User's Manual

Elpro Technologies 450U-E Wireless Ethernet Modem & Device Server User Manual
34 www.cooperbussmann.com/wirelessresources Rev Version 1.0.12-Beta7
Repeaters (WDS) 3.12
Wireless networks can be extended by allowing Access Points to behave as repeaters and forward traffic to other Access
Points. Access Point to Access Point communications is also known as WDS (Wireless Distribution System). The 450U-E
offers very powerful WDS configuration, allowing mesh network technology with self-healing functionality. Alternatively,
fixed AP to AP links can be configured for optimized throughput.
Each 450U-E Access Point supports up to 3 Virtual Access Point or 5 virtual Station/Client connections to other devices.
The WDS virtual interfaces will always be bridged with the main wireless interface
A WDS bridge interface allows traffic to be bridged to another Access Point on the same IP network. WDS bridge
interfaces do not require additional IP Address configuration, as they are bridged with the standard wireless interface that
is used for connections to associated clients. All of the WDS interfaces on the one Access Point may be bridged if
required.
WDS bridge interfaces have the advantage that redundant paths are permitted when using the bridge Spanning Tree
Protocol (see section 3.7 Spanning Tree Protocol Algorithm ), thus behaving as a self-healing mesh network. Bridged
networks are also not as configuration intensive as routed networks. Since WDS bridge interfaces generally do not require
IP address configuration (they inherit the IP address of the standard wireless interface).
Important Notes:
All Access Points must be configured on the same radio frequency. 
Specify SSID for AP/STA modes. 
SSID and Encryption is not inherited from the main network page. 
Each WDS interface can be configured with a different encryption algorithm; however each side of a single WDS 
link must specify the same encryption algorithm and keys.
A maximum of 3 virtual AP or 5 virtual Client/STA applies per unit. 
WPA-Enterprise configuration is shared with the base AP (Authenticator) or Station (Supplicant). 
Figure 37 - WDS Repeaters