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Documentation Home for Self-Managed and Enterprise-Managed APs | Administrators Guide
Overview of Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP
The Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP provides continuous, high-speed access between your wireless and Ethernet devices. It is an advanced, standards-based solution for wireless networking in small and medium-sized businesses. The Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP enables zero-administration wireless local area network (WLAN) deployment while providing state-of-the-art wireless networking features.
The Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP provides best-of-breed security, ease-of-administration and industry standards-providing a standalone and fully-secured wireless network without the need for additional management and security server software.
The Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP is available as a single or dual band access point with one or two radios.
The single band access point can broadcast in the following modes.
The dual band access point is capable of broadcasting in the following modes:
- Atheros Turbo 5 GHz
- Atheros Dynamic Turbo 5 GHz
- Atheros Turbo 2.4 GHz
- Atheros Dynamic Turbo 2.4 GHz
For more information about Atheros Turbo modes see 802.11a Turbo.
Given these capabilities, various hardware configurations for the end product are possible. For example, a two-radio access point with dual band capabilities (or two with single band where one radio offers IEEE 802.11 g/b and the other offers IEEE 802.11a/A Turbo) is capable of broadcasting in two different IEEE 802.11 modes simultaneously.
The following sections list features and benefits of the Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP, and tell you what's next when you're ready to get started.
Features and Benefits
IEEE Standards Support and Wi-Fi Compliance
Wireless Features
- Auto channel selection at startup
- Transmit power adjustment
- Wireless Distribution System (WDS) for connecting multiple access points wirelessly. Extends your network with less cabling and provides a seamless experience for roaming clients.
- Quality of Service (QoS) for enhanced throughput and better performance of time-sensitive wireless traffic like Video, Audio, Voice over IP (VoIP) and streaming media. Our QoS Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) compliant.
- Load Balancing
- Built-in support for multiple SSIDs (network names) and multiple BSSIDs (basic service set IDs) on the same access point
- Channel management for automatic coordination of radio channel assignments to reduce AP-to-AP interference on the network and maximize WiFi bandwidth
- Neighboring access point detection (also known as "rouge" AP detection)
- Support for multiple IEEE 802.11d Regulatory Domains (country codes for global operation)
Security Features
- Inhibit SSID Broadcast
- Ignore SSID Broadcast
- Weak IV avoidance
- Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
- Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)
- Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
- User based access control with local authentication server
- Local user database and user lifecycle management
- MAC address filtering
Out-of-the-Box Guest Interface
- Unique network name (SSID) for the Guest interface
- Captive portal to guide guests to customized, guest-only Web page
- VLAN and dual ethernet options
Clustering and Auto-Management
- Automatic setup with Kickstart
- Provisioning and auto-configuration of APs through clustering and cluster rendezvous
The administrator can specify how new access points should be configured before they are added to the network. When new access points are added, they can automatically rendezvous with the cluster, and securely download the correct configuration. The process does not require manual intervention, but is under the control of the administrator.
- Single universal view of clustered access points and cluster configuration settings
Configuration for all access points in a cluster can be managed from a single interface. Changes to common parameters are automatically reflected in all members of the cluster.
- Self-managed access points with automatic configuration synchronization
The access points in a cluster periodically check that the cluster configuration is consistent, and check for the presence and availability of the other members of the cluster. The administrator can monitor this information through the user interface.
- Enhanced local authentication using 802.1x without additional IT setup
A cluster can maintain a user authentication server and database stored on the access points. This eliminates the need to install, configure, and maintain a RADIUS infrastructure, and simplifies the administrative task of deploying a secure wireless network.
- Hardware watchdog
Networking
SNMP Support
Release 1.1 of the Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP ships with the following standard Simple Network Protocol (SNMP) Management Information Bases (MIB):
- SNMP v1 and v2 MIBs
- IEEE802.11 MIB
- Two Devicescape proprietary MIBs based on the upcoming IEEE 802.11k MIB support the Devicescape Enterprise-Managed AP client association list and AP detection table, respectively.
Maintainability
- Status, monitoring, and tracking views of the network including session monitoring, client associations, transmit/receive statistics, and event log
- Link integrity monitoring to continually verify connection to the client, regardless of network traffic activity levels
- Reset configuration option
- Firmware upgrade
- Backup and restore of access point configuration
- Backup and restore of user database for built-in RADIUS server (applicable with IEEE 802.1x and WPA/WPA2 Enterprise (RADIUS) security modes
What's Next?
Ready to get started with wireless networking? Read through the PreLaunch Checklist: Default Settings and Supported Administrator/Client Platforms and then follow the steps in Quick Steps for Setup and Launch of Your Wireless Network.
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