Wireless data flow

binhkdinh · ‎09-18-2008

I have a question about how wireless data traffic flows between 2 wireless clients that are associated with the same AP/WLAN/subnet. It doesn't have to go through the WLC, does it?

Is this documented some where on Cisco website that I can find?

Thanks

Binh Dinh

Scott Fella · ‎09-18-2008

When the access point (AP) joins a Wireless LAN (WLAN) controller, a Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) tunnel is formed between the two devices. All traffic is sent through the LWAPP tunnel, which includes all client traffic. The only exception to this is when an AP is in REAP mode. When the AP is in Remote-Edge Access Point (REAP) mode, the control traffic is still tunneled to the controller but the data traffic is bridged locally on the local LAN.

Here is the link info:

http://supportwiki.cisco.com/ViewWiki/index.php/In_LWAPP_network,_does_all_the_network_traffic_both_from_and_to_the_WLAN_client_tunneled_through_a_4400_series_WLAN_controller_that_runs_firmware_version_3.2,_once_a_connection_is_established

-Scott
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binhkdinh · ‎09-19-2008

So for a non-REAP solution, it means that the data flow between 2 clients associating with the same AP looks like this:

Client1 <-> AP1 <-> RouterA <-> RouterB <-> WLC <-> RouterB <-> RouterA <-> AP1 <-> Client2

Is that right?

Thanks

-Binh

Rob Huffman · ‎09-19-2008

Hi Binh,

Just to add to Scott's great info. +5 for this cool link to the Support Wiki as well Scott :)

Your model is most correct :) Even if Peer to Peer Blocking is disabled these two clients would be connected via the WLC and the LWAPP Tunnel.

Hope this helps!

Rob

binhkdinh · ‎09-19-2008

well, in that case, it's a bit insufficient. Don't you agree?

Any ways, thanks.

-B

Scott Fella · ‎09-19-2008

Not really sinnce the wlc is the brains of the whole lwapp deployment. This is due to the split mac architecture... ap's handle certain functions and the rest is handled by the wlc.

-Scott
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