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Cisco Aironet 1300 Series Wireless Outdoor Access Point/Bridge Hardware Installation Guide
OL-5048-06
Chapter 1 Overview
Guidelines for Using a Lightweight Access Point/Bridge
Lightweight Access Point
The lightweight access point (model: AIR-LAP1310G) is part of the Cisco Integrated Wireless Network
Solution and requires no manual configuration before they are mounted. The lightweight access point is
automatically configured by a Cisco wreless LAN controller (hereafter called a controller) using the
Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP).
The lightweight access points contain one integrated radio: a 2.4-GHz radio (IEEE 802.11g). Using a
controller, you can configure the radio settings.
In the Cisco Centralized Wireless LAN architecture, access points operate in the lightweight mode (as
opposed to autonomous mode). The lightweight access points associate to a controller. The controller
manages the configuration, firmware, and controls transactions such as 802.1x authentication. In
addition, all wireless traffic is tunneled through the controller.
LWAPP is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) draft protocol that defines the control messaging
for setup and path authentication and run-time operations. LWAPP also defines the tunneling mechanism
for data traffic.
In an LWAPP environment, a lightweight access point discovers a controller by using LWAPP discovery
mechanisms and then sends it an LWAPP join request. The controller sends the lightweight access point
an LWAPP join response allowing the access point to associate with the controller. When the lightweight
access point is associated, it downloads its software if the versions on the lightweight access point and
controller do not match. After a lightweight access point associates with a controller, you can reassign
it to any controller on your network.
LWAPP secures the control communication between the lightweight access point and controller by
means of a secure key distribution, using X.509 certificates on both the lightweight access point and
controller.
This chapter provides information on the following topics:
• Key Features, page 1-3
• Network Examples with Autonomous Access Point/Bridges, page 1-9
• Network Examples with Lightweight Access Points, page 1-13
Guidelines for Using a Lightweight Access Point/Bridge
You should keep these guidelines in mind when you use a lightweight access point/bridge:
• A lightweight access points/bridge can communicate only with Cisco 2006 series wireless LAN
controllers or 4400 series controllers. Cisco 4100 series, Airespace 4012 series, and Airespace 4024
series controllers are not supported because they lack the memory required to support access points
running Cisco IOS software.
• A lightweight access points/bridge does not support Wireless Domain Services (WDS) and cannot
communicate with WDS devices. However, the controller provides functionality equivalent to WDS
when the access point associates to it.
• A lightweight access points/bridge supports eight BSSIDs per radio and a total of eight wireless
LANs per access point. When a lightweight access point associates to a controller, only wireless
LANs with IDs 1 through 8 are pushed to the access point.
• A lightweight access points/bridge does not support Layer 2 LWAPP. They must get an IP address
and discover the controller using DHCP, DNS, or IP subnet broadcast.
• The lightweight access point console port is enabled for monitoring and debuging purposes (all
configuration commands are disabled when the access point is associated to a controller).