User Guide: Vista Manager AWC Plug-in version 3.5.0

Overview

Operation Reference > Smart Connect > Overview

AWC-SC (AWC-Smart Connect)
Roles of Wireless APs
Configured VAPs
Required Licenses
Supported Wireless APs
Support Limits
Smart Connect Configuration Process
Configuring Smart Connect on Wired AP
Configuring Smart Connect Wirelessly
Notes
Note
AWC-SC is supported with TQ5403, TQ5403e, and TQm5403 firmware version 6.0.1-1.x or later.

AWC-SC (AWC-Smart Connect)

AWC-SC (AWC-Smart Connect) is our original solution that streamlines the introduction and expansion of wireless networks through autonomous wireless connection between APs.

In a wireless network using AWC-SC (a Smart Connect network), APs are connected wirelessly like in a WDS (wireless distribution system). This means there is no need to connect to a wired LAN, except for the root AP at the top level.

In WDS, when connecting a satellite AP by wireless, it is necessary to preconfigure the AP in advance. However, with AWC-SC, if you have a DHCP server that can communicate with the subnet where the satellite AP will be connected, and the MAC address of the satellite AP is registered in the AWC plug-in, a factory default AP can join the Smart Connect network by simply unboxing, installing, and powering on the AP.

In a Smart Connect network, the wireless connection path between APs changes dynamically according to the surrounding conditions. This means communication is performed on the optimal path, while also providing a redundant communication path.

◼ Conventional Wireless Network


◼ Smart Connect Network



Roles of Wireless APs

In AWC-SC, the roles of wireless APs are broadly classified as follows:

In an actual environment, the signal sensitivity also changes depending on the movement of people and objects between wireless APs. If communication is poor, the satellite APs attempt to switch the upstream connection destination.

Up to four downstream wireless APs can be directly connected to each Root AP and Connector AP.
This means that at most, up to 4 Connector APs and 16 Terminator APs can be connected to a single Root AP.

It is recommended that when designing the network, you allow some margin for the number of Root APs compared to the number of Satellite APs.
If there are not enough Root APs, the path may not be optimal depending on the order in which the satellite APs are installed.
For example, if the communication state between the Root AP and the Satellite AP (AP1) is stable, but the radio wave is very weak, AP1 is unable to be a Connector AP and accept a Smart Connect connection request from another wireless AP (AP2).

Here, a new wireless AP (AP3) has been installed between the Root AP and AP1.
Assuming the Root AP has the capacity to accept Satellites, the Root AP and AP3 will establish a Smart Connect link with a strong radio wave. Next, by optimizing the connection route, AP3 will bridge between AP1 and AP2 to the Root AP, acting as a Connector AP.

However, if the Root AP already has connections with four Satellite APs, and the Root AP and AP1 are still connected with a weak but stable signal, AP3 cannot join the Smart Connect network.

In this case, temporarily stop AP1 that is connected with a weak signal. This allows the Root AP to have AP3 joined under it. Performing as a Connector AP, AP3 can then join AP2 to the Smart Connect network, as well as AP1 after rebooting it.


Note
When installing Satellite APs, pay attention to the number and distance of adjacent wireless APs.
If a large number of Satellite APs are arranged so that the distance between wireless APs becomes too short, the throughput of the entire Smart Connect network may be significantly reduced.

Configured VAPs

AWC-SC uses two VAPs as an alternative to wired networks between wireless APs.
Note
In the radio band used by AWC-SC, the other VAPs will be disabled automatically.

Required Licenses

The following licenses are required to use AWC-SC functions on AWC Plug-in.
For a Wireless Smart Connect license, you may need more than one license, depending on how many APs you want to operate in AWC-SC (AWC-Smart Connect). A single Wireless Smart Connect license lets you operate up to 10 APs in AWC-SC. Adding more licenses increases the number of APs that can be operated in Smart Connect.

In addition, when using AWC-CB together with AWC-SC, you may need both Wireless Smart Connect licenses and Wireless Channel Blanket licenses that satisfy the number of the APs that are operated in both AWC-SC and AWC-CB.

Table 1: Example of required licenses
  Non-SC (Conventional) Smart Connect Total Numbers of Licenses
Multi-channel AWC-CB Multi-channel AWC-CB
Number of APs 16 16 16 16 64  
Vista Manager EX License 1 1 1
Wireless LAN Controller License (10 APs) 16 16 16 16 64 7 units (Max 70 APs)
Wireless Channel Blanket License (10 APs)   16   16 32 4 units (Max 40 APs)
Wireless Smart Connect License (10 APs)     16 16 32 4 units (Max 40 APs)
Note
For Wireless Smart Connect licenses, please prepare the number of licenses that meet the total number of Root and Satellite APs.

