Black Box SmartPath LWN602A User manual

BL A C K B OX®
Provides the speed, range, security, adapability,
and manageability to replace wired networks at
an enterprise level.
Intelligent 802.1n wireless access points work together
to increase network efficiency.
SmartPath™Enterprise Wireless System User Guide
LWN602A LWN600VMA
LWN602AE LWN600CM-1
LWN602HA LWN600CM-3
LWN602HAE LWN602WA
Order toll-free in the U.S.: Call 877-877-BBOX (outside U.S. call 724-746-5500)
FREE technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax [phone]
Mailing address: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Drive, Lawrence, PA 15055-1018
Web site: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: [e-mail]
Customer
Support
Information

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Trademarks Used in this Manual
We‘re here to help! If you have any questions about your application
or our products, contact Black Box Tech Support at 724-746-5500
or go to blackbox.com and click on “Talk to Black Box.”
You’ll be live with one of our technical experts in less than 30 seconds.
Trademarks Used in this Manual
Black Box and the Double Diamond logo are registered trademarks of BB Technologies, Inc.
Kensington is a registered trademark of Acco Brands Corporation.
AirMagnet is a registered trademark of AirMagnet, Inc.
Apple, iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc.
Cicso and Catalyst are registered trademarks of Cisco Technologies, Inc.
Ekahau is a registered trademark of Ekahau Oy AKA Ekahau, Inc.
ERICO and CADDY are registered trademarks of Erico International Corporation.
Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.
HP and OpenView are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company.
Tera Term Pro, Hilgraeve, and Hyperterminal are registered trademarks of Hilgraeve, Inc.
Juniper Networks is a registered trademark of Juniper Networks, Inc.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Excel, Windows, and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Mozilla and Firefox are registered trademarks of Mozilla Foundation.
UL is a registered trademark of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Logo is a certification mark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the trademark owners.

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FCC Statements
Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement
Each Black Box product described in this manual complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules when operating under the following
restrictions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) they must accept any RF interference received, including
interference that might cause an unwanted impact on their operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following
measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's
authority to operate this equipment.
Important: FCC Regulatory Warning Notices
LWN602A devices are restricted to indoor use due to their operation in 5 GHz frequencies, which are shared by mobile satellite
systems and government radar systems. The FCC requires that these products only be used indoors to reduce the potential for
harmful interference with co-channel radar that might be operating in the 5.25–5.35 or 5.47–5.725 GHz frequency ranges in the
same area. The conflicting activity of radar stations and these devices can cause interference or damage to each other. In addition,
these devices have a radar detection function that might interrupt normal operations when they detect a radar signal. To reduce
the risk of interference even further, installing these devices away from windows is recommended.
LWN602A devices operating within the 5.15–5.25 GHz frequency range are restricted to indoor environments.
The FCC region code is set in the device during the manufacturing process, the option to set it to any region other than FCC is
disabled, and the country code selection function has been completely removed from all U.S. models. It is impossible for the end
user to change the region to anything other than FCC.
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be
installed and operated with a minimum distance of 23 centimeters (9 inches) between the radiator and your body.
The availability of some specific channel and/or operational frequency bands are country dependent and are firmware
programmed at the factory to match the intended destination. The firmware setting is not accessible by end user.
Only attach antennas that are certified for use with this device. Replacing antennas with unauthorized, high-gain antennas greatly
increases the risk of interference and invalidates the FCC certification.

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NOM Statement/Radiation Exposure Statement
Instrucciones de Seguridad
(Normas Oficiales Mexicanas Electrical Safety Statement)
1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado.
2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas para referencia futura.
3. Todas las advertencias en el aparato eléctrico y en sus instrucciones de operación deben ser respetadas.
4. Todas las instrucciones de operación y uso deben ser seguidas.
5. El aparato eléctrico no deberá ser usado cerca del agua—por ejemplo, cerca de la tina de baño, lavabo, sótano mojado o cerca
de una alberca, etc.
6. El aparato eléctrico debe ser usado únicamente con carritos o pedestales que sean recomendados por el fabricante.
7. El aparato eléctrico debe ser montado a la pared o al techo sólo como sea recomendado por el fabricante.
8. Servicio—El usuario no debe intentar dar servicio al equipo eléctrico más allá a lo descrito en las instrucciones de operación.
Todo otro servicio deberá ser referido a personal de servicio calificado.
9. El aparato eléctrico debe ser situado de tal manera que su posición no interfiera su uso. La colocación del aparato eléctrico
sobre una cama, sofá, alfombra o superficie similar puede bloquea la ventilación, no se debe colocar en libreros o gabinetes
que impidan el flujo de aire por los orificios de ventilación.
10. El equipo eléctrico deber ser situado fuera del alcance de fuentes de calor como radiadores, registros de calor, estufas u otros
aparatos (incluyendo amplificadores) que producen calor.
11. El aparato eléctrico deberá ser connectado a una fuente de poder sólo del tipo descrito en el instructivo de operación, o como
se indique en el aparato.
12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarización del equipo no sea eliminada.
13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados
sobre o contra ellos, poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde salen del aparato.
14. El equipo eléctrico debe ser limpiado únicamente de acuerdo a las recomendaciones del fabricante.
15. En caso de existir, una antena externa deberá ser localizada lejos de las lineas de energia.
16. El cable de corriente deberá ser desconectado del cuando el equipo no sea usado por un largo periodo de tiempo.
17. Cuidado debe ser tomado de tal manera que objectos liquidos no sean derramados sobre la cubierta u orificios de ventilación.
18. Servicio por personal calificado deberá ser provisto cuando:
A: El cable de poder o el contacto ha sido dañado; u
B: Objectos han caído o líquido ha sido derramado dentro del aparato; o
C: El aparato ha sido expuesto a la lluvia; o
D: El aparato parece no operar normalmente o muestra un cambio en su desempeño; o
E: El aparato ha sido tirado o su cubierta ha sido dañada.
Important: Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be
installed and operated with a minimum distance of 8 inches (20 cm) between the radiator and your body. This transmitter must
not be colocated or operating with any other antenna or transmitter. For more information about RF exposure limits, visit
www.fcc.gov (U.S.) or www.ic.gc.ca (Canada).

