Cisco Systems BR340, BR342, BRI340, BRI341 User guide
Using the Cisco Aironet
340 Series Wireless Bridges
March 27, 2000
Corporate Headquarters
Cisco Systems , Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA 95134-1706
USA
http://www.cisco.com
Tel:
408 526-4000
800 553-NETS (6387)
Fax: 408 526-4100
Text Part Number: OL-0399-01
THE SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION REGARDING THE PRODUCTS IN THIS MANUAL ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT
NOTICE. ALL STATEMENTS, INFORMATION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS MANUAL ARE BELIEVED TO BE ACCURATE BUT
ARE PRESENTED WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. USERS MUST TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THEIR APPLICATION OF ANY PRODUCTS.
THE SOFTW ARE LICENSE AND LIMITED WARRANTY FOR T HE A CCOMPANYING PR ODUCT ARE S ET FORTH IN THE INFORMATION
PACKET THAT SHIPPED WITH THE PRODUCT AND ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO
LOCATE THE SOFTWARE LICENSE OR LIMITED WARRANTY, CONTACT YOUR CISCO REPRESENTATIVE FOR A COPY.
The following information is for FCC compliance of Class A devices: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when
the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case users will be required to cor rect t he interferen ce at their own expense.
The following information is for FCC complia nce of Class B devices: The equi pment descr ibed in thi s manual ge nerates and may radiate
radio-frequency energy. If it is not installed in accordance with Cisco’s installation instructions, it may cause interference with radio and television
reception. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device in accordance with the specifications in
part 15 of the FCC rules. These specifications are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will no t occur in a par ticula r instal lati on.
Modifying the equipment wit hou t Cisco’s written autho riz atio n may resul t in the equi pm ent no long er comply ing with FCC re quir em ents for Class
A or Class B digital devices. In that event, your right to use the equipment m ay be lim ited by FCC regulati ons, and yo u may be r e qui red to correct
any interference to radio or television communicati ons at you r own expense.
You can determine whether your equipment is causing int erferen ce by turning it off. If the inter ference stops, it was probably caused by the Cisco
equipment or one of its peripheral devices. If the equipm ent causes in terference to r adio or television reception , try to corre ct the interference by
using one or more of the following measures:
• Turn the television or radio antenna until the interferenc e stops.
• Move the equipment to one side or the other of the television or radio .
• Move the equipment farther away from the television or radio.
• Plug the equipment into a n outlet tha t is on a different c ircuit from the television or radi o. (Tha t is, ma ke certain the eq uipment and the television
or radio are on circuits controlled by different circuit br eakers or fuses.)
Modifications to this product not auth orized by Cisco Sys tems , Inc. coul d void the FCC approval and negate your auth ority to op erate the product.
The Cisco implementation of T CP header compression is an adaptati on of a program developed by the University of California, B erkeley (UCB) as
part of UCB’s public domain version of the UNIX operating system. All rights reserved. Copyright © 1981, Regents of the University of California.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER WARRANTY HEREIN, ALL DOCUMENT FILES AND SOFTWARE OF THESE SUPPLIERS ARE
PROVIDED “AS IS” WITH ALL FAULTS. CISCO AND THE ABOVE-NAMED SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
NONINFRINGEMENT OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL CISCO OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL
DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS OR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO DATA ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR
INABILITY TO USE THIS MANUAL, EVEN IF CISCO OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
Access Registrar, AccessPath, Any to Any, AtmDirector, Browse with Me, CCDA, CCDE, CCDP, CCIE, CCNA, CCNP, CCSI, CD-PAC, the Cisco
logo, Cisco C e rtified Internetwork Expert l ogo, CiscoLink, the Cisco Managem e nt C o nnection logo, the Cisc o NetWorks logo, the Cisco Powered
Network logo, Cisco Systems Capital , the Cisco Sy stems Ca pital lo go, Cisco S ystems Net workin g Academy, the Cisco Sys tems Networ kin g
Academy logo, the Cisco Tech nol ogies logo, ConnectWay, Fast Step, FireRunner, Follow Me Br ows ing, FormShare, GigaStack, IGX, Intelligence
in the Optical Core, Internet Quotient, IP/VC, Kernel Proxy, MGX, MultiPath Data, MultiPath Voice, Natural Network Viewer, NetSonar, Network
Registrar, the Networkers logo, Packet, PIX, Point and Click Internetworking, Policy Builder, Precept, ScriptShare, Secure Script, ServiceWay, Shop
with Me, SlideCast, SMARTnet, SVX, The Cell, TrafficDirector, TransPath, ViewRunn er, Virtual Lo op Carrier Sy stem, Vir tual Ser vice Node,
Virtual Voice Line, VisionWay, VlanDirector, Voice LAN, WaRP, Wavelength Router, Wavelength Router Protocol, WebViewer, Workgroup
Director, and Workgroup Stack are trademark s; Changi ng the Way We Work , Live, Play, and L earn, Emp owering the In ternet Gen eration, The
Internet Economy, and The New Internet Econ omy are service marks ; and Aironet, ASIS T, BPX, Catal yst, Cisco, Cisco IO S, the Cisco IOS logo,
Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo , the Cisco Sy stems Cis co Press logo , Ent erprise/ Solver, Ethe rChan nel, EtherSw itch , FastHub , FastL ink,
FastPAD, FastSwitch, GeoTel , IOS, IP /TV, IP X, Light Stre am, Ligh tSwitch , MIC A, NetRang er, Pos t-Ro uti ng, Pre-Ro uti ng, Regis trar , StrataView
Plus, Stratm, TeleRouter, and VCO are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other