Supported Wireless APs

The following AP models support AWC-SC.
Note
TQm5403 is supported as a Terminator AP only.


Support Limits

The number of Smart Connect APs per Root AP are as follows:

Smart Connect Configuration Process

To build a hybrid wireless system, follow the steps below.

Configuring Smart Connect on Wired AP

To register the wireless AP to the AWC Plug-in, the MAC and IP Addresses of the AP are needed.
  1. Configure an IP address via the AP's web interface.
    Connect the wireless AP to the PC with a cable directly, or via a switch, and set a fixed IP address for the AP from the AP's web interface.
    Note
    The Root AP can also obtain a static registered IP address from the DHCP server.

  2. Access the management web interface of the AWC Plug-in.

  3. Register the AP on the AP Settings screen.
    Specify the corresponding Management Group, MAC Address, and IP Address of the AP.

  4. Next, create the AP Profiles.
    On the AP Profile screen, create an AP Profile that will be used for communication between wireless APs managed by AWC-SC and wireless clients.
    For communication between APs managed by AWC-SC, the SC Profile created in the later steps will be used. In this SC Profile, two dedicated VAPs will be created on the wireless band that AWC-SC uses.
    Different radio bands are used for normal client service communications.

  5. Create CB Profile as required.
    Create a channel blanket to apply the CB Profile to, and select the wireless APs that belong to it.
    Refer to Create/Edit/Delete CB Profile and Create Channel Blanket for more details.
    When creating a CB VAP, specify a VAP number for the CB VAP that is different from the wireless band used for Smart Connect, avoiding the VAP number of the VAP used as a multichannel wireless network created in Step 4.

  6. Create an SC Profile.
    On the SC Profile screen, create an SC Profile for communication between the APs under the control of AWC-SC.
    Only one SC Profile can be created for each Management Group. If you create multiple Smart Connect networks, Management Groups must be separated for each network.
    Specify the management group to which the SC Profile applies, and the SC management SSID for communication between wireless APs. You can also set the wireless band and channel to use here.
    Refer to Configure SC Profile for more details.

  7. Select the wireless APs to be managed on the Smart Connect Network.
    In the AP list of the SC Profile, all APs belonging to the same management group specified as the target of the SC Profile are displayed in a list. Select "Enable" or "Disable" for Smart Connect for each AP.
    Note
    If there are APs that do not support AWC-SC in the same Management Group, set Smart Connect to "Disable". When Smart Connect is set to "Enable" for an AP that does not support AWC-SC, some wireless settings that overlap with the SC Profile, such as the channel used, are ignored.
    Also, select the wireless AP to be set as the "Root AP" that is the bridge with the wired network.

  8. Assign the AP Profile to the APs registered in Step 3.

  9. Connect the wireless AP with a UTP cable to an AMF switch within the manageable subnet (or the Management Group) of the Smart Connect network.
    In addition to the AP Profile assigned in Step 8, the SC Profile, and the CB Profile if necessary, will be applied to the APs.
    When applying the settings is completed, the management status on the AP Settings screen changes to "Managed".

  10. Leave the wireless AP that you set as the Root AP in Step 7 connected by UTP cable. Disconnect the UTP cables of the other wireless APs intended to operate as Satellite APs.
    The Satellite APs will communicate with the Connector/Root APs in the upper level via the SC management SSID.

Configuring Smart Connect Wirelessly

You can add a factory default AP to your Smart Connect network via wireless communication between the APs.
Smart Connect allows you to expand the wireless network without time-intensive processes like cable work.
Since the factory default AP has no IP address assigned, it is necessary to assign an IP address by a DHCP server via the Root AP.
Note
In order to configure and manage a Satellite AP by using OTA (Over The Air), it is necessary that the AP model supports the Smart Connect feature, runs the firmware version 6.0.1-1-1 or later, and is in factory default status.
Additionally, when using OTA to add the satellite AP right after a firmware upgrade, log on to the AP and perform an initialization before adding it under management.
Refer to the firmware reference manual of the AP for the initialization procedure.
Note
Do not turn on the wireless AP until instructed to do so.
  1. On the DHCP server on the wired network, specify the IP address of the AWC plug-in and the monitoring port number (65437) as DHCP option 43 (vendor specific information).
    This setting is required only once for the DHCP pool.
    The format of the AWC server information passed as an optional setting value is as follows:
    The following setting shows an example in which the IP address of the AWC Plug-in is set to "192.168.1.250":

