Preface

This document provides design and deployment guidelines for the deployment of secure enterprise, campus, and metropolitan Wi-Fi networks within the Cisco wireless mesh networking solution, a component of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network (CUWN).

Mesh networking employs Cisco Aironet 1500 Series outdoor mesh access points and indoor mesh access points (Cisco Aironet 1040, 1130, 1140, 1240, 1250, 1260, 1600, 1700, 2600, 2700, 3500e, 3500i, 3600e, 3600i, and 3700 series access points) along with the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller, and Cisco Prime Infrastructure to provide scalable, central management, and mobility between indoor and outdoor deployments. Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) protocol manages the connection of mesh access points to the network.

End-to-end security within the mesh network is- supported by employing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption between the wireless mesh access points and Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) clients. This document also outlines radio frequency (RF) components to consider when designing an outdoor network.

The features described in this document are for the following products:

  • Cisco Aironet 1570 (1572) series outdoor mesh access points

  • Cisco Aironet 1550 (1552) series outdoor mesh access points

  • Cisco Aironet 1530 series outdoor mesh access points

  • Cisco Aironet 1530 series outdoor mesh access points

  • Cisco Aironet 1040, 1140, 1260, 1600, 1700, 2600, 2700, 3500e, 3500i, 3600e, 3600i, and 3700 series indoor mesh access points

  • Mesh features in Cisco Wireless LAN Controller

  • Mesh features in Cisco Prime Infrastructure

This chapter contains the following sections:

Audience

This document is for experienced network administrators who design and deploy mesh networks and configure and maintain Cisco mesh access points and Cisco wireless LAN controllers.

Organization

This guide is organized into these chapters:

Chapter Title Description
Mesh Network Components This chapter describes the components of a mesh network.
Mesh Deployment Modes This chapter describes the various deployment modes of mesh access points.
Design Considerations This chapter describes the design considerations involved in a mesh network.
Air Time Fairness in Mesh Deployments rel 8.4 This chapter describes the air time fairness in mesh deployments.
Site Preparation and Planning This chapter describes the implementation details and configuration examples.
Connecting the Cisco 1500 Series Mesh Access Points to the Network This chapter describes the procedures involved in connecting mesh access points to a network and configuring the mesh access points.
Checking the Health of the Network This chapter describes the commands to enter to check the health of a mesh network.
Troubleshooting This chapter describes the troubleshooting information.
Managing Mesh Access Points with Cisco Prime Infrastructure This chapter describes information about managing access points with Cisco Prime Infrastructure.

Conventions

This document uses the following conventions:

Convention Indication
bold font Commands and keywords and user-entered text appear in bold font.
italic font Document titles, new or emphasized terms, and arguments for which you supply values are in italic font.
[ ] Elements in square brackets are optional.
{x | y | z } Required alternative keywords are grouped in braces and separated by vertical bars.
[ x | y | z ] Optional alternative keywords are grouped in brackets and separated by vertical bars.
string A nonquoted set of characters. Do not use quotation marks around the string or the string will include the quotation marks.
courier font Terminal sessions and information the system displays appear in courier font.
<> Nonprinting characters such as passwords are in angle brackets.
[] Default responses to system prompts are in square brackets.
!, # An exclamation point (!) or a pound sign (#) at the beginning of a line of code indicates a comment line.

Note

Means reader take note.


Tip

Means the following information will help you solve a problem.


Caution

Means reader be careful. In this situation, you might perform an action that could result in equipment damage or loss of data.


Warning

This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents. (To see translations of the warnings that appear in this publication, refer to the appendix "Translated Safety Warnings.")

