Specifications

1-5

Cisco Aironet Access Point Software Configuration Guide

OL-0657-07

Chapter 1 Overview

Quality of Service Support

The access point now supports Cisco’s QoS, primarily in the area of wireless VoIP

telephones from Spectralink and Symbol Technologies Corporation. The access

point also provides priority classification, prioritized queueing, and prioritized

channel access for other downlink IEEE 802.11 traffic such as streaming audio or

video traffic.

With this software release, the access point does not include any QoS

enhancements in Cisco IEEE 802.11 client software.

What is QoS?

QoS refers to the ability of a network to provide improved service to selected

network traffic over various underlying technologies including Ethernet and

wireless LANs. In particular, QoS features provide improved and more

predictable network service by providing the following services:

• Improving loss characteristics

• Avoiding and managing network congestion

• Prioritizing service to different kinds of network traffic

• Shaping network traffic

• Setting traffic priorities across the network

Limitations and Restrictions

The QoS implementation on the access point has the following limitations and

restrictions:

• Provides only prioritized QoS for downlink traffic on IEEE 802.11 links and

does not support a general purpose QoS signalling protocol, uniform

admission control, guaranteed bandwidth, and other features that are

generally associated with parametized QoS.

• Supports rudimentary admission control mechanisms for Spectralink and

Symbol VoIP phones.