User guide

Overview of the Summit WM series switch, access points, and WLAN switch software solution
Summit WM Series WLAN Switch and Altitude Access Point Software Version 4.1 User Guide
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● Offers centralized management and control – An administrator accesses the Summit WM series
switch in its centralized location to monitor and administer the entire wireless network. From the
Summit WM series switch the administrator can recognize, configure, and manage the Altitude APs
and distribute new software releases.
● Provides easy deployment of Altitude APs – The initial configuration of the Altitude APs on the
centralized Summit WM series switch can be done with an automatic “discovery” technique. For
more information, see “Discovery and registration overview” on page 56.
● Provides security via user authentication – Uses existing authentication (AAA) servers to
authenticate and authorize users.
● Provides security via filters and privileges – Uses virtual networking techniques to create separate
virtual networks with defined authentication and billing services, access policies, and privileges.
● Supports seamless mobility and roaming – Supports seamless roaming of a wireless device from
one Altitude AP to another on the same Summit WM series switch or on a different Summit WM
series switch.
● Integrates third-party access points – Uses a combination of network routing and authentication
techniques.
● Prevents rogue devices – Unauthorized access points are detected and identified as harmless or
dangerous rogue APs.
● Provides accounting services – Logs wireless user sessions, user group activity, and other activity
reporting, enabling the generation of consolidated billing records.
● Offers troubleshooting capability – Logs system and session activity and provides reports to aid in
troubleshooting analysis.
● Offers dynamic RF management – Automatically selects channels and adjusts Radio Frequency (RF)
signal propagation and power levels without user intervention.
Summit WM series switch, access points, and WLAN
switch software and your network
This section is a summary of the components of the Summit WM series switch, access points, and
WLAN switch software solution on your enterprise network. The following are described in detail in
this guide, unless otherwise stated:
● Summit WM series switch – A rack-mountable network device that provides centralized control
over all access points (both Altitude APs and third-party access points) and manages the network
assignment of wireless device clients associating through access points.
● Altitude AP - A wireless LAN fit access point (IEEE 802.11) that communicates only with a Summit
WM series switch.
● RADIUS Server (Remote Access Dial-In User Service) (RFC2865), or other authentication server –
An authentication server that assigns and manages ID and Password protection throughout the
network. Used for authentication of the wireless users in either 802.1x or Captive Portal security
modes. The RADIUS Server system can be set up for certain standard attributes, such as filter ID,
and for the Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs). In addition, Radius Disconnect (RFC3576) which
permits dynamic adjustment of user policy (user disconnect) is supported.
● DHCP Server (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) (RFC2131) – A server that assigns IP
addresses, gateways, and subnet masks dynamically. IP address assignment for clients can be done
by the DHCP server internal to the Summit WM series switch, or by existing servers using DHCP
relay. It is also used by the Altitude APs to discover the location of the Summit WM series switch