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

1-59
Introduction
Radio Ports
It is important to understand the relationship between SSIDs and BSSIDs. An
SSID identifies a WLAN; the two are connected with a one-to-one correspon-
dence. As a MAC address, a BSSID identifies an RP in that WLAN— one of the
perhaps many RPs that offer wireless stations a connection to that WLAN.
Like switches that can carry traffic for multiple VLANs, most RPs, including
the ProCurve RPs, can support multiple WLANs, each of which is identified
by its own SSID.
An RP can identify itself with a unique BSSID in each WLAN. This provides
the greatest flexibility in configuring the WLAN. The RP can also carry traffic
for multiple WLANs on the same BSSID. The SSIDs for these WLANs are said
to “share” the BSSID.
Each ProCurve RP 210 provides four separate BSSIDs. The ProCurve 220
and 230, which include two built-in radios, provide eight BSSIDs, four on each
radio. Up to four SSIDs can share each BSSID, which means that each RP radio
can support up to 16 WLANs. In Figure 1-21, SSID A (WLAN 1) and SSID E
(WLAN 5) share BSSID 1 on each RP radio.
Figure 1-21. SSID and BSSID on ProCurve RPs