Cabletron Systems 9032848-02 User Manual

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RoamAbout Access Point

User’s Guide

9032848-02

Notice

Cabletron Systems r eserves the right to make chang es in speci fications and other information contained in this document without prior notice. The re ader should in all cases consult Cabletron Systems to determine whether any such changes have been made.

The hardware, firmware, or software described in this manual is subject to change without notice. IN NO EVENT SHALL CABLETRON SYSTEMS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT,

SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOST PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS MANUAL OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, EVEN IF CABLETRON SYSTEMS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF, KNOWN, OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Cabletr on Systems, Inc . 35 Indu s trial Way Rochester, NH 03867

Order Number: 9032848-02

Cabletron, Cabletron Systems, clearVISN logo, and ThinWir e are trademar ks or registe red trademar ks of Cabletron Sy stems, Inc.

PC Card is a trademark of PCMCIA. Microsoft, Windows, Windo w s 95, Windows 98, and Wind ow s N T are either trademarks or registered

trademarks of Microsoft Corporatio n. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respectiv e holders.

Web Site: http://www.cabletron.com/wireless

, DEChub, MultiSwitch, NetRider, RoamAbout, the RoamAbout

Notice

FCC Notice

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Op eration is subject to the following two conditions : (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursua nt to P art 15 of the FCC rules. These limits a re designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interferenc e when the equipment is operated in a comme rcial environment. This equipment uses, generates, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not

installed in accordance with this user’ s gui de, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at hi s own expense.

WARNING: Changes or modifications made to this device which are not express ly approved by the party respons ible for compliance could void th e us er’s authority to opera te the equipment.

VCCI Notice

This is a Class A product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). If this equipment is used in a domestic environment, radio disturbance may arise. When such trouble occurs, the user may be required to take corrective actions.

Industry Canada Notice

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A l imits for radio noise em issions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regul ations of the Canadian Depart ment of Communications.

Le présent appareil numérique n'émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de la class A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le ministère des Communications du Canada .

Notice

Taiwanese Notice — Class A Computing Device:

CE Notice — Class A Computing Device:

Warning! This is a Cla ss A product. In a domestic environment, this product may ca use radio interf erence, in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.

Achtung!

Dieses ist ein Gerät der Funkstörgrenzwertklasse A. In Wohnbereichen können bei Betrieb dieses Gerätes Rundfunks törungen auftreten, in welchen Fällen der Benutzer für entsprechende Gegenmaßnahmen verantwortlich ist.

Avert issement! Cet appareil est un appareil de Classe A. Dans un environnement résidentiel cet appareil peut provoquer des broui llages radioélectriques. Dans ce cas, il peut être demand é à l' utilisateur de prendre les mesures appropriées.

iii

Notice

Declaration of Conformity

Addendum

Application of Council Directive(s): 89/336/EEC

73/23/EEC

Manufacturer’s Name: Cabletron Systems, Inc.

Manufactu rer’s Address: 35 Industrial Way

PO Box 5005 Rochester, NH 03867

European Representative Name: Mr. J. Solari

European Representative Address: Ca bletron Systems Limited

Nexus House, Newbury Business Park London Road, Newbury Berkshire RG13 2PZ, England

Conformance to Direct ive(s)/Product Standards: EC Directive 89/336/EEC

EC Directive 73/23/EEC EN 55022 EN 50082-1 EN 60950

Equipment Type/Environment: Networking Equipment, for use in a

Commercial or Light Industrial Environment.

We the undersigned, hereby de clare, under our sole responsibility, that the equipment packaged with this notice confor ms to the above directives.

Manufacturer Legal Representati ve in Europe Mr . Ro nald Fotino Mr . J. Solari

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________

Full Name Full Name

Principal Compliance Engineer Managing Director - E.M.E.A.

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________

Title Title

Rochester, NH, USA Newbury, Berkshire, England

____________________________________________________ ____________________________________

Location Location

Notice

Getting Help

For additional s upport related to this devi ce or document, contact Cabletron Systems using one of the following methods:

World Wide Web Phone (603) 332-9400

Internet mail support@cabletron.com To send comments or suggestions concerning this document, cont act the

Cabletron Syste ms Technical Writ ing Department via the fol lowing email address: TechWriting@cabletron.com

Make sure to include t he docum ent Part Number in the email message.

http://www.cabletron.com http://www.cabletron.com/wireless

Before calling Cabletron Systems, have the following information ready:

• Your Cabletron Systems service contract number

• A description of the problem

• A description of any action(s) already taken to resolve the problem

• The serial and revision numbers of all involved Cabletron Systems products in the network

• A descriptio n of your network environment (layout , ca ble type, etc.)

• Network load and frame size at the time of trouble (if known)

• The device history (i.e., have you returned the de vice before, is this a recurring problem, etc.)

• Any previous Return Material Authorization (RMA) numbers

Preface

Intended Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii

Associated Documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

1 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

Summary of Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

AP to Wireless Clients Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-6

AP to AP Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Bridging Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

Configuration Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

Console Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

RoamAbout Access Point Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

Other Management Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Optional Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-11

Range Extender Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Outdoor Antenna Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

2 Preparing for Installation

Unpacking and Checking the Contents of the Shipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Selecting the Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Reviewing the Site Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-4

Hardware Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Electrical and Environmental Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Cabling Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-7

vii

Table of Contents

3 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Installing the PC Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Installi ng the AP into a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Removing the Back Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Seating the AP in the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

Installing the AP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Verifying the Opera tion of the RoamAbout Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Connecting a Device to the Console Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Console Port Signaling Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Connecting to the Console Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Installi ng the RoamAbout Access Point Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Setting the AP Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 -1 6

Verifying Wireless Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

4 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Starting a Configuration Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 - 2

RoamAbout Access Point Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Console Port Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Showing Current Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Wireless Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Wireless Network Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Station Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

AP Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Transmit (Tx) Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4- 7

RTS Threshold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8

IEEE Power Management (DTIM Period). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9

Secure Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9

Setting Bridge Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

Setting Default Rate Limiting (Multicast Traffic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

Setting Encryption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11

Setting RMON Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4- 1 2

Checking the Configuration on Multiple APs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13

Resetti ng the RoamAbout Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14

Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16

Set In-Band Interface Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16

Set SNMP Read/Write Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18

Set SNMP Trap Addresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19

Upgrading the RoamAbout Access Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20

viii

Table of Contents

5 Problem Solving

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Reset Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

Setting Upline Dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

Showing Counter s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Displaying Error Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-10

Removing the AP from the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11

A Connector, Cable, and Adapter Pin Assignments

Figures

Front, Side, and Rear View of the AP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3

Roaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Building-to-Building Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-7

Range Extender Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

Mounting the AP in a Central Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Normal LED Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Console Port Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14

10BaseT (8-pin MJ) Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-1

Console Port (DB-9) Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2

BN24H Cable Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2

BC16E Cable Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2

H8571-J Adapter Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-3

H8575-A Adapter Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-3

Tables

AP Physical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

AP Power Supply Specific ations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6

AP Acoustical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Console Port Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

LED Summary Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

LED Problem Solving Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Normal Operating Mode LED Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Diagnostics LED Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5

Network Loading/Upline Dumping LED Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

The RoamAbout™ Access Point is a 2-port bridge that connects a wired Ethernet (ThinWire™ or 10BaseT) local area network (LAN) and a wireless LAN.

This manual describes how to install and configure the RoamAbout Access Point. It also describes how to troubleshoot problems that may arise during installation or operation.

Intended Audience

This manual is intended for the device installer and network manager. This manual assumes that you have a working knowledge of local area networking and bridging functions.

Preface

Terminology

The following terms are used throughout this manual. You s hould be familiar with these terms before you continue.

T erm Definition

RoamAbout Access Point A 2-port bridg e that connects a wireless LAN to a

RoamAbout PC Card™ A PC Card that installs in a RoamAbout Access

PCMCIA The Personal Computer Memory Card

wired Ethernet LAN. Referred to as AP.

Point or wireless client to provide wireless connectivity in a LAN en vironmen t.

International Association (PCMCIA) is the standards body for the type of PC card used with the AP.

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

Range Extender Antenna An indoor antenna that extends the coverage area

LAN-to-LAN Wireless Bridge

wireless LAN A collection of end-user systems connected

wireless client A computer such as a PC, laptop , or notebook, that

Software used to manage and configure one or more APs. The software is in stalled on a W indows computer that conne cts to the AP via a wired LAN or wireless LAN.

of the AP. An AP mode that a llows two APs to communi cate,

effective ly connecting two wired LANs through a wireless link.

together using a medium such as radio frequency or infrared technology. The RoamAbout products use radio frequencies

uses the PC card for wireless LAN connect ivity . A wireless client is also referred to as a station.

xii

Asso ciated D o cument s

The following table lists each component, with its associated document, that can be used with your RoamAbout Access Point.

Component Document

PC Card RoamAbout IEEE DS/PC Card and ISA

Associated Documents

Adapter Card User’s Guide

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

RoamAbout Building-toBuilding

Online Help

RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide

xiii

Chapter 1

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

This chapter provi des an overview of the RoamAbout Access Point (AP) and its operation.

The AP is a 2-port bridge. One por t connects the AP to an Ethernet LAN through a 10BaseT or ThinWire cable (or t hrough a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90 Ethernet backplane) . The other port connects the AP to the wirele ss network through a RoamAbout PC Card.

The wireless network can consist of multiple wireless clients and m ultiple APs. A client can be a laptop or notebook computer or desktop PC. Typically, a single AP is used to enable several wireless clients to connect to a wired Ethernet LAN.

The AP fully supports wireless clients equippe d with any 802.11 Sequence (DS) PC Card.

You can also configure the AP to communicate with another AP in a LAN-to-LAN configuration. This allows you to connect two Ethernet LANs (usually in separate buildings) through a wireless link.

The AP is shown in Figure 1-1.

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point 1-1

-Compliant Direct

Summary of Features

Summary of Featu res

The AP includes the following features:

• Supports any 802.11 Direct Sequence (DS) compliant r adio in a wireless client

• Supports ThinWire ( 10base2) and 10BaseT Ethernet LANs.

• Ideally, an AP can support up to 250 users. However, this number can be

significantl y re duced by v arious fact ors, such as obst ructio ns in the cove rage a rea and the amount of network utilization by each cl ient.

