NETGEAR ProSafe WC7520 User manual

September 2010
202-10686-01
v1.3
350 East Plumeria Drive
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
ProSafe 20-AP Wireless
Controller WC7520
Reference Manual

| 2
ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
©2010 NETGEAR, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated
into any language in any form or by any means without the written permission of NETGEAR, Inc.
Technical Support
Thank you for choosing NETGEAR. To register your product, get the latest product updates, or get support
online, visit us at http://support.netgear.com.
Phone (US & Canada only): 1-888-NETGEAR
Phone (Other Countries): See Support information card.
Trademarks
NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, ReadyNAS, ProSafe, Smart Wizard, and Auto Uplink are trademarks or
registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and Vista are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation. Other brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their
respective holders.
Statement of Conditions
To improve internal design, operational function, and/or reliability, NETGEAR reserves the right to make changes
to the products described in this document without notice. NETGEAR does not assume any liability that may
occur due to the use, or application of, the product(s) or circuit layout(s) described herein.
Revision History
Publication Part Number Version Publish Date Comments
202-10686-01 v1.3 September 2010 Added an index and made minor revisions to
existing content.
202-10686-01 v1.2 September 2010 Added new content and revised existing
content in chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, and 10.
Added chapters 11 and 12 and appendix A.
202-10686-01 v1.1 September 2010 Added new content to chapters 1 through 4.
202-10686-01 v1.0 August 2010 Initial publication.

Table of Contents |3
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview
Key Features and Capabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Package Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Hardware Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Front Panel Ports and LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Rear Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Bottom Panel With Product Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
WC7520 Wireless Controller System Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NETGEAR ProSafe Access Points: WNAP210 and WNDAP350 . . . . . 13
What Can You Do With the WC7520 Wireless Controller?. . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Maintenance and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Understanding the Web Management Interface Menu Layout . . . . . . . . . 16
Initial Connection and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Understanding Basic and Advanced Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Choosing a Location for the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Deploying the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 2 System Planning and Deployment Scenarios
System Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Pre-Installation Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Before You Configure a Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Single Controller Configuration with BasicProfile Group . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Single Controller Configuration with Access Point Groups . . . . . . . . . . 26
Stacked Controller Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Management VLAN and Data VLAN Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Deployment Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Scenario Example 1: Basic Network with Single VLAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Scenario Example 2: Advanced Network with VLANs and SSIDs. . . . . 31
Scenario Example 3: Advanced Network With Redundancy. . . . . . . . . 33
Chapter 3 RF Planning
RF Planning Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Planning Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Defining and Editing Buildings and Floors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Specifying Access Point Requirements. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Viewing and Managing Heat Maps for Deployed Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
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Chapter 4 Access Point Discovery and Management
Access Point Discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Requirements for Auto Discovery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Using the Discovery Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Understanding the Discovery Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Managing the Access Point List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Adding Access Points to the Managed List After Discovery. . . . . . . . . .50
Editing Access Point Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Chapter 5 Configuring Network Settings
Configuring General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Time Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Configuring IP and VLAN Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Management VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Untagged VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Managing the DHCP Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Managing Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Configuring Syslog and Alarm Notification Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Configuring Syslog Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Configuring Alarm Notification Settings . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Configuring the Email Notification Server. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Chapter 6 Managing Access Point Groups
Configuring Access Point Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Managing Access Point Groups in the WLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Chapter 7 Configuring Wireless Settings
Configuring the Radio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Basic Radio Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Advanced Radio Configuration for Access Point Groups. . . . . . . . . . . .69
Configuring Wireless Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Basic Wireless Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Advanced Wireless Configuration for Access Point Groups. . . . . . . . . .72
Configuring Channels. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Specifying RF Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Basic RF Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Advanced RF Management for Access Point Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Configuring QoS for Access Point Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Configuring Load Balancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Configuring Rate Limiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Basic Rate Limiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Advanced Rate Limiting for Access Point Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