trademarks mentioned in this do cument are the pro perty of their respective ow ners. T he use of the word pa rtner does not im ply a partnership
relationship between Cisco and any of its re sellers . (9912R )
Using the Cisco Aironet
340 Series Wireless Bridges
Copyright © 2000, Cisco Systems , Inc.
All rights reserved.
Contents
About the User’s Guide ...................................................................................................... ix
Typographical Conventions ..................................................................................................xi
Welcome to the Aironet 240 Series Bridge
Data Transparency and Protocols ..................................................................................xii
Ethernet Compatibility ..................................................................................................xiii
Protocols Supported ......................................................................................................xiii
Radio Characteristics ....................................................................................................xiii
Radio Ranges ................................................................................................................xiv
Security Features ...........................................................................................................xv
Terminology .................................................................................................................. xv
Bridge System Configurations ......................................................................................xvi
Chapter 1 - Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Before You Start ................................................................................................................. 1-2
Installation .......................................................................................................................... 1-3
Installing the Antennas ..................................................................................................1-3
Installing the Console Port Cable ................................................................................1-5
Installing the Ethernet Connection .............................................................1-6
Attaching the AC/DC Power Pack
and Powering On the Aironet 340 Series Bridge ................................................................ 1-8
Viewing the Indicator Displays ........................................................................................... 1-9
Top Panel Indicators ......................................................................................................1-9
Back Panel Indicators ....................................................................................................1-11
Chapter 2 - Accessing the Console System
Access Methods .................................................................................................................. 2-2
Using the Console ............................................................................................................... 2-2
Sub-Menus ...............................................................................................2-3
Commands and Information ..........................................................................................2-4
Commands That Display Information ...........................................................................2-5
ii Cont ents
Command Line Mode ...................................................................................................2-6
Telnet Access ...................................................................................................................... 2-6
Web Access .............................................................................................. ........................... 2-7
About the Menus ............................................ ..................................................................... 2-10
Using the Configuration Console Menu ............................................................................. 2-11
Setting Privilege Levels and Passwords (Rpassword, Wpassword) .............................2-11
Controlling Telnet and Web Access to the Console ......................................................2-12
Controlling SNMP access to the configuration .............................................................2-13
Controlling Who Can Access the Console ....................................................................2-14
Setting the Terminal Type (Type) ..................................................................................2-14
Setting the Communication Port Parameters (Port) ......................................................2-15
Enabling Linemode (Linemode) .......... .................................. ...... ..... ............................2-16
Monitoring of the DTR Signal ............................................................................................ 2-17
Chapter 3 - Before You Begin
Viewing the Configuration Menu ....................................................................................... 3-2
Menu Descriptions ........................................................................................................3-2
Saving Configuration Parameters .................................................................................3-3
Backing up your Configuration (Dump) .......................................................................3-3
Restoring your Configuration .......................................................................................3-4
Chapter 4 - Configuring the Radio Network
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 4-2
Using the Configuration Radio Menu ................................................................................. 4-3
Establishing an SSID (SSID) ........................................................................................4-3
Enabling Root Mode (Root) ..................................................................................... .....4-3