• Can be configured to communicate with another RoamAbout Access Point in a

LAN-to-LAN configuration

• Supports 802.11 Wire d Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

and Secure Access Mode.

• Allows wirel ess clients to roam from one Access Point to another in th e same

wireless LAN without losing connectivity.

• Can be standalone or mountable in a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90.

• Can be managed via its loc al cons ole port or re motely by the RoamAbout Access

Point Manager software, clearVISN system, or Network Management Station (NMS).

• Supports RMON Groups 1, 2, 3, and 9 (Statistics, History, Alarms, and Events).

• Can be upgraded via a downline-load using BOOTP and TFTP.

• Supports IEEE power manag em ent.

• Contains an 8000 node forwarding address database .

• Redundancy through 802.1D Spanning Tree.

• Supports protocol filtering.

• Supports sourc e and destination address filtering.

• Contains various user-selectable parameters.

1. As of V3.0, the AP no longer supports the legacy, non-802.11 PC Cards. If you require the AP to support the earlier ver-

sions of the RoamAbout DS or Frequency Hopping (FH) cards, use AP firmware V2.4, which is included in the AP Manager diskett es.

2. Requires the AP firmware to be V3.4 or later.

3. Requires the AP firmware to be V4.0 or later.

1-2 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

10 11

Summary of Features

Figure 1-1: Front, Side, and Rear View of the AP

Access Point

m A

6 7

1 2

8 9

Height: 27.31 cm (10.75 in) Width: 3.18 cm (1.25 in) Depth: 13.3 cm (5. 25 in)

LKG-8679-931-02

The AP contains the followi ng LEDs, connectors, ports, and control s:

Item Name Description

1Network

Connector (BNC)

Connects the AP to a ThinWire network. This connector is not used if the AP is connected to a 10BaseT netwo rk or i nstall ed i n a Mul tiSwi tch 900 or DEChub 90.

2 Power OK

Lights (green) when the AP has power.

LED

3 Module OK

Lights (green) when the AP passes its power-up self-test. If the AP fails the te st , the Module OK LED

LED

is off. If this LED is flashing, the Ethernet or wireless port (or bot h) has a fau lt, pr eve nting c onnect ion to the network.

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point 1-3

Summary of Features

Item Name Description

4 Wired LAN

Activity LED

510BaseT

Ethernet Connector

6 Bridg e State

LED

7 Access Point

Saturated LED

Indicates the status of the wired Ethern et segment. The LED lights (green) when packets are:

• Received on the Ether net port and f orward ed to the

wireless port.

• Addressed to or generated by the AP using the

Ethernet port.

Packet s received and filtered are not show n . Data traffic forwarded to the Ethernet port is not shown. The average br ightnes s of the LED indicat es the level of activity on the Ethernet port . If the LED is flash ing togeth er with the Bridge Stat e LED (6), the Ethernet port has a fault t hat prevent s the AP from establ ishi ng a connection to the network.

Connects the AP to a 10 Bas eT network. This connector is not used if the AP is connected to a ThinWire network or ins talled in a Mult iSwitch 900 or DEChub 90.

Lights (green) when the AP is forwarding packets.

Lights (yellow) when the AP is saturated. Saturation occurs when the AP cannot forward packets from the Ethernet to the wireless side due to the lower throughput of th e wireless network. The degree of LED brightness indicates the level of satura tion. The LED dims (and eventually extinguishes) as the network congestion is processed.

8 Wireless LAN

Activity LED

1-4 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

Indicates the status of the wireless Ethernet segment. The LED lights (green ) when packets are:

• Received on the wirel ess port and forwa rded to the

Ethernet port.

• Addressed to or generated by the AP using the

wireless port.

Packet s received and filtered are not show n . Data traffic forwarde d to the wireless port is not shown. The average brightness of the LED indicates the leve l of activity on the wireless port. If the LED is flashing togethe r with the Bridge St ate LED (6), the wire less port has a fault t hat prevent s the AP from establ ishi ng a connection to the network.

Item Name Description

Summary of Features

9 PC Card

Present

Lights (green) when the PC Card is co rrectly in stalled at power-up.

LED

10 Local Console

Used to configure the AP.

Port 11 PC Card Slot Used for the PC Card. 12 Ethernet

Unique physical ad dres s of the AP. Hardware Address

13 Reset Button Forces a downline load of the AP’s firmware from a

load host and resets the AP to its factory default

settings .

14 Back Cover Present on stan dalone APs only. Covers the backplane

connector and mounting assembly.

15 Locking Ta b Locks the AP into a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90. 16 48 -P in

Backplane

Provides network and power connections to the AP

when install ed in a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90. Connector

17 Power Supply

Connector

Receiv es +5 Vdc from the AP’s standalone power

supply. Not used when the AP is installed in a

MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90.

18 Mou nting Tab Secures the AP to the MultiSwitc h 900 or DEChub 90

backplane.

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point 1-5

AP to Wireless Clients Configuration

AP to Wireless Clients Configurat ion

The AP enables wireless clients to move from the coverage area of one AP into the coverage area of ano ther AP while maintaining LAN connectivity. This capabilit y is called roaming. Figure 1-2 illustrates a wireles s clie nt roamin g from one AP coverag e area to another. Each covera g e area is called a cell, where a cell is a si n g le AP and its wireless clie n ts within a network of m u lt ip le APs.

Figure 1-2: Roaming

Coverage

Cell 1 Cell 2

Areas

(Ap1)

m A

1 2

(Ap1)

AP1

(Ap2)

Wireless

Client

m A

1 2

(Ap2)

AP2

(Ap2)

(Ap1)

LKG-8892-931-01

In Figure 1-2, Cell 1 and Cell 2 share overlapping areas of coverage. As a wireless client moves f rom Ce ll 2 to Cell 1, the necessary network information is pas sed from AP2 to AP1.

When a wireless clien t (s uch as the laptop computer in Figure 1-2) approaches the boundary of a coverage area , the wirele ss clie nt sear ches for a new AP that provi de s a better quality signal, resulting in more reliable data throughput.

1-6 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

AP to AP Configuration

You can connect two separa te LANs over a wireless link by configuri ng two RoamAbout Access Points to communicate with each other. This is called a LAN-to-LAN connection.

Figure 1-3 shows t wo APs in different building s using an outdoor antenna to connect the LANs in those buil d ings.

Figure 1-3: Bui ld i ng- to-Building C onfiguration

AP to AP Configuration

m A

1 2

m A

1 2

2844-01-03

You can also configure APs to con nect two LANs in the same building. Contact your Ca bletr on sal es rep resenta ti ve or vis it the RoamAbou t web si te for mo re

information about the optional outdoor ante nna kits.

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point 1-7

Bridging Services

The AP provides the following bridging services:

• Store-and-forward capability

The AP receives, checks, and transmits frames to other LA N s, enabling the configuration of extended LANs.

• Frame filtering based on address

Using the address database and the source and destination addre sses from incoming frames, the AP isola tes the traff ic that should not be allowed on other LANs. This action reduce s the total data traffic on an extended LAN by not forwarding the packets that have local destinati on addres ses or pa ckets tha t are not allowed to be forwarded. This increases bandwidth efficiency.

• Data Link layer relay

The AP operates at th e Data Link layer of the Open Syste m Interconnec tion (OSI) model. Operation at this layer mak es the AP transparent to the protocols that use the LAN connectivity service. This protocol transparency is a key factor in the extended LAN service.

• Dynamic address learning

The forwarding and tr ans lating process module automatically adds new source addresses t o t he a ddress da tabase whi le t he AP is op erati ng. T his reve rse lear ning of the address and port as sociation allows automatic network configurati on without prior downline loading of configuration data to the AP. Note that the address learn ing is protocol and management entity independent.

How long an address remains in the database is determined by an Aging Timer that meas ures ho w m uch t ime has ela psed sin ce d ata was la st address ed to o r f rom

a particular node. If the timer lapses without an y traffic, the node’s address is removed from the database.

• LAN-to-LAN Bridge mode

LAN-to-LAN mode is used to co nfigure th e AP to co mmunicate with another AP . In LAN-to-LAN mode, the AP learns addresses from both the wireless network and the wired Ethernet LAN. The AP filters packets based on their destination address and forward s all packets with unknown address es. The default Aging Timer interval is 2 minutes.

• Workgroup Bridge mode

Workgroup Bridge mode (the de fault mode) is used to configure the AP to communicate with wireless clients. In Workgroup Bridge mode, the AP learns addresses only from the wir eless side of the network. The AP only forwards packets to multicast addresses, broadca st addresses, and known addresses on the wireless LAN. The default Aging Timer interval is 32 minutes.

1-8 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

Configuration Tools

You can configure the AP using these tools:

• RoamAbout Access Point Console Port

• RoamAbout Access Point Manager

• clearVISN and Network Management Stations (NMS)

Console Port

The AP has a l ocal consol e port that enable s you to c onfigure a nd manage the AP using a console port device (a terminal or personal computer running te rmi nal emulation software). The device needs to be directly connected to the AP console port.

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

The RoamAbout Acc ess Point Manager is included in the RoamAbo ut Access Point kit. You install the AP Manager on a Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT system.

The AP Manager can be used as a setup/ configuration tool for ne w APs and as a management to ol to as sist the ongoing management and support of RoamAbout wireless LANs. The AP Manager can manage multiple APs simultaneously.

Configuration Tools

The AP Manager has the following fea tures:

• Ability to manage multiple APs remotely, including changing parameters on

multiple APs in a wireless network with a single command.

• Ability to view AP parameters, such as AP statist ics, AP firmware version

number, MAC addresses, amount of memory, and card type.

• Integrity che cking for many wireless pa ram eter changes. This warns the user if a

common wireless network management mistake is about to be made, or if the operation requested is unusual and usually not recommended.

• Integrity checking of an existing wireless network configuration for co nsistent

settings and common management errors.

• Improved wireless network performance through easy packet fil tering and

recommended filter settings.

• Integrated with a B ootP/ TFTP applic ation for s imple AP fi rmware upgrade s, also

called flash upgrades.

• Support for 802.11 radio technology as well as the earlier versions of the

RoamAbout Direct Sequence (DS) and Frequency Hopping (FH) products.

