Example for Configuring an Agile Distributed WLAN
Service Requirements
Students in dormitories need to access the Internet through WLANs.
Walls between numerous rooms in the dormitory building cause serious wireless signal attenuation, degrading signal quality. To resolve this issue, an agile distributed WLAN is used, with a remote unit (RU) deployed in each dormitory. RUs are connected to a central AP, and all RUs and the central AP are centrally managed by the AC, delivering high-quality WLAN coverage for each dormitory.
Networking Requirements
- AC networking mode: Layer 2 networking in inline mode
- DHCP deployment mode: The AC functions as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to the central AP, RUs, and STAs.
- Service data forwarding mode: tunnel forwarding
- Uplink interfaces of a central AP have a high transmission rate, and connect to an AC and forward service traffic of all connected RUs. Downlink interfaces of a central AP connect to RUs. If the number of downlink interfaces of the central AP is insufficient, one downlink interface can be connected to an uplink interface of a PoE switch, through which RUs can connect the central AP. This increases the number of connected RUs. For example, an AD9431DN-24X provides four 10GE uplink interfaces numbered from 0 to 3 and 24 GE downlink interfaces numbered from 0 to 23.
Data Planning
Item |
Data |
|---|---|
DHCP server |
The AC functions as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to central APs, RUs, and STAs. |
IP address pool for central APs and RUs |
10.23.100.2-10.23.100.254/24 |
IP address pool for STAs |
10.23.101.2-10.23.101.254/24 |
AC's source interface address |
VLANIF 100: 10.23.100.1/24 |
AP group |
|
Regulatory domain profile |
|
SSID profile |
|
Security profile |
|
VAP profile |
|
Configuration Roadmap
- Configure the AC, RUs, central APs, and network devices to communicate at Layer 2.
- Configure the AC as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to central APs, RUs, and STAs.
- Configure the central AP and RUs to go online.
- Create an AP group and add the central AP and RUs that require the same configuration to the group for unified configuration.
- Configure AC system parameters, including the country code and source interface used by the AC to communicate with the central APs and RUs.
- Configure the AP authentication mode and import the central AP and RUs offline to allow them to go online.
- Configure WLAN service parameters for STAs to access the WLAN.
Configuration Notes
- No ACK mechanism is provided for multicast packet transmission on air interfaces. In addition, wireless links are unstable. To ensure stable transmission of multicast packets, they are usually sent at low rates. If a large number of such multicast packets are sent from the network side, the air interfaces may be congested. You are advised to configure multicast packet suppression to reduce impact of a large number of low-rate multicast packets on the wireless network. Exercise caution when configuring the rate limit; otherwise, the multicast services may be affected.
- In direct forwarding mode, you are advised to configure multicast packet suppression on switch interfaces connected to APs.
- In tunnel forwarding mode, you are advised to configure multicast packet suppression in traffic profiles of the AC.
Configure port isolation on the interfaces of the device directly connected to APs. If port isolation is not configured and direct forwarding is used, a large number of unnecessary broadcast packets may be generated in the VLAN, blocking the network and degrading user experience.
In tunnel forwarding mode, the management VLAN and service VLAN cannot be the same. Only packets from the management VLAN are transmitted between the AC and APs. Packets from the service VLAN are not allowed between the AC and APs.
Procedure
- Configure the network devices.# Add GE1/0/0 on Router to VLAN 101. Create VLANIF 101 and set its IP address to 10.23.101.2/24.
<Huawei> system-view [Huawei] sysname Router [Router] vlan batch 101 [Router] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/0 [Router-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] port link-type trunk [Router-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] port trunk allow-pass vlan 101 [Router-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] quit [Router] interface vlanif 101 [Router-Vlanif101] ip address 10.23.101.2 24 [Router-Vlanif101] quit
# Configure the switch to enable Layer 2 communication between the central AP and RUs. If a Huawei switch is used, interfaces on it are added to VLAN 1 by default and can communicate one another at Layer 2. Therefore, this configuration is not required on the switch. If a non-Huawei switch is used, perform the configuration to enable Layer 2 communication of uplink and downlink interfaces.
On the network between RUs and the central AP, service packets of STAs must be properly forwarded. In this example, the tunnel forwarding mode is used. Therefore, service VLAN packets do not need to be permitted between the central AP and RUs. If the direct forwarding mode is used, configure the network between the central AP and RUs to permit service VLAN packets depending on the central AP model.