    Table 2: DHCP option 43 format
    Field name Field length Description Variable / Fixed Setting Example
    Content Hexadecimal value
    Header 1 octet Information header to be passed as vendor-specific information. Fixed 207 CF
    Option 1 type 1 octet Indicates that the following field is the IP address of the AWC Plug-in. Fixed 1 01
    Option 1 value 4 octets Specify the IPv4 address of the AWC Plug-in. Variable 192.168.1.250 C0A801FA
    Option 2 type 1 octet Indicates that the following field is the monitoring port number of the AWC Plug-in. Fixed 2 02
    Option 2 value 2 octets Specify the monitoring port number of the AWC Plug-in. Fixed 65437 FF9D
    As a result, when the AMF device is running the DHCP service and the AWC Plug-in is installed on the IP address "192.168.1.250", the following settings must be added to the corresponding DHCP pool. Here, it is assumed that the DHCP option name to be set is "awcserver" and the DHCP pool name is "pool1".
      awplus#configure terminal
      awplus(config)#ip dhcp option 43 name awcserver hex
      awplus(config)#ip dhcp pool pool1
      awplus(dhcp-config)#option awcserver cf01c0a801fa02ff9d

  2. On the DHCP server, set a static IP address for the MAC address of the Root AP.

  3. Register the AP on the AP Settings screen.
    Specify the Management Group and MAC address of the corresponding wireless AP.
    Select "DHCP" for IP Address.

  4. Create an AP Profile as required.

  5. If necessary, select or create a channel blanket to which the CB Profile is applied, and add the registered AP to it.
    Refer to Create/Edit/Delete CB Profile and Create Channel Blanket for more details.

  6. Check that the new wireless APs are displayed correctly on the SC Profile screen.
    In the AP list of the SC Profile, all APs belonging to the same management group specified as the target of the SC Profile are displayed in a list.
    For newly registered APs, Smart Connect is automatically set to "Enable".
    Since the wireless AP is not connected with a UTP cable, it cannot operate as a Root AP that is a bridge to a wired network, so keep the "Root" checkbox unchecked.

  7. Assign the AP Profile to the APs registered in Step 3.
    On AP Settings screen, assign the AP Profile. When the AP Profile is assigned, the Management Status of the AP will change to "Searching".

  8. Referring to Configuring Smart Connect on Wired AP, add the Root AP under management.

  9. Power on the factory default AP that is used as a Satellite AP, using the AC adapter.
    The factory default AP automatically starts the process of joining under AWC-SC management once it has completed booting.

    1. The new wireless AP scans each channel sequentially, searches for the SC initial setting VAP beacon sent by surrounding wireless APs, and tries to connect.

      At this time, on the wireless AP, the WIRELESS LAN LED (2.4GHz, 5GHz 1, and 5GHz 2) corresponding to the wireless band used for the scanning beacon flashes slowly (once per second).
      Note
      The AP will send signals also in the channels in the DFS band (5GHz W53/W56), however, these channels can not be used for Smart Connect.

    2. When a new wireless AP connects to the SC initial setting VAP sent by the wireless AP managed by AWC-SC, the wireless AP managed by AWC-SC assigns a temporary IP address to the new wireless AP.
      At the same time, the MAC address of the new wireless AP is checked against the MAC address list of the candidate wireless APs to be managed. When the AWC Plug-in permits joining, the information of the SC management VAP defined in the SC Profile is sent to the new wireless AP via the APs managed by the AWC-SC, and allows it to connect to the Smart Connect network. After the connection by AWC-SC is established, the new AP obtains the IP address and DHCP option 43 (vendor specific information) from the actual DHCP server, and refers to the DHCP option information to send a request to join the AWC server.
      When a new wireless AP joins, the AWC plug-in associates the registered MAC address with the IP address and transfers the assigned AP, CB, and SC Profiles to the new wireless AP.

      During this time, the WIRELESS LAN LED (2.4GHz, 5GHz 1, or 5GHz 2) corresponding to the wireless band used for communication with the Root AP / Connector AP managed by AWC-SC blinks rapidly (about 4 times per second).

    3. When the transfer of the Profiles is completed, the AP disconnects the wireless connection and applies the settings.

    When the configuration is completed, the management status on the AP Settings screen changes to "Managed".

Notes

Please note the following points when you use AWC-Smart Connect.


(C) 2021 Allied Telesis, Inc. All rights reserved.

C613-04092-00 Rev A

24 Mar 2021 10:12