3COM WX2200 User Manual

Wireless LAN Mobility System

Wireless LAN Switch Manager
User’s Guide

WX4400 3CRWX440095A
WX1200 3CRWX120695A
WXR100 3CRWXR10095A
WX2200 3CRWX220095A

http://www.3Com.com/

Part No. 10015403 Rev. AA
Published August 2006

3Com Corporation
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Marlborough, MA USA
01752-3064

Copyright © 2006, 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be reproduced
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CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Conventions 9
Documentation 10
Documentation Comments 11

1 GETTING STARTED

Hardware Requirements for 3WXM Client 13
Hardware Requirements for 3WXM Services 14
Software Requirements 14
Preparing for Installation 15

User Privileges 15
Serial Number and License Key 15
HP OpenView Network Node Manager 15
Resource Allocation 16

Installing 3WXM 17

Installing 3WXM on Windows Systems 17

Installing 3WXM on Linux Systems 18
Start 3WXM Services 20
Connect 3WXM Clients to 3WXM Services 20

Configure 3WXM Services 21

3WXM Access Control 23
3WXM Interface 23

Display the Main Window 24

Using the Toolbar and Menu Bar 25

Setting Preferences 26

Easy Configuration Using Wizards 26

View Topology 26

Getting Help 27

2 PLANNING AND MANAGING YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK WITH

3WXM

Which Services To Provide? 30
Network Plan 31
RF Coverage Area 31

RF Auto-Tuning 32
RF Auto-Tuning with Modelling 32
RF Planning 33
Which Planning Method Should I Use? 33

Configuration 35

Wireless Configuration 36
AAA Security Configuration 38

System and Administration Configuration 40
Equipment Installation 42
Deployment 43
Management and Monitoring 43

Network Status 44

RF Monitoring 44

Client Monitoring 45

Rogue Detection 46

Event Logging 46

Verification 47

Reporting 47
RF Plan Optimization 48

3 CONFIGURING WIRELESS SERVICES

What are Services? 51
Configure Employee Access Services 52

Tas k Ta bl e 52

Step Summary 54

Example: Configure Employee Access 55
What’s Next? 68
Configure Guest Access Services 69

Tas k Ta bl e 69

Step Summary 71

Optional: Configure Mobility Profiles 81
What’s Next? 82

Configure Voice over Wireless IP Service 83

Tas k Ta bl e 83
Step Summary 85
Create a Radio Profile for Voice 86
Create a Service Profile for Voice 86

What’s Next? 95

4 USING RF AUTO-TUNING

What Is RF Auto-Tuning? 97
Place Your Equipment 98
Configure Initial WX Switch Connectivity 98
Upload the WX Switch Configuration into a 3WXM Network Plan 98
Create a Service Profile 99
Create a Radio Profile and Map the Service Profile to It 100
Create Your MAPs 101
Apply a Radio Profile to Each Radio 104
What’s Next? 104

5 USING RF AUTO-TUNING WITH MODELLING

What Is RF Auto-Tuning with Modelling? 105
Add Site Information 106
Insert RF Obstacles 108
Create Your RF Coverage Area 110

Create a Wiring Closet 110
Create Your RF Coverage Area 111
Add MAPs 118
Associate MAPs to the Coverage Area 118

What’s Next? 120

6 USING RF PLANNING

What is RF Planning? 121
Prepare the Floor Drawings 122
Define Site Information 123

Import a Floor Plan 128
Set the Scale 129
Clean Layout 130

Model RF Obstacles 133
Import a Site Survey 134
Plan RF Coverage 135

Add Wiring Closets 135

Create Coverage Areas 136

Compute and Place MAPs 144

Assign Channel Settings 146

Calculate Optimal Power 148

Display Coverage 150
Generate a Work Order 151
Install the Equipment 153
What’s Next? 153