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Wi-Fi Certification/EC Conformance/European Community
Wi-Fi Certification
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Logo is a certification mark of the Wi-Fi Alliance®. The SmartPath APs have been certified for WPA™,
WPA2™, WMM®(Wi-Fi Multimedia™), WMM Power Save, IEEE 802.11d, IEEE 802.11h, and the following types of EAP (Extensible
Authentication Protocol):
• EAP-TLS
• EAP-SIM
• EAP-TTLS/MSCHAPv2
• EAP-AKA
• PEAPv0/EAP-MSCHAPv2
• EAP-FAST
• PEAPv1/EAP-GTC
The SmarPath APs (LWN602A and LWN602HA) have also been certified for short guard interval and 40-MHz operation in the
5-GHz band.
EC Conformance Declaration
Marking by the above symbol indicates compliance with the Essential Requirements of the R&TTE Directive of the European Union
(1999/5/EC). This equipment meets the following conformance standards:
• EN 60950-1 (IEC 60950-1) - Product Safety
• EN 301 893 - Technical requirements for 5-GHz radio equipment
• EN 300 328 - Technical requirements for 2.4-GHz radio equipment
• EN 301 489-1 / EN 301 489-17 - EMC requirements for radio equipment
WEEE and RoHS Compliance
SmartPath products have been reviewed, analyzed, and found to be in compliance with the European Union (EU) directive for
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and with the EU directive for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).
Countries of Operation and Conditions of Use in the European Community
SmartPath APs are intended to be operated in all countries of the European Community. Requirements for indoor vs. outdoor
operation, license requirements and allowed channels of operation apply in some countries as described below.
• Before operating a SmartPath AP, the admin or installer must properly enter the current country code as described in Black Box
product documentation.
NOTE: For U.S. model owners: To comply with U.S. FCC regulations, the country selection function has been completely removed
from all U.S. models. The above function is for non-U.S. models only.

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Countries of Operation and Conditions of Use in the European Community
• SmartPath APs automatically limit the allowable channels determined by the current country of operation. Incorrectly entering
the country of operation might result in illegal operation and cause harmful interference to other systems. The admin is
obligated to ensure SmartPath APs are operating according to the channel limitations, indoor/outdoor restrictions and license
requirements for each European Community country as described in this section.
• SmartPath APs can be operated indoors or outdoors in all countries of the European Community using the 2.4 GHz band:
Channels 1–13, except where noted below:
– In Italy and Luxembourg, you must apply for a license from the national spectrum authority to operate a SmartPath AP outside
your own premises and for public use or service.
– In Belgium outdoor operation is only permitted using the 2.46- to 2.4835-GHz band: Channel 13.
– In France outdoor operation is limited to the 2.454- to 2.4835-GHz band (Channels 8 to 13) at a maximum of 10 mW EIRP
(effective isotropic radiated power).
– In Norway, the 2.4-GHz band cannot be used outdoors within a 20-km radius of the center of Ny-Ålesund.
– In Russia, the 2.4-GHz band is for indoor use only.
• Because radar systems use some bands in the 5-GHz spectrum, WLAN devices operating in these bands must use Dynamic
Frequency Selection (DFS) to detect radar activity and switch channels automatically to avoid interfering with radar operations.
For the ETSI region, the SmartPath AP (LWN602HA) is certified for the latest ETSI EN 301 893 v1.5.1 DFS requirements and can
use DFS channels 52 to 140 (5.26 GHz to 5.32 GHz, and 5.5 GHz to 5.7 GHz). To comply with ETSI regulations when deploying
a SmartPath AP (LWN602HA) device outdoors, set the 5-GHz radio to operate on the DFS channels and enable DFS. When
deploying a SmartPath AP (LWN602HA) indoors, then the 5-GHz radio can also use Channels 36 to 48 as well as the DFS chan-
nels. The maximum transmit power for channels from 36 to 48 is 17 dBm in the ETSI region. Because this maximum is enforced
by SmartPath OS, the SmartPath AP automatically limits the power to 17 dBm even if the setting is greater than that.
• The availability of some specific channels and/or operational frequency bands are country dependent and are firmware
programmed at installation to match the intended destination. The firmware setting is accessible by the end user. Some national
restrictions are noted below:
– In Italy and Luxembourg, you must apply for a license from the national spectrum authority to operate a SmartPath AP outside
your own premises and for public use or service in the 5.15- to 5.35-GHz band (Channels 36 to 64) and 5.47- to 5.725-GHz
band (Channels 100 to 140).
– In Russia, you can only use the 5.15- to 5.35-GHz band at 100 mW (20 dBm) indoors, in closed industrial and warehouse areas,
and on-board aircraft for local network and crew communications during all stages of a flight and for public WLAN access only
at an altitude of 3000 meters or higher. You can only use the 5.65- to 5.825-GHz band with 100 mW EIRP on board aircraft at
an altitude of 3000 meters or higher.
Declaration of Conformity in Languages of the European Community
English: Hereby, we declare that this Radio LAN device is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant
provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC.
Finnish: Valmistaja Black Box vakuuttaa täten että Radio LAN device tyyppinen laite on direktiivin 1999/5/EY oleellisten
vaatimusten ja sitä koskevien direktiivin muiden ehtojen mukainen.
Dutch: Hierbij verklaart Black Box dat het toestel Radio LAN device in overeenstemming is met de essentiële eisen en de andere
relevante bepalingen van richtlijn 1999/5/EG. Bij deze Black Box dat deze Radio LAN device voldoet aan de essentiële
eisen en aan de overige relevante bepalingen van Richtlijn 1999/5/EC.
French: Par la présente Black Box déclare que cet appareil Radio LAN est conforme aux exigences essentielles et aux autres
dispositions relatives à la directive 1999/5/CE.
Swedish: Härmed intygar Black Box att denna Radio LAN device står I överensstämmelse med de väsentliga egenskapskrav och
övriga relevanta bestämmelser som framgår av direktiv 1999/5/EG.

