User's Manual
Table Of Contents
- Welcome to the Airespace Product Guide!
- OVERVIEWS
- About the Airespace System
- About the AireOS
- Single-Airespace Switch or Appliance Deployments
- Multiple-Airespace Switch and Appliance Deployments
- About AireOS Security
- About Airespace Wired Security
- About AireWave Director Software
- About the Master Airespace Switch or Appliance
- About the Primary Airespace Switch or Appliance
- About Client Roaming
- About External DHCP Servers
- About Airespace Mobility Groups
- About Airespace Wired Connections
- About Airespace WLANs
- About File Transfers
- About Power Over Ethernet
- About Airespace Switches and Appliances
- 4012 and 4024 Airespace Wireless Switch Models
- 4101 and 4102 Airespace WLAN Appliance Models
- Airespace Switch and Appliance Features
- Airespace Switch and Appliance Model Numbers
- Airespace Wireless Switch Direct Connect Mode
- Airespace Switches and Appliances in Appliance Mode
- Airespace Wireless Switch Hybrid Mode
- About the Distribution System Port
- About the Service (Management) Port
- About the Startup Wizard
- About Airespace Switch and Appliance Memory
- Airespace Switch and Appliance Failover Protection
- Switched Network Connection to the Airespace Switch or Appliance
- Enhanced Security Module
- About Airespace Access Points
- About Airespace AP Models
- About Airespace AP External and Internal Antennas
- About Airespace AP LEDs
- About Airespace AP Connectors
- About Airespace AP Power Requirements
- About Airespace AP External Power Converter
- About Airespace AP Mounting Options
- About Airespace AP Physical Security
- About Airespace AP Monitor Mode
- About Third-Party Access Points
- About Rogue Access Points
- About the Airespace Control System Software
- About the Airespace Web Browser Interface
- About the Airespace Command Line Interface
- About the Airespace System
- SOLUTIONS
10/10/03 Airespace Switch and Appliance Features
90-100584-004 Airespace Product Guide 28
Airespace Switch and Appliance FeaturesAirespace Swi tch and Appliance Features
Because Airespace Wireless Switches and WLAN Appliances perform most of the processes normally
performed by SOHO Access Points, it can reduce the amount of inter-AP traffic on the wired backbone
network when used in Direct Connect Mode
. When operated in Appliance Mode, Airespace Switches and
Appliances connect to the associated Airespace APs through the switched network. When deployed in
Hybrid Mode, Airespace Wireless Switches simultaneously communicate with their associated APs
through their front-panel ports as well as through the switched network.
Note that the 4101 and 4102 Airespace WLAN Appliances are designed to operate exclusively in
Appliance Mode
. As such, they are limited to controlling Airespace Access Points. However the operator
can use Airespace Control System Software as a gateway to independently detect and manage
Third-Party Access Points.
After each Airespace Switch or Appliance is installed and configured, the AireOS AireWave Director
Software is activated, and the AireOS manages and controls associated Airespace APs and/or
third-party APs (Direct Connect Mode
only), with information about their relative positions, IP
Addresses, and MAC addresses. This information allows all Airespace Switches and Appliances within
each Airespace Mobility Group to constantly monitor and dynamically adjust the RF environment, maxi-
mizing performance, minimizing interference, and distributing the client load.
When operated in Direct Connect Mode, the 4012 or 4024 Airespace Wireless Switches communicate
directly with Airespace APs and third-party APs via 10/100Base-T Ethernet cables.
When operated in Appliance Mode, the 4012 and 4024 Airespace Wireless Switches communicate with
Airespace APs via 10/100Base-T Ethernet or 1000Base-T or 1000Base-SX cables through the switched
network.
When operated in Appliance Mode
, the 4101 and 4102 Airespace WLAN Appliances communicate with
Airespace APs via 1000Base-SX cables through the switched network. Note that the 4102 Airespace
WLAN Appliance uses two redundant GigE connections to bypass single network failures. At any given
time one of the 4102 Airespace WLAN Appliance GigE connections is active and the other is passive.
Upon a switched network failure, the active connection becomes passive, and the passive connection
becomes active.
The 4012 or 4024 Airespace Wireless Switches communicate with switched network via front-panel 10/
100Base-T Ethernet Port 1, or via a 1000Base-T or 1000Base-SX Network Port. The 4101 or 4102
Airespace WLAN Appliances communicate with switched network via one (4101) or two (4102)
1000Base-SX Network Ports: the 4102 Airespace WLAN Appliance uses two redundant GigE connec-
tions to bypass single network failures.
Regardless of operating mode, the network operator can control the Airespace Switches and Appliances
with the following AireOS management interfaces:
• With optional Airespace Control System Software (ACS Software Server) inband or out-of-band
via an 10/100Base-T Service/Management Port (recommended), or via the switched network.
• With the built-in Airespace Command Line Interface via a serial RS232-C Console Port (direct
connection), or via the switched network (Telnet connection).
• With the built-in Airespace Web Browser Interface via a dedicated 10/100Base-T Service/
Management Port (recommended), or via the switched network, using either http or https (http
+ SSL).
Refer to the following for more information about the Airespace Switches and Appliances:
• Airespace Switch and Appliance Model Numbers
• Direct Connect Mode
• Appliance Mode
• Hybrid Mode