the root access point. Access Point A Access Point Installation .Country Config-[CR] United States Unit Name Access Point A .Additional Gateways IP Address 157.235.55.199 0.0.0.0 .Gateway IP Address 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 .Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 .DNS IP Address 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 .Net_ID (ESS) Warehouse 1 .Additional DNS .Antenna Selection Full Diversity 0.0.0.0 .DHCP/BOOTP Disabled 0.0.0.0 OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] (Most parameters take effect only after being saved and AP is reset) Identifies this Wireless LAN (1-32 characters)

3 After the wireless network is running, observe the WLAP ID from the WLAP RF Statistics screen. Display this screen by pressing F3 from the RF Statistics screen. WLAP Manual BSS ID Intel recommends that you set the WLAP Manual BSS ID to its own MAC address. An example is shown in Figure 1-3. This causes the access point to go directly to the Functional state and therefore reduces the time required to begin the wireless connection. The Functional state is described in section 3.3.1: Functional State. Figure 1-3: Example Settings for the Root Access Point Access Point A RF Configuration .DTIM Interval 10 WLAP Mode Enabled .BC/MC Q Max 10 .Max Retries (d) 15 WLAP Priority 7000 hex .Max Retries (v) 5 WLAP Manual BSS ID 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 .Multicast Mask (d) 09000E00 hex .Multicast Mask (v) 01005E00 hex WLAP Hello Time 20 .Beacon Interval 100 K-us WLAP Max Age 100 .Accept Broadcast ESSID Disabled WLAP Forward Delay 5 .MU Inactivity Timeout 60 min. WLAP MU Table Aging Time 240 min. .Rate Control 11 Mb/s Optional .WEP (Privacy) Disabled 5.5 Mb/s Optional .WEP Algorithm 40 bit shared key 2 Mb/s Required .Encryption Key ID 1 1 Mb/s Required Encryption Key Maintenance .RTS Threshold 2347 bytes .Short RF Preamble Disabled Extended Range 0 mi. Tx Power Control Full OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] Use the space bar to enable/disable/set link required WLAP operation.

4 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Chapter 2. Extending a Network’s Radio Coverage This section covers examples for extending the radio coverage of a single Ethernet network with one-hop and two-hop wireless AP operations. The term “hop” refers to the direct communications link between two nodes of a network. With regard to wireless AP operations, the number of hops refers to the number of direct links through which a message passes between the root access point and a particular designated WLAP. Examples of one-hop and two-hop operations are shown in Figure 2-1 and Figure 2-2. The basic settings for the access points are covered in the previous sections. In the following network diagram examples, the root access point is labeled A, and the two designated WLAPs are labeled B and C. For reference, the MAC addresses are included in the diagrams and example screens. Figure 2-1: Wireless AP Network with One Hop 2.1 One-Hop Wireless Network Example The example in Figure 2-1 extends a network’s radio coverage with one hop between the root access point A and the two designated WLAPs B and C. To configure the one-hop network, set the WLAP Manual BSS ID on the root access point to its own MAC address. In addition, set the WLAP Manual BSS ID on access point B and C to the MAC address of access point A. The RF Configuration screen for the root access point A is shown in Figure 2-3. 2.2 Two-Hop Wireless Network Example The example in Figure 2-2 extends a network’s radio coverage with two hops. In this network, there is one hop between the root access point A and designated WLAP B, then another hop between WLAP B and the other designated WLAP C. To configure a two-hop network, set the WLAP Manual BSS ID on access point C to the MAC address of access point B and the WLAP Manual BSS ID on B to the MAC address of the root access point A. The Manual BSS ID for the root access point A is set to its own MAC address. The RF Configuration screen in Figure 2-3 shows the WLAP Manual BSS ID setting for access point C. The RF Configuration screens for the other two access points are the same except the WLAP Manual BSS IDs would be set to 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 and the WLAP Priority for access point A would be set to 7000. One Hop Host Computer B C 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 Root access point A 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 WLAP Priority = 7000 Ethernet HOST.CDR, FRAME WLAP Manual BSS ID of B and C set to MAC address of A WLAP Manual BSS ID of A set to its own MAC address.

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 5 Figure 2-2: Wireless AP Network with Two Hops Figure 2-3: WLAP Manual BSS ID on Access Point C in 2-Hop Network Two Hops Host Computer B C 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 Root access point A 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 WLAP Priority = 7000 Ethernet HOST.CDR, FRAME WLAP Manual BSS ID set to MAC address of access point B. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to MAC address of access point A. WLAP Manual BSS ID of A set to its own MAC address. Access Point C RF Configuration .DTIM Interval 10 WLAP Mode Enabled .BC/MC Q Max 10 .Max Retries (d) 15 WLAP Priority 8000 hex .Max Retries (v) 5 WLAP Manual BSS ID 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 .Multicast Mask (d) 09000E00 hex .Multicast Mask (v) 01005E00 hex WLAP Hello Time 20 .Beacon Interval 100 K-us WLAP Max Age 100 .Accept Broadcast ESSID Disabled WLAP Forward Delay 5 .MU Inactivity Timeout 60 min. WLAP MU Table Aging Time 240 min. .Rate Control 11 Mb/s Optional .WEP (Privacy) Disabled 5.5 Mb/s Optional .WEP Algorithm 40 bit shared key 2 Mb/s Required .Encryption Key ID 1 1 Mb/s Required Encryption Key Maintenance .RTS Threshold 2347 bytes .Short RF Preamble Disabled Extended Range 0 mi. Tx Power Control Full OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] Enter the desired WLAP MAC addr, with which this AP is going to associate.

