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Cisco Wireless LAN Solution Product Guide
OL-7955-01
Chapter 1 Overview
Layer 2 and Layer 3 LWAPP Operation
Layer 2 and Layer 3 LWAPP Operation
The LWAPP communications between Cisco Wireless LAN Controller and Cisco 1000 series
lightweight access points can be conducted at ISO Data Link Layer 2 or Network Layer 3.
Operational Requirements
The requirement for Layer 2 LWAPP communications is that the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller and
Cisco 1000 series lightweight access points must be connected to each other through Layer 2 devices on
the same subnet. This is the default operational mode for the Cisco Wireless LAN Solution. Note that
when the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller and Cisco 1000 series lightweight access points are on
different subnets, these devices must be operated in Layer 3 mode.
The requirement for Layer 3 LWAPP communications is that the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and
Cisco 1000 series lightweight access points can be connected through Layer 2 devices on the same
subnet, or connected through Layer 3 devices across subnets.
Note that all Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers in a mobility group must use the same LWAPP Layer 2 or
Layer 3 mode, or you will defeat the Mobility software algorithm.
Configuration Requirements
When you are operating the Cisco Wireless LAN Solution in Layer 2 mode, you must configure a
management interface to control your Layer 2 communications.
When you are operating the Cisco Wireless LAN Solution in Layer 3 mode, you must configure a
management interface to control your Layer 2 communications, and an AP-Manager interface to control
Cisco 1000 series lightweight access point-to-Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Layer 3 communications.
Radio Resource Management (RRM)
Radio Resource Management (RRM) allows Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers to continually monitor
their associated Cisco 1000 series lightweight access points for the following information:
• Traffic Load — How much total bandwidth is used for transmitting and receiving traffic. This allows
wireless LAN managers to track and plan network growth ahead of client demand.
• Interference — How much traffic is coming from other 802.11 sources.
• Noise — How much non-802.11 noise is interfering with the currently-assigned channel.
• Coverage — Received Signal Strength (RSSI) and Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) for all clients.
• Nearby access points.
Using the collected information, RRM can periodically reconfigure the 802.11 RF network within
operator-defined limits for best efficiency. To do this, RRM:
• Dynamically reassigns channels to increase capacity and performance, both within the same Cisco
Wireless LAN Controller and across multiple Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.
• Adjusts the transmit power to balance coverage and capacity, both within the same Cisco Wireless
LAN Controller and across multiple Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.
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