7 MANAGING AND MONITORING YOUR NETWORK

Deploy Your Configuration 155
Perform Basic Administrative Tasks 157

Configuring WX Management Services 157
Distributing System Images 159

Using the Image Repository 159

Distributing System Images 159

Saving Versions of Network Plans 160
Importing and Exporting Switch Configuration Files 161
Monitoring Examples 163

Monitor an Individual User 163

Monitor a Group of Users 169

Monitor a Rogue 171

8 OPTIMIZING A NETWORK PLAN

Using RF Measurements from MAPs 180
Using RF Measurements from an Ekahau Site Survey 181

Generating an Ekahau Site Survey Work Order 182

Importing RF Measurements from the Ekahau Site Survey 185
Optimizing the RF Coverage Model 187
Locating and Fixing Coverage Holes 189

Displaying the RF Coverage Area 189

Locking Down MAPs 190

Fixing a Coverage Hole 191

Computing and Placing New MAPs 191
Replanning Your Network 191

What’s Next? 192

A OBTAINING SUPPORT FOR YOUR 3COM PRODUCTS

Register Your Product to Gain Service Benefits 193
Solve Problems Online 193
Purchase Extended Warranty and Professional Services 194
Access Software Downloads 194
Contact Us 194

Telephone Technical Support and Repair 195

INDEX

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

This manual shows you how to plan, configure, deploy, and manage a
Mobility System wireless LAN (WLAN) using the 3Com Wireless LAN
Switch Manager (3WXM) tool suite.

Read this manual if you are a network administrator or a person
responsible for managing a WLAN.

If release notes are shipped with your product and the information there
differs from the information in this guide, follow the instructions in the
release notes.

Most user guides and release notes are available in Adobe Acrobat
Reader Portable Document Format (PDF) or HTML on the 3Com
World Wide Web site:

http://www.3com.com/

Conventions Table 1 and Table 2 list conventions that are used throughout this guide.

Tab le 1 Notice Icons

Icon Notice Type Description

Information note Information that describes important features or

instructions

Caution Information that alerts you to potential loss of data or

potential damage to an application, system, or device

10 ABOUT THIS GUIDE

This manual uses the following text and syntax conventions:

Tab le 2 Text Conventions

Convention Description

Menu Name >
Command

Monospace text Sets off command syntax or sample commands and system

Bold text Highlights commands that you enter or items you select.

Italic text Designates command variables that you replace with

[ ] (square brackets) Enclose optional parameters in command syntax.

{ } (curly brackets) Enclose mandatory parameters in command syntax.

| (vertical bar) Separates mutually exclusive options in command syntax.

Keyboard key names If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key

Words in italics Italics are used to:

Indicates a menu item that you select. For example,
File > New indicates that you select New from the File
menu.

responses.

appropriate values, or highlights publication titles or words
requiring special emphasis.

names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example:

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del

 Emphasize a point.

 Denote a new term at the place where it is defined in the

text.

 Highlight an example string, such as a username or SSID.

Documentation The 3WXM documentation set includes the following documents.

 Wireless LAN Switch Manager (3WXM) Release Notes

These notes provide information about the 3WXM software release,

including new features and bug fixes.

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Release Notes

These notes provide information about the MSS software release,

including new features and bug fixes.

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Quick Start Guide

This guide provides instructions for performing basic setup of secure

(802.1X) and guest (WebAAA™) access, for configuring a Mobility

Domain for roaming, and for accessing a sample network plan in

3WXM for advanced configuration and management.

Documentation Comments 11

 Wireless LAN Switch Manager Reference Manual

This manual shows you how to plan, configure, deploy, and manage a
Mobility System wireless LAN (WLAN) using the 3Com Wireless LAN
Switch Manager (3WXM).

 Wireless LAN Switch Manager User’s Guide (this document)

This guide shows you how to plan, configure, deploy, and manage a
Mobility System wireless LAN (WLAN) using the 3Com Wireless LAN
Switch Manager (3WXM). It contains information about
recommended system requirements you should meet for optimum
3WXM performance, installing 3WXM client and 3WXM Services
software, and an introduction to using the 3WXM interface.