6 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Chapter 3. Verifying Wireless AP Operations You can verify wireless AP operations by looking at the following screens: • WLAP RF Statistics • Known Access Points 3.1 Viewing the WLAP RF Statistics Screen Verify the wireless AP operations by viewing the WLAP RF Statistics screen. To view this screen, select Show RF Statistics from the access point’s Main Menu, then press Enter. This displays the RF Statistics screen. From the RF Statistics screen, press F3. This displays the WLAP RF Statistics screen. An example is shown in Figure 3-1. During a wireless AP operation, associated access points are listed on the WLAP RF Statistics screen. The example screen in Figure 3-1 shows that two designated WLAPs have made wireless links with the root access point. This screen is for the one-hop network example in Figure 3-1. Notice that the two MAC addresses are listed under the “WLAP Itf Mac Addr” heading and two FWD states are listed under the “Itf State” heading. The term FWD indicates the forwarding of data to the associated access point. For a two-hop network, the statistics in the WLAP RF Statistics screen is shown in Figure 3-2. The WLAP RF Statistics screen for the root access point lists only one designated WLAP in the FWD state. However, the WLAP B lists both of the other two access points in the FWD state. Other possible “Itf” states on the WLAP RF Statistics screen are: As an access point starts to associate in the wireless AP mode, the state changes from DIS to LIS to LRN and then finally to FWD indicating association is successful. Also note that in the example WLAP RF Statistics screens in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2, the Current State entry is Functional, which means that the access point is ready for other access points to associate with it. However, Functional does not necessarily mean that it has made a wireless AP connection. Additional information is covered in the section titled 3.3.1: Functional State. Itf State Definition DIS Wireless interface is disabled LIS Access point is listening for configuration information LRN Access point is learning the configuration information FWD Access point is forwarding data BLK Access point is blocking data Table 3-1: Itf States

7 Figure 3-1: RF Statistics from Root Access Point in One-Hop Network Figure 3-2: RF Statistics from Access Point B in Two-Hop Network 3.2 Viewing the Known Access Points Screen The Known Access Points screen lists all access points that are linked together either through a wireless connection or through a wired connection. You can use the Known Access Points screen to determine the number of access points in a wireless AP network; however, keep in mind that the screen also lists access points that are connected to the same Ethernet as the root access point but may not be part of the wireless AP operation. Figure 3-3 is an example of a Known Access Points screen listing the root access point and the two designated WLAPs. This example screen includes another access point connected to the same Ethernet as the root access point but not in the wireless AP network. Access Point A WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 2 Root Interface 0 Root Priority 7000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Priority 7000 hex Root Path Cost 0 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 FWD 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8001 8002 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 FWD 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC] Access Point B WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 2 Root Interface 1 Root Priority 7000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 1 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 FWD 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8001 8002 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 FWD 1 700000a0f893C5B5 1 800000a0f88b7145 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f88b7145 0 800000a0f88b7145 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f88b7145 0 800000a0f88b7145 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC]

8 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Figure 3-3: Known Access Points Showing WLAPs Plus Other With this screen displayed, you can run an echo test, which performs a PING operation between the current access point and any of the listed radio-or wired-linked access points. To do this, you use the Tab key to highlight the access point you wish to PING. Then press F1, followed by the Enter key to start the echo test. 3.3 Observing the Access Point’s LED Indicators The access point’s LED indicators and their basic functions are shown in Figure 3-4. As an access point proceeds through the various states of a wireless AP operation, the LEDs provide certain status indications. The Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/2011B LAN Product Reference Guides describe how the LED indicators are displayed during the several wireless AP operating states from Initializing through Functional. Figure 3-4: Access Point LED Indicators and Functions During normal operation, it may be difficult to observe the LED indicator status because the states exists for only a very short time. During an abnormal operation, the access point may remain in a particular state permanently or for a significant length of time. In this situation, you can easily determine abnormal operation from the status of the LED indicators. The following subsections cover two of the wireless AP states that you can easily determine by observing the LED indicators. These two states are: Functional and Send Probe. One of these states is displayed as the Current State entry on the WLAP RF Statistics screen. Access Point A Known Access Points Net_ID: Warehouse 1 MAC Address IP Address CH HST HSQ MUS KBIOS FW_Ver Away 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 157.235.55.199 3 - - 0 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 157.235.55.60 1 - - 0 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 157.235.55.198 11 - - 0 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 157.235.55.53 1 - - 0 0 02.51-11 Echo-[F1] Delete-[F2] Next-[F3] Previous-[F4] Switch Exit-[ESC] Power Flashes during power-up sequence (reset). Continuously on during operation. Wired LAN Activity Flashes when data is transferred on wired network. Wireless LAN Activity Flickers when access point sends out beacon signals, and transfers data to and from a mobile unit. ICON GIF FILES & FRAME

9 Example screens showing the Current State as “Functional” are shown in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3- 2. An example screen showing the Current State as “Send Probe” is shown in Figure 3-5. Figure 3-5: Access Point in the Send Probe State 3.3.1 Functional State The Functional state means that the access point is ready for mobile units or other access points to associate with it. In this state, the LED indicators display as follows: Table 3-2: LED Indicators - Functional State When the access point is in the Functional state, it may or may not have successfully made a wireless AP connection. You can determine if a wireless AP connection has occurred by viewing the WLAP RF Statistic screen. If this screen lists one or more access points as being in the FWD state in the Itf State column, then the current access point has made a wireless AP connection. For examples of screens showing the FWD state, refer to Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2. 3.3.2 Send Probe State Under certain conditions, an access point may remain in the Send Probe state (Figure 3-5) rather than continue on to the Functional state. In this state, the LED indicators display as follows: Indicator Activity Power Remains on Wired LAN Activity Flashes if activity occurs Wireless LAN Activity Flickers rapidly Indicator Activity Power Remains on Wired LAN Activity Remains off Wireless LAN Activity Blinks slowly (once per second) Access Point A WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 0 Root Interface 0 Root Priority 8000 hex Current State Send Probe Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 0 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC]

10 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Table 3-3: LED Indicators - Send Probe State This occurs when an access point is configured to run in a wireless AP operation but is not associating with any other access points. The access point remains in the Send Probe state under one of the following conditions: a. The access point’s WLAP Mode is set to Enabled and its WLAP Manual BSS ID is set to the MAC address of another access point. b. The access point’s WLAP Mode is set to Link Required, it has no Ethernet connection, and its WLAP Manual BSS ID is set to either the zero default or another access point’s MAC address. The LED indicators continue to display the Send Probe status until association with another access point occurs, at which time the access point goes to the Functional state. Preferred MAC Address. For condition a, if the WLAP Manual BSS ID is set to a “preferred” MAC address, the access point remains in the Send Probe state for approximately 30 seconds and then goes to the Functional state. To enter a preferred MAC address, change the first two numbers of the MAC address from 00 to 01; for example, 01:A0:F8:93:C6:E4. This is sometimes referred to as turning on the broadcast bit. No MAC Address. For condition a, if the WLAP Manual BSS ID is set to the zero default value, the access point remains in the Send Probe state for approximately 30 seconds and then goes to the Functional state. Ethernet Connection. For condition b, the Ethernet connection must be restored before the access point can associate and go to the Functional state.

