User's Guide

Table Of Contents
Overview of the HiPath Wireless Controller, Access Points and Convergence Software solution
hwc_intro.fm
HiPath Wireless Controller, Access Points and Convergence Software and your network
9034530-02, March 2010
28 HiPath Wireless Controller, Access Points and Convergence Software V7.11, User Guide
Figure 3 Traffic Flow diagram
Each wireless device sends IP packets in the 802.11 standard to the Wireless AP.
The Wireless AP uses a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) based tunnelling
protocol. In tunneled mode of operation, it encapsulates the packets and forwards
them to the HiPath Wireless Controller. The HiPath Wireless Controller
decapsulates the packets and routes these to destinations on the network. In a
typical configuration, access points can be configured to locally bridge traffic (to
a configured VLAN) directly at their network point of attachment.
The HiPath Wireless Controller functions like a standard L3 router or L2 switch.
It is configured to route the network traffic associated with wireless connected
users. The HiPath Wireless Controller can also be configured to simply forward
traffic to a default or static route if dynamic routing is not preferred or available.
Packet transmission
Control and Routing
>HWC authenticates wireless user
>HWC forwards IP packet to wired
network
Tunnelling
>AP sends data traffic to HWC
through UDP tunnel called WASSP
>HWC controls Wireless AP
through WASSP tunnel
>Using WASSP tunnels, HWC
allows wireless clients to roam to
Wireless APs on different HWCs
802.11 packet transmission
802.11 beacon and probe, wireless
device associates
with a Wireless AP
by its SSID
Wireless Devices
Router/Switch
HiPath Wireless
Controller
RADIUS
Authentication
Server
External
CP Server
External Web
Authentication
Server
Wireless APs
DHCP
Server