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Hardware Installation Guide

This guide provides instructions and specifications for installing a WX
wireless switch in a Mobility System WLAN.

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Configuration Guide

This guide provides instructions for configuring and managing the
system through the Mobility System Software (MSS) CLI.

Documentation Comments

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Command Reference

This reference provides syntax information for all MSS commands
supported on WX switches.

Your suggestions are very important to us. They will help make our
documentation more useful to you. Please e-mail comments about this
document to 3Com at:

[e-mail]

Please include the following information when contacting us:

 Document title

 Document part number and revision (on the title page)

 Page number (if appropriate)

12 ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Example:

 Wireless LAN Switch and Controller Configuration Guide

 Part number 730-9502-0071, Revision B

 Page 25

Please note that we can only respond to comments and questions about
3Com product documentation at this e-mail address. Questions related to
Technical Support or sales should be directed in the first instance to your
network supplier.

1

GETTING STARTED

This chapter contains information about recommended system
requirements you should meet for optimum 3WXM performance,
installing 3WXM client and 3WXM Services software, and an introduction
to using the 3WXM interface.

Hardware Requirements for 3WXM Client

Table 3 shows the minimum and recommended requirements to run the
3WXM client on Windows and Linux platforms.

Tab le 3 Hardware Requirements for Running 3WXM Client on Windows and

Linux

Minimum Recommended

Processor Intel Pentium 4, 2 GHz or

RAM 512 MB 1GB

Hard drive space
available

Monitor resolution 1024x768 pixels, 24-bit

CD-ROM drive CD-ROM or equivalent CD-ROM

equivalent

100 MB 200 MB

color

Intel Pentium 4, 3 GHz or
equivalent

1600x1200 pixels, 32-bit
color

14 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Hardware Requirements for 3WXM Services

Software Requirements

Table 4 shows the minimum and recommended requirements to run the
3WXM Services on Windows and Linux platforms.

Tab le 4 Hardware Requirements for Running 3WXM Services on Windows and

Linux

Minimum Recommended

Processor Intel Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz or

equivalent

RAM 1GB 2GB

Hard drive space
available

Monitor resolution 1024x768 pixels, 24-bit

CD-ROM drive CD-ROM or equivalent CD-ROM

1GB 2GB

color

Intel Pentium 4, 3.6 GHz or
equivalent

1600x1200 pixels, 32-bit
color

3WXM client and 3WXM Services are each supported on the following
operating systems:

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003

 Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or higher

 Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4

 SUSE Linux 9.1 and Red Hat WS 3

You must use the English version of the operating system you select.
Operating system versions in other languages are not supported with
3WXM.

The following additional software is required for certain 3WXM features:

 Web browser (for example, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x or 6.x or

Netscape Navigator 6.x or 7.x)—For displaying 3WXM online help,

work orders, and reports

 Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.x or later (or plug-in)—For reading the

manuals and release notes

 HP OpenView Network Node Manager 6.4 or later—Must be installed

prior to 3WXM if you plan to use 3WXM in your HP OpenView

environment

Preparing for Installation 15

Preparing for Installation

User Privileges Before you install 3WXM, make sure that you are logged in as a user who

Serial Number and

License Key

A licensed copy of 3WXM comes with a base license key. Before you
install 3WXM, make sure you have the appropriate administrative
privileges on the system.

After you have installed 3WXM, you will need to register your license and
the serial number with 3Com in order to obtain an activation key.

The base key along with its activation key enables you to manage up to
10 wireless LAN switches. To manage more than 10 wireless LAN
switches, you also need an upgrade key and an additional activation key,
which you obtain from 3Com. See “Serial Number and License Key”
below for more information.

has permission to install software, or as an administrator.

After you install 3WXM, you can configure 3WXM access privileges for
the user accounts on the machine. Likewise, you can configure access
privileges for the monitoring service, if installed. Access privileges for the
3WXM client are completely independent of access privileges for the
monitoring service, and are configured separately.