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 11 Chapter 4. Using the Link Required Option As shown in Figure 4-1, Link Required is one of the options for the WLAP Mode entry on the RF Configuration screen. This option allows an access point to create a wireless link in the event it loses its Ethernet connection. Link Required can also be used to allow WLAPs to roam to another root access point if the original root access point loses its Ethernet connection. Network examples using the Link Required option are covered in the following subsections. Figure 4-1: Setting the WLAP Mode to Link Required 4.1 Link Required for Maintaining Ethernet Link As previously mentioned, the Link Required option allows an access point to operate as a WLAP if it loses its Ethernet connection. An example network is shown in Figure 4-2. In this example, when access point B loses its Ethernet connection, it resets then makes a wireless link to the Ethernet through access point A. Access Point A RF Configuration .DTIM Interval 10 WLAP Mode Link Required .BC/MC Q Max 10 .Max Retries (d) 15 WLAP Priority 8000 hex .Max Retries (v) 5 WLAP Manual BSS ID 00:00:00:00:00:00 .Multicast Mask (d) 09000E00 hex .Multicast Mask (v) 01005E00 hex WLAP Hello Time 20 .Beacon Interval 100 K-us WLAP Max Age 100 .Accept Broadcast ESSID Disabled WLAP Forward Delay 5 .MU Inactivity Timeout 60 min. WLAP MU Table Aging Time 240 min. .Rate Control 11 Mb/s Optional .WEP (Privacy) Disabled 5.5 Mb/s Optional .WEP Algorithm 40 bit shared key 2 Mb/s Required .Encryption Key ID 1 1 Mb/s Required Encryption Key Maintenance .RTS Threshold 2347 bytes .Short RF Preamble Disabled Extended Range 0 mi. Tx Power Control Full OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] Use the space bar to enable/disable/set link required WLAP operation.

12 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Figure 4-2: Link Required Operation for Maintaining Ethernet Link By viewing the WLAP RF Statistics screen, you can determine whether or not a wireless link exists between access points. In the example network in Figure 4-2, no wireless link exists between the access points as long as they are both connected to the Ethernet. For this condition, the WLAP RF Statistics screen (Figure 4-3) shows the Current State as Functional, the Itf State as DIS (disabled), and the WLAP Itf MAC Addr as zero. If one of the access points in the network in Figure 4-2 loses its Ethernet connection, it resets and initiates a wireless connection with the other access point. When the process of making the wireless link is completed, the WLAP RF Statistics screen (Figure 4-4) shows the Itf State as FWD (forward) and the WLAP Itf MAC Addr as the MAC address of the other access point. A Ethernet B Settings on Both Access Points: WLAP Mode = Link Required. WLAP Priority = 8000. WLAP Manual BSS ID = 0. Ethernet Timeout = 0. A Ethernet B If an access point loses its Ethernet connection, it resets and makes a wireless link to the Ethernet through the other access point.

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 13 4.2 Link Required for Backing Up Root Access Point This section shows how to use the Link Required option so that designated WLAPs can roam to another root access point if the original one loses its Ethernet connection. In Figure 4-5, access points B and C are initially the designated WLAPs for root access point A. When access point A’s Ethernet connection is broken, access points B and C reset then to roam to access point D. Furthermore, if access point D loses its Ethernet connection and access point A’s Ethernet connection is restored, WLAPs B and C roams back to access point A. Access Point A WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 0 Root Interface 0 Root Priority 8000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 0 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC] Figure 4-3: No Wireless Link With Proper Ethernet Connections Access Point A WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 1 Root Interface 1 Root Priority 8000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 1 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 FWD 1 800000a0f88b7145 0 800000a0f88b7145 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC] Figure 4-4: Wireless Link After Loss of Ethernet Connection

14 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Access point settings for the example in Figure 4-5 are described as follows: Basic Settings. Make the settings previously described in 1.1: Basic Settings for Access Points. WLAP Mode on RF Configuration Screen. On designated WLAPs B and C, set the WLAP Mode to Link Required. This causes the WLAPs to search for another access point with an Ethernet connection in the event the root access point loses its Ethernet connection. WLAP Mode for access points A and D is set to Enabled. WLAP Priority on RF Configuration Screen. On access point A, make sure its WLAP Priority is set to a lower number (e.g., 7000) than the two WLAPs. On access point D, make sure its WLAP Priority is set to a lower number (e.g., 6000) than the other access points. The lower priority number ensures that access point D is recognized as the new root access point in the event access point A loses its Ethernet connection. WLAP Manual BSS ID on RF Configuration Screen. On designated WLAPs B and C, set the WLAP Manual BSS ID to the “preferred” MAC address of the root access point A. To enter a preferred MAC address, change the first two numbers of the MAC address from 00 to 01; for example, 01:A0:F8:8D:25:F2. Using a preferred MAC address not only causes WLAPs B and C to associate with the root access point A, it also allows them to roam to another access point if the Ethernet connection to access point A is lost. Ethernet Timeout on System Configuration Screen. Set the Ethernet Timeout to 1 on the two access points connected to the Ethernet (access points A and D). On WLAPs B and C, set the Ethernet Timeout to the default value of 0. With its Timeout set to 1, access point A detects a broken Ethernet connection and turns off its radio to allow the designated WLAPs B and C to search for another access point (e.g., access point D). Likewise, if access point D becomes the root, it would perform in the same way if it loses its Ethernet connection. An example System Configuration screen is shown in Figure 4-6. WLAP Mode = Link Required. WLAP Priority = 8000. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to access point A’s preferred MAC address (01:A0:F8:93:C5:B5). Ethernet Timeout = 0. A B WLAP Mode = Enabled. WLAP Priority = 7000. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to its own MAC address (00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5). Ethernet Timeout = 1. Ethernet D If Ethernet connection is lost, access point D becomes new root access point. WLAP Mode = Enabled. WLAP Priority = 6000. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to its own MAC address. Ethernet Timeout = 1. Figure 4-5: Network with Backup Root Access Point C FRAME