Selecting the Allowed Data Rates (Rates) ....................................................................4-3
Basic Rates (Basic_rates) ..............................................................................................4-4
Selecting Frequency (Frequency) .................................................................................4-4
Setting the Distance (Distance) .....................................................................................4-4
Using the Configuration Radio IEEE 802.11 Menu ........................................................... 4-5
Setting the Beacon Period (Beacon) .............................................................................4-5
Contents iii
Setting the Forwarding Time Interval (DTIM) .............................................................4-5
Adding IEEE 802.11 Management Packet Extensions (Extend) ..................................4-6
Allowing the Broadcast SSID (Bcst_ssid) ....................................................................4-6
Setting the RF RTS/CTS Parameter (RTS) ...................................................................4-6
Packet Encapsulation (Encapsulation Menu) ..................................................................... 4-7
Packet Encapsulation in Mixed Networks ....................................................................4-7
Packet Encryption (Privacy Menu) ..................................................................................... 4-9
Using the Configuration Radio LinkTests Menu ................................................................ 4-11
Running a Signal Strength Test (Strength) ....................................................................4-11
Running a Carrier Busy Test .........................................................................................4-11
Running the Echo Tests (Multicast, Unicast, Remote) .................................................4-12
Using the Configuration Radio Extended Menu ................................................................. 4-17
Setting the Operating Mode (Bridge_mode) .................................................................4-17
Selecting a specific parent (Parent_id, Parent_timeout) ...............................................4-17
Setting Retry Transmission Time (Time_Retries, Count_Retries) ...............................4-18
Setting the Association Refresh Interval (Refresh) .......................................................4-18
Roaming Notification Mode (Roaming) .......................................................................4-19
Setting the Loading Balance (Balance) .........................................................................4-19
Setting Diversity (Diversity) .........................................................................................4-19
Setting the Power Level (Power) ..................................................................................4-19
Setting Fragment Size (Fragment) ................................................................................4-19
Setting Purchasable Radio Options (Options) ..............................................................4-20
Chapter 5 - Configuring the Ethernet Port
Using the Configuration Ethernet Menu ............................................................................. 5-2
Activating/Disabling the Ethernet Port (Active) .........................................................5-2
Setting the Maximum Frame Size (Size) ......................................................................5-2
Setting the Port Interface Type (Port) ...........................................................................5-3
Chapter 6 - Setting Network Identifiers
Using the Configuration Ident Menu .................................................................................. 6-2
Using DHCP or BOOTP ............................................................................6-2
iv Contents
Assigning an IP Address (Inaddr) .................................................................................6-2
Specifying the IP Subnet Mask (Inmask) .....................................................................6-3
Setting Up the Domain Name Servers (Dns1,Dns1,Domain) .......................................6-3
Establishing a Node Name (Name) ...............................................................................6-3
Setting SNMP Location and Contact Identifiers (Location,Contact) ...........................6-3
Configuring the IP Routing Table (Gateway, Routing) ................................................6-3
Setting up the Time Base (Configuration Time) ...........................................................6-5
Chapter 7 - Configuring Mobile IP
Using the Configuration Mobile IP Menu ...............................................................7-2
Setting the Agent Type (AgentType) ............................................................................7-2
Displaying the Active Clients (Mobile, Visitors) ..........................................................7-2
Authorizing Mobile Nodes to Roam (Add/Remove/Display) ......................................7-3
Set up the Agent Parameters (Setup) ............................................................................7-4
Control Agent Advertisements (Advert) .......................................................................7-5
Chapter 8 - Using the Spanning Tree Protocol
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 8-2
Understanding Loops .............................. .............. .............. ............................ ............. 8-3
How STP Protocol Works ................................................................................................... 8-4
Receiving Configuration Messages .................................................. ............................8-4
Determining the Root Bridge and Root Cost ................................................................8-5