- If the central AP is a gigabit AP (such as the AD9430DN-24), such configuration is not required on the switch. Because all service packets from RUs are first sent to the central AP through MAC-IN-MAC tunnels, these packets need to be permitted only from the upstream direction of the central AP.
- If the central AP is a 10GE AP (such as the AD9431DN-24X), add uplink and downlink interfaces on the switch to the service VLAN. Because service packets are forwarded starting from the upstream direction of RUs, these packets must be permitted from the upstream direction of RUs.
- Configure the AC to communicate with the network devices.
If the AC and APs are directly connected, set the default VLAN of the interfaces connected to the APs to management VLAN 100.
# On the AC, add GE0/0/1 to VLAN 100, and GE0/0/2 to VLAN 101.<HUAWEI> system-view [HUAWEI] sysname AC [AC] vlan batch 100 101 [AC] interface gigabitethernet 0/0/1 [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port link-type trunk [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port trunk pvid vlan 100 [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port trunk allow-pass vlan 100 [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port-isolate enable [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] quit [AC] interface gigabitethernet 0/0/2 [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/2] port link-type trunk [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/2] port trunk allow-pass vlan 101 [AC-GigabitEthernet0/0/2] quit
- Configure a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to central APs, RUs, and STAs.
# Configure the AC as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to central APs and RUs from the IP address pool on VLANIF 100, and assign IP addresses to STAs from the IP address pool on VLANIF 101.
Configure the DNS server as required. The common methods are as follows:- In interface address pool scenarios, run the dhcp server dns-list ip-address &<1-8> command in the VLANIF interface view.
- In global address pool scenarios, run the dns-list ip-address &<1-8> command in the IP address pool view.
[AC] dhcp enable [AC] interface vlanif 100 [AC-Vlanif100] ip address 10.23.100.1 24 [AC-Vlanif100] dhcp select interface [AC-Vlanif100] quit [AC] interface vlanif 101 [AC-Vlanif101] ip address 10.23.101.1 24 [AC-Vlanif101] dhcp select interface [AC-Vlanif101] quit
- Configure the central AP and RUs to go online.# Create an AP group to which the APs with the same configuration can be added.
[AC] wlan [AC-wlan-view] ap-group name ap-group1 [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] quit
# Create a regulatory domain profile, configure the AC country code in the profile, and apply the profile to the AP group.[AC-wlan-view] regulatory-domain-profile name default [AC-wlan-regulate-domain-default] country-code cn [AC-wlan-regulate-domain-default] quit [AC-wlan-view] ap-group name ap-group1 [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] regulatory-domain-profile default Warning: Modifying the country code will clear channel, power and antenna gain configurations of the radio and reset the AP. Continue?[Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] quit [AC-wlan-view] quit
# Configure the AC's source interface.In V200R021C00 and later versions, when the CAPWAP source interface or source address is configured, the system checks whether security-related configurations exist, including the PSK for DTLS encryption, PSK for DTLS encryption between ACs, user name and password for logging in to the AP, and password for logging in to the global offline management VAP, the configuration can be successful only when both of them exist. Otherwise, the system prompts you to complete the configuration first.
[AC] capwap source interface vlanif 100 Set the DTLS PSK(contains 6-32 plain-text characters, or 48 or 68 cipher-text characters that must be a combination of at least two of the following: lowercase letters a to z, uppercase letters A to Z, digits, and special characters):****** Set the DTLS inter-controller PSK(contains 6-32 plain-text characters, or 48 or 68 cipher-text characters that must be a combination of at least two of the following: lowercase letters a to z, uppercase letters A to Z, digits, and special characters):****** Set the user name for FIT APs(contains 4-31 plain-text characters, which can only include letters, digits and underlines. And the first character must be a letter):admin Set the password for FIT APs(plain-text password of 8-128 characters or cipher-text password of 48-188 characters that must be a combination of at least three of the following: lowercase letters a to z, uppercase letters A to Z, digits, and special characters):******** Set the global temporary-management psk(contains 8-63 plain-text characters, or 48-108 cipher-text characters that must be a combination of at least two of the following: lowercase letters a to z, uppercase letters A to Z, digits, and special characters):********
# Import the central AP and RUs offline on the AC and add the central AP and RUs to AP group ap-group1. Assume that the central AP's MAC address is 68a8-2845-62fd, name the central AP central_AP; the RU's MAC addresses are fcb6-9897-c520 and fcb6-9897-ca40, name the RUs ru_1 and ru_2, respectively.The default AP authentication mode is MAC address authentication. If the default settings are retained, you do not need to run the ap auth-mode mac-auth command.