3WXM comes with a base license key, which is provided on the CD cover.
To use 3WXM Services, you need to enter the base key and an activation
key, which you obtain from 3Com. The base key and activation key
enable you to manage up to 10 wireless LAN switches. To manage more
than 10 wireless LAN switches, you also need an upgrade key and
additional activation key, which you obtain from 3Com.

HP OpenView

Network Node

Manager

Each time you connect the 3WXM client to the 3WXM Services, it checks
the license information. If the product is not licensed, the License wizard
is displayed.

If you do not have a license key, you can run 3WXM for 30 days. Once
this trial period is over, you will need to purchase a license to continue
running the 3WXM software.

If you want to integrate 3WXM into your HP OpenView environment, you
have the option of installing the HP OpenView plug-in required to use
Network Node Manager with 3Com products. Make sure that HP
OpenView is already installed before installing 3WXM with the plug-in.

16 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Resource Allocation Table 5 contains general recommended guidelines for hardware

requirements and memory allocation based on the number of radios and
WX switches your server will support. A larger number of WX switches
implies more connections and data processing, and consequently, more
CPU is required. A larger number of radios implies more data (including
client sessions) which requires more RAM and storage.

Tab le 5 Recommended Server Hardware Allocation

Number of Radios 1-25 WX Switches 25-50 WX Switches 50+ WX Switches

1 – 1000  2.4 GHz P4

 500 MB RAM

 1 GB HD

1000 – 2000  2.4 GHz P4

 1 GB RAM

 2 GB HD

 2.8 GHz P4

 500 MB RAM

 1 GB HD

 3.0 GHz P4

 1 GB RAM

 2 GB HD

 3.2 GHz Xeon

 1 GB RAM

 1 GB HD

 3.6 GHz Xeon

 2 GB RAM

 2 GB HD

3WXM Services Options

3WXM Services can be installed either in standalone mode or shared
mode. Standalone mode is when 3WXM client and 3WXM Services are
installed on one machine. Standalone mode is primarily used for trying
out 3WXM, while shared mode is used in a working environment. In
shared mode, the administrator sets up 3WXM Services on a single host
(typically with more resources) and other hosts with the client 3WXM
application share 3WXM Services to access network plans and monitoring
information. See Figure 1.

Figure 1 3WXM Services in Shared Mode

Installing 3WXM 17

Installing 3WXM To install the 3Com Wireless Switch Manager, follow the instructions

below for your operating system.

Installing 3WXM on

Windows Systems

To install 3WXM on a Windows system:

The 3WXM install program installs either just the 3WXM client, or both
the 3WXM client and Services. There is no option to install the
3WXM Services only.

1 Insert the 3WXM CD in the CD-ROM drive.

If Autorun is enabled, wait briefly for the install program to start.

If Autorun is disabled, follow these steps:

a In Windows Explorer, navigate to your CD-ROM drive.

b In the Software\3WXM directory, double-click install.exe.

The Introduction page of the 3Com Wireless Switch Manager installation
wizard appears, and then the Contents screen appears, as shown in the
following figure.

2 Open the 3Com Wireless Switch Management folder.

3 Select 3Com Wireless Switch Manager.

18 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

4 Click the View button.

The 3Com Wireless LAN Switch Manager (3WXM) information screen appears.

5 Click the Install button.

The installation begins. During the installation, the 3Com Wireless Switch
Manager installation wizard minimizes.

Installing 3WXM on

Linux Systems

6 When the installation is complete, maximize the 3Com Wireless Switch

Manager installation wizard screen, and then press the Contents button.

7 Press the Exit button to close the wizard, or navigate to the other items

on the CD.

The same 3WXM install program installs either 3WXM client, 3WXM
Services, or both.

To install 3WXM on a Linux system:

 Unpack files
 Use the Installation Wizard

Unpacking Files

To unpack files on Linux systems:

1 Log in as superuser.

2 Insert the 3WXM CD in the CD-ROM drive.

3 For the platform on which you are installing 3WXM, click the appropriate

Installer link.

