Wireless Access

Not sure if WGB is the terminology even in Aruba's dictionary. It is basically a Cisco term. However defining it here:

When an AP is configured in workgroup bridge mode, the unit associates to another access point as a client and provides a network connection for the devices connected to its Ethernet port. For example, if you need to provide wireless connectivity for a group of network printers, you can connect the printers to a hub or to a switch, connect the hub or switch to the access point Ethernet port, and configure the access point as a workgroup bridge. The workgroup bridge associates to an access point on your network.

In Cisco WLAN, both Cisco and non Cisco APs in WGB mode could associate. Similarly can we in Aruba have APs from different vendor and in WGB mode/client mode connect on Aruba WLAN to serve the wired device(s) behind their ethernet port?

Mesh is the option to serve the purpose, but is applicable only via a Aruba Mesh point.

HP M111 (802.11a/b/g) http://h17007.www1.hpe.com/us/en/networking/products/wireless/HP_M111_Client_Bridge_Series/index.aspx#.WKckVBI6roI

HP 501 (802.11ac)  https://www.hpe.com/us/en/product-catalog/networking/networking-wireless/pip.networking-wireless.6372587.html

Thanks Joseph.

My concern is primarily for connecting non-Aruba Wireless client bridge(s) on an Aruba WLAN network.

Is it possible?

The answer is "it depends".  I have seen some that work and some that do not, but we cannot endorse any specifically.  The two that I mentioned do work and I have tested them.  Maybe others can mention others that work.

Thanks again for the prompt response.

Have you or anyone in this forum had a experience in connnecting a non aruba Wireless client bridge on Aruba WLAN?

What does the Aruba documentation has to say on it?

Cisco does have the documenation for non Cisco WGB support on Cisco WLAN:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/7-4/configuration/guides/consolidated/b_cg74_CONSOLIDATED/b_cg74_CONSOLIDATED_chapter_01110010.html . Would be great if I gets similar document for Aruba.

In my experience they generally work.  What is your specific question/issue?

If the wireless client bridge is just bridging a single wired device to the WLAN and you use MAC Cloning on the bridge, then you're likely fine. If you are trying to bridge multiple wired devices behind the wireless bridge device, then it REALLY depends on how that device handles multiple wired clients, how it manages the MAC and CAM tables ,etc. Additionally on the Aruba controller, for that SSID that the wireless bridge, you will have to disable all MC/BC and raise the max IPv4 per client limit in the firewall to X+1 where X is the number of wired devices and the +1 is the wireless bridge (you obviously cannot do mac cloning with more than one wired device being bridged). 

Thanks Jerrod for clarifying.

I am trying to associate an 'Altai AP' as Wireless Client Bridge on Aruba WLAN on tunneled mode SSID. This bridge is meant to have only one wired device on its ethernet.

The issue I am facing is the Wireless client bridge is not getting an IP address. Tried assigning static IP address to the bridge, when it is authenticated in tunneled mode SSID and yet can't ping it from the controller.

The client entry gets reflected in session-table and not in user-table.

(WLC_0002) (config) #show station-table | include 00:19:be:30:90:c7
00:19:be:30:90:c7            authenticated  00:00:30    No    OAP-0005          TEST-SSID    g-HT   No      TEST-SSID-aaa_prof

(WLC_0002) (config) #show user-table | include 00:19:be:30:90:c7

Can someone share the debugs/captures that I can collect to further analyze and address this specific issue?

Is there a wired device connected and powered up behind the bridge? If not, put a laptop there. Many bridges won't go full active until there is a wired device active on the wired port to pull an IP address. Also, if it's only a single wired device, mac cloning should be enabled (and if you have mac cloning enabled and don't have a wired client active, that is absolutely the behavior I would expect). Also note though that if you do mac cloning (or if the bridge defaults to mac cloning), then you will not be able to access the bridge from anywhere except from the wired client side (you won't be able to reach from the LAN side).

Thanks again Jerrod for your response.

Is it recommended to provide an static IP for the wired device connected behind the Client bridge? Or the client bridge after assocaiting with the SSID be taking care of fetching an IP for itself and for the device behind it?

In my case, I was having a wired client that was on the wired interface of client bridge assigned with an static IP.

However when I see the client bridge entry on the controller dashboard, though its IP is not reflected, but other graphs like: speed, goodput and retried frames to client are reflected, PFA. Is it possible for a these graphs being reflected for a client even when the client is not even holding an IP?

Additionally on the Aruba controller, for that SSID that the wireless bridge, you will have to disable all MC/BC and raise the max IPv4 per client limit in the firewall to X+1 where X is the number of wired devices and the +1 is the wireless bridge

Hi Jerrod,

Could you please clarify where exactly you are reffering to disable the Multicast/Broadcast on the SSID profile?

Can you also please share the where on controller, will we have to navigate to make these configuration changes?

Thanks in advance

Starts here, this is what we change to support the 501. If these don't work, then your bridge may need additional settings and you would likely need to reach out to the bridge vendor, or start doing some deep dive packet analysis to figure out what the bridge is doing.

(Aruba7005-Master) (config) #wlan virtual-ap <vap-profile>

(Aruba7005-Master) (Virtual AP profile "<vap-profile>") #no broadcast-filter arp

-----

(Aruba7005-Master) (config) #aaa profile <aaa-profile>

(Aruba7005-Master) (AAA Profile "<aaa-profile>") #max-ip ipv4 wireless ?

<max_ipv4_users>        Number of IPv4 addr allowed. Range: 1-32. Default 2.

(Aruba7005-Master) (AAA Profile "<aaa-profile>") #max-ip ipv4 wireless 4

Thanks again Jerrod for your prompt responses. 

Will update the thread as soon as I gets to test it out on my setup. 

Another related requery: 

Can we configure Aruba 270 series APs as "wireless client bridges"?

The option of mesh will not allow the Aruba AP to operate on other vendor's WLAN network infrastructure, hence specifically interested to know the option of enabling Aruba 270 series AP as "wireless client bridge.

AP-270s will not support or operate as a client bridge functionality. We position Aruba's HP501C for wireless client bridging applications.

I am looking for an "wireless client bridge" that can be installed in outdoor environments.

Does Aruba has something to offer as IP-65 rated "Wireless Client Bridge"?

If not something at this moment as IP-65 rated wireless client bridge, does it have something in its road map in near future?