SonicOS 7.0 Access Points

Configuring IEEE802.11v Settings for Dynamic Environment Management

802.11v refers to the IEEE802.11 Wireless Network Management (Amendment 8). This is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 standard to allow configuration of client devices while connected to wireless networks. Stations that support WNM (Wireless Network Management) can exchange information with each other (access points and wireless clients) to improve their performance of the wireless network. 802.11v allows client devices to exchange information about the network topology, including information about the RF environment, making each client network aware, facilitating overall improvement of the wireless network.

Stations use WNM protocols to exchange operational data so that each station is aware of the network conditions, allowing stations to be more cognizant of the topology and state of the network. WNM protocols provide a means for stations to be aware of the presence of collocated interference, and enable stations to manage RF parameters based on network conditions.

In addition to providing information on network conditions, WNM also provides a means to exchange location information, provide support for multiple BSSID capability on the same wireless infrastructure, support efficient delivery of group addressed frames, and enable a WNM-Sleep mode in which a STA can sleep for long periods without receiving frames from the AP.

BSS Max idle period management has been supported by SonicWall SonicPoints. SonicWave supports two more WNM services to improve the performance of wireless network:

  • Enable BSS transition management – Enables an access point to request a voice client to transition to a specific access point, or suggest a set of preferred access points to a voice client, because of network load balancing or BSS termination. This helps the voice client identify the best access point to which that client should transition to as that client roams.

    The BSS Transition capability can improve throughput, data rates and QoS for the voice clients in a network by shifting (through transition) the individual voice traffic loads to more appropriate points of association within the ESS.

    802.11v BSS Transition Management Request is a suggestion given to the client. The client can make its own decision whether to follow the suggestion or not.

    BSS Transition Management uses these frame types:

    • Query – A Query frame is sent by the voice client that supports BSS Transition Management requesting a BSS transition candidate list to its associated access point, if the associated access point indicates that it supports the BSS transition capability.
    • Request – An access point that supports BSS Transition Management responds to a BSS Transition Management Query frame with a BSS Transition Management Request frame.

    • Response – A Response frame is sent by the voice client back to the access point, informing whether it accepts or denies the transition.

  • WNM-Sleep mode – An extended power-save mode for non-access point stations whereby a non-access point station need not listen for every delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) Beacon frame, and does not perform group temporal key/integrity group temporal key (GTK/IGTK) updates.

    WNM-Sleep mode enables a non-access point station to signal to an access point that it is sleeping for a specified time. This enables a non-access point station to reduce power consumption and remain associated while the station has no traffic to send to or receive from the access point.

    If the WNM-Sleep mode is enabled and the station supports WNM-Sleep mode, update the station to avoid Key Reinstallation Attack.

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