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point 1-9

Configuration Tools

Other Management Tools

The AP supports the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) through any standard Network Mana gement Station (NMS) that supports SNMP. The SNMP management capability enables you to manage standard SNMP MIB characteristics, such as protocol filtering and address filtering.

To manage the AP with an NMS system, you must configure the AP with a valid IP

address, as de scribed in “Configuring the AP for SNMP Management” on page 4-16. The management systems use MIB objects to manage the AP. The AP supports the

following MIB objects:

• MIB II (RFC–1213)

• IETF Bridge MIB (RFC–1493)

• Ethernet MIB (RFC–13 98)

• DEC ELAN Vendor MIB

• HUB PCOM MIB

• RoamAbout Access Point MIB

• RMON MIB (RFC-1757)

• 802.11 MIB

For details on the management features of each MIB, consult your NMS documentation.

The Cabletron clearVISN system also supports the AP.

The AP Manager and console port do not support RMON. To set RMON parameters and the multicast limiting rat e value, you need an NMS system or clearVISN.

1-10 Introducing Roam About Access Point

NOTE

Optional Antennas

When the AP is configured to support wireless clients, you may need the Range Extender antenna to improve signa l quality when the PC Card in the AP is shielded.

In a LAN-to-LAN confi gura tion, y ou may need to ins tall outdoor ant ennas, espe ciall y when the APs are located in separate buildings.

Range Extender Antenna

The RoamAbout PC Card in the AP has two integrated antennas tha t perform best in an open environment with as few obstacles as possibl e. Use the Range Extender Antenna (Figure 1-4) to ensure optimal transmission and reception quality for situations where the integr ated antennas are shielded, such as:

• The PC Card is clo se to m e tal surfaces.

• The AP is installed in a hidden location, e.g. unde r a desk or ins ide a cabinet.

• Objects shield the PC Card.

You can co nnect the Range Exte nder anten na t o the PC Car d b y ins ertin g t he con nector into the socket on the extende d side of the PC card. To protect th e socket from dust, it is shielded with a cap. Remove this cap before you connect the antenna.

Optional Antennas

The Range E xtender a ntenna h as a moun ting b racket and a base f or vert ical posi tioning that allo ws you to pl ac e the ante nna on top o f a ta ble or fil ing cabine t, or han g it on the wall or ceiling.

NOTE

Many computer monit ors support a degauss option. The ele ctromagnetic discharge that may occur when dega us sing the monitor may cause damage to the antenna. To a void d amage , do no t place t he Range Ext ender Ante nna on t op of, or too close to, a moni tor.

Introducing RoamAbo ut Access Point 1-11

Optional Antennas

Figure 1-4: Ra ng e Ex te nder Antenna

Outdoor Antenna Kit

The RoamAbout outdoor antenna kit allows you to co nnect multiple buildings or LANs via a wireless outdoor point-to-point link. The kit provides a selection of high-gain, low-noise antennas and components.

Refer to the RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide or the RoamAbout web site for more information.

1-12 Introducing Roam About Access Point

Chapter 2

Preparing for Installation

Before installing the AP, you must complete the following tasks:

• Unpack the AP and check the contents of the shipment.

• Selec t the lo cation to in s t al l th e AP.

• Review the site requirements.

Unpacking and Checking the Contents of the Shipment

Unpack and check the shipment for damage or missing parts. The shipment includes:

• RoamAbout Access Point

• Power supply

• RoamAbout Access Point Manager software on diskettes.

Optionally, you could also have these kits:

• RoamAbout PC Cards for wireless clients

• Range Extender Antenna

• Outdoor antenna ki t (building-to-building)

If any item is damaged or miss ing, immediately notify th e delivery agent and your sales representative.

Preparing for Install ation 2-1

Selecting the Location

Selectin g the L oc ation

If the AP is not installed in a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90, you ca n mount the AP on a wall, ceiling, or cubicle partition.

Depending on your confi guration, choose the locat ion to install the AP based on the following gui delines.

For an AP to wireless client conf iguration:

• The size of the coverag e are a (in open air) is determined by the type of PC Card

in the AP and wireless client(s). The RoamAbout PC Card has an effective range of up to a 550-ft. ra dius area (in an open environment). If using a card other th an

the RoamAbout PC Car d in wireles s clients , refer to tha t card’s d ocumentatio n for information about allowable distances.

• Centrally lo ca te the AP wi th i n th e group o f w ir e less clie n ts to have al l w ir e less

clients with in the AP’s cove rage area. If permanent obstr uctions pr event you fro m centrally mount ing the AP, mount it as high as possible. Figure 2-1 shows an example of a centrally located, standalone AP.

• Minimize obstructions, such as walls (espec ially those made of steel rei nforced

concrete or masonry), between the AP and its wireless clients . Obstructions can reduce the effective range of the radio transmission s from the PC Cards.

• If it is necessary to install the AP in an obstructed location, use the optional range

extender antenna, as described in “Optional Antennas” on page 1-11.

• If using multiple APs in the same wireless network, make sure that they have

overlapping coverage areas. You many need to adjust the placement of the APs after the initial install ation to obtain the best signal quality and coverage.

For a LAN-to-LAN configurati on:

• If using an outdoor antenna, make sure that the AP and the outdoo r antenna use

the same groundin g system, as described in the RoamAbout 802.11 Outdoor Antenna Inst allation Guide.

• If not using an antenna, the APs should be within 500 feet of each other; less if

there are obstructions.

2-2 Preparing for Inst allation

Figure 2-1: M oun t in g t he A P in a Ce ntra l Location

m A

1 2

Selecting the Location

LKG-8805-931-01

Preparing for Installation 2-3

Reviewing the Site Requirements

Reviewing th e Site Requirements

Review the following to ensure that all site pre paration tasks were completed.

Hardware Requirements

• Ensure that the Ethernet LAN is in place and operable.

• If you are installing the AP in a standalone configuration, locate the Ethernet

interface device (for example, a ThinWire segment, DECconnect faceplate, or other appropriate network device) to which to connect the AP. Otherwise, if you are installing the AP in a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90, ensure that the device is installe d and operable.

• If you are installing the AP in a standalone configuration, ensure that an

appropriate ac power source is within 1.6 m (5.5 ft) of the AP.

• Ensure that a P C to in stal l the R oamAbout Acce ss P oint Ma nagemen t softwar e or

a console port device (a terminal or PC with terminal emulation software) is available at the site for configuring the AP.

• Ensure that PC Cards are obtained for each wireless client.

• Ensure th a t th e location can accom mo d at e th e p hy sical size of th e A P , as

described in the following table.

Table 2-1: AP Physical Specifications

Parameter Value

Width 3.18 cm (1.25 in) Height 27.31 cm (10.75 in) Depth 13.34 cm (5.25 in) Weight 0.68 kg (1.5 lb)

2-4 Preparing for Inst allation

Electrical and Environmental Requirements

Ensure that the environmental and electrical requirements are within the ranges described in the following tables.

Table 2-2: Environmental Specifications

Parameter Description

Operating Envi ronment

Reviewing the Site Requirements

Temperature

5°C to 50°C (41°F to 122°F)

Maximum rate of change 20°C/h (36°F/h) Relative humidity 10% to 95% (noncondensi ng) Wet-bulb temp er ature 32°C (90°F) Altitude Sea level to 2.4 km (8000 ft) Air flow Convection cooled

Nonoperating Environment

Temperature –40°C to 66°C (–40°F to 151°F) Relative humidity Up to 95% (noncondensing) Altitude Up to 4.9 km (16,000 ft) Certifications CE, CSA, FCC, TÜV , UL, VCCI

1. F or sit es ab ove 49 00 m (16 ,000 ft), decre ase t he oper ati ng tempe ratur e sp ecific ati on by

1.8

°C for each 1000 m or 3.2°F for each 3200 ft.

Preparing for Installation 2-5

Reviewing the Site Requirements

Table 2-3: Electrical Specifications

Voltage Current (Amperes) Power (Watts)

+5.0 V 1.2 A 6.0 W

Table 2-4: AP Power Supply Specifications

Parameter Value

Input voltage 100 Vac to 240 V ac Current at 120 V 0.25 A Frequency 50 Hz to 60 Hz Power consumption 16 W Output voltage 5.1 Vdc Output current (maxi mum) 1.8 A

Table 2-5: AP Acoustical Specifications

Acoustics — Declared values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779

Product

RoamAbout Access Point No acoustic noise No acoustic noise

Schallemi ssionswerte — Werteangaben nach ISO 9296 und ISO 7779/DIN EN27779

Produkt

RoamAbout Access Point keine meßbaren

2-6 Preparing for Inst allation

Sound Power Level L

WAd , B

Sound Pressure Level L

pAm , dBA

(bystander positions)

Idle/Opera te Idle/Operate

Schalleistungspegel L

WAd , B

Schalldruckpegel L

pAm , dBA

(Zuschauerpositionen)

Leerlauf/Betrieb Leerlauf/Betrieb

keine meßbaren

Schallemissionen

Schallemiss ionen

Cabling Requirements

For a standalone co nfigur ation only: E nsure that you have th e appro priate t ypes and lengths of cable for connecting the AP to the wired Ether net. For a 10BaseT connection, u se a BN2 6K cable. For a Thi nWire conne ction, yo u need a BC1 6M cable, T-connector (H8223-00), and 50-ohm terminator (H8225-00).

If you are using the console port:

• For standalone and DEChub 90 configurations: Ensure that y ou have t wo 9-pin

DECconnect adapters (H8571-J) and an MMJ DECconnect BC16E cable for connecting the console port device to the AP.

• For MultiSwit ch 90 0 co nfigur ations : Ensure t hat yo u ha ve a 9 -pin DECconnect

adapter (H8571-J) and an MMJ DECconnect BN24H cable for connecting the console port device to the MultiSwitch 900. If your local co nsole port device is a PC running termina l emulation software, you can use a 9-pin, D-Sub (PC-compatible) serial (null modem) cable.

Refer to Table 3-1 on page 3-13 for a list of console port cable part numbers.

Refer to Appendix A for connector, cable and adapter pinout info rmation.