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SmartPath AP Safety Compliance
Danish: Undertegnede Black Box erklærer herved, at følgende udstyr Radio LAN device overholder de væsentlige krav og øvrige
relevante krav i direktiv 1999/5/EF.
German: Hiermit erklärt Black Box, dass sich dieser/diese/ dieses Radio LAN device in Übereinstimmung mit den grundlegenden
Anforderungen und den anderen relevanten Vorschriften der Richtlinie 1999/5/EG befindet". (BMWi) Hiermit erklärt
Black Box die Übereinstimmung des Gerätes Radio LAN device mit den grundlegenden Anforderungen und den
anderen relevanten Festlegungen der Richtlinie 1999/5/EG. (Wien)
Italian: Con la presente Black Box dichiara che questo Radio LAN device è conforme ai requisiti essenziali ed alle altre disposizioni
pertinenti stabilite dalla direttiva 1999/5/CE.
Spanish: Por medio de la presente Black Box declara que el Radio LAN device cumple con los requisitos esenciales y cualesquiera
otras disposiciones aplicables o exigibles de la Directiva 1999/5/CE.
Portuguese: Black Box declara que este Radio LAN device está conforme com os requisitos essenciais e outras disposições da
Directiva 1999/5/CE.
SmartPath AP Safety Compliance
Power Cord Safety
Please read the following safety information carefully before installing a SmartPath AP:
WARNING: Installation and removal of SmartPath APs must be carried out by qualified personnel only.
• SmartPath APs must be connected to a grounded (earthed) outlet to comply with international safety standards.
• Do not connect SmartPath APs to an AC outlet (power supply) without a ground (earth) connection.
• The appliance coupler (the connector to the unit and not the wall plug) must have a configuration for mating with an EN
60320/IEC320 appliance inlet.
• The socket outlet must be near the SmartPath AP and easily accessible. You can only remove power from a SmartPath AP
by disconnecting the power cord from the outlet.
• SmartPath APs operate under Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) conditions according to IEC 60950. The conditions are only
maintained if the equipment to which they are connected also operates under SELV conditions.
• A SmartPath AP receiving power through its Power over Ethernet (PoE) interface must be in the same building as the equipment
from which it receives power.
France and Peru only:
SmartPath APs cannot be powered from IT* supplies. If your supplies are of IT type, then a SmartPath AP must be powered by
230 V (2P+T) via an isolation transformer ratio 1:1, with the secondary connection point labelled Neutral, connected directly to
ground (earth). *Impédance à la terre
IMPORTANT: Before making connections, make sure you have the correct cord set. Check it (read the label on the
cable) against the description in this section.
U.S.A. and Canada only:
• The cord set must be UL®and CSA certified.
• Minimum specifications for the flexible cord:
- No. 18 AWG, not longer than 2 m, or 16 AWG
- Type SV or SJ
- The cord set must have a rated current capacity of at least 10 A.

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SmartPath AP Safety Compliance
• The attachment plug must be an earth-grounding type with NEMA 5-15P (15 A, 125 V) or NEMA 6-15 (15 A, 250 V)
configuration.
Denmark only:
• The supply plug must comply with Section 107-2-D1, Standard DK2-1a or DK2-5a.
• Switzerland:
• The supply plug must comply with SEV/ASE 1011.
U.K. only:
• The supply plug must comply with BS1363 (3-pin 13 A) and be fitted with a 5-A fuse that complies with BS1362.
• The power (mains) cord must be <HAR> or <BASEC> marked and be of type HO3VVF3GO.75 (minimum).
• IEC-320 receptacle.

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Specifications .............................................................................................................................................................................12
1.1 SmartPath AP (LWN602HA)................................................................................................................................................12
1.2 SmartPath AP (LWN602A)..................................................................................................................................................12
1.3 SmartPath EMS VMA (LWN600VMA).................................................................................................................................13
1.4 SmartPath Outdoor Access Point (LWN602WA)..................................................................................................................13
2. Preparing for a WLAN Deployment .............................................................................................................................................14
2.1 Assessing Your Requirements .............................................................................................................................................14
2.2 Planning.............................................................................................................................................................................14
2.2.1 Upgrading from Existing Wi-Fi...............................................................................................................................14
2.2.2 New WLAN Deployment .......................................................................................................................................15
2.2.3 Site Surveys...........................................................................................................................................................15
2.2.4 Budgetiing Wi-Fi: The Chicken and Egg Problem...................................................................................................16
2.2.5 Bandwidth Assumptions for Wi-Fi .........................................................................................................................18
2.2.6 Overcoming Physical Impediments ........................................................................................................................18
2.2.7 Preparing the Wired Network for Wireless.............................................................................................................20
2.2.8 Online Planner.......................................................................................................................................................21
2.3 Operational Considerations ................................................................................................................................................23
2.3.1 Tuning...................................................................................................................................................................23
2.3.2 Spectrum Analysis.................................................................................................................................................23
2.3.3 Troubleshooting ....................................................................................................................................................28
2.3.4 Management ........................................................................................................................................................28
2.3.5 Automatic and Semi-Automatic Rogue Mitigation.................................................................................................28
2.3.6 Deploying with Confidence...................................................................................................................................30
2.4 Basic Wi-Fi Concepts ..........................................................................................................................................................30
2.5 New and Enhanced SmartPath OS Features for Release 4.0r1..................................................................................................... 34
2.6 New and Enhanced SmartPath EMS VMA Features for Release 4.0r1 ......................................................................................... 34
2.7 New and Enhanced SmartPath OS and SmartPath EMS VMA Features for Release 4.1r1............................................................ 35
3. The Smart Path AP (LWN602HA) Overview .................................................................................................................................36
3.1 Hardware Description.........................................................................................................................................................36
3.2 Ethernet and Console Ports ................................................................................................................................................38
3.2.1 Smart PoE .............................................................................................................................................................39
3.2.2 Aggregate and Redundant Interfaces ................................................................................................................... 40
3.2.3 Console Port .........................................................................................................................................................41
3.3 Status LEDs.........................................................................................................................................................................43
3.4 Antennas........................................................................................................................................................................... 44
3.4.1 Multiple In, Multiple Out (MIMO)..........................................................................................................................45
3.4.2 Using MIMO with Legacy Clients...........................................................................................................................47
3.5 Mounting the Smart Path AP (LWN602HA) ........................................................................................................................47
3.5.1 Ceiling Mount .......................................................................................................................................................47
3.5.2 Plenum Mount ......................................................................................................................................................50
3.5.3 Suspended Mount.................................................................................................................................................52
3.5.4 Surface Mount ......................................................................................................................................................55
3.6 Device, Power, and Environmental Specifications................................................................................................................56
4. The Smart Path AP (LWN602A) Overview....................................................................................................................................57
4.1 Hardware Description.........................................................................................................................................................57
4.2 Ethernet Port......................................................................................................................................................................58
4.3 Status Indicator ..................................................................................................................................................................58
4.4 Antennas............................................................................................................................................................................59
4.5 Mounting a Smart Path AP (LWN602A) .............................................................................................................................60
4.5.1 Ceiling Mount .......................................................................................................................................................60
4.5.2 Surface Mount ......................................................................................................................................................61

