Difference between Bridge mode and Layer 3 roaming

[fjulianom]

Hi experts,

Currently I have one corporate SSID in Bridge mode, without VLAN tagging, so the wireless clients are part of the LAN. I want to avoid this and have the LAN clients and wireless clients on different VLANs. I have seen I can achieve that still with Bridge mode and tag the wireless clients with a differtent VLAN that the LAN clients use. Or I can use Layer 3 roaming and also tag the wireless clients with a differtent VLAN that the LAN clients use. The only difference I see is in Layer 3 roaming the client keeps the IP address if it roams between APs, so I understand in Bridge mode the client doesn't keep the IP address if it roams between APs:

Is that the only difference? Then I will always select Layer 3 roaming since I want the clients keep their IP addresses when they roam, and therefore they will not drop their connections.

Regards,

Julián

[MRCUR · Accepted solution]

The L3 roaming option is only needed if your clients are going to roam between different subnets. It sounds like you can make the wireless VLAN you'd like the clients to be in available at all of the AP's, so you can simply use regular bridge mode and tag the appropriate VLAN you'd like to use. 

[PhilipDAth]

I agree with @MRCUR.  Also with bridging in this case the clients IP address wont change.  They should have a seamless connection roaming between access points.

[fjulianom]

Hi MRCUR and Philip,

I only read the L3 roaming description which appears at the Meraki dashboard, which only explains it is used to roam between APs, but it doesn't indicates "APs in differents VLANs". I have checked the Meraki documentation and there does explain L3 Roaming is used to roam between APs in different VLANs

Since I can make the wireless VLAN available at all the APs as you said, then I will choose Bridge mode and tagging with the appropiate VLAN. Thanks very much for your help.

Regards,

Julián