Role Of The Wds Access Point; Role Of Access Points Using The Wds Access Point; Understanding Fast Secure Roaming - Cisco C3201FESMIC-TP= - 3201 Fast EN Switch Mobile Interface Card Expansion Module Software Configuration Manual

Understanding Fast Secure Roaming

Role of the WDS Access Point

The WDS access point performs several tasks on your wireless LAN:
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Role of Access Points Using the WDS Access Point

The access points on your wireless LAN interact with the WDS access point in these activities:
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Understanding Fast Secure Roaming
Access points in many wireless LANs serve mobile client devices that roam from access point to access
point throughout the installation. Some applications running on client devices require fast reassociation
when they roam to a different access point. Voice applications, for example, require seamless roaming
to prevent delays and gaps in conversation.
During normal operation, Light Extensible Authentications Protocol (LEAP)-enabled client devices
mutually authenticate with a new access point by performing a complete LEAP authentication, including
communication with the main RADIUS server, as in
Cisco 3200 Series Wireless MIC Software Configuration Guide
2
Advertises its WDS capability and participates in selecting the best WDS access point for your
wireless LAN. When you configure your wireless LAN for WDS, you set up one access point as the
main WDS access point candidate and one or more additional access points as backup WDS access
point candidates.
Authenticates all access points in the subnet and establishes a secure communication channel with
each of them.
Collects radio data from access points in the subnet, aggregates the data, and forwards it to the
WLSE device on your network.
Registers all client devices in the subnet, establishes session keys for them, and caches their security
credentials. When a client roams to another access point, the WDS access point forwards the client's
security credentials to the new access point.
Discover and track the current WDS access point and relay WDS advertisements to the wireless
LAN.
Authenticate with the WDS access point and establish a secure communication channel to the WDS
access point.
Register associated client devices with the WDS access point.
Report radio data to the WDS access point.
WDS, Fast Secure Roaming, and Radio Management
Figure 1.