[AC] wlan [AC-wlan-view] ap auth-mode mac-auth [AC-wlan-view] ap-id 0 ap-mac 68a8-2845-62fd [AC-wlan-ap-0] ap-name central_AP Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. Continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-0] ap-group ap-group1 Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. If the country code changes, it will clear channel, power and antenna gain configuration s of the radio, Whether to continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-0] quit [AC-wlan-view] ap-id 1 ap-mac fcb6-9897-c520 [AC-wlan-ap-1] ap-name ru_1 Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. Continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-1] ap-group ap-group1 Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. If the country code changes, it will clear channel, power and antenna gain configuration s of the radio, Whether to continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-1] quit [AC-wlan-view] ap-id 2 ap-mac fcb6-9897-ca40 [AC-wlan-ap-2] ap-name ru_2 Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. Continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-2] ap-group ap-group1 Warning: This operation may cause AP reset. If the country code changes, it will clear channel, power and antenna gain configuration s of the radio, Whether to continue? [Y/N]:y [AC-wlan-ap-2] quit
# After the central AP is powered on, run the display ap all command to check the AP state. If the State field is displayed as nor, the RUs go online successfully.
[AC-wlan-view] display ap all Total AP information: nor : normal [3] Extra information: P : insufficient power supply ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ID MAC Name Group IP Type State STA Uptime ExtraInfo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0 68a8-2845-62fd central_AP ap-group1 10.23.100.254 AD9430DN-24 nor 0 2M:25S - 1 fcb6-9897-c520 ru_1 ap-group1 10.23.100.253 R240D nor 0 3M:5S - 2 fcb6-9897-ca40 ru_2 ap-group1 10.23.100.252 R240D nor 0 3M:14S - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total: 3
- Configure WLAN service parameters.# Create security profile wlan-net and configure a security policy in the profile.
In this example, the security policy is set to WPA-WPA2+PSK+AES and the password to a1234567. In actual situations, the security policy must be configured according to service requirements.
[AC-wlan-view] security-profile name wlan-net [AC-wlan-sec-prof-wlan-net] security wpa-wpa2 psk pass-phrase a1234567 aes [AC-wlan-sec-prof-wlan-net] quit
# Create SSID profile wlan-net and set the SSID name to wlan-net.[AC-wlan-view] ssid-profile name wlan-net [AC-wlan-ssid-prof-wlan-net] ssid wlan-net [AC-wlan-ssid-prof-wlan-net] quit
# Create VAP profile wlan-net, set the data forwarding mode and service VLAN, and apply the security profile and SSID profile to the VAP profile.[AC-wlan-view] vap-profile name wlan-net [AC-wlan-vap-prof-wlan-net] forward-mode tunnel [AC-wlan-vap-prof-wlan-net] service-vlan vlan-id 101 [AC-wlan-vap-prof-wlan-net] security-profile wlan-net [AC-wlan-vap-prof-wlan-net] ssid-profile wlan-net [AC-wlan-vap-prof-wlan-net] quit
# Bind VAP profile wlan-net to the AP group and apply the profile to radio 0 and radio 1 of the AP.[AC-wlan-view] ap-group name ap-group1 [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] vap-profile wlan-net wlan 1 radio 0 [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] vap-profile wlan-net wlan 1 radio 1 [AC-wlan-ap-group-ap-group1] quit
- Set channels and power for the RU radios.
Automatic channel and power calibration functions are enabled by default. The manual channel and power configurations take effect only when these two functions are disabled. The settings of the RU channel and power in this example are for reference only. You need to configure the RU channel and power based on the actual country code and network planning.
