Users Guide

Component Description
802.11
capacity
High-throughput APs can send 802.11 information elements (IEs) in their management
frames, allowing high-throughput mesh nodes to identify other mesh nodes with a high-
throughput capacity. High-throughput mesh points prefer to select other 802.11-capable
mesh points in their path to the mesh portal, but can use a legacy path if no high-
throughput path is available.
Path Cost Path cost is calculated by analyzing the other components in this table, and adding the link
cost, the mesh parent's path cost, and the parent's node cost.
Mesh portals typically advertise a path-cost of zero, but high-throughput portals add an
offset penalty if they are connected to a 10/100mbps port that is too slow for the high-
throughput link capacity.
Optimizing Links
You can configure and optimize operation of the link metric algorithm via the mesh radio profile. These
configurable mesh link trigger thresholds can determine when the uplink or mesh path is dropped and another
is chosen, provide enhanced network reliability, and contain flapping links. Although you can modify the
behavior of the link metric algorithm, It is recommended to follow the default values for most deployments.
For information, see
Metric algorithm on page 599.
Understanding Mesh Profiles
Mesh profiles help define and bring-up the mesh network. The following sections describe the mesh cluster,
mesh radio, and mesh recovery profiles in more detail.
The complete mesh profile consists of a mesh radio profile, RF management (802.11a and 802.11g) radio
profiles, a high-throughput SSID profile (if your deployment includes 802.11n-capable APs), a mesh cluster
profile, and a read-only recovery profile. The recovery profile is dynamically generated by the master controller;
you do not explicitly configure the recovery profile.
Dell provides a “default” version of the mesh radio, RF management, high-throughput SSID and cluster profiles
with default values for most parameters. You can use the “default” version of a profile or create a new instance
of a profile which you can then edit as you need. You can change the values of any parameter in a profile. You
have the flexibility of applying the “default” versions of profiles in addition to customizing profiles that are
necessary for the AP or AP group to function.
If you assign a profile to an individual AP, the values in the profile override the profile assigned to the AP group
to which the AP belongs. The exception is the mesh cluster profile: you can apply multiple mesh cluster profiles
to individual APs, as well as to AP groups.
Mesh Cluster Profiles
Mesh clusters are grouped and defined by a mesh cluster profile, which provides the framework of the mesh
network. Similar to virtual AP profiles, the mesh cluster profile contains the MSSID (mesh cluster name),
authentication methods, security credentials, and cluster priority required for mesh nodes to associate with
their neighbors and join the cluster. Associated mesh nodes store this information in flash memory. Although
most mesh deployments require only a single mesh cluster profile, you can configure and apply multiple mesh
cluster profiles to an AP group or an individual AP. If you have multiple cluster profiles, the mesh portal uses
the profile with the highest priority to bring up the mesh network. Mesh points, in contrast, go through the list
of mesh cluster profiles in order of priority to decide which profile to use to associate themselves with the
network. The mesh cluster priority determines the order by which the mesh cluster profiles are used. This
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