Specifications
7-2
Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points
OL-5260-01
Chapter 7 Configuring Multiple SSIDs
Understanding Multiple SSIDs
Understanding Multiple SSIDs
The SSID is a unique identifier that wireless networking devices use to establish and maintain wireless
connectivity. Multiple access points on a network or sub-network can use the same SSIDs. SSIDs are
case sensitive and can contain up to 32 alphanumeric characters. Do not include spaces in your SSIDs.
You can configure up to 16 SSIDs on your 1200 series access point and assign different configuration
settings to each SSID. All the SSIDs are active at the same time; that is, client devices can associate to
the access point using any of the SSIDs. These are the settings you can assign to each SSID:
• VLAN
• Client authentication method
Note For detailed information on client authentication types, see Chapter 10, “Configuring
Authentication Types.”
• Maximum number of client associations using the SSID
• Proxy mobile IP
• RADIUS accounting for traffic using the SSID
• Guest mode
• Repeater mode, including authentication username and password
If you want the access point to allow associations from client devices that do not specify an SSID in their
configurations, you can set up a guest SSID. The access point includes the guest SSID in its beacon. The
access point’s default SSID, tsunami, is set to guest mode. However, to keep your network secure, you
should disable the guest mode SSID on most access points.
If your access point will be a repeater or will be a root access point that acts as a parent for a repeater,
you can set up an SSID for use in repeater mode. You can assign an authentication username and
password to the repeater-mode SSID to allow the repeater to authenticate to your network like a client
device.
If your network uses VLANs, you can assign one SSID to a VLAN, and client devices using the SSID
are grouped in that VLAN.
Configuring Multiple SSIDs
These sections contain configuration information for multiple SSIDs:
• Default SSID Configuration, page 7-3
• Creating an SSID, page 7-3
• Using a RADIUS Server to Restrict SSIDs, page 7-5