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Table of Contents
4.6 Device, Power, and Environmental Specifications................................................................................................................62
5. The Smart Path EMS VMA ..........................................................................................................................................................63
6. SmartPath EMS VMA On-line (Cloud-Based Service) .................................................................................................................. 64
6.1 Captive Web Portal Enhancements.....................................................................................................................................65
6.2 SmartPath Virtual Appliance...............................................................................................................................................66
7. Using Smart Path EMS VMA........................................................................................................................................................67
7.1 Installling and Connecting to the Smart Path EMS VMA GUI ..............................................................................................67
7.2 Introduction to the Smart Path EMS VMA GUI ...................................................................................................................72
7.2.1 Viewing Reports....................................................................................................................................................73
7.2.2 CAPWAP Latency Reports.....................................................................................................................................74
7.2.3 Searching..............................................................................................................................................................75
7.2.4 Multiselecting .......................................................................................................................................................76
7.2.5 Cloning Configurations .........................................................................................................................................77
7.2.6 Sorting Displayed Data..........................................................................................................................................78
7.3 Smart Path Configuration Workflow (Enterprise Mode) ......................................................................................................79
7.4 Updating Software on Smart Path EMS VMA .................................................................................................................... 80
7.5 Updating SmartPathOS Firmware .......................................................................................................................................81
7.6 Updating SmartPath APs in a Mesh Environment................................................................................................................82
8. Basic Configuration Examples..................................................................................................................................................... 84
8.1 Example 1: Defining an SSID.............................................................................................................................................. 84
8.2 Example 2: Creating a Cluster.............................................................................................................................................87
8.3 Example 3: Creating a WLAN Policy ...................................................................................................................................87
8.4 Example 4: Access and Backhaul on the Same Radio ..........................................................................................................89
8.5 Example 5: Connecting Smart Path APs to SmartPath EMS VMA........................................................................................91
8.6 Example 6: Assigning the Configuration to SmartPath APs .................................................................................................97
8.7 Example 7: Selective Multicast Forwarding through GRE Tunnels......................................................................................101
8.8 Example 8: IP Multicast Enhancements.............................................................................................................................103
9. Common Configuration Examples.............................................................................................................................................105
9.1 Example 1: Mapping Locations and Installing SmartPath APs............................................................................................105
9.1.1 Setting Up Topology Maps ..................................................................................................................................106
9.1.2 Preparing the SmartPath APs...............................................................................................................................109
9.1.3 NetConfig UI....................................................................................................................................................... 111
9.2 Example 2: IEEE 802.1x with an External RADIUS Server ................................................................................................... 113
9.3 Example 3: Providing Guest Access through a Captive Web Portal.................................................................................... 119
9.3.1 Registration Types ............................................................................................................................................... 119
9.3.2 Providing Network Settings.................................................................................................................................120
9.3.3 Modifying Captive Web Portal Pages...................................................................................................................124
9.3.4 Configuring a Captive Web Portal .......................................................................................................................126
9.3.5 IP Firewall Policy Support of Domain Names........................................................................................................133
9.3.6 VMware PCoIP and Citrix ICA..............................................................................................................................133
9.4 Example 4: Private PSKs ...................................................................................................................................................134
9.4.1 Private PSK Enhancements ..................................................................................................................................135
9.4.2 User Profiles ........................................................................................................................................................ 141
9.4.3 User Profile Reassignment ...................................................................................................................................142
9.4.4 Private PSK User Groups......................................................................................................................................144
9.4.5 Importing Private PSK Users ................................................................................................................................145
9.4.6 Private PSK SSID..................................................................................................................................................146
9.4.7 WLAN Policy .......................................................................................................................................................146
9.4.8 E-mail Notification.............................................................................................................................................. 147
9.5 Using Smart Path AP Classifiers ........................................................................................................................................147
9.5.1 Set SmartPath AP Classifiers................................................................................................................................148
9.5.2 Create a VLAN Object with Three Definitions......................................................................................................149
9.5.3 Reference the VLAN Object.................................................................................................................................149

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Table of Contents
9.5.4 Update SmartPath APs ........................................................................................................................................149
9.6 Multiple Default Routes....................................................................................................................................................150
10. SmartPath Operating System (OS) .............................................................................................................................................153
10.1 Common Default Settings and Commands.......................................................................................................................153
10.2 Configuration Overview ...................................................................................................................................................155
10.2.1 Device-Level Configurations ................................................................................................................................155
10.2.2 Policy-Level Configurations..................................................................................................................................155
10.3 SmartPathOS Configuration File Types..............................................................................................................................156
11. Deployment Examples (CLI).......................................................................................................................................................161
11.1 Example 1: Deploying a Single SmartPath AP....................................................................................................................162
11.2 Example 2: Deploying a Cluster ........................................................................................................................................165
11.3 Example 3: Using IEEE 802.1x Authentication ...................................................................................................................170
11.4 Active Directory Configuration Improvement....................................................................................................................173
11.5 RADIUS Authentication for VHM Administrators ..............................................................................................................176
11.6 Example 4: Applying QoS.................................................................................................................................................177
11.7 Example 5: Loading a Bootstrap Configuration.................................................................................................................184
11.8 Command Line Interface (CLI) Commands for Examples...................................................................................................186
11.8.1 Commands for Example 1 ...................................................................................................................................186
11.8.2 Commands for Example 2 ...................................................................................................................................186
11.8.3 Commands for Example 3 ...................................................................................................................................187
11.8.4 Commands for Example 4 ...................................................................................................................................187
11.8.5 Commands for Example 5 ...................................................................................................................................189
12. Traffic Types ...........................................................................................................................................................................191
Appendix. Country Codes .................................................................................................................................................................194

