Data Forwarding Models

Data Forwarding Modes of Fit APs

Local forwarding

Data forwarding
modes of an AP

Centralized forwarding
 Data Forwarding Models
Centralized Forwarding (Default)

Internet
User packets are forwarded by access controllers
(ACs).

Uplink packets: After receiving a data packet from an

STA, the AP forwards it to an AC through a CAPWAP
tunnel. The AC then forwards it to the Internet.

Downlink packets: The Internet forwards a data

packet destined for an STA to an AC first. The AC
forwards the packet to an AP through a CAPWAP
tunnel. The AP then forwards the packet to the STA.

Data transmission
Control transmission
 Data Forwarding Models
Local Forwarding

Internet
User packets do not pass an AC and are forwarded
by APs.

Uplink packets: After receiving a data packet from

an STA, an AP forwards it to the gateway locally
instead of an AC through the CAPWAP tunnel.

Downlink packets: The Internet forwards a data

packet destined to an STA to the gateway (such as
a switch) first. The gateway forwards the packet to
an AP. The AP then forwards the packet to the STA.

Data transmission
Control transmission
 Data Forwarding Models
Centralized Forwarding (Sending)

An AP decapsulates 802.11 packets of an STA to 802.3 CMNET

packets.
BRAS

At the egress, the AP encapsulates the 802.3 packets in a AC

CAPWAP tunnel and sends them to an AC. 802.3

STA data
Trunk
IP address of the source AP
CAPWAP VLAN 802.3
IP address of the destination AC tunnel tag STA data
Trunk Trunk Trunk
After receiving the packets, the AC removes the CAPWAP
header, queries a route, and forwards them to the BRAS
over a trunk port. Access Access Access

… …
Destination IP Source IP UDP header VLAN 802.3 STA
address (AC) address (AP) (CAPWAP) tag data

802.11
STA data
 Data Forwarding Models
Centralized Forwarding (Receiving)

CMNET
802.3
Data is forwarded from the router to the AC. STA data
Destination Source IP UDP header VLAN 802.3
IP address address (CAPWAP) tag STA
The AC encapsulates the data to a CAPWAP (AP) (AC) data

packet and forwards it to the AP.

VLAN 802.3 AC
tag STA data Trunk
The AP decapsulates the CAPWAP packet,
CAPWAP
encapsulates the 802.3 frames to the 802.11 tunnel

Trunk Trunk Trunk

format, and forwards the packet to the STA
over the air interface.
PoE

Access Access Access

… …

802.11
STA data
 Data Forwarding Models
Local Forwarding (Sending)

CMNET

An AP decapsulates 802.11 packets of an STA to BRAS

802.3 packets. AC
802.3
STA data
At the egress, the AP sends the 802.3 packets out.
Trunk
The packets are forwarded from a trunk port of a
distribution switch to the egress of a router.
Trunk Trunk Trunk

The data traffic does not pass the AC.

VLAN 802.3
tag STA data
Trunk Trunk Trunk

… …
802.11
STA data
 Data Forwarding Models
Local Forwarding (Receiving)

CMNET

Data is forwarded from the router to a distribution 802.3

BRAS
STA data
switch. AC

The distribution switch forwards the data to an AP over VLAN 802.3 STA
tag data Trunk
a trunk port.

The AP encapsulates 802.3 frames into the 802.11

Trunk Trunk Trunk
format and forwards them to the STA over the air
interface.

The data traffic does not pass the AC. Trunk Trunk Trunk

… …
802.11
STA data
 Data Forwarding Models
Configuring Local Forwarding

CMNET

Key points: BRAS

Configure the port on the access switch used to connect to AC

the AP as a trunk port and set the native VLAN to the AP

Trunk
VLAN.

Change the SSID mode to local forwarding.

Trunk Trunk Trunk
Re-configure the mapping between the AP group and
WLAN ID and VLAN ID.

Trunk Trunk Trunk

… …
 Data Forwarding Models
Local Forwarding Configuration Procedure

Configuration steps
1. Configure the port on the access switch used to connect to the AP as a trunk port, set the native VLAN to the AP VLAN,
configure the access switch to only transmit data from the wireless STA VLAN and AP VLAN.

SW(config)#interface gigabitEthernet 0/2

SW(config-GigabitEthernet 0/2)#switchport mode trunk
SW(config-GigabitEthernet 0/2)#switchport trunk native vlan 20
SW(config-GigabitEthernet 0/2)#switchport trunk allowed vlan remove 1-9,11-19,21-4094

2. Change the SSID mode to local forwarding.

AC-1(config)#wlan-config 1 ruijie
AC-1(config-wlan)#tunnel local // Enable local forwarding of WLAN ID 1.

3. Re-configure the mapping between the AP group and WLAN ID and VLAN ID.

AC-1(config)#ap-group ruijie
AC-1(config-ap-group)#no interface-mapping 1 10
AC-1(config-ap-group)#interface-mapping 1 10
 Data Forwarding Models
Centralized Forwarding VS Local Forwarding

Performance Local Forwarding Centralized Forwarding

Data is first forwarded to the AC and then to the uplink.

Delay There are fewer hops to the ISP, and the delay is short.
The delay is long.

Forwarding The forwarding performance is determined by the user The forwarding performance is determined by the
performance network and is high. Bottlenecks seldom occur. AC and is low. Bottlenecks easily occur on the AC.

Device In most cases, the AC does not forward data. This

Data forwarding of the AC is a challenge.
processing reduces the workload and bottlenecks of the AC.

Device
Low performance requirements for ACs and APs. High performance requirements for ACs and APs.
requirements

Forwarding High forwarding performance Low forwarding performance

IP UDP CAPWAP Wireless HDR HDR Header Payload

In centralized forwarding mode, at least 50 byte overhead is added

for each user packet.
 Practice Questions
Which of the following model have a shorter delay?

A Centralized model

B Local model