WAP address forwarding

steven37920

Honorable
Jun 17, 2012
23
0
10,510
I am trying to make the WLAN at my corporation more effective, I am wondering if all switches are capable of forwarding an IP address from one WAP to the next as one travels through the building. I have it set up now so that all the WAP's are configured the same(on same sub-net) with diff. management IP's. This configuration works well but I am finding that when traveling from one WAP to another that users are having to gain a different IP.This is using IP address and holding them untill the TTL that is set expires. I'm sure you can see where this is a problem. I want to know if there is a WAP IP address management switch that would pass the users IP from one WAP to the next in line as they traveled through the building. If so which switch is found to do this function the most adequate.
 
Solution
You write that all the WAP are on the same subnet but the IP is changing as the user move from one to the other?

You have 2 issues first we will assume you have the WAP all on a single subnet and the IP itself does not change. The issue you have here is the encryption keys between the end user client and the WAP. The AP must have a way to move credential securely between the AP without the user having to authenticate every time a AP boundary is crossed. Even though this is not a lot even a few seconds is very bad for app like VoIP. Many of the commerical platforms from HP,Cisco or Avaya can do this.

Next lets assume we do have the IP issue talk about. You want the user to be able to get in a elevator and move between floors...
You write that all the WAP are on the same subnet but the IP is changing as the user move from one to the other?

You have 2 issues first we will assume you have the WAP all on a single subnet and the IP itself does not change. The issue you have here is the encryption keys between the end user client and the WAP. The AP must have a way to move credential securely between the AP without the user having to authenticate every time a AP boundary is crossed. Even though this is not a lot even a few seconds is very bad for app like VoIP. Many of the commerical platforms from HP,Cisco or Avaya can do this.

Next lets assume we do have the IP issue talk about. You want the user to be able to get in a elevator and move between floors never losing connectivity or even better roam between wireless cell networks and wireless AP. The key problem as I am sure you are aware is that if your IP changes any open session you have with any server must be reopened. This many times requires the user to reauthenicate with the server manually.

The solution for this problem is called IPMOBILITY and is discussed in RFC5944. Cisco for a number of years has had their implementation but there are a number of vendors that do support it. There are a couple of variations on it but in effect they build a tunnel to prevent the IP you are using for application sessions from changing but they allow the tunnel itself to be rebuilt dynamically using different ip addresses.

Best if you do some research on this too complex to even begin to discuss on a forum.
 
Solution

steven37920

Honorable
Jun 17, 2012
23
0
10,510


Thanks for the information! and after much research and frustrations I agree way to in-depth to discuss on a forum.