User Guide

Table Of Contents
Bridge GUI Guide: Network Configuration
49
inherent in layer-2 networks, including advance ARP resolution
and streamlined broadcast and multicast handling to
significantly reduce broadcast traffic.
FP Mesh enables each node to use all mesh network links and
to route traffic on the optimal path by computing per-hop costs,
based on link conditions, and end-to-end costs, based on
cumulative per-hop costs. System and neighbor cost weighting
are user configurable (refer to sections 3.2.1.5 and 3.2.1.6).
Any node in an FP Mesh network can be reached via:
MAC (media access control) address, as in conventional
hierarchical networks
IPv4 address, if IPv4 is in use for the network
any IPv6 address locally generated for or assigned to the
node, including RFC-4193 and local- and global-scope
addresses
FQDN (fully qualified domain name), if servers internal to
FP Mesh network MPs are providing network DHCP
(Dynamic Host Control Protocol) and DNS services (refer
to Section 3.6).
NOTE: The For-
tress Bridge’s in-
ternal DNS and DHCP
servers are covered in
Section 3.6.
IPv4 Addressing and Name Resolution
IPv4 is enabled by default on the Bridge (refer to Section
3.4.2.1). Although FastPath Mesh functionality does not require
IPv4, it fully supports standard IPv4 addressing for all network
nodes (MPs and NMPs).
The DHCP and DNS servers internal to the Fortress Bridge can
be enabled on any Mesh Point. These severs provide virtually
configuration-free DHCP and DNS services for Non-Mesh
Points. FastPath Mesh operates best when the DNS servers
internal to all network MPs are enabled (the default), and the
DHCP server on one MP (or a small set of MP DHCP servers)
is enabled to provide network DHCP service(s).
Third-party external DHCP and DNS servers can be used with
FP Mesh but require extensive configuration. Furthermore, the
recommended Fortress internal server deployment uses far
fewer network resources because it does not allow DNS
network broadcast queries to enter the mesh from every NMP.
Only NMPs are provided DHCP service. IPv4 addresses must
be manually configured on FastPath Mesh Points (refer to
Section 3.4.2.1).
IPv6 Addressing, Namespace and Name Resolution
IPv6 is always enabled on the Bridge and every MP thus has a
link local IPv6 address (refer to Section 3.4.2.2). FP Mesh fully
supports standard IPv6 addressing for all network nodes (MPs
and NMPs), including locally assigned and local- and global-
scope addresses, as well as multiple IPv6 routers and
associated global prefixes.