# Disable automatic channel and power calibration functions of radio 0, and configure the channel and power for radio 0.[AC-wlan-view] ap-id 1 [AC-wlan-ap-1] radio 0 [AC-wlan-radio-1/0] calibrate auto-channel-select disable [AC-wlan-radio-1/0] calibrate auto-txpower-select disable [AC-wlan-radio-1/0] channel 20mhz 6 Warning: This action may cause service interruption. Continue?[Y/N]y [AC-wlan-radio-1/0] eirp 127 [AC-wlan-radio-1/0] quit# Disable automatic channel and power calibration functions of radio 1, and configure the channel and power for radio 1.[AC-wlan-ap-1] radio 1 [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] calibrate auto-channel-select disable [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] calibrate auto-txpower-select disable [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] channel 20mhz 149 Warning: This action may cause service interruption. Continue?[Y/N]y [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] eirp 127 [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] quit [AC-wlan-ap-1] quit - Verify the configuration.
The AC automatically delivers WLAN service configurations to the RUs. After the service configuration is complete, run the display vap ssid wlan-net command. If the Status field is displayed as ON, the VAPs have been successfully created on RU radios.
[AC-wlan-view] display vap ssid wlan-net WID : WLAN ID -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP ID AP name RfID WID BSSID Status Auth type STA SSID -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 ru_1 0 1 FCB6-9897-C520 ON WPA/WPA2-PSK 0 wlan-net 1 ru_1 1 1 FCB6-9897-C530 ON WPA/WPA2-PSK 0 wlan-net 2 ru_2 0 1 FCB6-9897-CA40 ON WPA/WPA2-PSK 0 wlan-net 2 ru_2 1 1 FCB6-9897-CA50 ON WPA/WPA2-PSK 0 wlan-net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 4
Connect STAs to the WLAN with SSID wlan-net and enter the password a1234567. Run the display station ssid wlan-net command on the AC. The command output shows that the STAs are connected to the WLAN wlan-net.
[AC-wlan-view] display station ssid wlan-net Rf/WLAN: Radio ID/WLAN ID Rx/Tx: link receive rate/link transmit rate(Mbps) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STA MAC AP ID Ap name Rf/WLAN Band Type Rx/Tx RSSI VLAN IP address ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- e019-1dc7-1e08 1 ru_1 1/1 5G 11n 46/59 -68 101 10.23.101.254 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 1 2.4G: 0 5G: 1
Configuration Files
Router configuration file
# sysname Router # vlan batch 101 # interface Vlanif101 ip address 10.23.101.2 255.255.255.0 # interface GigabitEthernet1/0/0 port link-type trunk port trunk allow-pass vlan 101 # return
AC configuration file
# sysname AC # vlan batch 100 to 101 # dhcp enable # interface Vlanif100 ip address 10.23.100.1 255.255.255.0 dhcp select interface # interface Vlanif101 ip address 10.23.101.1 255.255.255.0 dhcp select interface # interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1 port link-type trunk port trunk pvid vlan 100 port trunk allow-pass vlan 100 port-isolate enable # interface GigabitEthernet0/0/2 port link-type trunk port trunk allow-pass vlan 101 # capwap source interface vlanif100 # wlan security-profile name wlan-net security wpa-wpa2 psk pass-phrase %^%#m"tz0f>~7.[`^6RWdzwCy16hJj/Mc!,}s`X*B]}A%^%# aes ssid-profile name wlan-net ssid wlan-net vap-profile name wlan-net forward-mode tunnel service-vlan vlan-id 101 ssid-profile wlan-net security-profile wlan-net regulatory-domain-profile name default ap-group name ap-group1 radio 0 vap-profile wlan-net wlan 1 radio 1 vap-profile wlan-net wlan 1 ap-id 0 type-id 52 ap-mac 68a8-2845-62fd ap-sn 2102350KGF10F8000012 ap-name central_AP ap-group ap-group1 ap-id 1 type-id 54 ap-mac fcb6-9897-c520 ap-sn 21500826402SF4900166 ap-name ru_1 ap-group ap-group1 radio 0 channel 20mhz 6 eirp 127 calibrate auto-channel-select disable calibrate auto-txpower-select disable radio 1 channel 20mhz 149 eirp 127 calibrate auto-channel-select disable calibrate auto-txpower-select disable ap-id 2 type-id 54 ap-mac fcb6-9897-ca40 ap-sn 21500826402SF4900207 ap-name ru_2 ap-group ap-group1 # return