Can you use a IOS 3600 wireless access point as a bridge

[Rockford]

Hi Community folk,

I have a project manager who has come to me after selling a 3600 + 802.11ac upgrade module to a customer to use as a wirelesss bridge, they have actually got it connected but only at 54M, I've done some digging into this and can't seem to find the right answer, or maybe I have?

From the release notes:

Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points for Cisco IOS Releases 15.2(4)JA.

It states that:

The point-to-point and point-to-multipoint bridging is supported on the Cisco Aironet 1040, 1140, 1250 Series Access Points (802.11n platforms).

Is that my answer  or can the 3600 be set up as a wireless bridge utilising the higher data rates?

BR

Rockford

[Stephen Rodriguez]

what encryption are you configured for?

to get the higher rates you have to use WPA2/AES or Open/No Auth, and WMM has to be allowed

You also need multiple antennas so that the radios can have the MIMO/spatial streams

HTH,
Steve

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[Richard Atkin]

And remember that the AC module uses internal radios only...  A bridge would typically require the use of the external antennae (I'm assuming you have a 3602e?) and therefore will 'only' operate at 802.11N rates and not at AC rates.

[Rockford]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the prompt reply, this is the correct answer but I was aware of the WPA2/AES requirement to enable the higher rates that 802.11n supports. The question was really around whether the 3602 + 802.11ac module was capable of bridging as I found the passage stipulating that the models that supoport bridging are the 1040, 1140 and 1250 series. The problem is I do not have access to this device I was asked the question directly and wanted to find a definitive response.

Hi Richard,

Thanks to you too for the reply, I'm aware the ac module is modular (no external connections) again I have no information around its location or distance. as you have correctly stated usually you'd use some kind of external antenna: patch, yagi, directional of some kind!

I seem to remember that the IOS for the 3600 was a skinny version purely for site surveying but this may have changed. I have been sent the 'show tech' and as Steve has pointed out it had only been configured for wpa tkip, I think the guys installing it must have just tried the express set up via the GUI!!!!

I'll update this post when I get the final results back, the distance it is spanning and the speed that it states it is connected at

Kind regards

Rockford