Determining the Spanning Tree ....................................................................................8-6
Understanding Bridge Failures .....................................................................................8-6
Avoiding Temporary Loops ..........................................................................................8-6
Establishing Timeouts ............................................................ ...... .................................8-7
Node Address Aging .....................................................................................................8-7
Implementing STP Protocol ............................................................................................... 8-8
Using the Configuration STP Menu
(Root Bridge Only) ...................................... .........................................................................8-9
Setting Port Parameters (Port) .......................................................................................8-14
Displaying the Protocol Status (Display) ......................................................................8-16
Viewing the Port State (State) .......................................................................................8-17
Contents v
Chapter 9 - Viewing Statistics
Viewing the Statistics Menu ............................................................................................... 9-2
Throughput Statistics (Throughput) ..............................................................................9-3
Radio Error Statistics (Radio) .......................................................................................9-4
Error Statistics ................................. ..............................................................................9-5
Displaying Overall Status (Status) ................................................................................9-7
Display a Network Map (Map) .....................................................................................9-8
Recording a Statistic History (Watch) ...........................................................................9-8
Displaying a Statistic History (History) ........................................................................9-10
Displaying Node Information (Node) ...........................................................................9-11
Displaying ARP Information (ARP) .............................................................................9-11
Setting Screen Display Time (Display_Time) ..............................................................9-12
Determine Client IP Addresses (Ipadr) .........................................................................9-12
Chapter 10 - Setting Up the Association Table
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 10-2
Using the Association Menu ...................................................... ......................................... 10-3
Displaying the Association Table (Display) .................................................................10-3
Displaying the Association Table Summary (Summary) ..............................................10-5
Setting the Allowed Number of Child Nodes (Maximum) ...........................................10-5
Controlling Associations With Static Entries (Autoassoc/Add/Remove) .....................10-6
Backbone LAN Node Stale Out Time (Staletime) ........................................................10-8
Specifying How Node Addresses are Displayed (NIDdisp) .........................................10-8
Chapter 11 - Using Filters
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 11-2
Using the Filter Menu ........ ................................................................................................. 11-2
Packet Direction (Direction) .........................................................................................11-2
Filtering Multicast Addresses (Multicast) .....................................................................11-3
Filtering Node Addresses (Node) .................................................................................11-5
Filtering Protocols (Protocols) ......................................................................................11-7
vi Contents
Chapter 12 - Setting Up Event Logs
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 12-2
Information Logs ......................................................................................................... 12-2
Error Logs .................................................................................................................... 12-5
Severe Error Logs ........................................................................................................ 12-5
Using the Logs Menu ..................................... ..................................................................... 12-8
Viewing History Logs (History) ...................................................................................12-8
Clearing the History Buffer (Clear) ..............................................................................12-9
Specifying the Type of Logs to Print (Printlevel) .........................................................12-10
Specifying the Type of Logs to Save (Loglevel) ..........................................................12-10
Specifying the Type of Logs to Light Status Indicator (Ledlevel) ................................12-10
Setting Statistic Parameters (Statistics) .........................................................................12-11
Log Network Roaming (Network) ................................................................................12-12
Logging Backbone Node changes (BnodeLog) ............................................................12-12
Setting up SNMP traps (Snmp) .....................................................................................12-12
Forwarding Logs to a Unix System (Syslog,SysLevel,Facility,Rcvsyslog) ................. 12-14
Chapter 13 - Performing Diagnostics