4 Save the installation binary to a directory.

Installing 3WXM 19

5 Open a shell window.

6 Use the cd command to go to the directory in which you saved the

installation binary.

7 In the shell window, type sh ./install.bin. The Introduction page of the

3WXM installation wizard appears.

8 Click Next to display the Choose Installation Type page of the installation

wizard, and go to “Using the Installation Wizard”.

The installer does not make any path changes during installation. You
might want to configure path information, to make 3WXM easy to start
on your system. 3WXM must be run at the root level.

Using the Installation Wizard

To use the installation wizard on a Linux system:

1 On the Choose Installation Type page, choose one of the following:

 To install both the 3WXM server and the client, click the 3WXM

Services icon.

 To install only the 3WXM client, click the 3WXM client icon.

For detailed installation instructions, see “Installing 3WXM” in the

Wireless LAN Switch Manager Reference Manual.

Near the end of the installation process, the installer displays the service
ports 3WXM Services will use:

 443—HTTPS server port

 162—SNMP trap receiver port

You can change one or both port numbers to prevent conflicts with other
applications on the same host.

Multiple applications cannot use the same UDP or TCP port on the same
host. For example, port 443 is defined by the Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority (IANA) as the well-known HTTPS port. If the host on which you
install 3WXM Services uses its default HTTPS port (443), and the same
host also runs Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) on its default
HTTPS port (443), there will be a conflict over the port. 3WXM clients will
not be able to communicate with 3WXM Services.

If you plan to use the remote configuration option to configure new
switches, you must use port 443 for 3WXM Services. When a switch
requests its configuration from 3WXM Services, it sends the request to
port 443.

20 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Start 3WXM Services

Connect 3WXM Clients to 3WXM Services

3WXM Services are automatically started when you install them on a
Windows system.

To start the 3WXM Services on a Unix or Linux System:

To start 3WXM Services manually, type a command such as the
following:

solaris# rm-services start

To stop 3WXM Services manually, type a command such as the following:

solaris# rm-services stop

These examples assume that 3WXM Services is installed in the default
location.

To connect the client to Services:

1 Select Start > Programs > 3Com > 3WXM > 3WXM. The 3WXM

Services Connection wizard is displayed.

2 Enter the IP address or fully-qualified hostname of the machine on which

the service is installed.

If 3WXM Services is installed on the same machine as the one you are
using to run 3WXM client, enter 127.0.0.1 as the IP address. This is a
standard IP loopback address.

3 Specify the service port, if different from the port number in the Service

Port listbox.

The port number used by the monitoring service must not be used by
another application on the machine where the monitoring service is
installed. If the port number is used by another application, change the
port number on the monitoring service. (See “Configure 3WXM Services”.)

4 Click Next to connect to the server.

5 If the Certificate Check dialog is displayed, click Accept.

If you left the Open Network Plan option on the 3WXM Services
Connection dialog selected, the server opens the last network plan.

Connect 3WXM Clients to 3WXM Services 21

Configure 3WXM

Services

You can change the properties of 3WXM Services.

If a firewall is enabled on the host where you install 3WXM Services,
3WXM Services will not be able to communicate with 3WXM client or
with WX switches unless the firewall is configured to allow through
traffic for the SSL and SNMP ports (443 and 162 by default).

To configure 3WXM Services:

1 Select To ol s > 3WXM Services Setup dialog box from the 3WXM main

tool bar. The 3WXM Services Setup wizard is displayed.

By default, a username and password are not required to access 3WXM
Services from 3WXM client. You can configure user accounts for
administrative, provisioning, and monitoring access. (See “3WXM Access
Control” on page 23.)

2 You can optionally configure the following:

 Select the arrow buttons to change the HTTPS Server Port, which is

the port on which 3WXM Services listens for requests from 3WXM
client.

22 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

 Select the arrow buttons to change the SNMP Trap Receiver Port,

On each switch in the network plan, you must enable notifications and
configure 3WXM Services as a notification target (trap receiver).

