Hierarchical Network Topology
Hierarchical network topology along with DHCP/NAT runs on single and multiple APs The Gateway APs can directly be connected to the service providers' route/switch and can get the public IPs. The NGAPs can get the private IPs from the GAP through the DHCP/NAT service. Wired client such as printers and laptops can be directly connected to the LAN port of the GAP or WAN ports of Non-GAPs and hence can be operational without the use of external DHCP/NAT. Basic Mesh Topology is supported where the GAP is root the AP and all other NGAP can be the Mesh APs.
The Dynamic WAN Port Detection (DWPD) algorithm detects the WAN port among eth0/eth1/eth2 of the APs and marks only one port of AP as LAN. LAN port selection is based on the availability of Port. If a port is GRE enabled then it will not be modified to LAN. Remaining other available port will be marked as LAN.
Expected behavior in case of a three port AP are as follows:
- Eth0: connected to WAN
Final result after DWPD: Eth0=WAN, ETH1=LAN, ETH2=WAN
- Eth1: connected to WAN
Final result after DWPD: Eth0=LAN, ETH1=WAN, ETH2=WAN
- Eth2: connected to WAN
Final result after DWPD: Eth0=LAN, ETH1=WAN, ETH2=WAN
Using DWPD you can do plug-n-play without worrying about the configuration of WAN or LAN ports. Wired client connectivity for each AP where all the APs in the zone run DHCP/NAT service. All ethernet ports can be configured as LAN port and wired clients can be used to connect. LAN port profile enables APs with multiple ethernet ports to be configured as LAN ports. Hence there is no need for a separate switch if the multi-port AP is GAP and all the required wired and NGAP AP can be connected directly to the number of available ethernet ports.
While using DHCP NAT-HN with DWPD, the AP will ignore the eth port configuration which is pushed from the interface. The AP will select the WAN and LAN ports dynamically. After successful detection of the WAN port, it marks the other port as LAN port. When it marks an eth port as LAN, DWPD chooses untagged VLAN ID as 1 by default. This configuration for LAN port is not changeable. Hence, wired client can get the IP address from DHCP Pool VLAN ID 1. If you want to configure eth port VLAN ID to 100 through the interface, manually select WAN port and apply appropriate eth port profile to the eth0 and eth1 ports of AP.