Using the Diagnostics Menu ............................................................................................... 13-2
Testing the Radio Link (Linktest) .................................................................................13-2
Restarting the Unit (Restart) .........................................................................................13-2
Returning the Unit to the Default Configuration (Default, Reset) ................................13-2
Using the Network Menu ................. ................................................................................... 13-3
Starting a Telnet Session (Connect) ..............................................................................13-3
Changing the Escape Sequence (Escape) ......................................................................13-4
Physically Locating a Unit (Find) .................................................................................13-5
Sending a Ping Packet (Ping) ........................................................................................13-5
Loading New Firmware and Configurations (Load) .......................................................... 13-5
Downloading Using Xmodem Protocol (Xmodem/Crc-xmodem) ...............................13-6
Downloading or Uploading using the File Transfer Protocol (Ftp) ..............................13-7
Downloading Using the Internet Boot Protocol (Bootp/DHCP) ..................................13-10
Distributing Firmware or Configuration (Distribute) ...........................................13-12
Contents vii
Appendix A -Aironet 340 Series Bridge Specifications
LAN Interfaces Supported .................................................................................................. A-1
Ethernet .........................................................................................................................A-1
Radio Characteristics .........................................................................................A-1
Physical Specifications ............................................................................ ........................... A-2
Console Port Pin-Out .......................................................................................................... A-3
Appendix B -Console Menu Tree
Appendix C -SNMP Variables
Appendix D - Cisco Technical Support
Appendix E -Regulatory Information
Manufacturer’s Federal Communication
Commission Declaration of Conformity Statement ............................................................ E-1
Professional Installation ........................................ ........................................................E-2
Department of Communications—Canada
Canadian Compliance Statement ........................................................................................ E-3
European Telecommunication Standards Institute
Statement of Compliance
Information to User ............................................................................................................. E-4
viii Contents
About the User’s Guide
This manual covers the installation, configuration, control, and
maintenance of your Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Please read Chapter 1 – Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge before
attempting to install or use the hardware and software described in this
manual.
The user’s guide is arranged as follows:
Chapter 1 – Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge – Describes the
physical installation of the Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Chapter 2 – Acces sing the Console System – Introduces you to the Con-
sole Port and shows you how to set up and configure the Console Port
parameters.
Chapter 3 – Before You Begin – Provides you with an overview of the
Configuration Menu and how to save and restore your configurations.
Chapter 4 – Configuring the Radio Network – Contains detailed
procedures for configuring your Radio Network.
About the User’s Guide - ix
Chapter 5 – Configuring the Ethernet Port – Contains detailed proce-
dures for configuring the Ethernet port.
Chapter 6 – Se tting Network Identifiers – Outlines the procedures for
setting the Aironet 3 40 Series Bridge’s Network Identifiers.
Chapter 7 – Configuring Mobile IP – Descr ibes how t o config ure th e
Aironet 340 Series Bridge for use with the Mobile IP Protocol.
Chapter 8 – Using the Spanning-Tree Protocol – Describes how to
configure the Aironet 340 Series Bridge for use with the Spanning Tree
Protocol.
Chapter 9 – Viewing Statistics – Describes how to use the Statistics
Menu to monitor the performance of the Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Chapter 10 – Set ting Up the Association Table – Provides you with an
introduction to the association process and detailed procedures for
setting up the Aironet 340 Series Bridge’s Association Table.
x Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Chapter 11 – Using Filters – D escribes how to control the forwarding of
multicast messages.
Chapter 12 – Set ting Up Event Logs – Out lines the procedures for set-
ting up Event Logs and lists the common error log messages received on
the Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Chapter 13 – Performing Diagnostics – Provides you with detailed
procedures for restarting your unit, returning to your default configuration, and loading new fi rmware versions.
Appendi x A – Aironet 340 Series Bridge Specifications – Details the
Aironet 340 Series Bridge radio and physical specifications.
Appendi x B – Console Menu Tre e – Provides you with a listing of all
menus, sub-menus, and options contained in the Console Port.
Appendi x C – SNMP Variables – Lists the SNMP variables supported by
the Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Appendi x D – Cisco Technical Support – Describes how to contact Cisco
for technical support.
Appendi x E – Regulatory Information – Provides the F CC, DO C, and
ETSI regulatory statements for the Aironet 340 Series Bridge.