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Chapter 8 Configuring Security and Wireless Security Profiles
Managing Wireless Security Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Small-Scale WLAN Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Larger Deployments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Configuring Basic Security Profiles . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Configuring Advanced Security Profiles for Access Point Groups . . . . .87
Managing Rogue Access Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Configuring Basic Rogue Detection Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Configuring Advanced Rogue Detection Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Managing MAC Authentication and MAC Authentication Groups . . . . . . .92
Configuring Basic MAC Authentication Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Configuring MAC Authentication Settings for Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Managing Authentication Servers and Authentication Server Groups . . . .95
Configuring Basic Authentication Server Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Configuring Advanced Authentication Server Settings for Groups. . . . .97
Managing Guest Network Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Configuring Captive Portal Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Managing Users and Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Chapter 9 Maintaining the Controller
Managing the Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Backing Up and Restoring the Configuration File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Upgrading the Configuration File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Rebooting or Resetting the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Rebooting Access Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Managing External Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Managing Remote Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Specifying Session Timeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Viewing Alerts and Events and Saving Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Saving Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Viewing Alerts and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Managing Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Viewing Your Licenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Configuring the License Server Settings . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Registering Your Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Chapter 10 Managing Stacking and Redundancy
Managing Stacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Configuring Stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Controller Selection Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Managing Redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Configuring Redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
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Chapter 11 Monitoring the Wireless Network and Components
Monitoring the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Viewing the Network Summary Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Viewing Network Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Viewing Wireless Controllers in the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Viewing Managed Access Points in the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Viewing Clients in the Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Viewing Security Profiles in the Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Monitoring the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Viewing the Wireless Controller Summary Screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Viewing Wireless Controller Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Viewing Access Points Managed by the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . .137
Viewing Clients Managed by the Wireless Controller. . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
Viewing Rogue Access Points Managed by the Wireless Controller . .138
Viewing Security Profiles Managed by the Wireless Controller . . . . . .139
Viewing DHCP Leases Provided by the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . .140
Viewing Captive Portal Users Managed by the Wireless Controller. . .141
Monitoring the SSIDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Monitoring the Clients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Viewing Local Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Viewing Blacklisted Clients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Chapter 12 Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Basic Functioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Power LED Not On. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Test LED Never Turns Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
LAN Port LEDs Not On. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Troubleshooting the Web Management Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Ethernet Cabling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
IP Address Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Internet Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
When You Enter a URL or IP Address a Time-out Error Occurs . . . . . . .147
Troubleshooting a TCP/IP Network Using the Ping Utility . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Testing the LAN Path to Your Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Using the Reset Button to Restore Factory Default Settings . . . . . . . . . .148
Problems with Date and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Problems With Access Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Using the Diagnostic Tools on the Wireless Controller . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Appendix A Factory Default Settings and Technical Specifications
Appendix B Notification of Compliance
Index

Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview |7
1. Introduction and Overview
11
This chapter includes the following sections:
• Key Features and Capabilities on this page
• Package Contents on page 9
• Hardware Features on page 10
• WC7520 Wireless Controller System Components on page 12
• What Can You Do With the WC7520 Wireless Controller? on page 13
• Licenses on page 15
• Maintenance and Support on page 16
• Understanding the Web Management Interface Menu Layout on page 16
• Initial Connection and Configuration on page 17
• Understanding Basic and Advanced Settings on page 19
• Choosing a Location for the Wireless Controller on page 21
• Deploying the Wireless Controller on page 21
Key Features and Capabilities
The ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 is intended for medium-sized businesses,
schools, and hospitals. In a stacked configuration and with the appropriate licenses, a
wireless controller can support up to 150 access points (APs) with up to 1,500 users or more.
The wireless controller supports the IEEE 802.11a/b/g protocols and is upgradable to support
the IEEE 802.11n protocol. The wireless controller allows you to manage your wireless
network from a central point, implement security features centrally, support layer 2 and layer
3 fast roaming, configure a guest access captive portal, and support Voice over Wi-Fi
(VoWi-Fi).

Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview |8
ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
The wireless controller provides the following key features and capabilities:
• Scalable architecture with stacking and redundancy
-Support for 20 access points on a single wireless controller with no additional license
-Purchased licenses (WC7510L) in increments of 10 access points allow for support of
up to a maximum number of 50 access points on a single wireless controller
-A maximum of three stacked wireless controllers allows for up to 150 access points in
a single network
-Support of 1:1 redundancy
-Support of 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g modes by default with the option to
purchase a license (WC75NL) to support the 802.11n mode
• Auto discovery of Access Points
-Auto-discovery of access points in the same layer 2 domain
-Auto-discover of access points across a layer 3 domain
-Automatic download of wireless controller-based firmware to discovered access
points that are added to the managed access point list.
• Centralized management
-Single point of management for the entire wireless network
-Visualization of live coverage and heat maps for the wireless network
-Automatic firmware upgrade to all managed access points
-DHCP server for IP address provisioning
-Configurable management VLAN
• Security
-Identity-based security authentication with an external AAA server- RADIUS, Active
Directory, or internal authentication server
-Up to 8 profiles per group and 8 groups per radio
-Support for up to 128 access point profiles1per wireless controller (8 profiles per
group and 8 groups per radio). Each access point profile supports settings for SSID,
network authentication, data encryption, client separation, VLAN, MAC ACL groups,
and wireless QoS.
-Support for up 16 access point profile groups2per wireless controller
-Rogue access point detection and classification
-Guest access and captive portal
-Scheduled wireless on/off times
• Wi-Fi Multimedia Quality of service and advanced wireless features
-Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) support for video, audio, and voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi)
-WMM power save option
-Automatic WLAN healing mechanism ensures seamless coverage for wireless users
1. Number of profiles depends on the access point model used with the wireless controller.
2. Number of profile groups depends on the access point model used with the wireless controller.

Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview |9
ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
-Layer 2 and layer 3 seamless roaming support (FRS)
-Local layer 2 traffic switching at access point level for fast processing and roamed
layer 3 traffic processing at controller level
• RF planning and management
-RF planning tool to predict the number and placement of access points based on
signal strength and the number of users per building floor, and to display the
predicted coverage
-Automatic control of access point transmit power and channel allocation to reduce
interference
-Automatic load balancing of clients across access points
-Rate limiting per SSID
• Monitoring and reporting
-Access point heat maps by wireless band and signal strength for real-time status view
of the WLAN
-Monitoring of the status of the network, wireless controllers, WLANs, and clients, and
network usage statistics
-Specific health monitoring of access points
-Logging and emailing of system events, RF events, load balancing events, rate
limiting events, and redundancy failover events
For a list of all features and capabilities of the wireless controller, see the datasheet at
http://www.netgear.com/products/service-providers/access-points-wireless-controllers/wirele
ss-management/WC7520.aspx.
Package Contents
The ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 product package contains the following
items:
• ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 appliance
• One AC power cable
• Rubber feet (4) with adhesive backing
• One rack-mount kit
• Straight-through Category 5 Ethernet cable
• WC7520 ProSafe Wireless Controller Installation Guide
• Resource CD
If any of the parts are incorrect, missing, or damaged, contact your NETGEAR dealer. Keep
the carton, including the original packing materials, in case you need to return the product for
repair.

Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview |10
ProSafe 20-AP Wireless Controller WC7520 Reference Manual
Hardware Features
The front panel ports and LEDs, rear panel components, and bottom label of the wireless
controller are described in this section.
Front Panel Ports and LEDs
The following figure shows the front panel ports and status LEDs of the wireless controller.
Figure 1.
From left to right, the wireless controller’s front panel shows the following ports and LEDs:
• Power LED.
• Test LED.
• USB port for external storage, for example for more floor heat maps and extended
statistics history.
• Four 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN Ethernet ports with RJ-45 connectors, left LEDs, and right
LEDs. All Ethernet ports provide switched N-way, automatic speed-negotiating, auto
MDI/MDIX technology.
Note: The four ports of the wireless controller function as a single switch.
The function of each LED is described in the following table:
Table 1. LED Functions
LED Status Description
Power LED On The green power LED should be lit when the wireless controller is on.
Off If the power LED is not lit when the wireless controller is on, check the
connections and check to see if the power outlet is controlled by a wall switch that
is turned off (see Power LED Not On on page 144).
Test LED On The wireless controller is initializing. After approximately 2 minutes, when the
wireless controller has completed its initialization, the Test LED turns off. If the
Test LED remains on, the initialization has failed (see Test LED Never Turns Off
on page 145).
Off The wireless controller has completed its initialization successfully. The Test LED
should be off during normal operation.
Blinking Firmware is being upgraded.