topic Re: FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment in Wireless

FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment

fdharmawan — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:48:58 GMT

Hi Guys,

Currently I am assessing a wireless network for a branch office. The office is new and will use L3 connectivity for traffic towards HO. During the assessment, I found that FlexConnect might be the solution for branch office wireless connectivity.

On the FlexConnect, I found that the AP setting is different compared to the local mode that I currently use. Also, if I want to deploy a locally switched network, the setting will impact the whole SSID, not only a few APs. My concern is that, the SSIDs broadcasted on the HO and BO will be the same. If I setup the locally switched FlexConnect for the SSID, is there any side effect for the APs that is on local mode?

Thank you.

Re: FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment

Mark Elsen — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 06:40:50 GMT

- There isn't ,

Re: FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment

Rasika Nayanajith — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 09:00:45 GMT

" If I setup the locally switched FlexConnect for the SSID, is there any side effect for the APs that is on local mode?"
If you enable "FlexConnect Local Switch" on the SSID, that will only take effect on FlexConnect mode APs. No impact to the "Local" mode APs deployed in HQ

HTH
Rasika
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Re: FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment

Flavio Miranda — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 09:14:39 GMT

Hi @fdharmawan

What dictades the place where the traffic will be handed off is the SSID and not only the AP. If you have an AP configured in Flexconnect mode but propagating a SSID (WLAN) configured in Local Mode, the traffic will be sent back to WLC anyway.

In order to the traffic be placed locally in the BO, you need the AP in flexconnect mode and the WLAN in flexconnect. As you mentioned, you want the same SSID to be propagated in both places, you can create two WLAN profile. One WLAN profile using Local mode and another WLAN profile using Flexconnect. Both with the same SSID.

The WLAN profile with Flexconnect you will propagate on the APs in BO and the WLAN profile with Local Mode you will propagate in the HO.

On the AP in flexconnect mode, on the Flexconnect Tab, you can Map the WLAN to VLAN in order to hand the traffic off on the BO local network.

Considering AirOS WLC, as you did not mention the WLC mode.

Re: FlexConnect Local Switched Deployment

Rich R — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:32:49 GMT

You should really have that branch's APs in a different AP group and have one WLAN which is centrally switched and another WLAN (with a second instance of that SSID) which is locally switched. The first AP group will have the centrally switched WLAN while the 2nd AP group (for the flexconnect APs at the new branch) will have the locally switched WLAN. That way there is no confusion - each operates independently of the other.