Wireless/Redundant Edge Services xl Module Management and Configuration Guide WS.01.03 or greater

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Introduction
ProCurve Wireless Edge Services xl Module
For the purposes of configuring a WLAN on the Wireless Edge Services xl
Module, you can think of a WLAN as a set of parameters that RPs and
associated stations agree define their connections. These parameters include:
■ the SSID that identifies the WLAN
■ the type of authentication a station must complete before associating to
the WLAN
■ the encryption algorithms and keys that secure wireless data
■ support for QoS protocols and (in the case of a protocol such as Wi-Fi
Multimedia [WMM]) the settings for priority queues
The module configures these settings on RPs, which broadcast them to
wireless stations in beacon and other 802.11 management frames.
For RPs, WLAN settings also control:
■ whether they broadcast the WLAN’s SSID (operate in open system)
■ whether they forward frames directly between wireless stations or force
all traffic to travel through the Wireless Edge Services xl Module (inter-
station blocking)
Note While you can configure the Wireless Edge Services xl Module to assign WLAN
traffic to a particular VLAN, a WLAN in the wireless network does not
necessarily have a one-to-one relationship with a VLAN in the Ethernet
network.
The module can tag traffic received from several WLANs for the same VLAN.
Conversely, by implementing user-based VLANs, the module can tag traffic
from different stations in the same WLAN for different VLANs.
Authentication Options
A key function of the ProCurve Wireless Edge Services xl Module’s is to
establish settings for your network’s WLANs. One such setting is the method
by which wireless stations authenticate themselves before associating to a
WLAN.
Forcing stations to authenticate themselves protects your network from
unauthorized access, securing both your organization’s data and that of wire-
less users. It also protects wireless users from connecting to a rogue AP.