Using Cisco Workgroup Bridges

Finding Feature Information

Information About Cisco Workgroup Bridges and non-Cisco Workgroup bridges

A WGB is a mode that can be configured on an autonomous Cisco IOS access point to provide wireless connectivity to a lightweight access point on behalf of clients that are connected by Ethernet to the WGB access point. A WGB connects a wired network over a single wireless segment by learning the MAC addresses of its wired clients on the Ethernet interface and reporting them to the lightweight access point using Internet Access Point Protocol (IAPP) messaging. The WGB provides wireless access connectivity to wired clients by establishing a single wireless connection to the lightweight access point.

When a Cisco WGB is used, the WGB informs the access points of all the clients that it is associated with. The switch is aware of the clients that are associated with the access point. When non-Cisco WGBs are used, the switch has no information about the IP address of the clients on the wired segment behind the WGB. Without this information, the switch drops the following types of messages:

  • ARP REQ from the distribution system for the WGB client.

  • ARP RPLY from the WGB client.

  • DHCP REQ from the WGB client.

  • DHCP RPLY for the WGB client.

Monitoring the Status of Workgroup Bridges


Note

The procedure to perform this task using the switch GUI is not currently available.

SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    enable

    2.    show wireless wgb summary

    3.    show wireless wgb mac-address wgb_mac_address detail


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 enable


    Example: 
    Switch# enable
     

    Enters privileged EXEC mode.

     
    Step 2 show wireless wgb summary


    Example: 
    Switch# show wireless wgb summary
     

    Displays the WGBs on your network.

     
    Step 3show wireless wgb mac-address wgb_mac_address detail


    Example:
    Switch# show wireless wgb mac-address
 00:0d:ed:dd:25:82 detail
     

    Displays the details of any wired clients that are connected to a particular WGB.

     

    Debugging WGB Issues (CLI)


    Note

    The procedure to perform this task using the switch GUI is not currently available.

    SUMMARY STEPS

      1.    enable

      2.    debug iapp all

      3.    debug iapp error

      4.    debug iapp packet

      5.    debug mobility handoff [switch switch_number]

      6.    debug dhcp

      7.    debug dot11 mobile

      8.    debug dot11 state


    DETAILED STEPS
       Command or ActionPurpose
      Step 1 enable


      Example: 
      Switch# enable
       

      Enters privileged EXEC mode.

       
      Step 2debug iapp all


      Example: 
      Switch# debug iapp all
       

      Enables debugging for IAPP messages.

       
      Step 3debug iapp error


      Example:
      Switch# debug iapp error
       

      Enables debugging for IAPP error events.

       
      Step 4debug iapp packet


      Example:
      Switch# debug iapp packet
       

      Enables debugging for IAPP packets.

       
      Step 5debug mobility handoff [switch switch_number]


      Example:
      Switch# debug mobility handoff
       

      Enables debugging for any roaming issues.

       
      Step 6debug dhcp


      Example:
      Switch# debug dhcp
       

      Debug an IP assignment issue when DHCP is used.

       
      Step 7debug dot11 mobile


      Example:
      Switch# debug dot11 mobile
       

      Enables dot11/mobile debugging. Debug an IP assignment issue when static IP is used.

       
      Step 8debug dot11 state


      Example:
      Switch# debug dot11 state
       

      Enables dot11/state debugging. Debug an IP assignment issue when static IP is used.

       

      Configuration Examples for Configuring Workgroup Bridges

      WGB Configuration: Example

      This example shows how to configure a WGB access point using static WEP with a 40-bit WEP key:

      
Switch# configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
Switch(config)# dot11 ssid WGB_with_static_WEP
Switch(config-ssid)# authentication open
Switch(config-ssid)# guest-mode
Switch(config-ssid)# exit
Switch(config)# interface  dot11Radio 0
Switch(config)# station-role workgroup-bridge
Switch(config-if)# encry mode wep 40
Switch(config-if)# encry key 1 size 40 0 1234567890
Switch(config-if)# ssid WGB_with_static_WEP
Switch(config-if)# end

      Verify that the WGB is associated to an access point by entering this command on the WGB:

      show dot11 association

      Information similar to the following appears:

      
Switch# show dot11 associations
802.11 Client Stations on Dot11Radio0:
SSID [FCVTESTING] :
MAC Address    IP address      Device        Name            Parent         State
000b.8581.6aee 10.11.12.1      WGB-client    map1            -              Assoc
ap#