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Chapter 1: Specifications
1. Specifications
1.1 Smart Path AP (LWN602HA)
Antennas: (3) omnidirectional 802.11b/g/n antennas, and (3) omnidirectional 802.11a/n antennas
NOTE: Antennas are not included.
Interface: Serial Port: 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control;
Ethernet: Autosensing 10/100/1000 BASE-T/TX Mbps; both ports comply with the IEEE 802.3af and the 802.at standard
for Power over Ethernet (PoE)
Connectors: (3) RJ-45: (2) 10/100/1000BASE-T/TX Ethernet ports, (1) RJ-45 serial console port; (3) 802.11a/b/g/n RP-SMA ,
(3) 802.11a/n RP-SMA, (1) barrel connector for power
Indicators: (5) Status LEDs: (1) Power, (1) ETH0, (1) ETH1, (1) WIFI0, (1) WIFI1
Temperature Tolerance: Operating: -4 to +131° F (-20 to +55° C);
Storage: -40 to +176° F (-40 to +80° C)
Relative Humidity: 95% maximum
Power: Optional AC power adapter: Input: 100–240 VAC; Output: 48 VDC, 0.625 amps;
*PoE nominal input voltages: 802.3af: 48 VDC, 0.35 amps;
802.3at: 48 V, 0.625 amps;
RJ-45 power input pins: Wires 4, 5, 7, 8 or 1, 2, 3, 6
*NOTE: When using 802.af, power should be applied to both Ethernet ports to maintain all features (see Section 3.2.1, Smart
PoE).
Size: 1.25"H x 8.5"W x 8"D (3.2 x 21.5 x 20.3 cm)
Weight: 3 lb. (1.4 kg)
1.2 Smart Path AP (LWN602A)
Antennas: (2) omnidirectional 802.11b/g/n antennas, and (2) omnidirectional 802.11a/n antennas
Interface: RJ-45 power input pins: Wires 4, 5, 7, 8 or 1, 2, 3, 6
Connectors: (1) RJ-45 autosensing 10/100/1000BASE-T/TX Mbps port; complies with the IEEE 802.3af and the 802.at standard
for Power over Ethernet (PoE), (1) barrel connector for power
Indicators: (1) Status LED that conveys operational states for system power, firmware updates, Ethernet and wireless interface
activity and major alarms
Temperature Tolerance: Operating: +32 to +104° F (0 to +40° C);
Storage: -40 to +185° F (-40 to +85° C)
Relative Humidity: 95% maximum. noncondensing
Power: Optional AC power adapter: Input: 100–240 VAC; Output: 48 VDC, 0.625 amps;
PoE nominal input voltages: 802.3af: 48 VDC, 0.35 amps;
802.3at: 48 V, 0.625 amps;
RJ-45 power input pins: Wires 4, 5, 7, 8 or 1, 2, 3, 6
Size: 2"H x 6.5"W x 6.5"D (5.1 x 16.5 x 16.5 cm)
Weight: 1.75 lb. (0.8 kg)

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1.3 Smart Path EMS Virtual Management Appliance (VMA) Software (LWN600VMA)
Maximum Supported APs — 5000
Minimum System Requirements — Processor: Dual-core 2 GHz;
Memory: 2 GB VM, 1 GB host;
Storage: 10 GB available disk space
Tested Virtualization Platforms —ESXi 4.0 or better;
Player on CentOS;
Player on Windows Vista®
1.4 SmartPath Outdoor Access Point (LWN602WA)
Antennas — (4) N-type female connectors for external antennas
Environmental Compliance — IP68
Mounting Options — Horizontal or vertical pole mount; pole must be 1" to 3.5" (2.5 cm to 8.9 cm) in diameter; wall or flat
surface mount
PoE Nominal Input Voltage — 48 V, 30 watts
Wind Speed Tolerance — > 165 mph (266 kph)
Connectors — (1) RJ-45 Ethernet connector: autosensing 10/100/1000 Mbps; compliant with the IEEE 802.3at standard
for PoE
Temperature Tolerance — Operating: -40 to +131° F (-40 to +55° C);
Storage: -40 to +176° F (-40 to +80° C)
Relative Humidity — Up to 100%
Size — Without antennas: 3"H x 77⁄8"W x 95⁄8"L (7.6 x 20 x 22.4 cm)
Weight — With antennas: 4.85 lb. (2.199 kg);
With antennas and brackets: 6.05 lb. (2.744 kg)
NOTE: For information on how to install the SmartPath Outdoor Wireless Access Point (LWN602WA), see the LWN602WA
Installation Guide at ftp://ftp.blackbox.com/anonymous/manuals/L/LWN602WA_install.pdf

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2. Preparing for a WAN Deployment
To ensure a smooth WLAN deployment, you need to begin with a bit of planning. A straightforward review of your deployment
plan before you begin will provide the best results in the least amount of time. The goals of this chapter are to assist you in
assessing your readiness for WLAN implementation and to provide tips and tricks to resolve any issues that might arise in your
environment.
NOTE: This guide assumes an understanding of corporate data networking and past experience with LAN configuration and
deployment. It also assumes some basic Wi-Fi understanding.
2.1 Assessing Your Requirements
To get started with your Black Box WLAN installation, examine the basic requirements of your implementation. First, consider who
your stakeholders are and take the time to fully understand their access requirements. Talk to department managers within your
organization and make sure everyone has documented the full complement of potential network users. Check if the applications
are standard employee applications or if there are other requirements, such as access for guests or consultants.
Next, make a complete list of the application types that your network will need to support. Begin your list with mission-critical
applications, paying special attention to those that generate high levels of traffic and those requiring deterministic behavior.
Identify applications with heavy data requirements and expected service levels.
Demanding applications such as voice and video will require a higher density of access points. Many enterprises are investigating
the potential of VoWLAN (Voice over WLAN) in the hopes of integrating mobile phones and IP-PBX systems. Doing so requires an
evaluation of other data transmission types that can disrupt the quality of voice conversations. Because voice traffic is sensitive to
network jitter and latency, an inadequate number of access points can degrade quality. To the user, excessive jitter and delay can
cause clipped conversations or dropped calls. Additional quality and reliability issues might arise when transmitting video, such as
for training video or surveillance operations, because of the sheer size of the data stream.
Other applications such as network backup and file transfers can also have an impact on the network. Therefore, take into
account any bandwidth-intensive applications if you expect your mobile workforce to be accessing the WLAN while these
applications or services are occurring.
Considering the above issues will result in a more informed—and therefore more successful—deployment plan.
2.2 Planning
This section reviews the fundamental elements for planning your WLAN deployment. This includes conducting a site survey, both
for an upgrade from an existing WLAN and for a completely fresh—or greenfield—deployment.
2.2.1 Upgrading from Existing Wi-Fi
If you are upgrading to SmartPath from an existing WLAN, you already have plenty of data about how your current network is
performing. This information can lead to more informed decisions about your new implementation.
To begin, perform a quick site survey with the existing access points in place. If they are less than three years old and support
802.11g, their coverage and capacity will be lower than the SmartPath 802.11n radio. If the coverage is good and has the appro-
priate density for your deployment, the simplest approach is to replace one set of access points with a new set of SmartPath APs.
However, this scenario is rare because network upgrades are usually done to improve capacity and to augment the existing layout
with a denser deployment of access points.
Be sure to take note whether your existing network uses “fat” or “thin” APs (access points). A “fat” AP is an autonomous or
standalone access point, which contains the capability to connect to any Ethernet switch. With a “thin” AP, most of the intelli-
gence has been removed and replaced in a centralized WAN controller. An upgrade from fat APs to SmartPath APs is very natural.
Generally, with fat APs you simply need to unplug the existing ones and plug in the new SmartPath APs and provision them. With
this approach, you can maintain or enhance all existing VLANs and security policies. This is a huge advantage over migrating from
fat AP to controller-based solutions because you typically need to re-architect the network.

