WESM zl Management and Configuration Guide WT.01.28 and greater

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Introduction
Radio Ports
For example, WLAN 1 and WLAN 5 have been assigned to the same BSSID. The
RP advertises the SSID for WLAN 1 in the beacon frame from that BSSID, but not
the SSID for WLAN 5. However, if a wireless station sends a probe request for
WLAN 5’s SSID, then the RP responds, and the station can associate. In other words,
WLAN 1 operates in open system, and WLAN 5 operates in closed system.
Note By default, ProCurve RPs beacon the first WLAN assigned to a BSSID; however, you
can configure that WLAN to operate in closed system instead. You cannot configure
a WLAN with an index number higher than four to operate in open system (unless
you use advanced mode configuration to assign that WLAN as the primary WLAN).
For more information about configuring open and closed system operation, see
Chapter 4: “Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs).”
RP Modes
The ProCurve RPs typically act in master mode, the default mode for an AP. Of
course, because the RPs are part of a coordinated solution, the Wireless Edge Services
zl Module controls the RPs’ functions.
You can also configure an RP radio to act in detector mode.
Master Mode
As mentioned earlier, BSSs and ESSs operate in infrastructure mode: wireless
stations must communicate through their RP. In this mode, 802.11 requires that
wireless stations and RPs function differently. The wireless stations act in managed
mode, and the RPs in master mode. All communications must proceed between the
master and the managed stations or between a managed station and the master.
You should understand the basic functions that the RP, as the master, fulfills:
■ It sends beacon frames to:
• announce its presence
• advertise the WLANs that it supports
• perform other network control functions, such as synchronizing the time
■ It receives authentication requests, which the Wireless Edge Services zl Module
forwards to the authentication server.
■ It receives association requests from wireless stations, which it forwards to the
Wireless Edge Services zl Module for response.
■ It receives data traffic from associated wireless stations and forwards this traffic
to an upstream Ethernet device, or if permitted, to other wireless stations.
■ It forwards return traffic to associated wireless stations.