User Guide: Vista Manager AWC Plug-in version 3.7.0

Overview

Operation Reference > Channel Blanket > Overview

AWC-CB (AWC-Channel Blanket)
Required Licenses
Supported Wireless APs
Support Limits
Steps to Create a Hybrid Wireless System
Notes
Supported Functions on CB VAP per AP Model


AWC-CB (AWC-Channel Blanket)

The AWC-CB (AWC-Channel Blanket) feature enables you to create a channel blanket wireless network that you can use in conjunction with multi-channel networks and can manage efficiently.

◼ Multi-channel Wireless Networks
In a conventional multi-channel wireless network, multiple wireless APs are configured to use different channels to cover a wider area than a single AP can cover.
With this configuration, there are complexities in channel planning, and problems such as packet loss, caused by inter-AP roaming, and slow traffic, caused by sticky clients. Sticky clients maintain their association with the AP that they are initially connected to, even once that AP is at a distance.


◼ Blanket Wireless Network
On the other hand, in a channel blanket (or blanket) wireless network, multiple wireless APs use the same channel and form a single large virtual AP to provide network access to clients. In this configuration, communications can be more stable, without roaming causing packet loss and sticky clients, because only a single channel is used. This also removes the need for complex channel planning.
However, because all clients send and receive traffic on the same channel, only a single AP can transmit at a given moment, therefore downlink throughput will decrease.
AWC-CB uses patented "Multi-Communication Technology" to let multiple clients on a blanket network send/receive data simultaneously using separate APs, as long as they do not interfere with each other.


The following table shows the differences between multi-channel and blanket wireless networks.

Table 1: Comparison between Multi-channel and Blanket Wireless Networks
  Multi-channel (Conventional) Blanket
Roaming Delay
POOR...
Depending on clients
GOOD
Zero Time
Easy Deployment
NOT GOOD...
Complex channel planning is required
GOOD
Because of using a single channel,
channel planning is not required
Throughput
OKAY
By limiting the number of clients per cell
high throughput can be achieved.
NOT GOOD...
Because of using a single channel,
throughput decreases with more clients

◼ Hybrid Wireless System
With AWC-CB, it is possible to easily build a hybrid wireless network, which combines the strengths of both multi-channel and blanket networks. Multi-channel and blanket networks can be configured on a single AP, where the multi-channel networks are defined as ordinary VAPs in an AP Profile and the blanket networks are defined as VAPs in a CB Profile.
For example, by assigning static, high-throughput stations such as PCs to multi-channel VAPs and putting mobile, low-throughput devices in blanket VAPs, your network as a whole can be utilized and managed more efficiently.

Note
Because a channel blanket controls multiple APs as a single large virtual AP, individual APs in the channel blanket transmit beacon signals in turn. Some clients may appear to have unstable signal strength, due to receiving beacon signals from wireless APs other than the wireless AP that they are connected to. This does not cause any problems with network traffic quality.

Required Licenses

The following licenses are required to use AWC-CB functions with the AWC Plug-in:
For the Wireless Channel Blanket license, you might need more than one license, depending on how many APs you want to operate in AWC-CB (AWC-Channel Blanket) mode. A single Wireless Channel Blanket license lets you operate 10 APs in AWC-CB mode. Adding more licenses increases the number of APs which can operate in AWC-CB mode.

For example, the following licenses are needed when you run 40 APs in a multi-channel wireless network and 25 APs in a channel blanket network.

Table 2: An example of required licenses
  Multi-channel
 AWC-CB
 Total
Number of APs 40 25 65
Vista Manager EX License 1 1
Wireless LAN Controller License (10 APs)
 4
(Max 40)
 3
(Max 30)
 7
Wireless Channel Blanket License (10 APs)
 -
 3
(Max 30)
 3

Supported Wireless APs

The following AP models support AWC-CB.
Note
TQ6602 cannot be combined with TQ5403 and/or TQ5403e in the same channel blanket.

Support Limits

The number of CB Profiles, channel blankets, APs per channel blanket, VAPs per channel blanket, and wireless clients that can be supported are:

Steps to Create a Hybrid Wireless System

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

◼ Build from scratch (with new wireless APs)
  1. Physically install the APs.

  2. Add the APs to the AWC Plug-in's management database.
    Add them on the AP Settings page.

  3. Place the APs on floor maps.
    Create floor maps and place APs on them on the Floor Map page.
    If you select APs from a list of APs in a Management Group at step 6, you do not need to create floor maps. However, it is recommended that you create floor maps if you will have a lot of APs in a single Management Group.

  4. Create an AP Profile.
    Create an AP Profile on the AP Profile page. Then configure general, system, wired network, wireless network and multi-channel VAPs.

  5. Create a CB Profile, which bundles together the common settings for a blanket network.
    Create a CB Profile on the CB Profile page. Then configure CB VAPs (VAPs for blanket networks) in addition to the profile name and Management Group.
    You can create 6 CB VAPs per CB Profile.
    Note
    When running TQ5403 or TQ5403e with firmware version 6.0.1-1.x or older, the number of supported VAPs per Channel Blanket is up to 4; 2 for each 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

  6. Create a channel blanket to which you want to apply the CB Profile.
    Create a channel blanket on the CB Profile page and select member APs.
    Member APs can be selected visually on floor maps, or can be selected on a list of APs in a Management Group.
    Refer to Create Channel Blanket for more details.

  7. Apply the AP Profile to the APs.
    The APs remain unmanaged until you apply an AP Profile to them.
    Once the AP Profile is applied to the APs on the AP Settings page, the APs' status changes to "Managed" and both multi-channel and blanket networks are made operational.