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Upgrading from a thin AP solution is also easy. However, because a thin AP makes use of an overlay tunneled network, you
sometimes have to add a local VLAN for access or use tunnels to replicate the overlay network. However, because using VLANs
rather than tunnels provides significant performance and scalability advantages, this is clearly the recommended path.
2.2.2 New WLAN Deployment
In a new—or greenfield—WLAN deployment, you do not have the benefit of an existing network for testing and analysis, which
makes your job a bit more difficult. In this case, the following key questions are critical to the proper design of your WLAN:
• How many users will need wireless service and what applications will they use?
Determining the scope of your WLAN deployment will have a major impact on capacity and coverage. Will only certain groups
within the organization have WLAN access, or will it be rolled out across the enterprise? Will you provide guest access to visi-
tors, consultants, and contractors? Most WLANs support just data applications, but many organizations are considering adding
voice services. Voice support raises other design considerations that drive the need for denser deployments of access points and
different Quality of Service (QoS) settings.
• Are there any known major sources of interference?
For example, is there a nearby cafeteria with microwave ovens? Commercial-grade microwaves are a particularly bad source of
interference. Is there a wireless telephone or video surveillance system not using Wi-Fi? Is there a radar installation nearby? If
you cannot find the answer to these questions easily, consider employing a spectrum analysis product, such as the AirMagnet®
Spectrum Analyzer.
• Are building blueprints available?
With blueprints, you can see the location of elevators, load-bearing walls, and other building characteristics that can impact
signal quality. Different materials, such as concrete walls, brick walls, cubicle walls, glass, and elevator shafts impact signal
quality differently. You can often load these blueprints into a planning or site survey tool to make the process easier.
• What devices need to access the WLAN?
Determine and document the full complement of devices that people will use to access the WLAN. The performance
requirements of the WLAN will depend on both the applications and the capabilities of the client devices. For example, design
engineers, architects, and doctors tend to work with bandwidth-hungry applications, so you might need to provide greater
capacity. Conversely, if it is a warehouse with a low client density of mostly barcode scanners, a lower access point density
might be suitable. Finally it is important to consider voice, or the future use of voice. If some or all people will use VoWLAN
(Voice over WLAN) devices, that can affect how many users each access point can accommodate.
NOTE: For some access point User Guidelines, see Section 2.2.5, Bandwidth Assumptions for Wi-Fi.
2.2.3 Site Surveys
One of the first questions IT managers ask when they are preparing for a WLAN deployment is whether or not a site survey
should be performed. In a site survey, the administrator walks around the facility with a site survey tool to measure the radio
frequency (RF) coverage of a test access point or the existing WLAN infrastructure.
Whether or not you decide to do a site survey for your enterprise depends on the cost of the survey and the complexity of the
environment. Here are the three ways to deploy a wireless network—with and without a site survey:
• Predeployment Survey
The safest approach is to perform a site survey before deployment to determine the best locations for the access points.
Typically, site survey professionals temporarily place access points in different locations, take measurements, and adjust their
settings and locations as necessary. After they complete the survey, they install the access points and then perform another site
survey to confirm that the goals have been achieved. This method is clearly the most reliable way to deploy a wireless network;
however, it can be expensive, time consuming, and impractical if an enterprise has many sites.

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• Deploy and Check
In this scenario, an initial site survey is not performed. Instead, wireless administrators make educated guesses on the best
locations for the access points, or they use a planning tool to determine the locations more reliably. After deploying the access
points, the administrators do a quick site survey. If they need to provide greater coverage, they deploy additional access points.
If there are areas where access points are interfering with each other, they then relocate one or more of them. With cooperative
RF control, SmartPath APs automatically adjust their channel and power to compensate for coverage gaps and areas of
interference.
The deploy-and-check approach is often much cheaper and faster than doing a predeployment site survey. The risk is that you
might have to move some access points and CAT5 (Category 5) Ethernet cables if you do not plan properly. SmartPath provides
a huge competitive advantage in the deploy-and-check approach, thanks to its flexible mesh networking capability. An
administrator can deploy with mesh (before running wires) and check the performance in several layouts, determine the best
layout, and then run the wires to their final location.
• Deploy without Survey
Although it is usually advisable to do a site survey, there are many situations in which it is not feasible or even necessary. If the
location is sufficiently small—for example, a deployment of only three or fewer access points—site surveys have limited value
because there is virtually no opportunity for interference. If there are numerous remote locations, a site survey might be
impractical because of the cost of traveling to each site. In these locations, you can use a slightly denser deployment to ensure
appropriate coverage and capacity. SmartPath APs automatically adjust their radio power levels to ensure that there is minimal
overlap from interfering channels. Usually the cost of extra access points is offset by the cost saved by not doing a site survey in
a remote location.
2.2.4 Budgeting Wi-Fi: The Chicken and Egg Problem
The hardware cost of a Wi-Fi solution is generally driven by the number of access points needed, and a SmartPath network is no
exception. Unfortunately, a traditional challenge of budgeting for Wi-Fi is that it is difficult to know how many access points to
plan for until you have deployed and measured them. There are methods of doing site surveys before a deployment to answer
these questions. While doing so is often worthwhile, you might just need a general idea of what you should budget. Fortunately
there are some simple guidelines that you can use to figure out how many access points you need, including the number of
access points per square foot, the number of clients per access point, and the distance between access points.
• Access Points per Square Foot
The simplest and most common way of budgeting access points is per square foot. You simply take the square footage of a
building and divide it by some number. The most common metric used today is one access point for every 4000 to 5000 square
feet for standard offices with cubicles. However, if you need to support voice applications, you need a higher concentration of
access points. In this case, the recommended formula is one access point for every 3000 square feet, or even as low as one
access point for every 2000 square feet. In the lightest weight convenience networks, it is possible to use fewer access points,
and densities as low as one access point for every 10,000 to 15,000 square feet can be successful. Keep in mind that such a
deployment often has dead spots and can only support very low client densities.
• Number of Clients for Each Access Point
Another way to determine the number of access points needed is to consider the number of clients you want each access point
to support. In a standard office environment, most enterprises plan to support an average of 5 to 15 clients per access point.
Although the specifications of most access points state that they can support up to about 120 clients, a significantly lower
density is recommended to get an acceptable throughput for standard office applications. If you expect to support voice over
Wi-Fi in the enterprise, account for those phones as well. With the addition of voice, the client density substantially increases,
requiring you to plan for an average of 5 to 10 data clients and 5 to 10 voice clients for each access point. Remember that voice
clients consume virtually zero bandwidth when they are not on a call. However, when they are on a call, it is imperative that the
traffic goes through.