Reviewing the Site Requirements

NOTE

Preparing for Installation 2-7

Chapter 3

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

This chapt er provide s a step-b y-ste p procedur e to instal l the Roa mAbout Acces s Point . Before installing the AP, ensure that all the procedures in Chapter 2 are completed. Installi ng the AP involves the following tasks :

• Insta ll in g th e P C Car d in to the AP

• Installing the AP in a standalone configuration, or in a MultiSwitch 900 or

DEChub 90

• Verifying the operation of the AP

• Connecting a device to the console port (if not usi ng the AP Manager)

• Installing the RoamAbout Access Point Manager

• Setting the AP pa r ameters

• Verifying wireless communication

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-1

Installing the PC Card

Insta lli n g the PC Card

To install the PC Card, do the following:

Step Action 1 With t he logo on the PC Card facing th e same di rection as the AP’ s BNC

connector, partially ins er t the card into the PC Card slot.

Access Point

BNC Connector

1 2

PC Card

2 Gently push the c ard into t he slot until i t is fi rmly seated. You will sense

a slight resistance as you insert the card. When properly inserted, the card protrudes approximately 1-1/2 inches from the AP.

3-2 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Logo

2844_01_04

Installing the AP into a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

This section describes how to install the AP in a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90.

Removing the Back Cover

If there is a cover on the back of the AP, you must remove it before inserting the AP into the backpl ane . P erform the following steps to remov e the back cover:

Step Action 1 Lift up the latch on the back cover by inserting a flat-blad e screwdriver

into the top mounting hole.

LKG-6722-921-01

2 With the latch up, pull the top of the back cover away, pivoting at the

bottom of the AP.

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-3

Installing the AP into a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

Seating the AP in the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

You can install the AP in the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90 without turning off power. Seating the AP initiates the power-up sequence. However, when installing the AP into a DEChub 90, connect the console port device to the console port before applying power to the AP.

Perform the following steps to install the AP in the MultiS witch 900 or DEChub 90.

Step Action 1 Place the AP’s mounting tab into the first mounting slot on the

MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90.

2 Pivot the AP on the mounting tab and align the connectors. 3 Firmly push the AP onto the backp lane connec tors until the rele ase lever

clicks .

4 Press down on the release lever to ensure that it is locked.

Release Lever Clicks when Module is

Hub Manager Status Display

MultiSwitch 900

Seated.

VNswitch 900G

VNswitch 900GV

DEChub 90

VNswitch 900G

Mounting Tab

LKG-9453-941-01

5 Perform the appropriate steps in “Installing the AP” on page 3-5.

3-4 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Insta lli n g the AP

Perform the following procedure to install the AP as a sta ndalone module. Also, you may need to perform step s 4 and 5 after installing the AP in a DECHub 90 or MultiSwitch 900.

Step Action 1 Place the AP in the previously defined location. Site requirements are

2 Connect the AP to the wired network using either the 10BaseT or

Installing the AP

defined in Chapter 2.

ThinWire connector, as follows: To Connect to ThinWire Network –– Connec t a Th inWi re cable,

T-connector, and terminator to the BNC connector on the AP. Note tha t instead of a terminator, the other side of the T-connector can be cabled to another device in the LAN.

50-ohm Terminator

Access Point

1 2

T-Connector

LKG-8685-931-01

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-5

Installing the AP

Step Action

To connect to a 10BaseT Network –– Connect the 10BaseT cable to the 10BaseT Ethernet connector.

Access Point

m A

1 2

3 Connect the other end of the ThinWire cable or 10BaseT cable to an

active Ethernet o u tlet, such as a DECconnect faceplate o r o t her appropriate network dev ice.

3-6 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

LKG-8686-931-01

Installing the AP

Step Action 4 To configure the AP, you need the RoamAbout Access Point Manag er

(see “Installing the RoamAbout Access Point Manager” on page 3-15) or a console device.

To use a console device, connect a 9-pin serial cable to the AP’s 9-pin, D-Sub, PC-compatible serial port.

Note: The pinouts for the AP’s local console connector are list ed in Appendix A.

Access Point

m A

1 2

LKG-8804-931-01

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-7

Installing the AP

Step Action 5 If using an antenna (outdoor or range extender antenna), install the

antenna cable to the PC Card. The following figure shows the optional range extender antenna.

Access Point

Range Extender Antenna (Optional)

m A

1 2

3-8 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

2848-01-02

Installing the AP

Step Action 6 Connect the AP’s power supply cable to the power connector on the

back panel of the AP. If using an outdoor antenna, make sure that the AP and the outdoor

antenna use the same grounding system, as described in the RoamAbout

802.11 Outdoor Antenna Installation Guide.

7 Connect the power supply to an AC outlet to turn on the AP.

LKG-8673-931-01

8 Go to “Verifying t h e Operation of the RoamAbout Access Point” on

page 3-10.

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-9

Verifying the Operation of the RoamAbout Access Point

The AP runs a series of self-te sts on power-up and reports status using its LEDs. When power-up begins, the following occurs:

Stage Description 1 The firmware begins running diagnostics, initializes minimal hardware,

then sequentially turns LEDs 2 through 6 on and off.

2 After LED 6 turns on and then turns of f, the firmware completes its

diagnostics and hardware initializat ion. During this portion of the diagnostics and hardware initializa tion, LEDs 2 through 7 flash on and then off.

3 The diagnos tics th en che cks t o s ee if the PC C ard is prop erl y in ser ted i n

the AP. If a card is present, the PC Card Pres e n t LED lights.

The diagnostics take approximately 10 seconds to complete after power-up. Upon successful completion of the diagnosti cs , the LED pattern shown in Figure 3-1 is displayed.

If the AP fails to display the proper LED pattern, verify that you have correctly installed the AP. If the AP still fails to display the LED pattern, refer to Chapter 5.

3-10 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Verifying the Operation of the RoamAbout Access Point

Figure 3-1: Normal LED Pattern

Access Point

1 2 3

4 5 6 7

1 2

LKG-10067-931-01

Item LED Name Operational State

1 Power OK On = power is okay 2 Module OK On = self-test passed 3 Wire d LAN Acti vity Blinking = network connection 4 Bridge State On = lights after 30 seconds indicating

that the AP is forwarding packets 5 AP Saturated Off 6 Wire les s LAN Act ivity Blinking 7 PC Card Present On = PC Card is installed

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-11

Connecting a Device to the Console Port

The console port on the AP allows you to access and set AP parameters. If the AP is

installe d on the MultiSwit ch 900, you need to connect the device to the hub’s console port.

You do not need to use the console port if you plan to manage the AP with the AP Manager.

Console Port Signaling Standards

Signals from the MultiSwitch 900 console port and fr om the standalone console port conform to the EIA-232D signaling standard at 9600 bau d only. To the user, the port appears as a data terminal equipment (DTE) device .

Connecting to the Console Port

The console port on the AP standalone unit or the MultiSwitch 900 can be connected to a console port device (a terminal or personal computer) by using the cables and adapters listed in Table 3-1 and shown in Figure 3-2. Refer to Appendix A for the console port connector, cable and adapter pinouts.

When installing the AP into a DEChub 90, you must connect the conso le port device to the console port before applying power to the AP.

To connect a device to the AP console port, do the following:

• Ensure that the transmit and receive baud rates on the console port device are set

to 9600 baud only.

• Connect the console port device to the console port connector on either the AP

front-panel serial port or the MultiSwitch 900 console port.

3-12 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

NOTE

Table 3-1: Con sole Port Cabling

Connecting a Device to the Console Port

Connecting to a...

If the console port device is a...

Standalone AP or DEChub 90

PC with a 9-pin D-Sub communications port and terminal emulation

Terminal with a 25-pin D-Sub connector

Terminal with a 6-pin MMJ connector

MultiSwitch 900 PC with a 9-pin

D-Sub communications port and terminal emulation

Terminal with a 25-pin D-Sub connector

Then use this c a ble.. .

BC16E-xx

any std. PC compatible 9-pin serial cable.

BC16E-xx

BN24H-xx

With these adapters...

H8571-J (qty = 2)

H8575-A, H8571-J

H8571-J

H8575-A

Terminal with a 6-pin MMJ connector

1. xx indicates cable length in meters.

2. The AP requires an H8571-J also.

BN24H-xx

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-13

H8575-A

Connecting a Device to the Console Port

Figure 3-2: Con sol e Po rt C abl in g

H8571-J

H8575-A

BN24H

Item Description

1 MultiSwitc h 900 console port 2 AP console port 3 Console port device

Access Point

1 2

H8571-J

H8575-A

BC16E

3-14 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point Manager

Before installing the Roa mAbout Access Point Manager, first select a computer that meets these requirements:

• Operating system is Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT V4.0 or later.

• The computer is connect ed to the AP’s wired or wireless LAN. However, a

computer connected on the wireless LAN can not upgrade the firmware on its associated AP.

To install the RoamAbout Access Point Manager, insert the floppy disk (disk 1 of 2) in the PC and run A:SETUP (this can be done from the Windows Explorer, DOS prompt or the Run option from the Start button). Follow the Setup instru ctions.

If you have a previous version of the AP Manager, instal l the AP Manager on the same computer. The setup process automatically upgrades the existing software and keeps your existing configuration files.

You can access the AP Manager through the MultiChassis Manager (MCM) component (V6.2 or lat er) of the clearVISN system. Simply right click on the device and select the RoamAbout Configur ator menu item. Howeve r, the AP Ma nager defa ult directory has cha nged from an earlier default setting. Therefore, you may need to change the \Progra m Fil es\clearVIS\hubwatch\hubwatch.ini file as follows:

Find th ese lines:

[Applications] RoamAbout Confi gu r at or=c:\roam abt\confi g\config.exe $I $C

Change them to:

[Applications] RoamAbout Configurator=c:\Program Files\RoamAbout\Manager\Rmabt_APManager.exe $I $C

NOTE

To manage an AP with the AP Manager, you must assign the AP an IP address. You can use the AP Mana ger to loa d the IP ad dress, as desc ribed in “Conf igur ing the AP for SNMP Management” on page 4-16.

