Summary
Wireless mesh deployments are becoming more and more popular as colleges, towns, police and fire departments, and cities strive to provide wireless access. When installing a mesh network, it is important to remember to prime the APs on the wired network because this small step lets you know if the APs are functioning properly before you install them 40 or 50 feet off the ground on a light pole or the side of a building. You need to know what VLANs need to be trunked across the mesh network if you are going to enable Ethernet bridging. You also need to make sure all the APs in the mesh path are configured to support those VLANs. You should conduct a proper site survey to ensure that your AP placement allows for good SNR links between the APs and that the line of sight and Fresnel zones are clear. Depending on the physical distance between your APs, you might have to use laser devices to properly align the antennas. Keeping these factors in mind will help you deploy a fast and stable wireless mesh network.