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• Distance Between Access Points
In a standard office environment, it is a good idea to ensure that access points are between 30 and 100 feet from one another.
A distance of 30 feet is needed in high-density environments and those with many walls separating access points. A distance of
100 feet is sufficient in low-density areas with plenty of open space.
These three tips can help determine how many access points to deploy in a given area. In general, the square footage estimate
provides the best budgeting estimate, with client estimations and the distance between access points confirming the square foot-
age calculations.
As with all rules, there are exceptions. If certain locations in the network have a higher density of clients, such as conference
rooms or lecture halls, a higher density of access points is required. Conversely if there are large open areas with few active
clients, fewer access points are sufficient.
Planning Tools
If following general guidelines does not provide enough confidence or if the deployment environment is particularly challenging,
you might consider using software planning tools like AirMagnet Planner or Ekahau®Site Survey (ESS). Black Box also includes a
free planning tool with the SmartPath AP on-line software. Such tools are useful in determining the placement of access points
without performing a site survey.
Associated Access Point Costs
After you determine how many access points you need, it becomes simpler to determine the other costs involved with deploying
Wi-Fi because most are driven by the quantity of access points. These costs include the following:
• Installation and Wiring
- CAT5: CAT5 wiring is required for all SmartPath APs acting as portals.* One advantage of SmartPath networks is that you can
deploy SmartPath APs in a mesh to avoid some of the wiring costs.
- Power: Power lines are required for all SmartPath APs acting as mesh points.† Portals receive power through power lines or
through Ethernet cables by using the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) option.
- Installation: SmartPath APs can simply snap into standard dropped-ceiling environments. However, if the installation is in a
warehouse or any environment without dropped ceilings, consider the installation costs.
• Infrastructure: PoE Switches
You must cable every SmartPath AP acting as a portal to a switch port. For PoE, there are several considerations:
- 802.3af: The current PoE specification provides enough power for all 802.11a/b/g access points.
- 802.3at: The current PoE specification supports higher power devices like 802.11n access points.
- PoE injectors and midspans: These save money on switch upgrades by injecting power into standard Ethernet connections.
• Site Survey and Debugging Software
- For a sizable deployment, you probably will use site survey and debugging software. Deployment and troubleshooting tools
from Ekahau and AirMagnet pay for themselves very quickly. These products enable the validation of a deployment and allow
you to troubleshoot client and access point issues. (For more information, see Section 2.3, Operational Considerations.)
• Professional Services
- When deploying wireless LANs, professional services are often required to perform site surveys.
*A portal is a cluster member that links one or more mesh points to the wired LAN.
†Mesh points are cluster members that use a wireless backhaul connection to link through a portal to the wired LAN.

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• Client Software
- Depending on the deployment, users can use built-in Microsoft®Windows®, Linux®and/or Macintosh®client software
(supplicants).
- For better services and troubleshooting, consider a third-party supplicant such as Juniper Networks®Odyssey Client.
2.2.5 Bandwidth Assumptions for Wi-Fi
People frequently talk about how much coverage an access point provides; however, it is capacity—not coverage—that typically
constrains an access point in an enterprise environment. The challenge is not how far the RF signal can travel (coverage), but how
to deliver enough bandwidth to meet the demands of business applications (capacity). In other words, you might be able to cover
an office of 50 people with one access point, but if all 50 people choose to access it at the same time, it might become overload-
ed. Indeed, if you use the formulas provided in this paper, you should find the saturation of access points on your campus to be
more than sufficient. Enterprise users are accustomed to speedy switched networks and expect similar performance from their
wireless LAN connections. This is why documenting the size and type of applications that will rely on your WLAN is so critical to
your planning. In short, if you plan for optimal capacity, complete coverage will follow automatically.
In general, the way to increase capacity is to add more access poisnts (within reason) and tune down the radio power to avoid
interference. One reason for deploying a high-capacity network is to create a WLAN for voice and data applications. In such a
WLAN, everyone has a VoIP handset running wirelessly all the time.
In general, the following table shows the standard densities for office deployments:
Table 2-1. Standard densities for office deployments.
Office Requirements
Expected Data Rate
with 802.11g Clients
Expected Data Rate
with 802.11n Clients
Access Point Density)20 MHz 40 MHz
Coverage (low capacity) 12 to 24 Mbps -39 Mbps -81 Mbps 1 access point per 8000 square feet
Standard office deployment 36 Mbps -104 Mbps -216 Mbps 1 access point per 5000 square feet
Standard office deployment with voice 54 Mbps -130 to -144 Mbps -270 to -300 Mbps 1 access point per 2000 to 3000 square feet
NOTE: Data rate is not the same as TCP throughput. Because of various headers, inter-frame gaps, and session creation, real TCP
throughput usually does not exceed 22 Mbps at data rates of 54 Mbps.
2.2.6 Overcoming Physical Impediments
Not every potential deployment is a standard business campus. The following scenarios are a few that merit special consideration.
• Open Space
Open spaces, such as a large foyer or an outdoor area, are very easy to cover with Wi-Fi because there are few impediments to
propagation and fewer opportunities for multipath interference. In such spaces, Wi-Fi signals can propagate many hundreds of
feet. This is good if you want to provide coverage for just a few users.
You will run into challenges if there are many users and high-capacity service goals. In these situations, it is important to tune
down the RF to a minimal level. The SmartPath APs do this on their own automatically. Another trick is to take advantage of
obstacles that block Wi-Fi. Look for trees or walls and put neighboring access points on either side of them. Doing so limits the
interference of the two access points and allows for the installation of more access points with less interference.
• Warehouse and Retail
Warehouse and retail environments present many challenges. One of the largest challenges is that RF characteristics often
change because of varying inventory levels and, in the case of retail, seasonal displays (such as tinsel or a stack of soda cans on
an end cap). Additionally, metal shelves and high ceilings can be challenges to propagation. To resolve with these issues, it is
wise to put at least one access point per aisle to ensure coverage for that aisle. This usually requires a higher density of access
points than would otherwise be required.