15 Channel Setting. For wireless AP operations, it is not necessary to make any changes to the Channel setting. Designated WLAPs normally adopt the channel number of the root access point instead of using their own channel numbers specified on the System Configuration screen. To view the adopted channel number, refer to the System Summary screen. Figure 4-6: Setting the Ethernet Timeout to 1 Access Point A System Configuration Channel 3 .Access Control Disabled Auto Channel Select Disabled .Type Filtering Disabled .Ethernet Timeout 1 WNMP Functions Enabled .Telnet Logins Enabled .AP-AP State Xchg Enabled .Encryption Admin Any Ethernet Interface On RF Interface On .Agent Ad Interval 0 Default Interface .S24 Mobile IP Disabled Ethernet .Mobile-Home MD5 key ******* .MU-MU Disallowed Off .Web Server Enabled .Modem Connected No Configure Kerberos-[F3] .Inactivity Timeout 5 System Password Admin-[F4] OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] Sftwr detect(30-255 secs), 2,3,4 WLAP detect, 1 hardware detect, 0 disable

16 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Chapter 5. Bridging Two Ethernet Networks As mentioned previously, you can use the wireless AP bridging feature to obtain a wireless connection between two Ethernet networks. An example of this is shown in Figure 5-1. In the example, access points A and B have their WLAP Mode set to Enabled and provide the link between the two Ethernet networks. The WLAP Manual BSS ID for access point A is set to the MAC address of root access point B. The WLAP Manual BSS ID for root access point B is set to its own MAC address. Access point B is the root access point because its MAC address (00:A0:F8:8B:71:45) is lower than that of access point A (00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5). The WLAP Priority for these access points is set to the default value, 8000. Also, in the example, all access points have their Ethernet Timeout set to the default value of zero, and access points C and D have their WLAP Mode disabled. 5.1 Verifying the Bridging Operation As in the other wireless AP configurations, you can verify the network bridging operating by viewing the WLAP RF Statistics screen and the Known Access Points screen. To determine which access points are operating in the wireless AP mode, view the WLAP RF Statistics screen. The example screen in Figure 5-2 shows access point A with a Current State of Functional and the forwarding of data (FWD) to the MAC address of access point B. Likewise, the screen viewed on access point B would show the forwarding of data to access point A. This verifies the wireless link between the two Ethernet networks in the example of Figure 5-1. B Ethernet HOST.CDR, FRAME Host Computer Ethernet Host Computer A 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 WLAP Mode Enabled. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to MAC address of root access point B. 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 WLAP Mode Enabled. WLAP Manual BSS ID set to its own MAC address Wireless Link C D 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 WLAP Mode Disabled 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 WLAP Mode Disabled Figure 5-1: Bridging Two Ethernet Networks with Wireless AP Root

17 Because the other two access points C and D have their WLAP Mode disabled, their WLAP RF Statistics screen shows the Current State as Disabled and the Itf State as DIS (disabled). From any of the access points, you can view the Known Access Points screen to verify that all access points are linked together through the wired and wireless connections. With a successful bridging operation, the screen lists all access points on both Ethernet networks. Figure 5-3 is an example screen showing all four access points in the network of Figure 5-1. 5.2 Using the Ethernet Timeout Settings 2 & 3 Ethernet Timeout settings 2 and 3 on System Configuration screen are used in special network configurations such as the one shown in Figure 5-4. In this network, if access point A loses its Ethernet connection, mobile units are able to roam from access point D to access point H. The following subsections describe the access point settings and sequence of events for the special network. Figure 5-2: Verifying Wireless AP for Bridging Networks Access Point A WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 1 Root Interface 1 Root Priority 8000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 1 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 FWD 1 800000a0f88b7145 0 800000a0f88b7145 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f893C5B5 0 800000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC] Figure 5-3: Viewing the Access Points in Bridged Networks Access Point D Known Access Points Net_ID: Warehouse 1 MAC Address IP Address CH HST HSQ MUS KBIOS FW_Ver Away 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 157.235.55.53 1 - - 0 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 157.235.55.199 3 - - 1 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:8B:71:45 157.235.55.60 1 - - 0 0 02.51-11 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 157.235.55.198 11 - - 0 0 02.51-11 Echo-[F1] Delete-[F2] Next-[F3] Previous-[F4] Switch Exit-[ESC]

18 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 5.2.1 Ethernet Timeouts and Access Point Settings This section describes the Ethernet Timeout settings and other access point settings for the special network in Figure 5-4. Ethernet Timeout settings, seen on the System Configuration screen, include: Setting Description Timeout = 0 Ethernet Timeout function is disabled. Timeout = 1 Access point detects a broken Ethernet connection and then turns off its radio.. The Wireless LAN Activity indicator turns off. When the Ethernet connection is restored, the radio is turned on again. Timeout = 2 Access point sends WLAP-Alive BPDU messages on the Ethernet line as well as over wireless network. This allows other access points on the same Ethernet line to detect its presence. Figure 5-4: Special Network Using Timeout Settings 2 & 3 A Ethernet E B C D F G H Timeout = 1 Timeout = 0 Timeout = 0 Timeout = 3 Timeout = 3 Timeout = 2 Timeout = 2 Timeout = 1 Mobile unit roams to access point H if access point A loses Ethernet connection. 10BaseT Cross-Over Cables (Figure 5-5) FRAME

