User Guide

Table Of Contents
Bridge GUI Guide: Network Configuration
46
Chapter 3
Network and Radio Configuration
3.1 Network Interfaces
CAUTION: All
Bridges in a mesh
network must run the
same Bridge software
version.
Multiple Bridges can be connected through their wired and/or
wireless interfaces to form fixed or mobile tactical mesh
networks and to bridge or extend the reach and availability of
conventional hierarchical networks.
Different models of Fortress Bridge chassis feature varying
numbers of user-configurable Ethernet ports. Fortress Bridges
can be additionally equipped with one to four independent
internal radios supporting various capabilities defined in the
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
802.11-2007 standard, or with no radios. On each radio internal
to a Bridge, up to four independent wireless interfaces, or Basic
Service Sets (BSSs), can be configured, up to a total of eight
per Bridge.
Alternatively, an ES210 Bridge can be dedicated to act as a
wireless client by configuring a single station (STA) interface on
its single internal radio.
Compare your Bridge’s model number (on the
Administration
Settings
screen under System Info.) to Table 1.1 on page 3 to
determine the number of Ethernet ports with which the Bridge
you are configuring is equipped and the number and type(s) of
radio(s) installed in it.
Fortress Bridge radios can connect to the radios of remote
Fortress Bridges to form mesh networks and, on separate
BSSs, serve as access points (APs) or access interfaces to
connect compatibly configured wireless devices to a wireless
LAN (WLAN) or to an FP Mesh access network.
On Bridges with more than one radio, the higher power radio(s)
dedicated to the higher frequency band (5 GHz, standard
equipment, or 4.4 GHz, military band) will generally be the
better choice for network bridging (or backhaul) links. In
Bridges with two radios (ES520 and ES820), these are
Radio 2. In the four-radio ES440, Radio 2, Radio 3 and Radio 4
are all in this category.