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• Configuring Antennas
As anyone who has administered a WLAN system in the past knows, proper configuration of the access point antennas
at the outset can save you lots of trouble. The SmartPath AP (LWN602A) has internal antennas that cannot be adjusted.
However, the antennas for the SmartPath (LWN602HA) are adjustable. The SmartPath AP (LWN602A) has a pair of fixed, dual-
band omnidirectional antennas; and the SmartPath AP (LWN602HA) can support up to six single-band omnidirectional antennas
(three for the 2.4-GHz radio and three for the 5-GHz radio). You typically orient these antennas vertically, positioning the anten-
nas on all SmartPath APs in the same direction. Omnidirectional antennas create a coverage areas that can be toroidal (dough-
nut-shaped) or cardioid (heart- or plum-shaped), broadcasting to the sides much more effectively than up or down (see Figure
2-1). In general, this is good for most office environments because you have large flat floors. However, it can be a problem in
environments with high ceilings.
Toroidal Pattern Cardioid Pattern
Figure 2-1. Omnidirectional antenna radiation patterns.
The SmartPath AP can accommodate external antennas via coaxial jacks on its chassis. The jack is a standard male RP-SMA con-
nector. Various patch, directional, and omnidirectional antennas can be used to change the coverage pattern. The most common
external antennas are patch antennas. These are directional antennas that provide coverage in a single direction. Most commonly
they have a transmission pattern as shown in Figure 2-2. Based on the gain, the signal will be wide (like the low gain antenna
shown on top) or narrow and long (like the high gain antenna shown on the bottom). Note that the coverage patterns are not
perfect for these antennas and that they often broadcast slightly in other directions than the primary one. These extra “lobes”
can be seen in both of the patterns shown below.
Higher Gain
Lower Gain
(Bird’s Eye View)
Patch
Antennas
Hi
g
her Gain
Bird’s Eye View
Higher Gain
Lower Gain
Patch Antennas
Figure 2-2. Directional antenna patterns.

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The following are some quick hints for deploying access points:
• Standard sheetrock walls and dropped ceilings are the best locations for mounting access points.
• When deploying WLANs in retail stores, doing a site survey at each store is likely to be impractical. It is more common to run
detailed site surveys at a few locations and use the results to set up User Guidelines for the remaining sites.
• Be aware of metal-lined firewalls, steel pillars, and other metallic surfaces. RF signals can reflect off metal surfaces, which can
cause unexpected coverage patterns. Also watch out for objects that can block or reflect signals, such as mirrors, plants, walls,
steel doors, elevator shafts, and bathroom stalls.
• The quality and performance of a Wi-Fi network is a function of the signal-to-noise ratio. To avoid noise issues, check the area
for common noise generators such as industrial microwave ovens, wireless video cameras, cordless phones and headsets, and
Bluetooth devices. Such devices especially cause interference in the 2.4-GHz spectrum.
• Plan appropriately for high ceilings. With an omnidirectional antenna, the downward coverage is not great. In normal office
space, the ceilings rarely exceed 15 feet, so this issue does not come up very often. In environments such as warehouses, where
ceilings can be up to 50 feet high, ceiling-mounted access points are not optimal. It is best to deploy them on non-metallic walls
about 10 feet to 15 feet above the floor. If this is not feasible, using patch antennas can help direct the RF energy downward.
• In high-density or high-capacity environments, placing access points on exterior walls allows for a greater number of cells inside
the building and more capacity. In other deployments, it is recommended that the outer access points be no farther than
30 feet from the exterior walls to ensure coverage.
2.2.7 Preparing the Wired Network for Wireless
One of the advantages of moving to a Black Box WLAN is that you do not have to make changes to the underlying network, such
as putting controllers into wiring closets. This can save you considerable time and effort during installation. However, some
network changes might make sense for some deployments. For example, you might want to add additional VLANs or security
settings. This section covers a few of the more common considerations that IT departments are handling.
• 802.1Q VLANs
SmartPath APs can segment users into VLANs if an administrator wants. This decision can be made by a returned RADIUS attri-
bute or it can be configured as part of a user profile or SSID. Enterprises often set up separate VLANs for wireless and guest
access, so that this traffic is segmented from the rest of the network; however, it is possible to set up any number of other
VLANs for further segmentation.
• Firewalls
Depending on the environment, enterprises might use firewalls to segment wired and wireless data. This can be implemented
as a discrete firewall enforcing traffic between VLANs or between ports, or you might use the stateful firewall that is integrated
in SmartPath OS (the SmartPath AP operating system).
• RADIUS Authentication
If RADIUS authentication is required, then a RADIUS server must be in place and be able to support the necessary protocols for
wireless—often called 802.1X EAP types: PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, WEP 8021.x (dynamic WEP), LEAP, EAP-FAST, and captive
web portal authentication using CHAP.
• DNS and DHCP Configuration
If you use the SmartPath EMS VMA (see Section 2.3, Operational Considerations), it is possible to install SmartPath APs without
any extra configuration and they will be able to contact SmartPath EMS VMA for management. If the SmartPath APs are linked
to a different subnet than the one to which SmartPath EMS VMA is connected, then you can set either a DHCP option or DNS
entry to give the location of SmartPath EMS VMA (see “How SmartPath APs Connect to SmartPath EMS VMA” in Section 8.4,
Example 4: Connecting SmartPath Units).