User's Manual

hwc_vnsintro.fm
A31003-W1050-U100-2-7619, March 2008
HiPath Wireless Controller, Access Points and Convergence Software V5 R1 , C20/C2400 User Guide
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Virtual Network Services
VNS overview
5 Virtual Network Services
This chapter describes Virtual Network Services (VNS) concepts, including:
• VNS overview
• Setting up a VNS checklist
• Topology of a VNS
• RF assignment for a VNS
• Authentication for a VNS
• Filtering for a VNS
• Data protection on a VNS—WEP and WPA
• VNS global settings
• Setting up a new VNS
5.1 VNS overview
A VNS is an IP subnet designed to enable Wireless APs to interact with wireless
devices. A VNS is similar to a regular IP subnet. A VNS has the following
properties:
• Each VNS is assigned a unique identifier.
• Each VNS is assigned a Service Set Identifier (SSID). The SSID does not
have to be unique.
• Each VNS is assigned a range of IP addresses for wireless devices. All of the
wireless devices share the same IP address prefix—the part of the IP address
that identifies the network and subnet.
The IP addresses of the wireless devices are assigned dynamically by the
HiPath Wireless Controller's Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
server within the assigned range.
Note: If the VNS is in branch mode, the HiPath Wireless Controller's DHCP
server will not assign IP addresses to the wireless devices. For a routed VNS,
you can allow the enterprise network's DHCP server to provide the IP
addresses for the VNS by enabling DHCP Relay.
The assigned addresses must be within range of the VNS definition and the
controller must be defined in the network as the path for traffic delivery to the
mobile units. For more information, see Section 6.3.1.8, “Using a DHCP relay
for the VNS”, on page 172.