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Chapter 1 Introduction
NWA/WAC/WAX Series User’s Guide
14
• Wireless repeater - A wireless repeater wirelessly connects to a root AP and extends the network’s
wireless range.
The following figure shows a network setup that uses these different roles to create a secure Wireless
Distribution System (WDS). The root AP (Y) is connected to a network with Internet access and has a
wireless repeater (X) connected to it to expand the wireless network’s range. Clients (A, B, and C) can
access the wired network through the wireless repeater and/or root AP.
If a client (D) tries to set up his own AP (R) with weak security settings, the network becomes exposed to
threats. The RF monitor (M) scans the area to detect all APs, which can help the network administrator
discover these rogue APs and remove them or use the NXC to quarantine them.
Figure 1 Sample Network Setup
1.2.1 Root AP
In Root AP mode, you can have multiple SSIDs active for regular wireless connections and one SSID for
the connection with a repeater (repeater SSID). Wireless clients can use either SSID to associate with the
Zyxel Device in Root AP mode. A repeater must use the repeater SSID to connect to the Zyxel Device in
Root AP mode.
When the Zyxel Device is in Root AP mode, repeater security between the Zyxel Device and other
repeaters is independent of the security between the wireless clients and the AP or repeater. When
repeater security is enabled, both APs and repeaters must use the same pre-shared key. See Section
10.2 on page 106 and Section 15.2 on page 152 for more details.
Unless specified, the term “security settings” refers to the traffic between the wireless clients and the AP.
At the time of writing, repeater security is compatible with the Zyxel Device only.
1.2.2 Wireless Repeater
Using Repeater mode, your Zyxel Device can extend the range of the WLAN. In the figure below, the
Zyxel Device in Repeater mode (Z) has a wireless connection to the Zyxel Device in Root AP mode (X)
which is connected to a wired network and also has a wireless connection to another Zyxel Device in
Repeater mode (Y) at the same time. Z and Y act as repeaters that forward traffic between associated
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