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point 3-15

Setting the AP Parameters

The AP is shipped with the following default values:

• IP Address: 0.0.0.0

• IEEE Power Management enabled

• Secure Access enabled

• Encryption dis abled

• Workgroup bridge mode

• Station name : RoamAbout AP

• Wireless Network Name : RoamAbout Default Network Name

• AP Density: Low

• RTS Threshold: 2347 (this value equals an OFF state)

• Trans m i t Rate: Au to Ra te Selec t

• Limi t multica s t tr a f f ic to 100Kb/sec

Refer to Chapter 4 to change these and other parameters . Also refer to “C onfiguring the AP for SNMP Management” on page 4-16 for instructions to specify the AP’s SNMP management parameters.

To configure the AP for LAN-to-LAN, refer to “Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN” on page 4-15.

Verifying Wireless Communication

To verify tha t the AP can com municat e with its wirel ess cl ients or anothe r AP, u se the AP Manager Point -to-Point diagn ostic test as follows. To use thi s test, the AP fi rmware must be V3.4 or later and the AP Manager must be V3.4 or lat er.

1) Select the AP in the Mana ged List field.

2) Click Integrity in the menu bar.

3) Select Point-to-Point Diagnostics. For more inf ormation, press F1 on the

keyboard for the onli ne help topic.

You can al so use the RoamAbout Client Util ity to test the communications path from a wireless clien t to th e A P . T h e cl ie nt utility is describ e d in th e RoamAbout IEEE

DS/PC Card and ISA Adapter Card User’s Guide.

3-16 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Chapter 4

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

This chapter describes how to configure the AP parameters. Depending on the configu ration of your wirel ess network, you may need to change the

default settings of various parameters.

Refer to “Configu ring the AP for SNMP Management” on page 4-16 to have the AP managed by an SNMP Manager.

Configuring the RoamAb out Access Point 4-1

Starting a Configuration Tool

To modify AP parameters after installing the AP, you need to use the RoamAbout Access Point Manager or a device connected to the consol e port. The following sections desc ribe how to start each tool.

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

If you have installed the RoamAbout Access P oint Manager o n a computer, go to that computer, click the Start button on the Windows desktop, and select:

Programs

The program starts with the following screen.

→RoamAbout→RoamAbout Access Point Manager

To manage APs from the AP Manager, you need to add the APs by selecting the Setup/Add New Access Point button. First, you are prompted to add a new AP with or without an IP address. If t he AP has an IP addre ss, selec t NO ; otherwis e, selec t YES and fill in the r equired information.

When you first establish communications with the AP, you are prompted for some general information and then prompted for your wireless pa rameters. It is highly recommended that you change the Wireless Network Name from the default, as

described in “Wireless Parameters” on page 4-6.

4-2 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

You can add all your APs within a wire less domain (defined by the same Wireless Network Name) so that they show up in one Managed List for future changes. Before you exit the AP Manager , make sure to save your Managed List file (you will be prompted). If you are managi ng APs in multi ple doma ins (d ifferen t Wirele ss Net work Names) you should save these APs in a separate file.

Press F1 on your keyboard while in any AP Manager window for information about the parameters in that window.

Console Port Device

If using a d evice c onne cted to the AP co nsole port, y ou n eed t o acc ess the RoamAbout Access Point Installation Menu to modify the AP parameters. Perform the following:

Step Action 1 Press Return a few times on the console port device until a menu

Starting a Configuration Tool

appears. If the AP is connected to a DEChub 90 or is a standalone unit, the

RoamAbout Access Point Installation Menu appears. Note: If the AP is insta lled in a DEChub 90, the AP must be powered of f

before connecting a cable to the console port.

2 If the AP is connect ed to t he MultiS witch 9 00 consol e port, choose Start

Redirect Mode in the MultiSwitch Installation Menu. Afterwards, enter

the AP slot number as shown in the following example.

Enter selection: 9

================================================

Enter the slot number for redirection (1-8): [n] setup redirected to 3: RoamAbout Access Point

The initial installation menu allows you to display and modify the Acc es s Point parameters. Use the Module-Specific Options menu item to display and modify the wireless networking parameters.

To prevent other user s from acc essing the consol e port menu, choo se Enable/Disable Console Password fro m the me nu and en able it. Then change the default SNMP

community string as described in “Configuring the AP for SNMP Mana gement” on page 4-16. Afterwards, the console port will require users to enter the community string before displaying the menu.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-3

Showing Current Settings

You ca n di s p lay the settings th at the AP is cu r r en tly usin g . Using the AP Manager, select the AP in the Managed List field and cli ck the various

buttons, s uch a s Wi re les s P ara met e rs, Operatin g Modes, IP Network Parameters, and Hardware.

In the Wireless Parameters dialog, click the Advan ce d button to view all the wireless parameters. If you see a Normal button instead of Advanced, the dialog is currently displayin g all the wire less parameters. If you have changed any wire less parameters and have not yet reset th e AP, the oper at ing (curre nt) setti ngs are displa yed on the le ft and the settings that will take affec t after the next reset are on the right.

Using the console port, choose Show Current Settings to display the current AP settings, as shown below.

=================================================================

RoamAbout Access Point,Wireless-to-Wired Bridge:HW=V1.0,RO=V1.4,SW=V4. SysUpTime : 00:26:37 98 resets SNMP Read/Write Community : public Console Password : Disabled SNMP Trap Addresses : Not Configured In-Band Interface Hardware Address : 08-00-2B-A3-89-61 In-Band Interface IP Address : 16.20.40.156 In-Band Interface Subnet Mask : 255.0.0.0 In-Band Interface Default Gateway : Not Configured Wired Ethernet MAC Address : 08-00-2B-A3-89-61 Wireless Ethernet MAC Address : 00-60-6D-92-00-FB Wireless Network Adapter : RoamAbout IEEE 2.4 GHz DS Adapter Revisions : Hardware 2.000 Firmware 3.01 Bridge Mode : Work Group Upline Dump : DISABLED Memory : 4194304 bytes

=================================================================== Press Return for Main Menu ...

4-4 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Showing Current Settings

To display the cur rent wirel ess sett ings , choo se Module-Specific Options then select Show Wireless Configuration. If you have changed a wireless parameter and have

not yet reset the AP, the new setting is NOT reflected in this display. The following example shows the dialog associated with this option.

====== ========= == ======== === ======== ========= == ======== =====

RoamAb out Acces s Point Wireless Conf iguration

Current Station Name : RoamAbout AP Curren t Wireles s Network Name : RoamAb out Default Network Name Current Secure Access : Enabled Current Channel : 2.4220 GHz (802.11-3) Current AP Density : Low Current RTS Threshold : 2347 Curren t Transmi t Rate : Auto Rate Select Current DTIM Period : 001

Press Return for Main Menu ...

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-5

Wireless Parameters

The wireless parameters affect how the AP communicates with wireless clients or another AP.

To modify any wireless parameter using the AP Manager, sel ec t the AP in the Managed List fie ld and clic k the Wi rele s s Pa ram ete rs button. T o see all the wireless parameters, click the Advanced button.

To modify any wireless paramete r usi ng the console port, choose Module-Specific Options then choose Set Wireless Configuration. To not change a value while in its screen, press Return to go back to the previous menu.

The following sections describe the various wireless parameters.

To implement a change to one or more wirele ss parameters, you need to reset the

AP, as described in “Re setting the RoamAbout Access Point” on page 4-14.

NOTE

Channel

The channel sets the cente r frequency of the AP. In a LAN-to-LAN confi gurati on, the APs need to be s et to the s ame chann el. In a wir eless cl ient co nfigurat ion with mult iple APs, adjacen t APs s hould b e se t t o d ifferen t chan nels tha t are a t lea st 5 channe ls apart. For example, in a configur at ion wit h 3 APs, set the chann els to 1, 6, and 11. Note that some countri es only suppor t a limit ed number of channels . T he AP does not a ll ow you to set channels outside your country’s band.

Wireless clients with RoamAbout PC Cards automatically switch to the AP’s channel when roaming between APs in a wireless network.

Wireless Network Name

The Wireless Network Name is the network name for your AP. All APs on the same LAN must be set with the same Wireless Network Name.

If the AP is configured to communicate with wireless clients and the Secure Access parameter is ena bled, each c lient mus t be conf igur ed with the same Wire less Ne twork Name. If Secure Access is not enabl ed, clients can be configured with the AP’s wire less net work na me, ANY (all uppercase), or keep the Wirele ss Network Name field blank.

4-6 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Station Name

The Station Name is displayed when clients run the Client Utility. Select a name that will help identify the location of the AP.

AP Density

The AP Density changes the sensitivity of the roaming client. When APs are placed close together, you can change the AP Density to Medium or High to force clients to roam sooner to a clos er AP. The defa ult value i s Low. Client s should be set t o the same value as th e AP.

Transmit (Tx) Rate

The tran smit rate id entif ies th e pref erre d data tran smissio n spee d of the AP. The actua l data transmission speed is subject to t he type of PC Card s at both ends of the wireless link and the communications quality of the link.

By default , the PC Card automatic ally switche s to a lower rate when da ta transmiss ions fail more than once. Transmissions at lower rates are usually more reliable. Transmissions at higher rates do not cover the same distances as the lower data rates. Shortly after completing the transmission, the PC Card returns to transmitting data at the selected rate. This is called the auto-rate select feature.

Use a lower rate in networks where range is more important than speed, or network response times are affected by numerous retransmissions . For example, set the transmit rat e to a lo w rate when the communic at ions qua li ty i s low due to a l ow signa l level. Se tting the transmit rate to a lower ra te prevents the PC Card f rom slowing network response times by transmitting data uns uccessfully at a higher rate then retransmitting at a lower rate.

Wireless Parameters

Use a fixed rate when performanc e slows down as a result of many retransmissions, even though the devices show an excel lent radio connection. This situation ca n occur when, for example, microwave ovens interfere with communication. A fixed rate prevents the PC Card from sl owing network response time by retrans m itting at a slower rate. In this enviro nment, trans mitting at 1 Mbit/s is not more useful than transmitting at 2 Mbit/s.

The transmit rate you select does not affect the rece ive rate. For example, you can set the transmit rate to 1 Mbit/s and still receive 2 Mbit/s data.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-7

Wireless Parameters

RTS Threshold

RTS Threshold, also known as medium reservation, specifies the packet size, where messag es la rg er th an t he sp ecif i ed si ze mu st u se t he RTS /CTS ( Requ es t t o S end /Cl ear to Send) protocol. The default value, 2347, eff ec tively turns off the RTS Threshol d.

