Wireless roaming with WDS

and MESH
Uldis Cernevskis
MikroTik

2006

MikroTik MUM

Overview
Seamless wireless roaming
MESH like network support
Secured and dynamic data communication
between APs

2006

MikroTik MUM

Requirements for MESH

RouterOS v2.9.x with RSTP package
enabled
One or more Atheros chipset wireless
cards for each router
Antennas (Omni, sector, directional) for
each band 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz

2006

MikroTik MUM

AP-AP communication
Ethernet

Ethernet

Client1

AP1

WDS link

AP2

Client2

Mode=ap-bridge
Band=2.4ghz-b/g
Freqency =2437 Mhz
SSID =MESH
Wds-mode=dynamic
Wds-default bridge=bridge1
Bridge=Ethernet ,Wireless

2006

MikroTik MUM

Simple MESH
AP- Client link

AP-Client link

Client1

WDS link

AP1

AP2

Client2

Mode=ap-bridge
Band=2.4ghz-b/g
Freqency =2437Mhz
SSID=MESH
Wds-mode=dynamic
Wds-default -bridge =bridge 1
Bridge =Wireless

2006

MikroTik MUM

Dual band MESH

AP-C lient link

AP- Client link

WDS link

Client1

Mode=ap-bridge
Band =2.4ghz-b/g
Freqency=2437 Mhz
SSID=MESH

2006

AP1

AP2

Mode=ap-bridge
Band =5ghz
Freqency =5600Mhz
SSID=MESH
Wds-mode=dynamic
Wds-default -bridge =bridge 1
Bridge =Wireless,Wireless

MikroTik MUM

Client2

Mode=ap-bridge
Band =2.4ghz-b/g
Freqency =2437 Mhz
SSID=MESH

Creating MESH system 1

Internet
Switch

AP1

Client1

Path

AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

MikroTik MUM

Creating MESH system 2

Client1
Client2

AP1

Internet
Switch

AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

MikroTik MUM

Creating MESH system 3

Client1
Client2

AP2

AP1

Internet
Switch
Path

AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

AP-AP 5Ghz link

MikroTik MUM

Client3

Creating MESH system 4

Client1
Client2

AP2

AP1

Internet
Switch
Path

AP3
AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

AP-AP 5Ghz link

MikroTik MUM

Client3

10

Creating MESH system 5

Client1
Client2

AP2

AP1

60

Internet
Switch

50

Path

AP3
AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

AP-AP 5Ghz link

AP4
MikroTik MUM

Client3

11

Creating MESH system 6

Client1
Client2

AP2

120

AP1
50
60

Internet
Switch

Path

50

AP3
AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

2006

AP-AP 5Ghz link

AP4

MikroTik MUM

Client3

12

Mixed band MESH

Client1
Client2

AP2

AP1
Client4

Internet
Switch

AP5

AP3

AP-Client 2.4Ghz link

AP-AP 5Ghz link

2006
AP-AP 2.4Ghz link

AP4

MikroTik MUM

Client3

13

Advanced options
Encryption (WPA-PSK/EAP) for AP-AP
communication
Segmentation of the MESH different
band/frequency for each MESH segment
Use of WDS-Slave mode for automatic adjusting
the operating frequency to match Main APs
frequency
Using Static mode for WDS instead Dynamic to
make specific MESH network layout
2006

MikroTik MUM

14