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Mesh Network

Technical Guide for the Mesh AP

Topic 2

Installation Knowledge / Network Design

2006.9.28

Copyright © PLANET Technology Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Network Design Outline

The Operating Mode

The Interface

Node Operation

MDOLSR

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Network Design Outline

The Operating Mode

The Interface

Node Operation

MDOLSR

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The Operating Mode

There are 2 operating modes in a mesh network

Gateway

Has access to Internet through WAN port

Provides Internet gateway to other Relay nodes

Relay

Link up with gateway to access Internet

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The Operating Mode

Internet access by Telco or ISP

MAP-2000R(Relay)

MAP-2000R(Relay)

MAP-2000R(Relay)

MAP-2000(Gateway)

Backbone Mesh Radio Routing

Client Access Radio Coverage

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Network Design Outline

The Operating Mode

The Interface Overview

WAN

WLAN

LAN

Node Operation

MDOLSR

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The Interface - Overview

The Mesh AP will

Establish an Ad-hoc link with other Mesh AP nodes

Routing information obtained once the Ad-hoc link build-up

Of course, base on the setting to build-up the secured Wireless Mesh Network

Authenticate valid users

Also provide more features

Web-Server, Web Re-directing

RADIUS client

Mobile IP

VPN, Security Features, etc.

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The Interface - Overview

The interfaces are also:

Based on IPv4

Wireless LAN base on 802.11

Support both wired / wireless client access expansion

Provide Gateway or Relay operations

Routing auto updated using MDOLSR

Modified Dynamic Optimal Link Services Routing

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The Interface - WAN

Available for MAP-2000 and MAP-2100 in Gateway mode

Provides Internet connectivity for the whole mesh network

Three types supported PPPoE Fixed IP Static IP

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The Interface - WAN

PPPoE DSL services provide by local ISP Connects to modem for Internet access Supports PAP and CHAP authentication methods

Internet

DSL Modem

Mesh Network

Mesh Gateway

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The Interface - WAN

Fixed or Static IP Joins the existing local area network

Connects to router

Sharing resources with other network peripherals

Internet

Router

Mesh Network

Mesh Gateway

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The Interface - WLAN

Each mesh AP has two WLAN interfaces

Radio 1: Mesh Backhaul Radio

Radio 2: Access Point Radio

Both radios are 802.11a/b/g compliant

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The Interface - WLAN

Radio 1: Mesh Backhaul

Uses Ad-Hoc mode to inter-connect with other mesh AP

Direct communication between stations

Independent IP segment from WAN and LAN/Access Point Radio (10.X.Y.0/8 by default)

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The Interface - WLAN

Radio 2: Access Point

Uses Infrastructure mode to provide access for wireless clients

The same IP segment as the physical LAN interface (172.X.Y.0/24 by default)

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The Interface - LAN

Available for MAP-2000R and MAP-2100

The LAN port is bridged with Access Point radio and using identical IP address

Provides network expansion capability

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Network Design Outline

The Operating Mode

The Interface

Node Operation Overview

Auto IP

AES Security

MAC Filter

MDOLSR

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Node Operation - Overview

The Mesh nodes will configure and assign non-overlapping IP to itself automatically when boot up

Manual IP assignment is also supported

Connections are secured with AES encryption

Supports MAC filter among nodes

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Node Operation – Auto IP

The Mesh Gateway has three independent IP segments

Client access (LAN & Radio 2) Default: 172.X.Y.0/24

Backhaul connection (Radio 1) Default: 10.X.Y.0/8

WAN connection Assigned by network administrator or

ISP

Note: when manually assign IP addresses, DO NOT use same IP segment for these three connections. Default architecture is suggested.

Internet

WiFi Network

Mesh Network

Mesh Gateway

Mesh Network

Mesh Gateway

Mesh Relay

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Node Operation – Auto IP

The assigned values X, Y are computed from the last 2 bytes of WAN port MAC address

For example: A mesh AP with WAN port MAC address 00:30:4F:03:10:01

Take last 2 bytes 10:01

Concert from hexadecimal to decimal value

– 1016 = X

– 011 = Y

Hence, the default IP segments of this mesh AP are:

Backhaul IP: 10.16.1.1

LAN/Access Point IP: 172.16.1.1

DHCP range: 172.16.1.2-254

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Node Operation

Uses AES encryption to secure the Backhaul connections

128-bits Advanced Encryption Standard

Supports MAC filtering to block unwanted nodes

To eliminate routes to nodes with weak signal

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Network Design Outline

The Operating Mode

The Interface

Node Operation

MDOLSR

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MDOLSR

Modified Dynamic Optimal Link State Routing Protocol

Routing information will be exchanged automatically among mesh nodes

One mesh node broadcasts its “Hello” message containing node info

Nearby nodes receive the message, update routes, then broadcast their own Hello messages

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MDOLSR

10.16.1.1

Hello

Hello

Hello

Hello

GW 192.168.1.1

Hello Broadcast

10.16.2.1

Hello [ 10.16.1.1 ][ GW ]

Hello[ 10.16.2.1 ][ Relay ]

10.16.1.1

[ GW ] 192.168.1.1s

Message Exchange Route Update & Link Establish

10.16.2.1

Hello [ 10.16.1.1 ][ GW ][ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay]

Hello[10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][ Relay ]

10.16.1.1

[ GW ] 192.168.1.1s

[ GW ] 10.16.2.1

10.16.2.1

A New Relay Join

10.16.2.1

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay]

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay]

10.16.1.1

GW 192.168.1.1

GW 10.16.1.1

10.16.2.1

10.16.3.1

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay]Hello

[ 10.16.3.1 ][Relay]

10.16.2.1

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay][ 10.16.3.1 ][Relay]

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay]

10.16.1.1

GW 192.168.1.1

GW 10.16.1.1

10.16.2.1

10.16.3.1

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.2.1 ][Relay][ 10.16.3.1 ][Relay]

Hello[ 10.16.1.1 ][GW]

[ 10.16.3.1 ][Relay]

10.16.3.1

10.16.3.1 via 10.16.1.1

GW 10.16.1.110.16.2.1 via 10.16.1.1

Route Update & Link Establish

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MDOLSR

One-hop routing

In previous slide, the red mesh node and the pink mesh node are not “visible” to each other

The green mesh node is “visible” to both mesh nodes

The green mesh node is selected as the one-hop gateway between red and pink mesh nodes

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