In a wireless network, only one wireless device tr ans mits at a time. Each device can sense transmis sions from other device s in its network that use the s ame frequency. This behavior is referre d to as the Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance protocol (CSMA/ CA).

The RTS Threshold is useful when collisions frequently occur at the AP. This can be caused when the AP and another d evice trans mit data to e ach other si multaneous ly. By lowering the RTS Threshold on the AP:

• When a message is short er tha n t he RTS Thres hold, the AP tr ansmit s da ta when it

• When the m essage exceeds the threshold, the A P sends an RTS to the client (or

Lowering the RTS Threshold imposes additiona l network overhead that could negativel y affect the throughput performance. Therefore, you should only lower the RTS Threshold when the wireless network experiences frame collisions and lost messages.

senses that the medium is free. The RTS/CTS protocol is not used.

AP in a LAN-to-LAN confi guration). The AP waits u ntil the device responds with a CTS mes s ag e .

Medium Reserva tion on the client is useful for resolving a hidden stat ion problem,

where two or more clients cannot sense each other’s transmissions, causing frame collisions and lost messages. This problem can occur with clients located at opposite ends of the AP coverage area. If you have a hidden station proble m, move the clients or AP so that the devices can sense each other’s transmissions, if possible. Otherwise, set Mediu m Rese rvation on the Ro amAbout c lie nt to the Hidden Stations setting. For a hidden station problem, change Medium Reservation on the client, not the AP.

4-8 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

IEEE Power Management (DTIM Period)

Power Management c an extend bat tery life of clients by a llowing t he client to s leep for short periods of tim e while the AP buffers messages for the client.

You may need to balance wireless performance versus battery-life. Power Management c an impose a more active use of the wireless me dium , which might lead to more frequent transmission delays, experienced as slower network response times during file transfers.

With slower response times, the client may spend more ti me in operational mode resulting in less effective power management. In such cases, disabling power management on the cl ient might result in better throughput performance.

RoamAbout PC Cards with Station Firmware lower than V2.00, do NOT support Power Management. Enabling Power Management for such cards can cause unpredictable computer behavior and a loss of the network connection. To check the Station Fir mwa re ve rsion, run the RoamAbout Client Utility, choose Diagnose Card then choose the ta b Version In fo. If the s econdary fi rmware v ersion is les s than V2.0 , check the RoamAbout web site for available upgrades.

The AP supports IEEE Power Management. The DTIM (Delivery Traffic Indication Message) inter v al value sets th e buffer i ng ti m e . F or ex a m p le , th e def a ult value of 1 corresponds to 100ms of sleep time. It is highly rec ommende d that you do not change this value.

Wireless Parameters

Secure Access

When Secure Access is enabled, the AP denies access to wireless clients that do not use the correct Wireless Network Name. When Secure Access is disabled, the AP allows access to wireless clients that use ANY (all uppercase) as the Wireless Network Name or have a blank Wireless Network Name.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-9

Setting Bridge Mode

The optio ns are:

• Workgroup Mode configures the AP to communicate with wireless clients. This

is the def ault setting.

• LAN-to-LAN Mode configures the AP to communicate with another AP. The AP

to AP conf ig uration co n nects two LANs.

To configure an AP for LAN-to-LAN mode, you may need to change other parameters .

For the complete procedure, refer to “Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN” on page 4-15.

The bridge mode setting is available by clicking the Wireless Param eters button in the AP Manager then clicking the Advanced button. In the console port menu, select Module-Specific Options.

To implement thi s c hange, you ne e d to re set t he AP a s de scrib ed in “R esetti ng the RoamAbout Access Point” on page 4-14.

NOTE

Setting Default Rate Limiting (Multicast Traffic)

By default, the AP is configured to limit multi ca st traffic to 100Kb/sec (5%). You can enable or disable this parameter from the AP Manager or console port.

Disabling thi s parameter could ca use multicast traffic to use more net work bandwidth. Should a broadcast s torm occur when this parameter is disabled, the multicast traffic could cause a serious degradation of network performance.

You can change the value of the multicast traffi c limit from a Networ k Management Station (NMS).

The Default Rate Limiting setting is available by clicking the Operating Modes button in the AP Manager, or selecting the Module-Specific Options in the consol e port menu.

4-10 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Setting Encryption

The Wired Equivale nt P rivacy (WEP) feature uses a specific ke y to enc r ypt all data transmitted from the Access Point. However, it uses one of 4 keys to decode received encrypted data. A wireless client without the correct encryption keys cannot receive and decipher encrypted data from the Access Point. You can configure the AP to communicate with clients that use WEP and clients that do not.

One versio n of the R oamAbout P C Ca rd i n the AP s upports t he 802. 11 standar d 40 -bit encryption only. Another version supports both 40-bit and 128-bit encryption. The standard 40-bit encryption uses a 5 character key (or 10 hexadecimal digits). The 128-bit encryption uses a 13 character key (or 26 hexadecimal digits).

A hexadecimal dig it key must start wit h 0x, which is not count ed in the number of digits. For example, 0xABCDEF0123 is a valid 40-bit encryption hexadecimal key (10 hex digits).

There are 4 positi ons, Key 1, Key 2, Key 3, and Key 4. The position of each key is important, since the clients must enter the same key in the same position to communicate with the AP.

Setting Encryption

NOTE

In the AP Manager, the Encryption setting is available by clicking the Encryption button. When you open the Encryption window, press F1 on your keyb oard for specific information on each field.

In the console port menu, select the Module-Specific Options. If you enable Encryption, you must also enter at least one key and choos e a transmit key.

If you wish to prev ent any SNMP Manage r, includi ng the AP Manager , from changing the Encryption parameters, select Set Exclude WEP SNMP from the Encryption menu in the console port and enable it.

NOTE

If you enable/di sa ble Encryption or allow/disallow nonencrypted cli ents to

communicate wi th the AP , yo u ne ed t o res et t he AP as desc ribed in “Reset ti ng the RoamAbout Access Point” on page 4-14. You do not need to re s et the AP to a dd, delete, or modify keys.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-11

Setting RMON Values

The AP supports four of the nine Re mote Ne twork Monit orin g MIB (RMON) gro ups: Statistic s , History, Alarm, and Event. However, the settings for these groups can only be accessed with an NMS system . T he console port and AP Manager can not change or view the RMON group settings .

• Statistics - The Statistics group contains statistics measured by the probe for the

Wired LAN an d the Wireless LAN interfaces.

• History - The History group records periodic statis tical samples from a network

and sto r es th em for la te r retrieval.

• Alarm - The Alarm group periodically takes statis tical sample s from variab les in

the probe and compares them to prev ious ly configured threshold s. If the monitored variable crosses a threshold, an ev ent is generated.

• Event - The Event group controls the generat ion and notification of events from

this device.

When the AP is initialized, two statistics groups are generated: one for the Wired interface an d one for t he Wireless interface . Also, two History gr oups ar e generate d for each interface: one with a short term polling period of thirty seconds and one with a long term polli ng period of thirty minutes.

The AP has the following limits for the RMON MIB because of memory limitations:

• A maximum of six Statistics groups.

• A maximum of four History groups, each group allowi ng a maximum of fifty (50)

“buckets”, i.e., samples.

• A maximum of ten Alarm groups.

• A maximum of ten Event groups.

With an NMS sys tem, you c an re configure e ach gr oup. F or exa mple, y ou c ould assi gn 80 buckets each to the long and short term History groups assigned to the Wired interface, and 20 buckets each to the long and short term History groups assigned to the Wireless interface. This example does not exceed the maximum of 200 buckets.

4-12 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Checking the Configuration on Multiple APs

You can use the AP Manager to chec k the integrity of your APs’ configu ration. This will insure that al l your APs (wit hin a domain) are c onfigured c orrectly. You can sel ect to check the Wireless, Mode or Firmware integrity. Be fore running an integrity test, click the Select All button under the list of APs to ensure that all the APs are checked.

Wireless IDs - Checks that all APs are configured with the same Wireless Network Name, different sta tion name, same AP density setting, and the same RTS Threshold.

Modes - Checks that all APs are conf igured with the same operating modes, su ch as rate limiting, upline dump, and bridge mode.

Firmware Revisions - Verifies that all APs have the same version of the firmware.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-13

Resetting the RoamAbout Access Point

There are two ways to reset the AP:

• Reset with Current Settings

This option reboots the AP but leaves the AP’s configur ed NVRAM parameters at their current settings.

If you change any wireless confi guration parameter (Wireless Network Name, Channel, Station Name, etc.), you must select this option to reset the AP.

From the AP Manager, sel ect Reset/Reload then select Reset with Current Settings.

From a device attached to the console port, select Reset with Current Settings from the Installation Menu.

Allow approxim ately 1 minute for the AP to reset and complete its self-test.

• Reset with Factory Defaults

This optio n reboots the AP, causing the AP’s configured NVRAM para meters to be initialized to factory default values.

This action del etes all configuration settings and replaces them wit h factory default values. All configuration settings will be lost, inclu ding the IP addre ss.

From the AP Manager, sel ect the AP from the Managed List field, cli ck the Reset/Reload button, then click the Reset with Factory Defaults button.

From a device attached to the console port, select Reset with Factory Defaults from the Installation Menu.

Allow approxim ately 1 minute for the AP to reset and complete its self-test.

4-14 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN

To configure two APs to communicate with each other in a LAN-to-LAN configuration, perform the following tasks:

1) Get the wireless MAC address of the remote AP.

You can see the wireless address via the AP Manager or console device, as

described in “Sho wing Current Sett ing s” on page 4-4. T he wirel ess MAC add ress is NOT the s ame as the wired MAC address printed on the front of the AP.

2) Set the Bridge Mode to LAN-to-LAN, as described in “Set ting Bridge Mode” on

page 4-10.

3) Make sure that the APs use the same channel. To change the AP channel, see

“Wireless Parameters” on page 4-6.

4) Set the Transmit (TX) Rate to Auto Select, which is the default setting. See

“Wireless Para meters” on page 4-6 to change the Transmit Rate.

