Extreme Networks Summit WM Series Guide de l'utilisateur télécharger pdf (Page 14)

The Summit WM-Series Switch Software solution

Summit WM-Series WLAN Switch and Altitude Access Point Software Version 1.0 User Guide

An alternative to the ad hoc configuration is the use of an access point. This may be a dedicated

hardware router or a computer running special software. Computers and other wireless devices

communicate with each other through this access point. The 802.11 standard defines Access Point

communications as devices that allow wireless devices to communicate with a “distribution system”.

This is a basic service set (BSS) or infrastructure network.

For the wireless devices to communicate with computers on a wired network, the access points must be

connected into the wired network, and provide access to the networked computers. This is called

bridging. Clearly, there are security issues and management scalability issues in this arrangement.

Figure 1: Standard wireless network solution

The wireless devices and the wired networks communicate with each other using standard networking

protocols and addressing schemes. Most commonly, Internet Protocol (IP) addressing is used.

While this topology works well enough for small installations, as the network grows the difficulty of

setting up and administering all the individual access points expands as well. When the expanding

network has to cope with a large number of wireless users all signing on and off at random times, the

complexity grows rapidly. Imagine, for example, a university library filled with professors and students

– all equipped with laptops. Or a conference full of delegates and exhibitors.

Clearly, there must be a better way than setting up each access point individually.

The Summit WM-Series Switch Software solution

The Summit WM-Series Switch Software solution consists of two devices:

● The Summit WM-Series Switch is a rack-mountable network device designed to be integrated into an

existing wired Local Area Network (LAN). It provides centralized control over all access points (both

Altitude APs and third-party access points) and manages the network assignment of wireless device

clients associating through access points.

● The Altitude AP is a wireless LAN fit access point (IEEE 802.11) provided with unique software that

allows it to communicate only with a Summit WM-Series Switch. (A fit access point handles the radio

RADIUS

authentication

server

Router

Ethernet switch

DHCP

server

Access

point

Wireless

device

Wireless

device

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Extreme Networks Summit WM Series Guide de l'utilisateur Page 14