19 Table 5-1: Ethernet Timeout Settings The wiring diagram for an Ethernet 10BaseT cross-over cable is shown in Figure 5-5. The following are the settings for the access points in the special network of Figure 5-4. All access points have the WLAP Mode set to Enabled. Access Point A. Timeout = 1 Priority = 7000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = its own MAC address Access Point B. Timeout = 2 Priority = 8000 (default) WLAP Manual BSS ID = MAC address of access point A Access Point C. Timeout = 3 Priority = 8000 (default) WLAP Manual BSS ID = its own MAC address Access Point D. Timeout = 0 Priority = 9000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = MAC address of access point C Access Point E. Timeout = 1 Priority = 7000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = its own MAC address Access Point F. Timeout = 2 Priority = 8000 (default) WLAP Manual BSS ID = MAC address of access point E Access Point G. Timeout = 3 Priority = 8000 (default) WLAP Manual BSS ID = its own MAC address Access Point H. Timeout = 0 Priority = 9000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = MAC address of access point G Timeout = 3 Access point monitors WLAP-Alive BPDU messages on the Ethernet line as well as over the wireless network. If the BPDU message is missing on the Ethernet line, the access point turns off its radio and flashes its Ethernet Activity indicator approximately once every second. The BPDU is considered missing after a certain time determined by the setting of the WLAP Hello Time on the RF Configuration screen. The default is 20 seconds. When the Ethernet connection is restored, the access point turns on its radio and stops flashing the LED indicator. Timeout = 4 Access point monitors WLAP-Alive BPDU messages on the Ethernet line as well as over the wireless network. If the BPDU message is missing on the Ethernet line, the access point resets. An example network using this setting is described in 5.3: Using the Ethernet Timeout Setting 4.

20 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 5.2.2 Sequence of Events in Special Network In the example network in Figure 5-4, the following events occur if access point A loses its Ethernet connection: • Access point A loses its Ethernet connection then turns off its radio. • Access point B loses the beacon message from access point A, but it keeps probing access point A (Send Probe state). • Access Point B then stops sending the WLAP-Alive-BPDU message on the cross-over Ethernet cable. • Access Point C loses the WLAP-Alive-BPDU message then turns off its radio. The Ethernet Activity LED indicator flashes approximately once every second until the Ethernet connection is restored. With a lost Ethernet connection, the WLAP RF Statistics screen displays the Current State as “WLAP Lost on Ethernet” and the Wireless Interface (Itf) State as data blocked (BLK). An example screen is shown in Figure 5-6. • Access Point D loses the beacon message from access point C, but keeps probing access point C (Send Probe state). • Mobile unit loses beacon message from access point D, then roams to access point H. 1 2 3 6 1 2 3 6 Transmit+ Transmit– Receive+ Receive– Pins 4, 5, 7 and 8 are not used. Transmit+ Transmit– Receive+ Receive– Figure 5-5: Wiring Connections of Cross-Over 10BaseT Cable Figure 5-6: States of Access Point C with Timeout 3 & Lost Ethernet Access Point C WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 1 Root Interface 0 Root Priority 8000 hex Current State WLAP Lost on Ethernet Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:94:C3:64 Priority 8000 hex Root Path Cost 0 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 BLK 1 800000a0f894C364 0 800000a0f894C364 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f894C364 0 800000a0f894C364 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f894C364 0 800000a0f894C364 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 800000a0f894C364 0 800000a0f894C364 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC]

21 5.3 Using the Ethernet Timeout Setting 4 Ethernet Timeout setting 4 on System Configuration screen is used in special network configurations such as the one shown in Figure 5-7. In this network, the Timeout setting 4 allows access point B to detect a missing WLAP-Alive BPDU message if the Ethernet connection is lost between the two network hubs. When this occurs, access point B resets and makes a wireless connection with access point A. If the Ethernet connection is restored, access point B resets and the wireless connection is terminated. As shown in Figure 5-7, Ethernet Timeout is set to 2 for access point A and to 4 for access point B. Both access points have the WLAP Mode set to Enabled, WLAP Priority set to 8000 (default), and WLAP Manual BSS ID set to zero (default). Hub 1 Hub 2 Ethernet Timeout = 2 WLAP Mode = Enabled WLAP Priority = 8000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = 0 Hub 1 Hub 2 A B A B Ethernet Timeout = 4 WLAP Mode = Enabled WLAP Priority = 8000 WLAP Manual BSS ID = 0 Ethernet Connection Ethernet Connection is Lost Wireless Connection is Made Figure 5-7: Special Network Using Ethernet Timeout 4 FRAME

22 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Chapter 6. RF Link Test The RF Link Test is a site survey tool primarily for testing RF transmissions between access points used for bridging Ethernet networks. It can also be used for checking RF paths to mobile units. The RF Link Test is only available with an Intel PRO/Wireless 2011 LAN Access Point that has been upgraded with the latest firmware. To obtain the latest firmware, go to the Intel support website. The example in Figure 6-1 shows two access points providing a wireless bridge between buildings. The RF Link Test tests the quality of the wireless link so that you can position the directional antennas for optimum signal transmission. This operation is covered later in 6.6: Using RF Link Test to Align Directional Antennas. 6.1 Basic Setup for the RF Link Test The basic setup for running the RF Link Test is shown in Figure 6-2. It consists of two access points communicating through a wireless access point link with one access point connected to a computer through a serial connection. The RF Link Test displays a special screen called Connection Quality Test that displays a bar graph showing the signal strength received from the remote access point. The computer may also connect to the local access point through a Telnet connection. This is covered in section 6.4.1: Running the RF Link Test with Telnet. RFLINKINTRO.WMF Access Point Building A Portable Computer Portable Computer Directional Antenna Directional Antenna Access Point Building B Figure 6-1: Example of Using RF Link Test for Antenna Positioning

