Extending the LAN with a Wireless Mesh Link

[Daniell]

Hi Community,

Currently we are planning to connect a neigbour building to our facility.

The idea is to use MR access points for this and use one as the gateway AP and one as the repeater (neigbour building) and then configure it that the repeater will provide the network via its RJ45 port to a MS switch in the neigbour building.

All of this is described here: Extending the LAN with a Wireless Mesh Link - Cisco Meraki Documentation

But now we also want to connect some MR Access Points to the MS switch and in the KB its stating that this is not supported. Does anybody have an idea why?

I mean what is the difference here from the radio bridge perspective that the client is wired and directly connected to the MS and if the client is wireless coming through a MR? In the end this is Layer 2 communication and the radio bridge will never know that its a wireless client. 

The mentioned solution would be to go with Layer 3 switches in the neigbour building and create new IP subnets there. I do not want to do this because I do not want to have a routing switch. This does not fit to our design, also there are no Meraki 8 Port switches with Layer 3 functionality and I have only space and need for 8 Port switches. 

Can anybody please help here? Do you already had this challenge? 

Regards

Daniel 

[Purroy]

Hello,

The reason why it is not supported is because of the mechanism that the MRs use to determine if they can reach Dashboard via the wired network or they need to form a mesh connection to other MRs.

Like is says in the documentation not only it is not supported but the behaviour will be unpredictable.  Make sure you have some short of layer 3 device as mentioned in the documentation, if a 24 port switch does not fit maybe you can use an MX75 or similar.

Regards,

Pablo

[Daniell]

Thanks Pablo,

When you say "the mechanism that the MRs use to determine if they can reach Dashboard" which MR do you mean? The MR of the radio bridge, so the repeater or do you mean the MR I want to connect to the MS in the neigbour building? 

[Daniell]

moved as "Reply" to Pablos comment

[alemabrahao]

Why don't you just run fiber from one building to the other and put a Layer 2 switch in the new building?

[alemabrahao]

Not to mention that it will be a headache to use an AP as a repeater, I mean, for reasons of performance, stability, etc.

[rhbirkelund]

I'm not saying this is going to work. I have no idea, I haven't tested it, it's purely hypothetical, and regarding support you'd probably be on your own.

How about creating two Networks; one with Meshing enabled performing the LAN to LAN extension and not serving clients, and the other with Meshing disabled, and simply providing wireless access to clients. Perhaps this could be a "workaround"?

[Daniell]

Yes, thats my idea: Creating a dedicated SSID for the radio bridge (meshing) and in the neigbour building: creating dedicated SSIDs. But both SSID assigned to the same VLAN. So all clients and Access Points and Switches in the same IP-subnet and VLAN. 

[Daniell]

Does anybody has an idea here? Its not possible for us to go with the Layer 3 Switches routing option because there are clients which will move between both buildings and they need to stay in the same SSID and just roam but not connect to a different SSID with a different IP Subnet. 

[compughter]

No just extend the network with a dedicated bridge  if there is Line of Site.... what is the distance ?   Wireless site survey will tell a lot.....  a solution like this can go a long way. Cheap Price Point Engenius Point to Point AX Bridge  Does same with better support system Cambium  Bridge in Box