3WXM Services does not start listening for SNMP notifications from
switches until you save the network plan.

 From the Key Store area of the window, specify security settings.

 From the Access Control area, define user accounts. For more

(The Auto-Config IP Subnet Matching option is used for field replacement
of WX switches. For information, see the “Configuring WX Switches
Remotely” chapter in the Wireless LAN Switch Manager Reference

Manual.)

To change these settings, use the Service Settings tab of the 3WXM
Services Setup dialog.

which is the port on which SNMP traps are received. Also select the

trap type (SNMPv1 or SNMPv3) you want 3WXM Services to receive

from WX switches.

information about access control, see “3WXM Access Control” on

page 23.

To select monitoring settings

All monitoring options are enabled by default. You do not need to enable
them and you do not need to specify the switches you want to monitor.
However, for 3WXM Services to receive trap data from WX switches,
SNMP notifications must be enabled and 3WXM Services must be
configured as a notification target on each of the switches.

To start gathering data for monitoring, deploy your configuration to the
network. For information about deploying your configuration, see
“Deploy Your Configuration” on page 155.

3WXM Interface 23

3WXM Access Control You can create a user account with administrator, provision, or monitor

privileges. See Table 6 for basic privilege definitions. For a details, see the
“Restricting Access to 3WXM” section in the “Getting Started” chapter
of the Wireless LAN Switch Manager Reference Manual

Tab le 6 User Privilege Levels

Privilege Level Access Control Configuration Monitoring

Administrator yes yes yes

Provision no yes yes

Monitor no no yes

To configure access control

1 Select To ol s > 3WXM Services Setup from the 3WXM main tool bar.

The 3WXM Services Setup window is displayed.

2 In the Access Control area of the window, deselect Allow All Users.

3 Enter a username and password for administrative access, then click OK.

(You must configure an admin account before you can configure
provision or monitor accounts.)

4 Select Add Admin Account, Add Provision Account, or Add Monitor

Account. A dialog box is displayed.

5 Enter the account name and the password and click OK.

6 To remove an account, select the account and click Remove Account.

3WXM Interface This section contains the following topics:

 “Display the Main Window” on page 24

 “Using the Toolbar and Menu Bar” on page 25

 “Setting Preferences” on page 26

 “Easy Configuration Using Wizards” on page 26

 “View Topology” on page 26

 “Getting Help” on page 27

24 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Display the Main

Window

When you start 3WXM client and log onto 3WXM Services, a network
plan is displayed by the 3WXM client. (See Figure 2 on page 25.)

 Organizer panel displays a network tree representing your WLAN’s

devices and configurations on those devices. You can use it to

navigate to Policy configurations, Equipment within your network,

and network Sites.

When you select a device or configuration in the tree, the

context-sensitive information about the device or configuration is

displayed to the right in the Content and Information panels.

 Content panel displays context-sensitive information about the device

or configuration selected from the tree in the Organizer panel. From

the Content panel, you can view 3Com devices and their status, verify

3Com device configurations in the network plan and in the network,

and display event logs and Rogue detection results.

 Alerts panel displays a summary of alerts, including network and

configuration verification, Rogue detection, and local and network

changes. Click on a summary to display details.

The Lock icon indicates whether the network plan has been locked.

When you make changes to a network plan, 3WXM locks it on the

server. The lock prevents other clients who open the network plan

from modifying it while you are making changes. The network plan

remains locked until you save your changes, after which the lock is

released.

Figure 2 Main 3WXM Window with Open Network Plan

3WXM Interface 25

Organizer panel

Content panel

Toolbar

Using the Toolbar

and Menu Bar

Alerts panel

The main 3WXM window has a toolbar that provides quick access to
features. You can use the Back and Forward buttons to cycle through
your display selections.

The menu bar (located above the toolbar) provides access to administrative
options such as plan management and access to online help. For example,
to open another network plan, select File > Switch Network Plan.

Lock

icon

26 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Setting Preferences You can set network and user interface preferences, as well as

preferences for save interval and autosave, certificate handling,
RF monitoring, and logging.