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 23 6.2 The Connection Quality Test Screen During the RF Link Test, the local access point sends Wireless Network Maintenance Protocol (WNMP) packets once every second, and the signal quality of each reply is displayed on the Connection Quality Test screen. An example is shown in Figure 6-2. Descriptions of the items displayed on the Connection Quality Test screen are listed in Table 6-1. Item Definition Remote Device MAC Address MAC address of the remote access point that has a wireless access point link to the local access point. Signal Quality Displayed as vertical bars. Each bar is the signal quality, or strength, of each reply received from the remote access point. The higher the bar, the better the signal quality. Tx Rate Shows the transmitted data rate of the local access point in Megabits per second Mbps. One of four rates may be displayed: 11, 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbps. Rx Rate Received data rate from remote access point in Mbps. One of four rates may be displayed: 11, 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbps. Tx Retries Number of times packets are retransmitted from the local access point. RSSI Received Signal Strength Indicator. Indicates the current signal strength of the signal received from the remote access point. The maximum RSSI value for this test is 31; although, the RSSI scale during normal operation goes up to 255. Table 6-1: Definitions of Connection Quality Test Screen Local Access Point Connection Quality Test Remote Device MAC Address: 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 max | | | | Signal | Quality | | | | min | ------------------------------------------- Tx Rate 11 Mb/s Tx Retries 1 Rx Rate 11 Mb/s RSSI 22 Exit-[ESC] Figure 6-2: Example of Connection Quality Test Screen

24 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 6.2.1 Low and Zero RSSI Readings For RSSI values less than 3, the Connection Quality Test screen displays underscores ( _ ) instead of bars. In addition, the screen displays the letter X to indicate that a reply is not being received from the remote access point within the one-second interval. In this case, RSSI is zero. If the letter X is continuously displayed, the access points may be either out of radio range or their wireless access point link is broken. For information on verifying the wireless access point operation, refer to 6.3: Preparing for the RF Link Test. Figure 6-3 is an example of a screen showing the X’s and underscores. Figure 6-3: Connection Quality Test Screen Showing Low RSSI Local Access Point Connection Quality Test Remote Device MAC Address: 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 max | | | | Signal | Quality | | | | min | x x x x _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ------------------------------------------- Tx Rate 1 Mb/s Tx Retries 13 Rx Rate 1 Mb/s RSSI 2 Exit-[ESC]

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 25 6.3 Preparing for the RF Link Test Before attempting to run the RF Link Test, make sure the two access points are configured as shown in 6.1: Basic Setup for the RF Link Test. Also make sure that they are communicating with each other through a wireless connection. Verify the wireless access point operation by looking at the access point’s WLAP RF Statistics screen. To do this, press F3 on the RF Statistics screen. With the WLAP RF Statistics screen displayed, verify that the Current State is Functional and the Itf State is being forwarded (FWD) to the MAC address of the remote access point. An example of the WLAP RF Statistics screen is shown in Figure 6-4. 6.4 Running the RF Link Test To run the RF Link Test: 1. Set up the two access points as described in the previous section. 2. From the access point Main menu, select Show RF Statistics. Figure 6-4: Verifying the Wireless AP Operation Local Access Point WLAP RF Statistics Current # WLAP Itf 1 Root Interface 0 Root Priority 7000 hex Current State Functional Root MAC Addr 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Priority 7000 hex Root Path Cost 0 ------------- Wireless AP Interface Table --------------- Itf WLAP Itf Itf Path Designated Designated ID MAC Addr State Cost Root ID Cost WLAP ID Itf ID 8001 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 FWD 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8001 8002 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8002 8003 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8003 8004 00:00:00:00:00:00 DIS 1 700000a0f893C5B5 0 700000a0f893C5B5 8004 Refresh-[F1] Timed-[F2] Previous-[F4] Exit-[ESC]

26 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 3. With the RF Statistics screen displayed, press F4. This displays the Connection Quality Test screen, as shown in Figure 6-5. 4. Enter the MAC address of the remote access point. 5. Press Enter to highlight the MAC address, then press Enter again to start the RF Link Test. During the test, vertical bars scroll across the Connection Quality Test screen. As a new bar is displayed, its signal strength number is displayed as the RSSI number at the bottom of the screen. The higher the bar, the higher the RSSI number. Maximum signal strength is an RSSI number of 31. An example screen showing the maximum signal strength is shown in Figure 6- 6. 6. To stop the RF Link Test, press the Esc key. This returns you to the Main Menu. Local Access Point Connection Quality Test Remote Device MAC Address: 00:00:00:00:00:00 max | | | | Signal | Quality | | | | min | ------------------------------------------- Tx Rate Mb/s Tx Retries Rx Rate Mb/s RSSI Exit-[ESC] Enter MAC Address to start test. Figure 6-5: Connection Quality Screen Before Start of Test

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 27 Some settings on the RF Configuration screen may also affect the RF Link Test. These settings are described in 6.6.2: Procedure for Aligning Directional Antennas. 6.4.1 Running the RF Link Test with Telnet For access point networks that are already installed, it may be more appropriate to run the RF Link Test using a Telnet connection. In this case, you must connect the local access point and computer running the RF Link Test to the same Ethernet network. Figure 6-6: Test Screen Showing Maximum Quality of 31 Local Access Point Connection Quality Test Remote Device MAC Address: 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 max | | | | Signal | Quality | | | | min | ------------------------------------------- Tx Rate 11 Mb/s Tx Retries 0 Rx Rate 11 Mb/s RSSI 31 Exit-[ESC] Local Access Point MAC Addr: 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 Remote Access Point MAC Addr: 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 Portable Computer Running the RF Link Test LAPTOPLITE2.CDR, AP11MB3DSHADED.CDR Figure 6-7: Basic Setup for RF Link Test Wireless AP Link

28 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Make sure the Telnet Logins option is enabled on the local access point’s System Configuration screen. In addition, make sure that the IP address and subnet mask of the computer are appropriate for the network and access point. An example Telnet setup is shown in Figure 6-8, and the associated RF Link Test screen shown in Figure 6-9. IP Address 157.235.55.199 MAC Addr: 00:A0:F8:93:C5:B5 IP Address 157.235.55.53 MAC Addr: 00:A0:F8:94:C2:04 Ethernet Network IP Address 157.235.55.50 Portable Computer Running the RF Link Test Wireless AP Link LAPTOPLITE2.CDR, AP11MB3DSHADED.CDR Figure 6-8: Running RF Link Test with Telnet Connection

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 29 6.5 Using RF Link Test with Mobile Units The RF Link Test may also be used to test the RF transmission paths to mobile units. In this case, the access point does not have to be operating in the wireless access point mode. The only requirements are that the mobile units have the same ESS ID as the access point and that they support the WNMP. Figure 6-10 shows an access point associating with mobile units. In this example, you can use the RF Link Test to check the wireless path of a remote printer linked to a network through a client bridge. Figure 6-9: Test Screen Example Using the Telnet Connection