Typographical Conventions
When reading the user’s guide, it’s important to understand the symbol
and formatting conventions used in the documentation. The following
symbols and formatting are used in the manual.
Convention Type of Information
Bold type An action you must perform such as type or
Monospaced font Information and menus that are visible on the
About the User’s Guide - xi
Indicates a note which contains important
information set off from the normal text.
A caution message that appears before procedures which, if not observed, could result in
loss of data or damage to the equipment.
select.
Console Port screens.
xii Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Welcome to the Aironet 240 Series Bridge
Welcome to the Aironet 340 Series Bridge
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge allows the connections of two or more
remote Ethernet LAN’s into a single virtual LAN. Workstations on each
of the remote LAN’s may communicate with each other as though they
were on the same physical LAN. The Aironet 340 Series Bridge can also
function as a Radio Access Point and provide transparent, wireless data
communications between the wired LAN (and/or within the Radio Network) and fixed, portable or mobile devices equipped with a wireless
adapter employing the same modulation.
Data Transparency and Protocols
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge transports data packets transparently as
they move through the Wireless Infrastructure.
The bridge is also protocol independent for all packets, exce pt those
either addressed specifically to the bridge or sent as multicast address
packets.
Depending on the address, packets will be processed as follows:
n All packets, except those either addressed specifically to the bridge
or sent as multicast address packets, will be processed without
examining the contents of the packet and without regard to the
protocol used.
n Packets addressed specifically to the bridge will be examined by
looking at the protocol header. If the protocol is recognized, the
packet will be processed.
n Multicast address packets will also be examined by looking at the
protocol header, but will be processed whether the protocol is
recognized or not.
n If protocol filtering is enabled then the appropriate parts of the
packet will be examined.
Ethernet Compatibility
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge can attach directly to 10Base2 (Thinnet),
10Base5 (Thicknet) or 10BaseT (Twisted Pair) Ethernet LAN segments.
These segments must conform to IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet Blue Book
specifications.
If the existing infrastructure to which the bridge is to be attached is not
Ethernet-based, an Ethernet segment can be added by installing an
Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) in the File Server or by adding a
third-party bridge.
The bridge appears as an Ethernet node and performs a routing function
by moving packets from the wired LAN to remote workstations (personal computers, laptops and hand held computing devices) on the Wireless Infrastructure.
Aironet 340 Series Bridge xiii
Protocols Supported
Protocols supported:
n TCP/IP based protocol products
n SNMP Protocol – The resident agent is compliant with the MIB-I
and MIB-II standards, TCP/IP based internets, as well as a custom
MIB for specialized control of the system.
Radio Characteristics
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge uses a radio modulation technique known
as Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum transmission (DSSS). It combines
high data throughput with excellent immunity to interference. The
bridge operates in the 2.4 G Hz license-free I ndustrial Scientific and
Medical (ISM) band. Data is transmitted over a half-duplex radio channel operating at up to 11 Megabits per second (Mbps).
xiv Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Radio Ranges
The following section provides general guidelines on factors that
influence infrastructure performance.
Site Survey
Because of differences in component configuration, placement, and
physical environment, every infrastructure application is a unique installation. Before installing the system, users should perform a site survey
in order to determine the optimum utilization of networking components
and to maximize range, coverage and infrastructure performance.
Here are some operating and environmental conditions that need to be
considered:
n Data Rates. Sensitivity and range are inversely proportional to data
bit rates. The maximum radio range is achieved at the lowest workable data rate. There will be a decrease in receiver threshold as the
radio data rate increases.
n Antenna Type a nd Placemen t. Proper antenna configuration is a
critical factor in maximizing radio range. As a general guide, range
increases in proportion to antenna height.
For a detailed explanation of antenna types and configurations along
with guidelines on selecting antennas for specific environments, see the
Aironet Antenna Guide, document number 710-003725.
n Physical Environments. Clear or open areas provide better radio
range than closed or filled areas. Also, the less cluttered the work
environment, the greater the range.
n Obstructions. A physical obstruction such as shelving or a pillar
can hinder the performance of the bridge. Avoid locating the computing device and antenna in a location where there is a barrier
between the sending and receiving antennas.
n Building Materials. Radio penetration is greatly influenced by the
building material used in construction. Fo r example, drywall construction allows greater range than concrete blocks.
