How to setup 4 WAP321 with 1 SSID

[Minh Vu]

Hello,

I just bought 6 Cisco WAP321 and need your help configuration.

What I want is to have 1 SSID for all 6 WAP so all employee from 2 floor building can access.

Please let me know if this setup is correct?

• WAP # 1 connect to LAN with cabe and setup as Master with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input from WAP #2; WAP #3 & WAP#4.
  
• WAP #2 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  
• WAP #3 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  
• WAP #4 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  

Don't know how to setup WAP # 5 and WAP#6??????

I'm also thinking another setup, please let me know if this OK

1. WAP1 setup as master with LAN cable connect with WDS enabled
   
2. WAP2 connect to WAP1 with WDS interface
   
3. WAP3 connect to WAP2 with WDS interface
   
4. WAP4 connect to WAP3 with WDS interface
   
5. WAP5 connect to WAP4 with WDS interface
   
6. WAP6 connect to WAP6 with WDS interface
   

Thanks in advance.

KEY

[jonatrod]

Good morning Minh  Vu

Thanks for using our forum

Your ideas are correct, also check this steps in order to configure your AP's.

1. Connect all access points to a wired Ethernet network. They must be in a common network. In addition, each AP must have a different IP.

2. Use the same password for the AP (Remember to use WPA2,  if you use WPA try to use a complex password),

3. Use the same SSID for all the AP's.

4. Select channels that do not overlap for adjacent access points. Channels 1, 6 and 11 have no overlapping frequencies.

5. Enable DHCP service on only one of  the access points. Most DHCP servers can (optionally) to bridge the DHCP service between wired and wireless networks and provide access to wireless clients. There is no advantage if DHCP servers running on multiple access points, and have multiple DHCP servers can cause confusion. Using a single DHCP server enabled with NA T created a single private LAN.

6. Use a form of roaming (WDS or Universal Repeater)

I hope you find this answer useful, if it was satisfactory  for you, please mark the question as Answered.

Greetings,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[Minh Vu]

Jonathan,

Here is what I did,

1 --> Yes, all 5 WAP are connect to the same network using wired cable

2 --> Yes, all 5 WAP had the same WPA password

3 --> Yes, all 5 WAP had the same SSID

4 --> Yes, all 5 WAP had the same chanel which is 10

5 --> All 5 WAP are set to static IP and they all different IP.

6 --> Using WDS bridge procedure to setup. The Master WAP contain all other 4 WAP MAC address. Each slave WAP contain master MAC address

The result ==> Entire company network shut down or lost connection to the internet after 4 days WAP running. As soon as I turn OFF the master WAP, the company internet star working again.

Please help

[Eric Moyers]

Hi, My name is Eric Moyers. I am a Network Support Engineer in the Cisco Small Business Support Center. Thank you for using the Cisco Community Post Forums.

I think your on the right track, but I would make some minor changes. Since you are placing on two floors

First Floor

• WAP # 1 connect to LAN with cable and setup as Master with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input from WAP #2; WAP #3
• WAP #2 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
• WAP #3 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)

Second Floor

• WAP # 4 connect to LAN with cable and setup as Master with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input from WAP #5; WAP #6
• WAP #5 connect to WAP #4 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #4 (master)
• WAP #6 connect to WAP #4 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #4 (master)

If using the WDS Bridge option units 2,3,5,6 should not be hardwired to the network.

Personally I would give each AP a static IP or do DHCP IP reservation. This makes the AP's easier to locate on the network for management for me.

Thanks

Eric Moyers    .:|:.:|:.

Cisco Small Business US STAC Advanced Support Engineer

CCNA, CCNA-Wireless

866-606-1866 ext 601027

Mon - Fri 09:00 - 18:00 (UTC - 05:00)

*Please rate the Post so other will know when an answer has been found.

[Minh Vu]

Eric, thanks for your detail answer.

With yours setup, can it have the same SSID for both floor?

My current setup since last night is almost the same as yours:

First Floor:

• WAP # 1 connect to LAN with cable and setup as Master with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input from WAP #2; WAP #3; WAP #4; WAP #5
  
• WAP #2 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  
• WAP #3 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  

Second Floor

• WAP #4 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  
• WAP #5 connect to WAP #1 via wireless with WDS Bridge enabled. WDS interface is also enable with MAC address input form WAP #1 (master)
  

Would you please explain this " Personally I would give each AP a static IP or do DHCP IP reservation.  This makes the AP's easier to locate on the network for management for me."

[mmbbmm123]

Hi Eric,

I need to provide wireless access to four floors building , 400 m2 each floor.

The connection to wired LAN must be done in one point only on the first floor.

My intention is to use 2 or 3 WAP321 and set up WDS bridge.

As the equipment is not purchased yet, the question is whether it is the right one or may be there are some other devices that better fit for providing extended wireleess range?

Best Regards,

Milko

[jonatrod]

Hello Minh  Vu

In the step 4 (Select channels that do not overlap for adjacent access points. Channels 1, 6 and 11 have no overlapping frequencies), channels should be different, not the same, I didn't specified. However they don't have to  overlap each other, eg :

First floor:

WAP1 -->channel 1  (Master)

WAP2 --> channel 6

WAP3 --> channel 11

Second floor:

WAP4 --> channel 1 (Master)

WAP5 --> channel 6

WAP6-->  channel 11

Thanks

Best regards,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[Minh Vu]

Johnathan,

How is your wiring for this setup?

Can it be the same SSID for both floor?

the Example on your image say

WAP1 - CH1

WAP2 - CH9

WAP3 - CH6

WAP4 - CH3

WAP5 - CH11

But you recommend this which make me confused:

WAP1 -->channel 1

WAP2 --> channel 6

WAP3 --> channel 11

WAP4 --> channel 3

WAP5 --> channel 9

Please explain or provide me the right chanel selection for my setup as state on original post.

[jonatrod]

hello Minh Vu

It was my mistake, I posted in a wrong forum, my reply was:

In the step 4 (Select channels that do not overlap for adjacent access points. Channels 1, 6 and 11 have no overlapping frequencies), channels should be different, not the same, I didn't specified. However they don't have to  overlap each other, eg :

First floor:

WAP1 -->channel 1  (Master)

WAP2 --> channel 6

WAP3 --> channel 11

Second floor:

WAP4 --> channel 1 (Master)

WAP5 --> channel 6

WAP6-->  channel 11

Sorry for the misunderstanding

Best regards,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[Minh Vu]

Hello Jonathan,

I'm little confuse now, your post is saying to use the diffrent chanel 1, 6, 11 but on the manual (page 88) state:

All Cisco WAP devices participating in a WDS link must have the following identical settings:

     Radio

     IEEE 802.11 Mode

    Channel (Auto is not recommended)

     Channel Bandwidth

[jonatrod]

Hello Minh Vu

You're right, as you're configuring  a WDS link, configure them  with the same channel, if that does not work or overlapping signals, try  changing channels

I hope you find this answer useful, if it was satisfactory  for you, please mark the question as Answered.

Best regards,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[jonatrod]

Hello Minh Vu

About the wiring, I recommend you Erick's infrastructure. 

Best regards,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[Minh Vu]

If using Eric infrastructure, can it be the same SSID for both master WAP1 & WAP4 or they have to be differrent SSID?

[jonatrod]

Hi Minh Vu

yes they can have the same SSID for both master WAP1 and WAP4.

Please rate usefull post.

Thank you

Best regards,

Johnnatan Rodriguez Miranda.

Cisco network support engineer.

[Eric Moyers]

Yes, Jonathan is correct all can have the same SSID.

Please keep us informed of your progress.

Eric