5) Perform this procedur e on the other AP. The following AP parameter s ar e not used in this mode:

• Wireless Network Name

Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN

• Secure Access

• AP Density

• Power Management (DTIM Period)

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-15

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management

To enable SNMP management for the AP, use the AP Manager or console port to perform the foll owing tasks:

• Set the in-band int erfa ce IP address of the AP.

• Set the in-band int erfa ce default gateway address.

• Optionally set the SNMP read/write community n ame (default is “public” ) .

• Optio nally ad d S N M P tr a p ad d r esses.

Set In-Band Interf ace Addr ess es

To perform SNMP management on the AP, you must assign it an IP address, alon g with a subnet mask and default gateway. If there is a BootP/ TFTP server on the network configured with the MAC address of the AP, the AP will get an IP addre ss from it.

To enter the AP’s IP address, subnet mask and default gateway using the AP Manager:

1) Click the Setup/Add New Access Point button.

2) In the popup dialog, select Yes to load a new IP address.

3) Enter the AP’s MAC address, IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

4) Click OK to reset the AP. Allow approximately 1 minute for the AP to reset and

complete its self-test, then click OK.

To modify an existing AP’s subnet mask and default gateway using the AP Manager:

1) Select the AP in the Mana ged List field.

2) Click the IP Network Parameters button.

3) Enter the subnet mask and default gateway.

4-16 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management

To chang e or d elet e the A cce s s Poi nt ’s curr ent IP ad dre ss usi ng the A P M ana ge r:

1) Select the Access Point in the managed lis t .

2) Click the IP Network Para me ters button.

3) Set the Address State to Volatile then click OK.

4) In the main AP Manage r window, clic k the Rese t/Reload button. The n click Re set

with Current Settings. This will set the IP address back to 0.0.0.0. The Access Point is no longer manageable by the AP Manager.

5) Use the Setup/Add New Access Point butt on to give the Access Point a new I P

address and add it back to the list of managed Access Points.

To enter the AP’s IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway using the console port:

1) At the RoamAbout Ins tallat ion Menu, choos e Set In-Band Interface IP Address.

2) Enter the IP a ddress, subnet mask, and default gateway. You do not need to res et

the AP.

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-17

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management

Set SNMP Read/Write Community

To perform SNMP mana gement on the AP, you mus t assign i t a community na me. The format for a community name is a string con sisting of 4 to 31 printable ASCII characters. Thi s community name can be used by SNMP managers for read/write access control. The default community name is public.

If you use an SNMP read/wri te community name other than public, you can also prevent other users from accessing the console port menu. To require users to enter the community string before displaying the menu, choose Enable/Disable

Console Password fro m the cons ole port menu and enable it.

To enter a com munity na me for t h e AP us i ng the A P M a na g er:

1) Select the AP in the Mana ged List field.

2) Click on the Options menu and select Community Strings.

3) Enter the communit y name (4 to 31 pri ntable ASCII charac ters ) in the dialog box

and click OK. The change is sent to the AP. The AP Manager also changes its inter n al c o mmunity s tr i ng to matc h the AP.

NOTE

If the AP has a community n ame, the AP Mana ger and any othe r SNMP Manager must have the correct community name associated with th e AP; otherwise, the tool will be unable to make any change s to the AP.

To enter a com munity na me for t h e AP us i ng the co n s ol e p o rt:

1) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Set SNMP Read/Write

Community.

2) Enter the community name (4 to 31 printable ASCII characters).

4-18 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Set SNMP Trap Addresses

To have the AP send SNMP traps , you need to enter t he IP address of the device where the trap is to be sent. A trap is a defined event or co ndition detected by the Roa mAbout Access P o in t SNMP agent.

To enter an SNMP trap address using the console port:

1) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Add SNMP Trap Addresses.

2) Enter the S N M P tr ap ad d res s.

Note: To not change the e x isting value, press Ret urn to go back to the previous menu.

To delete an existing trap address using the console port:

1) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Delete SNMP Trap Addresses.

2) Enter the existing SNMP trap address that you wish to delete.

Note: To not change the e x isting value, press Ret urn to go back to the previous menu.

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point 4-19

Upgrading the RoamAbout Access Point

The AP internal firmware, also ca lled embedded software, can be easily upgraded. This firmware is stored in an area cal led flash memory . You shoul d regularly check the RoamAbout web site (lis ted in the front of this guide) for the latest information concerning new firmware re leases, new features, and bug fixes.

Typically , al l your parameter settings are reta ined after the upgrade. To load the AP with a n upgraded versi on of the firmware, you should co py the .bin file

from the web s ite to the same directory as the AP Manager or BootP/TFT P s erver. As part of the upgrade , you will be asked for the location of the .bi n file.

You can only upgrade one AP at a time. The AP Manager includ es a BootP/TFTP loader, called NetRid er Loader , that will

upgrade the AP. If you are not using the AP Manager, you need to configure a BootP/TFTP server.

When you start t he upgrade, the AP immediately stops its operation. The firmware in

the AP’s memory is then upgraded with an image downline-loaded from the BootP/TF TP server.

To upgrade the AP using the AP Manager:

1) Select the AP in the Managed List field.

2) Click the Reset/ Relo ad button.

3) Click the Upgrade Flas h Software button. You will see an in dication of th e flash

load on the Ne tRide r Load er screen. After th is ha ppens , the AP proc esses the new firmware and is unavailable for approximately one minute. The easiest way to know this has complet ed is to look for norma l flashing of the fron t panel l ights or try to communicat e with the AP using the AP Manager.

To upgr a d e th e A P u sing the conso l e p o rt :

1) Make sure that you have properly configured a BootP/TFTP server.

2) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Module-Specific Options.

3) In the next menu, choose Upgrad e Fl ash. You will be asked to confirm the

upgrade.

4-20 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Chapter 5

Problem Solving

This chap ter con tains pro blem sol ving info rmation for the AP . Refer to the app ropriat e section for inf orm ation about solving specific problems.

Problem Solving 5-1

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

The LEDs on the AP show status and help you diagnose problems. After the AP is powered up and completes its power-up self-test procedure, the LEDs indicat e whether the AP is functioning properly.

When the power-up self-test diagnostics detect a failure in the AP or you suspect a failure, rerun the se lf-test to verify that t he failur e can be re peated. Run the self-te st by unplugging t he ac power cord and plugging it back in.

Table 5-1 summarizes the AP LEDs.

Table 5-1: LED Su m m ary Table

LED No.

1 Green Power OK Power is on. On 2 Green Module OK Firmware is running OK. On 3 Green Wired LAN

4 Green Bridge State I ndicates AP is forwarding. On 5YellowAP

6 Green Wireless

7 Green PC Card

LEDs that blink do so in one of two modes:

• Normal mode – At a variable (random) rate with varied intensity to indic ate the

activity le vel during normal operation.

LED Color

LED Signal

Activity

Saturated

LAN Activity

Present

LED On Status Normal

State

Indicates activity on wired LAN.

Indicates that packets are being lost due to co ngestion, or an error condition exists (see Table 5-2).

Indicates activity on wireless LAN.

PC Card is present in the AP. On

Blinking

Off

Blinking

• Error mode – At a constant (stea dy) rate and intensity to indicate an error.

5-2 Problem Solving

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

Table 5-2 describes pos s ible AP problems and recommended corrective actions.

Table 5-2: LED Pr oblem Solving S um m ary

If... Then... Do Th is...

Power OK LED (1) is off. AP does not have

power.

Module OK LED (2) is off.

Either the AP is performing hardware diagnostics, the Ethernet connection is bad, or the AP hardware is defect ive.

Module OK LED (2) is blinking in Error mode (constant rate and

The AP is not connected to either the wired LAN

or wireless LAN. intensity), and is blinking in unis o n wi th the AP Saturated LE D and in unison with either the Wired LAN o r Wi reless LAN activity LED.

Verify that the outlet has power.

Check the power connecti on to the AP.

Replace the power supply (if a standalone configuration).

Return the AP (contact your sales representative).

Verify the Ethernet connection. If the LED still fails to light, return the AP (contact your sales represen tativ e).

Check to see which network activity LED the Module OK LED is blinking in unison with, and verify the appropriate connection.

Wire d LAN Activity LED (3) is blin king wit h a short on once per second.

AP Saturated LED (5) is blinking in Norma l mode.

AP Saturated LED (5) is blinking in Error mode.

AP is not connected to

the wired network, or

there is no activity on

the wired LAN.

AP is dropping packets

due to excessive traffic.

This indicates an error

condition exists.

Verif y th at the AP is physically connected to the network.

Exami n e y our configurat ion to determine if there ar e one or more use rs tr ansmittin g excessive amounts of data.

See Module OK LED description.

Problem Solving 5-3

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

Table 5-2: LED Pr oblem Solving S um m ary (Continue d)

If... Then... Do Th is...

Wireless LAN Activity LED (6) is blinking a short on once per second.

Bridge St at e LED ( 4 ) is off.

Bridg e St at e LED ( 4 ) is blinking.

PC Card Present LED (7) is off.

There is no activity on the wireless LAN. If you know there is activity on th e wireles s LAN , th en this status indicates that the PC Card ha s an in cor r ec t wireless parameter or i s not operating properly.

Self-test in progress or a spanning tree reconfiguration is underway.

Otherwise, this status may indicate that there is a redundant AP handling the network traffic and that this AP is in Standby mode.

Downline load is in progress.

There is no PC Card installed in the slot, or it is not properly inserted.

Reconfigure the wireless parameters. Ensure that the AP an d al l w ireless

clients in the AP’s coverage area have the same wireless parameters.

Verify that the PC Card is installed p r operly.

Wait until self-test or reconfiguration ends.

If the AP is in Standby mode, verif y your network configu r ation to determin e whet her th ere is another AP configured to operate in th e same covera ge area.

Wait for downline load to complete.

Turn off power and insert the PC Card into the AP.

5-4 Problem Solving

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

Table 5-3, Table 5-4, and Table 5-5 list common conditions and the corresponding states of the LED indicators.

Table 5-3: Normal Operating Mode LED Patterns

LEDs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Meaning of LE D Pa t te rn

Normal operating mode.

AP is okay but waiting for Spanni ng Tree. AP is okay but occasionally saturated.

PC Card is defective.

Ethernet problem after power-up.