Line of Site
A clear line of sight must be maintained between wireless bridge antennas. Any obstructions may impede the performance or prohibit the ability of the wireless bridge to t ransmit and receive data. Directional
antennas should be placed at both ends at appropriate elevation with
maximum path clearance.
Security Features
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge employs Spread Spectrum Technology,
previously developed for military “anti-jamming” and “low probability
of intercept” radio syste ms.
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge must be set to the same System Identifier
(SSID) as all other Aironet devices on the wireless infrastructure. Units
with a different SSID will not be able to directly communicate with each
other.
Aironet 340 Series Bridge xv
Terminology
When configuring your system, and when reading this manual, keep in
mind the following terminology:
Infrastructure – The wireless infrastructure is the communications sys-
tem that combines Aironet bridges, mobile nodes and fixed nodes. Aironet bridges within the infrastructure can be either root units, which are
physically wired to the LAN backbone, or can act as wireless repeaters.
Other RF enabled devices serve as fixed nodes or mobile nodes.
Root Unit – The root unit is an Aironet bridge that is located at the top,
or starting point, of a wireless infrastructure. The root bridge is usually
connected to main wired backbone LAN. Since the radio traffic from the
other bridges LANs will pass through this unit, the root unit is usually
connected to the LAN which originates or receives the most traffic
Repeater – A repeater is an Aironet bridge that establishes a connection
to the root bridge or another repeater bridge to make the wired LAN to
which it is connected part of the bridged LAN.
End Node – A radio node that is located at the end of the network tree.
xvi Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Parent/Child Node – Refers to the relationsh ips between node s in the
wireless infrastructure. Th e complete set of rel ationships is s ometimes
described as a network tree. For example, the Aironet bridge (at the top
of the tree) would be the parent of the end nodes. Conversely, the end
nodes would be the children of the Aironet bridge.
Association – Each root unit or repeater in the infrastructure contains an
association table that controls the routing of packets between the bridge
and the wireless infrastructure. The association table maintains entries
for all the nodes situated below the Aironet bridge on the infrastructure
including repeaters and radio nodes.
Power Saving Protocol (PSP) and Non-Power Saving Protocol –
The Power Saving Protocol allows computers (usually portable computers) to power up only part of the time to conserve energy. If a radio node
is using the Power Saving Protocol to communicate with the infrastructure, the Aironet bridge must be aware of this mode and implement additional features such as message store and forward.
Bridge System Configurations
The Aironet 340 Series Bridge can be used in a variety of infrastructure
configurations. How you configure your infrastructure will determine
the size of the microcell, which is the area a single bridge will provide
with RF coverage. You can extend the RF coverage area by creating multiple microcells on a LAN.
Examples of some common system configurations are shown on the
pages that follow, along with a brief description of each.
Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge
The Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge Configuration uses two units to
bridge two individual LANs. Packets are sent between the file serv er and
Workstation B through the wireless bridge units (root unit and remote
node) over the radio link. Data packets sent from the file server t o Workstation A go through the wired LAN segment and do not go across the
wireless radio link.
Aironet 340 Series Bridge xvii
Figure 0.1 - Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge
File Server
LAN Segment A
Root Unit
(Wireless Bridge)
Workstation A
Remote Node
LAN Segment B
(Wireless Bridge)
Workstation B
Point-to-Multipoint Wireless Bridge
When connecting three or more LANs (usually in different buildings),
each building requires an Aironet wireless bridge and antenna. This is
called a Multipoint Wireless Bridge Configuration. One wireless bridge
is designated as the central site. Its antenna is configured to transmit and
receive signals from the wireless bridges at the other sites. Generally,
the central site is equipped with an omni-directional antenna that provides radio signal coverage in all directions. The other wireless bridges
are typically served by directional antennas that direct radio signals
toward the central site.