◼Re-configure existing APs
  1. Create a CB Profile, which bundles together the common settings for a blanket network.
    Create a CB Profile on the CB Profile page. Then configure CB VAPs (VAPs for blanket networks) in addition to the profile name and Management Group.
    You can create 4 CB VAPs per CB Profile.

  2. Create a channel blanket to which you want to apply the CB Profile.
    Create a channel blanket on the CB Profile page and select member APs.
    Member APs can be selected visually on floor maps, or can be selected on a list of APs in a Management Group.
    Refer to Create Channel Blanket for more details.

  3. Apply changes to the APs.
    Once the CB Profile is applied to the APs on the CB Profile page, the blanket network becomes operational in addition to the existing multi-channel networks.
    Refer to Apply CB Profile for more details.

Notes

Please note the following items when you are configuring VAPs:


Supported Functions on CB VAP per AP Model

CB VAPs (VAPs for a channel blanket) are configured in a CB Profile.
CB VAPs and multi-channel VAPs (ordinary VAPs) have different supported functions, as shown below.


Table 3: Supported functions on Multi-channel and Blanket VAPs
Item Name TQ Comment
5403/5403e 6602
Multi-channel VAP Blanket (CB) VAP Multi-channel VAP Blanket (CB) VAP
Radio N Y N Y  
VAP N Y N Y  
Channel N Y N Y  
VAP Status Y Y Y Y  
VLAN ID Y Y Y Y  
SSID Y Y Y Y  
  Broadcast SSID Y Y Y Y  
Security None Y Y Y Y  
Static WEP Y Y Y N This can be configured only on VAP1 of each radio. Do not use a mode that contains IEEE 802.11n in the AP profile of APs using channel blanket.
  Key Length 64bit Y Y Y N
128bit Y Y Y N
Key Type ASCII Y Y Y N
Hexadecimal Y Y Y N
Key Index Y Y Y N
Security Key (WEP Key) Y Y Y N
WEP Authentication Method Open System Y Y Y N
Shared Key Y Y Y N
WPA Personal Y Y Y Y  
  Security Key (WPA-PSK) Y Y Y Y  
WPA Versions WPA3 Y N Y N  
WPA2 Y Y Y Y  
WPA Y Y Y Y  
Encryption Protocol CCMP Y Y Y Y  
TKIP Y N Y N  
Management Frame Protection Y Y Y Y  
Broadcast Key Refresh Rate Y N Y N Can be configured but is not supported
WPA Enterprise Y Y Y Y  
  RADIUS Server Primary IP Address Y Y Y Y  
RADIUS Server Primary Secret Y Y Y Y  
RADIUS Server Secondary IP Address Y Y Y Y  
RADIUS Server Secondary Secret Y Y Y Y  
RADIUS Server Port Number Y Y Y Y  
Pre-authentication Y N Y N Pre-Authentication is not supported on CB VAPs.
WPA Versions WPA3 Y N Y N  
WPA2 Y Y Y Y  
WPA Y Y Y Y  
Encryption Protocol CCMP Y Y Y Y  
TKIP Y N Y N  
Management Frame Protection Y Y Y Y  
Broadcast Key Refresh Rate Y N Y N Can be configured but is not supported
RADIUS Accounting Y N Y N Can be configured but is not supported
RADIUS Accounting Port Number Y Y Y Y  
Dynamic VLAN Y N Y N  
MAC Access Control Y Y Y Y  
  MAC Address List Y Y Y Y  
  Selected List Y Y* Y Y* * This item is not displayed on the CB VAP configuration page.
The MAC Address List that is selected for the AP Profile is applied to CB VAPs.
External RADIUS Y Y* Y Y* TQ5403, TQ5403e firmware version 6.0.1-2.x or later, or TQ6602 firmware version 7.0.1-0.1 or later is required.
  RADIUS Server Primary IP Address Y Y* Y Y*
RADIUS Server Primary Secret Y Y* Y Y*
RADIUS Server Secondary IP Address Y Y* Y Y*
RADIUS Server Secondary Secret Y Y* Y Y*
RADIUS Server Port Number Y Y* Y Y*
User-Name Format Separator Y Y* Y Y*
User-Name Format Letter Case Y Y* Y Y*
User-Password Format Y Y* Y Y*
User-Password Format Password Y Y* Y Y*
Area Authentication Y Y Y N  
Fast Roaming Y N Y N Can be configured but is not supported
  802.11r FT Y N Y N
FT over DS Y N Y N
Mobility Domain Y N Y N
R0 key Lifetime Y N Y N
AES Key Y N Y N
802.11k RRM Y N Y N
802.11v WNM Y N Y N
Wireless Client Isolation Y* Y Y* Y * For multi-channel VAPs, this is configured in the "Radio Configuration" section of an AP profile.
For CB VAPs, the setting for the CB VAP is preferred. The setting in the AP profile is ignored.
Inactivity Timer Y Y Y Y  
Duplicate AUTH received Y Y N N  
Association Advertisement Y Y N N  
DTIM Period Y* Y Y* Y * For multi-channel VAPs, this is configured in the "Radio Configuration" section of an AP profile.
RSSI Threshold N Y N Y  
Tx Power Y* Y Y* Y * For multi-channel VAPs, this is configured on the AP-specific configuration page.
When using Channel Blanket, do not set the Tx Power on the AP-specific configuration page.
Proxy ARP Y Y Y Y TQ5403, TQ5403e firmware version 6.0.1-6.1 or later, or TQ6602 firmware version 7.0.1-1.1 or later is required.


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

C613-04117-00 Rev A

02 Nov 2021 15:42