1. =on, =off, =steady blinking , =ra ndom blinking

Table 5-4: Dia gnostics LED Patterns

LEDs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Meaning of LE D Pa t te rn

No power . (No power at the outl et or a faile d power supply.)

PC Card not inserted properly.

Diagnostics are running.

Ethernet connection broken.

Failure while initializing/testing the memory.

1. =on

=off, =steady blinking, =rando m blinking, =any state

Problem Solving 5-5

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

Table 5-5: Net wo r k Loading/Upli ne D umping LED P at te rns

LEDs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Meaning of LE D Pa t te rn

Waiting for downline load from load host

Downline loading image from load host Firmware error detected while downline

loading image fro m load host TFTP file not found

Waiting for retry of TFTP load Upgrading Flash

Flash upgrade succes sful Invalid (wrong) load image

Unsuccessful Flas h upgrade Invalid load image: corrupted image

Invalid load image: image too large TFTP er ror

Firmware error or number of retries exceeded

Hardware error

1. =on, =off, =steady blinking, =rand om bl ink i ng, =any state

5-6 Problem Solving

Reset Button

You can force a downline load of the AP’s firmware from a load host and reset to factory parameters by pressing the Reset button on the front p anel of the AP during a power-up cycle. When you pre ss the Rese t but ton as t he AP is powe ring up, the LEDs cycle through th ree times to indicate that the AP recognized the reset request. If the LEDs do not function prope rly after rese tting the AP to its factory settin gs, remove the AP and contact your sales repre sentative.

Setting Upline Dump

This parameter al lows you to specify whether the AP’s memory is upline dumped in the event the AP crashes.

When upline dump mode is enabled, the AP’s memory is dumped to any local BootP/TFTP load ho st tha t is c onfigure d with t he AP’s ad dress. Upline dump mo de is disabled by defaul t.

Depending on the dump hos t, you may need to creat e a writable file to ac cept the dump. The file name s hould be a pxxxxxx.d mp, whe re xxxxx xx i s th e l ast 6 di gi ts of the AP’s wired MAC address, which is printed on the front cover of the AP.

Reset Button

The Upli ne Dump settin g is availabl e by clickin g the Operating Modes button in the AP Manager, or selecting the Module-Specific Options in the console port menu.

Problem Solving 5-7

Showing Counters

You can display the value s of all the count ers mai ntaine d by t he AP. This in format ion can help you to m onitor the p erformance of your wir eless net work or bette r understand a problem. Typic ally, this information is use d by RoamAbout support personnel to help you diagnose a problem.

To show a subset of the counters using the AP Manager:

1) Select the AP in the Mana ged List field.

2) Click the Statistics button.

To show all the counters using the console port:

1) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Module-Specific Options.

2) In the next menu, choose Show Counters.

5-8 Problem Solving

The following example shows the dialogs associat ed with Show Counters.

Device uptime: 0 00:30:08 ETHERNET Port 0 WIRELESS Port 1 Individually addressed bytes sent: 0 0 Multicast bytes sent: 111446 109406 Individually addressed bytes received: 0 0 Multic ast bytes r eceived: 0 0 Individually addressed frames sent: 0 0 Multicast frames sent: 1850 1820 Indivi dually add ressed frames recei ved: 0 0 Multicast frames received: 0 0 Frames deferred: 0 0 Single collision: 0 0 Multiple collisions: 0 0 Excessive collisions: 0 0 Carrier check failed: 0 0 Transmit Frame too long: 0 0 Remote failure to defer: 0 0 Block check error: 0 0 Frame error: 0 0 Receive Frame too long: 0 0 Data Overrun: 0 0 System buffer unavailable: 0 0 Collision detect check fail: 0 0 Press RETURN to continue

Wireless PC card counters Individually addressed frames sent: 0 Multicast frames sent: 156 Fragments sent: 1665 Individually addressed bytes sent: 0 Multicast bytes sent: 10380 Deferred tran smissions: 126 Single retry fr ames sent: 0 Multiple retry frames sent: 0 Transmit retr y limit exceeded fram es: 0 Transmit frames discarded: 0 Individually addressed frames received: 0 Multicast frames received: 3 Fragments received: 3 Individually addressed bytes received: 0 Multicast bytes received: 162 Receive FCS errors: 220 Receive buffer not available: 0 Wrong station address on transmit: 0 Receive WEP errors: 0 Receive message in message fragments: 0 Receive message in bad msg fragments: 0 Receive WEP ICV errors: 0 Receive WEP excluded: 0 Press Return for Ma in Menu ...

Showing Counters

Problem Solving 5-9

Displaying Error Logs

The AP can display error logs used by support personnel when analyzing system faul ts. Up to four error log dumps can be stored, and the most recent dump i s displayed first. There are two types of error logs. One for AP settings and one for wireless settings.

AP Settings

To display t he AP sett ing s erro r logs usin g th e consol e p ort, c hoose Dump Er ro r L og from the RoamAbout Installati on Menu.

This error log displays various informati on, including current reset count and PCMCIA Card present/not present.

Wireless Settings

To display the wire les s settings error logs using the console port:

1) At the RoamAbout Installation Menu, choose Module-Specific Options.

2) In the next menu, select Dump Error Log.

The following example shows the dialog associated with this option.

RoamAbout Access Point ================================================================

Product Specific ERROR LOG ================================================================

Entry Number = 58 Entry Type = OTHER EXCEPTIONS Error Code = FC000200 Vector offset = 0512 Error Data =

0:0001E8C8 1:00000000 2:20100700 3:C3360200 4:0000EEAC 5:00050400 6:0001CBAC 7:01001596

Dump another Log entry [Y]/N ?

To see the sam e information in the AP Manager, select the AP in the Managed List field and click the Hardware and Troubleshooting buttons.

5-10 Problem Solvi ng

Removing the AP from the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

Follow this procedure if it becomes necessary to remove the AP:

Step Action 1 Lift the release lever located on the top of the MultiSwitch 900 slot or

the DEChub 90 slot.

2 Pivot the AP back on its bottom mounting tab, and disengage the AP

from the backplane.

Hub Manager Status Display

Lift Release Lever

VNswitch 900GV

MultiSwitch 900

V N sw itch 9 00 G V

Mounting Tab

DEChub 90

V N sw

itch 9 00 G V

LKG-9454-941-01

Problem Solving 5-11

Appendix A

Connector, Cable, and Adapter

Pin Assignments

The following figures illustrate the connector, adapter, and cable pin assignments for the RoamAbout Access Po int.

Figure A-1: 10BaseT (8-pin MJ) Connector Pin Assignments

Pin Assignment 1 Receive (RX+ ) 2 Receive (RX-) 3 Transmit (TX+) 4 No connect 5 No connect 6 Transmit (TX-) 7 No connect 8 No connect

Pin 1 8

8-pin MJ connector

LKG-8895-93-01

Connector, Cable, and Adapter Pin Assignments A-1

Figure A-2: Console Port (DB-9) Connector Pin Assignments

Pin Assignment 1 Data Carrier Detect (DCD) 2 Receive Data (RXD)

1 5

3 Transmit Data (TXD) 4 Data Terminal Ready (DTR) 5 Ground 6 Data Set Ready (DSR) 7 Request to Send (RTS)

6 9

LKG-8996-931-01

8 Clear to Send (CTS) 9 No connect

Figure A-3: BN24H Cable Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port)

8 MMP

WH/GR GR/WH WH/OR

OR/WH WH/BR BR/WH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

6 MMP

1 2 3 4 5 6

LKG-4716-91-01

Figure A-4: BC16E Cable Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port)

A-2 Connector, Cable, and Adapter Pin Assignments

6 MMP

1 2 3 4 5 6

6 MMP

1 2 3 4 5 6

LKG-4718-911-01

Figure A-5: H8571-J Adapter Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port)

9 D-Sub(F)

6 MMJ

1 2 3 4 5 6

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 20

LKG-5342-911-01

DCD SD RD DTR GRD DSR RTS CTS RI

Figure A-6: H8575-A Adapter Pin Assignments (Used with Console Port)

25 D-Sub(F)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 20

DTR TX+ TX RXRX + DSR

6 MMJ

1 2 3 4 5 6

LKG-8793-931-01

Connector, Cable, and Adapter Pin Assignments A-3

Cabletron Systems 9032848-02 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Preface

1 Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

2 Preparing for Installation

3 Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

4 Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

5 Problem Solving

A Connector, Cable, and Adapter Pin Assignments

Intended Audience

Preface

Terminology

Asso ciated D o cument s

Introducing RoamAbout Access Point

Summary of Features

AP to Wireless Clients Configuration

AP to AP Configuration

Bridging Services

Configuration Tools

Console Port

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

Other Management Tools

Optional Antennas

Range Extender Antenna

Outdoor Antenna Kit

Preparing for Installation

Unpacking and Checking the Contents of the Shipment

Selecting the Location

Reviewing the Site Requirements

Hardware Requirements

Electrical and Environmental Requirements

Cabling Requirements

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point

Installing the PC Card

Installing the AP into a MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

Removing the Back Cover

Seating the AP in the MultiSwitch 900 or DEChub 90

Insta lli n g the AP

Verifying the Operation of the RoamAbout Access Point

Connecting a Device to the Console Port

Console Port Signaling Standards

Connecting to the Console Port

Installing the RoamAbout Access Point Manager

Setting the AP Parameters

Verifying Wireless Communication

Configuring the RoamAbout Access Point

Starting a Configuration Tool

RoamAbout Access Point Manager

Console Port Device

Showing Current Settings

Wireless Parameters

Channel

Wireless Network Name

Station Name

AP Density

Transmit (Tx) Rate

RTS Threshold

IEEE Power Management (DTIM Period)

Secure Access

Setting Bridge Mode

Setting Default Rate Limiting (Multicast Traffic)

Setting Encryption

Setting RMON Values

Checking the Configuration on Multiple APs

Resetting the RoamAbout Access Point

Configuring the AP for LAN-to-LAN

Configuring the AP for SNMP Management

Set In-Band Interf ace Addr ess es

Set SNMP Read/Write Community

Set SNMP Trap Addresses

Upgrading the RoamAbout Access Point

Problem Solving

Using the LEDs to Determine the Problem

Reset Button

Setting Upline Dump

Showing Counters

Displaying Error Logs