Under a Multipoint Wireless Bridge Configuration, workstations
on any of the LANs can communicate with other workstations or
with any workstations on the remote LANs.
xviii Aironet 340 Series Bridge
The following example shows an example of a Point-to-Multipoint Configuration. Packets sent between Workstation A and
Workstation B are forwarded by their respective wireless
bridges to the root unit. Then the root unit forward s these packets to the appropriate wireless bridge for routing to the workstations. Packets sent between the file server and the remote
workstations are routed through the root unit and the appropriate wireless bridge.
Figure 0.2 - Point-to-Multipoint Wireless Bridge
File Server
LAN Segment A
Root Unit
Wireless
Bridge
Workstation A Workstation B
Wireless
Bridge
LAN Segment CLAN Segment B
Infrastructure Extension with Repeaters
Wireless bridges can be configured as repeaters to extend the range of a
wireless network beyond that of a single radio hop. Repeaters can
Aironet 340 Series Bridge xix
A
operate as either stand-alone units or have LAN connections.
Figure 0.3 - Infrastructure Extension with Repeaters
File Server
LAN Segment A
Root Unit
Repeater Repeater
Remote
Node
LAN Segment B
Remote
Node
LAN Segment C
Workstation CWorkstation B
LAN Segment D
Workstation
xx Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Part 1 - Getting Started
Part 1 - Getting Started
Part 1 - Getting Started
Chapter 1 - Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge
CHAPTER 1
Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge
This chapter describes the procedures for installing the Aironet 340
Series Bridge.
1
Here’s what you’ll find in this chapter:
n Before You Start
n Installation
n Installing the Antennas
n Installing the Console Port Cable
n Installing the Ethernet Connection
n Attaching the AC /DC Power Pack and Powering On the
Aironet 340 Series Bridge
n Viewing the Indicator Displays
1 - 2 Aironet 340 Series Bridge
Befor e You Start
After unpacking the system, make sure the following items are present
and in good condition:
n Aironet 340 Series Bridge
n Power Pack. The power pack will be either 120VAC/60 Hz or
90-264VAC/47-63Hz to 12-18VDC, whichever is appropriate for
country of use.
n Lightning Arrestor (Bridge Package option)
n Mounting Kit (Bridge Package option)
n Low loss antenna cable (Bridge Package option)
n Appropriate directional antenna (Bridge Package option)
If any item is damaged or missing, contact your Aironet supplier. Save
all shipping and packing material in order to repack the unit should
service be required.
Figure 1.1 - Overview of the Aironet 340 Series Bridge
10BaseT (Twisted
Pair Ethernet)
Top Panel LEDs
10Base5
(AUI Port)
10Base2 (BNC
T-Connector)
Antenna
Connector
Console Port
RS-232 (DB-9
Female)
AC/DC Power
Pack Unit
On/Off Button
Installation
Installing the Antennas
Before installing your bridge system, we recommend that you test the
bridge using the 2.2 dBi dipole antenna included in your package.
Once testing is completed, install your wireless bridge for use with
the appropriate antenna for your application using the following the
instructions.
1. With the unit powered off, attach the lightening arrestor to the
antenna connector.
Installing the Aironet 340 Series Bridge 1 - 3
Figure 1.2 - Attaching the Antenna
10Base5
10Base2
NOTE: Do not over-tighten; fin ger tight is suf ficient. Position the ante nna
vertically for best omni-di rectional sign al reception.
10BaseT
1 - 4 Aironet 340 Series Bridge
2. Connect the lightning arrestor to one end of the low loss antenna
cable.
NOTE: The lightning arrestor should be connected to the antenna con-
nector on the wireless bridge. The lightning arrestor is added to provide
surge protection to the bridge in the event of voltage surges as a result of
a lightning strike.
3. Connect the antenna to the other end of the low loss antenna cable.
Mount the bridge antenna at an appropriate elevation to ensure maximum path clearance and line of sight considerations.
NOTE: Due to FCC and DOC Regu lations, t he ant enna con nectors on
the Aironet 340 Ser ies Bridge are of reverse polarity to the standard TNC
connectors.
Loading...