30 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Before running the RF Link Test with a particular mobile unit, make sure the access point is associating with the unit by viewing the access point’s Mobile Units screen. This screen is shown in the example of Figure 6-11. To do this, select Show Mobile Units from the Main menu. Once association is verified, run the RF Link Test by entering the mobile unit’s MAC address in the Connection Quality Test screen (Figure 6-6) as previously described. 6.6 Using RF Link Test to Align Directional Antennas The RF Link Test is useful for aligning directional antennas connected to access points that are used for bridging separate Ethernet networks located one-quarter mile or more from each other. An example setup for this type of operation is shown in Figure 6-12. Client Bridge 00:A0:F8:30:D6:88 Printer Local Access Point Portable Data Termi- nal Portable Computer Running the RF Link Test LAPTOPLITE2.CDR, AP11MB3DSHADED.CDR, CB1000WITHPRNTR.WMF Figure 6-10: Access Point Associating with Mobile Units Local Access Point Mobile Units 00:A0:F8:30:D6:88 C:R11:N 00:A0:F8:85:DC:57 P:R11:N Information-[CR] Echo-[F1] Timed-[F2] Next-[F3] Exit-[ESC] Figure 6-11: Verifying Association of Mobile Units

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 31 The alignment procedure is to point the antennas toward each other so that the RF Link Test for each access point shows the maximum RSSI reading. The antenna positioning is further refined by reducing the access point’s radio power, while maintaining the maximum RSSI reading. Some access points support the radio power control feature; others do not support this feature. This procedure is covered in the following subsections. 6.6.1 Setting Up for the Antenna Alignment Procedure Follow these steps to set up the bridging access points. An example setup diagram is shown in Figure 6-12. 1. Install the directional antennas so that nothing obstructs the line of sight between them. For best results, mount each antenna on a pole on an elevated location such as the roof of a building. An example of a directional antenna is shown in Figure 6-13. 2. Connect the antenna cable to the access point’s Antenna 1 connector, sometimes referred to as the Primary connector. As shown in Figure 6-14, this is the connector on the right as you face the rear of the access point. If the standard antenna cable is not long enough, use a special low-loss antenna cable. The low-loss antenna cable is custom made for a particular installation. It usually connects to the access point through an adapter cable. Length of the low-loss cable may be up to 60 feet. Only site survey or cable specialists should make custom antenna cables of this type. RFLINKSYS.WMF Access Point A Wireless AP Link Antenna Cable Computer with Serial Cable Computer with Serial Cable Directional Antenna on Roof of Building A Directional Antenna on Roof of Building B Access Point B Antenna Cable Figure 6-12: Example Setup for Using RF Link Test to Align Antennas

32 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 3. Connect the access point to a computer through a serial cable and turn on the access point. The DC power connector is shown in Figure 6-14. 4. With the Access Point Installation screen displayed on the computer, set the Antenna Selection option to Primary Only. Press F1 to save the setting, then reset the access point. Refer to the next subsection for the antenna alignment procedure. 6.6.2 Procedure for Aligning Directional Antennas After setting up the equipment, follow these steps for aligning directional antennas connected to the bridging access points. At each location, a technician performs the procedure. Align one antenna first, and then align the other. As the technicians position the antenna and run the RF Link Test, they need to communicate with each other using two-way radios or cell phones. Other equipment you may need is covered in 6.6.3: Additional Suggestions on Antenna Alignment. 1. Attempt to point the antennas toward each other so that the access points communicate with each other through a wireless access point operation. Information on verifying the wireless access point operation is covered in 6.3: Preparing for the RF Link Test. 2. Make sure the Rate Control on the RF Configurations screen is set to Required for all four rates (Figure 6-15). This is recommended for access points that are performing a bridging function. 3. If antennas are over a mile apart, set the Extended Range on the RF Configuration screen to the appropriate distance setting. Type in the closest whole number in miles that matches the distance between antennas. This setting allows for the timing delays for distances over 1 mile. YAGIANT.WMF Figure 6-13: Exampel of a Directional Antenna Antenna 1 Connector Serial Port Connector Antenna 2 Connector DC Power Connector DSAPBOTCN2.WMF Figure 6-14: Access Point Connectors

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 33 The maximum setting is 50 miles. The example screen in Figure 6-15 shows a setting of two miles. The Extended Range setting is only available with an Intel PRO/Wireless 2011 LAN Access Point that has been upgraded with the latest firmware. To obtain the latest firmware, go to the Intel support website. 4. Make sure the radio in each access point is set to full power. You can verify this by viewing the Tx Power Control setting on the RF Configuration screen (Figure 6-15). After changing screen settings, remember to Press F1. Then, reset the access point. 5. Run the RF Link Test. If the access point’s RSSI reading is 31 (maximum), set the Tx Power Control to 30 mW by pressing the space bar. This setting is supported by some radios only. If both access points show an RSSI reading of 31, they should both have their radio power reduced at the same time. After changing the power settings, remember to save the setting by pressing F1 and then resetting the access point. 6. If the RSSI reading is less than 31, bring it up to maximum by slowly positioning one of the antennas left and right then up and down. Because the positioning of one antenna affects the RSSI readings at both locations, both technicians must monitor the RSSI readings. If required, repeat the positioning process for the other antenna. 7. With the RSSI reading at 31, repeat Step 5 while reducing the Tx Power Control setting as low as possible. The remaining settings are: 15 mW, 5 mW and 1 mW. 8. When the antenna alignment at both locations is complete, restore the Tx Power Control setting to Full (100 mW). 9. With full radio power restored, run the RF Link Test again to verify the maximum RSSI reading. Capture the Connection Quality Test screen to document your site survey activity. Do