1 Select To ol s > Preferences from the 3WXM main tool bar.

The Preferences wizard is displayed.

2 Select any of the tabs, make modifications in the fields, and select Reset

All to reset preferences.

Easy Configuration

Using Wizards

Wizards help walk administrators through configuration steps. There are
many wizards in the 3WXM application.

Enter the required fields and click Next at the bottom of the wizard to
display the next step. Click Cancel to discard any changes made with the
wizard. When you are done, click Finish or OK to save changes.

You can right-click on many objects to display the Insert option. Select

Insert to create a new object that is a “child” of the selected object.

View Topology You can display a topology view of managed devices in your WLAN and

their relationships to each other. You can also click on the devices in the
topology view to display summary monitoring information about each
one.

To display a topology view of your network

1 Select the Monitor toolbar option.

2 In the Equipment section of the Organizer panel, select a Mobility

Domain or a WX switch.

3 If not already selected, select Explore from the drop-down list in the

Monitor tab. The topology view of the selected object is displayed.

3WXM Interface 27

You also can select a radio, in which case the floor plan where the radio is
located is displayed, with status for all MAPs on that floor.

Getting Help Click Help from the Main menu bar to access different types of help:

1 Select Help > Help to display HTML help about configuring and using

3WXM.

2 Select Help > Licensing to view product licensing information.

3 Select Help > Report Problem to report a problem to 3Com Technical

Support.

4 Select Help > About 3WXM to display information about 3WXM and to

display the Release Notes. You also can click Force GC (garbage
collection) to free resources.

28 CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

2

PLANNING AND MANAGING YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK WITH 3WXM

This chapter contains information about planning and managing your
wireless network with 3WXM. Planning your wireless network is highly
recommended because it not only helps you configure and deploy it, but
also aids in scaling and monitoring your network. 3Com provides you
with flexible tools to assist with network planning.

You plan your wireless network to support the services you want to offer
your employees, guests, or customers. Figure 3 describes the process you
will follow to establish services in your company or organization,
beginning with determining the services you want to offer. Each step in
the process is described in this chapter.

Figure 3 Process to Establish Wireless Services

START

Determine which
services to

provide

Configure
services

Optimize
services

Plan for network
equipment and
coverage

Monitor
services

Generate work
order and install
equipment

Deploy
services

30 CHAPTER 2: PLANNING AND MANAGING YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK WITH 3WXM

Which Services To Provide?

What is a service?: A service is a concept (not a selectable item in the 3WXM

interface) that represents a set of options you configure and deploy on your
wireless network. You configure services to support the different levels of
network access you need to provide. For example, a service configured to
support employee access will have different options configured to provide
greater access to the network. In contrast, a service configured for guest
access typically restricts users to limited or no internal network access, but
easily provides a gateway connection to the Internet.

A service can be fully isolated and independent of other services on the
network (multi-hosted access is typically isolated), or you can reuse part
of a service configuration for another service you want to provide. Each
service has potential authentications (802.1X, web page, MAC address,
or “last resort”) and potential encryptions (802.11i, WPA, WEP, or
unencrypted).

Purpose of this section: To provide information about services that you can

configure using 3WXM.

Why is this important?: Understanding the services you can configure with

3WXM is the first step in planning and configuring your network.

The first step you need to do when planning your wireless network is to
determine which services your organization requires. The three common
types of services are:

 Employee access

 Guest access

 Voice over Wireless IP (VoWIP)

Employee access is typically secure, encrypted access to the wireless
network. Guest access is access (possibly unencrypted) for visitors at your
location. If you intend to resell services to other providers, you will need
to provide multi-hosted access.

Determining the services you will need at the beginning of the planning
process results in configuration data. The configuration data is used to
create service profiles and AAA rules for each service. A service profile is a
subset of a radio profile. A radio profile is a common set of configuration
parameters that can be applied to many MAP radios.

See “Create a Service Profile” on page 99 for information about
configuring services.