AutoWDS provides different integration modes for managing P2P links for meshed networks. The majority of the configuration is performed on the WLC which manages the individual logical WLAN networks. You link an active AutoWDS profile with an established WLAN profile of your managed wireless network. The AutoWDS profile groups the settings and limits to form the P2P topology and of the AutoWDS base network.
The AutoWDS base network and its associated SSID (default name: AutoWDS-Rollout) is a management network only. It serves two purposes: The first is to authenticate an AP during the preconfigured integration, and the second is to establish the WLC tunnel for configuration exchange. In this way, unassociated APs remain isolated from operations while they are being integrated into the managed WLAN. As soon as there is a P2P connection to a master AP, an unassociated AP is considered to be integrated and it processes further communications via the bridge on Layer 2. Similar to conventional P2P links, the P2P partners set up a management SSID, which they use to process the data traffic and the CAPWAP tunnel to the WLC (see Updating the AP configuration and establishing the P2P link).
After assigning an active AutoWDS profile to your managed WLAN, the corresponding anchor APs deploy the AutoWDS base network and transmit their beacons (assuming you have enabled 'SSID broadcast' in the AutoWDS profile) with an additional manufacturer-dependent identifier. This identifier, also known as an "AutoWDSInfoFlag", signals the general support of the feature to unassociated AutoWDS-capable APs and informs them...
- whether AutoWDS is enabled/disabled for the detected SSID;
- whether the AP of the corresponding SSID has an enabled/disabled WLC connection;
- whether the WLC accepts or prohibits the express mode for unassociated APs; and
- whether integration requires the APs to connect to the equivalent physical WLAN interface of the anchor AP (strict interface pairing, i.e. with WLAN-1 to WLAN-1 and with WLAN-2 to WLAN-2), or whether mixed interface pairs are allowed.
A managed AP will automatically work as an AutoWDS AP after it has been initially paired with a WLC via LAN cable and a valid certificate and an AutoWDS profile with the additional AP configuration has been transferred correctly. A configured AutoWDS AP will automatically function as an unassociated AP after it has failed to establish a CAPWAP connection to a WLC after a predefined time, for example if there is no wired LAN connection. This access point then temporarily switches its operating mode to Client mode and scans each WLAN until it detects a suitable anchor AP. The scan is carried out in the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz frequency bands.
If your device has two physical WLAN interfaces and both are enabled, both WLAN interfaces simultaneously scan for a suitable AutoWDS base network. If a physical WLAN interface detects a suitable SSID, then it associates with the anchor AP, assuming that the interface pairing mentioned above permits this. The other physical WLAN interface continues to scan in case the already associated physical WLAN interface loses the connection again. Until then, this physical WLAN interface does not connect to any other AutoWDS base network. Once your device has received the WLC configuration, the two physical WALN interfaces behave as specified in the profile, i.e. they deploy the SSIDs assigned to them and the AutoWDS base network.
The procedure for searching for an AutoWDS base network is identical with that of the reconfiguration in the case that the WLAN connection is lost (see Connectivity loss and reconfiguration).