Warning Title Description
Waarschuwing Dit waarschuwingssymbool betekent gevaar. U verkeert in een situatie die lichamelijk letsel kan veroorzaken. Voordat u aan enige apparatuur gaat werken, dient u zich bewust te zijn van de bij elektrische schakelingen betrokken risico's en dient u op de hoogte te zijn van standaard maatregelen om ongelukken te voorkomen. (Voor vertalingen van de waarschuwingen die in deze publicatie verschijnen, kunt u het aanhangsel "Translated Safety Warnings" (Vertalingen van veiligheidsvoorschriften) raadplegen.)
Varoitus Tämä varoitusmerkki merkitsee vaaraa. Olet tilanteessa, joka voi johtaa ruumiinvammaan. Ennen kuin työskentelet minkään laitteiston parissa, ota selvää sähkökytkentöihin liittyvistä vaaroista ja tavanomaisista onnettomuuksien ehkäisykeinoista. (Tässä julkaisussa esiintyvien varoitusten käännökset löydät liitteestä "Translated Safety Warnings" (käännetyt turvallisuutta koskevat varoitukset).)
Attention Ce symbole d'avertissement indique un danger. Vous vous trouvez dans une situation pouvant entraîner des blessures. Avant d'accéder à cet équipement, soyez conscient des dangers posés par les circuits électriques et familiarisez-vous avec les procédures courantes de prévention des accidents. Pour obtenir les traductions des mises en garde figurant dans cette publication, veuillez consulter l'annexe intitulée « Translated Safety Warnings » (Traduction des avis de sécurité).
Warnung Dieses Warnsymbol bedeutet Gefahr. Sie befinden sich in einer Situation, die zu einer Körperverletzung führen könnte. Bevor Sie mit der Arbeit an irgendeinem Gerät beginnen, seien Sie sich der mit elektrischen Stromkreisen verbundenen Gefahren und der Standardpraktiken zur Vermeidung von Unfällen bewußt. (Übersetzungen der in dieser Veröffentlichung enthaltenen Warnhinweise finden Sie im Anhang mit dem Titel "Translated Safety Warnings" (Übersetzung der Warnhinweise).)
Avvertenza Questo simbolo di avvertenza indica un pericolo. Si è in una situazione che può causare infortuni. Prima di lavorare su qualsiasi apparecchiatura, occorre conoscere i pericoli relativi ai circuiti elettrici ed essere al corrente delle pratiche standard per la prevenzione di incidenti. La traduzione delle avvertenze riportate in questa pubblicazione si trova nell'appendice, "Translated Safety Warnings" (Traduzione delle avvertenze di sicurezza).
Advarsel Dette varselsymbolet betyr fare. Du befinner deg i en situasjon som kan føre til personskade. Før du utfører arbeid på utstyr, må du være oppmerksom på de faremomentene som elektriske kretser innebærer, samt gjøre deg kjent med vanlig praksis når det gjelder å unngå ulykker. (Hvis du vil se oversettelser av de advarslene som finnes i denne publikasjonen, kan du se i vedlegget "Translated Safety Warnings" [Oversatte sikkerhetsadvarsler].)
Aviso Este símbolo de aviso indica perigo. Encontra-se numa situação que lhe poderá causar danos fisicos. Antes de começar a trabalhar com qualquer equipamento, familiarize-se com os perigos relacionados com circuitos eléctricos, e com quaisquer práticas comuns que possam prevenir possíveis acidentes. (Para ver as traduções dos avisos que constam desta publicação, consulte o apêndice "Translated Safety Warnings" - "Traduções dos Avisos de Segurança").
¡Advertencia! Este símbolo de aviso significa peligro. Existe riesgo para su integridad física. Antes de manipular cualquier equipo, considerar los riesgos que entraña la corriente eléctrica y familiarizarse con los procedimientos estándar de prevención de accidentes. (Para ver traducciones de las advertencias que aparecen en esta publicación, consultar el apéndice titulado "Translated Safety Warnings.")
Varning Denna varningssymbol signalerar fara. Du befinner dig i en situation som kan leda till personskada. Innan du utför arbete på någon utrustning måste du vara medveten om farorna med elkretsar och känna till vanligt förfarande för att förebygga skador. (Se förklaringar av de varningar som förekommer i denna publikation i appendix "Translated Safety Warnings" [Översatta säkerhetsvarningar].)

Related Documentation

These documents provide complete information about the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution:

  • Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide

  • Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Command Reference

  • Cisco Prime Infrastructure Configuration Guide

  • Release Notes for Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and Lightweight Access Points

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