Wireless/Redundant Edge Services xl Module Management and Configuration Guide WS.02.xx and greater

3-45
Radio Port Configuration
Considerations for Enabling Client Roaming
Setting the power level lower than the maximum can help you provide
seamless coverage. Place RPs more closely together and configure self
healing, as described in “Network Self Healing” on page 13-88 of
Chapter 13: Wireless Network Management.
■ the antenna type
The RP 210’s and RP 230’s internal radios use omnidirectional diversity
antennas, which send out the signal in all directions equally. The two
antennas of the diversity antenna ensure even coverage over the area.
You can install a variety of external antennas on the RP 220. These
antennas can be diversity or non-diversity. They can be omnidirectional,
providing a sphere of coverage like that of the RP 210 and 220 antennas,
or directional, providing a cone of coverage directed toward a
specific area.
See “Setting the Antenna Mode” on page 3-18 for more information on
this setting.
■ the supported data rates
An RP radio supports the highest data rates only at close proximity. If you
want your wireless network to provide faster connections, then you must
lower RP radios’ power levels and space the RPs more closely together.
For more information on configuring data rate settings and power levels,
see “Configuring Rate Settings” on page 3-15 and “Setting the Desired
Radio Power” on page 3-14.
At the Data Link Layer, roaming can be slowed when the station must authen-
ticate to the network. Roaming to an RP supported by a different Wireless
Edge Services xl Module introduces the Network Layer: if the second module
does not place the station’s traffic on the same subnetwork that the first
module did, the station’s IP address is no longer valid. A Layer 3 roaming
solution is necessary to solve this problem. See Chapter9: Fast Layer2
Roaming and Layer 3 Mobility for more information on enabling fast and
seamless roaming throughout your wireless network.