Brocade Communications Systems Mobility 7131 Series Service Manual download pdf (Page 130)

118 Brocade Mobility 7131 Access Point Product Reference Guide

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Configuring VLAN Support

A Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) is a means to electronically separate data on the same

Mobility 7131 Access Point from a single broadcast domain into separate broadcast domains. The

Mobility 7131 Access Point can group devices on one or more WLANs so that they can

communicate as if they were attached to the same wire, when in fact they are located on a different

LAN segment. Because VLANs are based on logical instead of physical connections, they are

extremely flexible. By using a VLAN, you can group by logical function instead of physical location. A

maximum of 16 VLANs can be supported on the access point (regardless of the access point being

single or dual-radio model). An administrator can map 16 WLANs to 16 VLANs and enable or

disable dynamic VLAN assignment.

VLANs enable organizations to share network resources in various network segments within large

areas (airports, shopping malls, etc.). A VLAN is a group of clients with a common set of

requirements independent of their physical location. VLANs have the same attributes as physical

LANs, but they enable system administrators to group MUs even when they are not members of the

same network segment.

NOTE

A WLAN supporting a mesh network does not need to be assigned to a particular VLAN, as all the

traffic proliferating the mesh network is already trunked. However, if MUs are to be connected to the

Mesh WLAN, the WLAN will need to be tied to a VLAN.

The Mobility 7131 Access Point assignment of VLANs can be implemented using Static or Dynamic

assignments (often referred to as memberships) for individual WLANs. Both methods have their

advantages and disadvantages. Static VLAN membership is perhaps the most widely used method

because of the relatively small administration overhead and security it provides. With Static VLANs,

you manually assign individual WLANs to individual VLANs.

Although static VLANs are the most common form of VLAN assignments, dynamic VLAN assignment

is possible per WLAN. Configuring dynamic VLANs entail the Mobility 7131 Access Point sending a

DHCP request for device information (such as an IP address). Additional information (such as

device MAC address information) is sent to the Mobility 7131 Access Point. The Mobility 7131

Access Point sends this MAC address to a host housing a copy of the Dynamic VLAN database. This

database houses the records of MAC addresses and VLAN assignments. The VLAN database looks

up the MAC to determine what VLAN is assigned to it. If it is not in the database, it simply uses a

default VLAN assignment. The VLAN assignment is sent to the Mobility 7131 Access Point. The

Mobility 7131 Access Point then maps the target WLAN for the assigned VLAN and traffic passes

normally, allowing for the completion of the DHCP request and further traffic.

To create new VLANs or edit the properties of an existing VLAN:

1. Select Network Configuration -> LAN from the Mobility 7131 Access Point menu tree.

2. Ensure the Enable 802.1q Trunking button is selected from within the LAN Setting field.

Trunk links are required to pass VLAN information between destinations. A trunk port is by

default a member of all the VLANs existing on the Mobility 7131 Access Point and carry

traffic for all those VLANs. Trunking is a function that must be enabled on both sides of a

link.

3. Select the VLAN Name button.

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