34 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) this by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing the Print Screen key. Paste the captured screen into a word-processor program. 6.6.3 Additional Suggestions on Antenna Alignment If you are unable to make the access points operate with each other in the wireless access point mode, the problem is most likely that the narrow coverage areas of the directional antennas are not overlapping (Figure 6-16). Omni-Directional Antenna If the distance between the access points is not too great, it may help to use an omni-directional antenna temporarily on one access point to get the wireless access point operation started (Figure 6- 17). Because of its limited range, the omni-directional antenna does not work over long distances. Local Access Point RF Configuration .DTIM Interval 10 WLAP Mode Enabled .BC/MC Q Max 10 .Max Retries (d) 15 WLAP Priority 7000 hex .Max Retries (v) 5 WLAP Manual BSS ID 00:00:00:00:00:00 .Multicast Mask (d) 09000E00 hex .Multicast Mask (v) 01005E00 hex WLAP Hello Time 20 .Beacon Interval 100 K-us WLAP Max Age 100 .Accept Broadcast ESSID Disabled WLAP Forward Delay 5 .MU Inactivity Timeout 60 min. WLAP MU Table Aging Time 240 min. .Rate Control 11 Mb/s Required .Shared Key Disabled 5.5 Mb/s Required .Key Width 40 bit 2 Mb/s Required .Encryption Key ID 1 1 Mb/s Required Encryption Key Maintenance .RTS Threshold 2347 bytes .Short RF Preamble Disabled Extended Range 2 mi. Tx Power Control Full OK-[CR] Save-[F1] Save All APs-[F2] Cancel-[ESC] Transmit power affects coverage area. (These values are approximate.) Figure 6-15: Example Settings for Aligning Antennas Figure 6-16: No Overlapping of Coverage with Directional Antennas

Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) 35 Other Equipment In addition to two-way radios or cell phones, you may need the following equipment for aligning the antennas: • Binoculars for viewing the antenna at the remote site. • Compass to determine the direction of the remote antenna. You usually need a compass when the remote site is not visible from the local site. You should use the compass in conjunction with a topographic map that shows relative positions and elevations of the area. Remember to use a compass only in areas away from metal objects or structures. You can use Global Positioning System (GPS) tools to pinpoint locations of the two antenna sites. GPS tools are especially useful when sites are not within visible range. They can be used in conjunction with a compass. GPS tools consist of portable devices as well as mapping software that runs in computers. Figure 6-17: Overlapping of Coverage with Omni-Directional Antenna

36 Configuring Access Point Bridging and Repeating (WLAP Mode) Chapter 7. Regulatory Compliance Information For U.S. and international regulatory compliance information for the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/ 2011B LAN, see the Regulatory Specifications posted on the Intel customer support website at http://support.intel.com. Important Regulatory Compliance Instructions If your country is listed on the regulatory labels included with the Intel® PRO/Wireless 2011/ 2011B LAN hardware, remove the label for your country and attach it to the bottom of the device in the space provided. Failure to apply the label for the appropriate country constitutes a breach of law.

37 A Access point’s LED indicators, 8 Antenna alignment procedure, 32 Antenna cable, 31 Antenna mounting, 31 Antenna Selection option, 32 B Backing up root access point, 13 Backup root access point, network, 14 Beacon, 1 Binoculars, 35 BLK, 6 BPDU, 1 Bridge Protocol Data Unit, 1 Bridging operation, verifying, 16 Bridging two Ethernet networks, 16 Broadcast bit, 10, 14 C Channel number, 15 Channel number setting, 15 Channel setting, 15 Client bridge, 29 Compass, 35 Configuration BPDU, 1 Connection Quality Test screen, 23, 26 Connection Quality Test Screen, RF Link Test, 23 Current State, 6 D Directional antennas, 31 Directional antennas, aligning, 30 Directional antennas, coverage, 34 DIS, 6 E Echo test, 8 ESS ID, 1 Ethernet 10BaseT cross-over cable, 19 Ethernet Timeout setting, 14 Ethernet Timeout setting 4, 21 Ethernet Timeout settings 2 and 3, 17 Extended Range setting, 32 Extended Service Set Identifer, 1 Extended Service Set Identifier, 1 Extending radio coverage, 4 F Firmware version, 1 Functional state, 6, 9 FWD, 6 G Global Positioning System, 35 GPS, 35 H Hop, 4 I Itf State, 6 K Known access points, 7 L LED indicators, 8 Link Required, 14 Link Required option, 11 LIS, 6 Low-loss antenna cable, 31 LRN, 6 M MAC address, 4 MAC address of the remote access point, 26 MAC address, lowest, 16 Maximum signal strength, 26 Mobile Units screen, 30 O older access points, 2 Omni-directional antenna, 34 One-hop network, 4 Other equipment, antenna alignment, 35 P PC Card about, 36 PING operation, 8 Preferred MAC address, 10, 14 Priority setting, 2 Probe, 1 Q Quality Test screen, 23 R Radio power control, support, 31 Index

Rate Control setting, 32 Rate Control settings, 2 regulatory compliance, 36 Remote device, 23 RF Configuration screen, 34 RF Link Test, Basic set up, 22 RF Link Test, Connection Quality Test screen, 23 RF Link Test, overview, 22 RF Link Test, procedure, 25 RF Link Test, stopping, 26 Roaming to a new root access point, 13 Root access point, 1, 2, 14 Root access point, defined, 2, 16 RSSI, 23 RSSI number, 26 Rx rate, 23 S Send Probe state, 9 Settings for access points, basic, 1 Short RF Preamble setting, 2 Signal quality, 23 Signal strength, 23 Site survey tool, 22 Special network settings, 19 System Configuration screen, 15 T Telnet connection, 27 Telnet, test screen, 29 Timeout settings, 18, 21 Two-hop network, 4 Tx Power Control setting, 33 Tx rate, 23 Tx retries, 23 U Underscores, RSSI reading, 24 V Verify a wireless AP operation, 6 Viewing known access points, 7 Viewing the WLAN RF Statistics Screen, 6 W WEP settings, 2 Wireless AP operation, basic settings, 1 Wireless AP operation, verifying, 6 WLAP ID, 2, 3 WLAP Manual BSS ID setting, 3, 4, 5, 14 WLAP Mode setting, 14 WLAP Priority setting, 2, 14 WLAP RF Statistics screen, 6, 7, 12, 13, 25 WLAP-Alive-BPDU, 1 X X’s on test Screen, 24