What is Lite Mesh Gateway?

The ZoneFlex Lite Mesh Gateway is the first long-range, high performance Wi-Fi system for easily extending signals in the absence of an Ethernet connection. Working in concert with Ruckus ZoneFlex APs and functioning simultaneously as a high-gain Wi- Fi receiver and access point, the ZoneFlex Lite Mesh Gateway is the ultimate solution for hotels, public venues and small and medium businesses where there is limited IT staff and Ethernet cabling is not always pervasive.

Can the Lite Mesh Gateway be managed by ZoneDirector?

In the first release, the Lite Mesh Gateways are managed individually via their own Web UI. In the next software release, ZoneDirector will be able to manage mesh APs – see below for the upgrade process. Note that this might require an additional license on the ZoneDirector given the number of managed APs would grow.

Do I need to upgrade my ZoneDirector to support the Lite Mesh Gateway?

It is recommended to use the Lite Mesh Gateway with software release 3.0 on the ZoneDirector. If you’re still using software release 2.0 you will need do disable the auto-channel management on ZoneDirector (and/or disable the background scanning).

How should I configure my ZoneFlex products to work with the Lite Mesh Gateway?

• Create one WLAN for the mesh (e.g. SSID “lite-mesh”) – you might want to have it hidden and secure
• Create one WLAN for client access (e.g. SSID “ruckus”)

On the Lite Mesh Gateway choose the mesh WLAN (e.g. “lite mesh”) from the list (note: if you configured the mesh SSID to be hidden you will need to add it manually in the wizard). Then configure the desired client access SSID (e.g. “ruckus”).

Note that Ruckus ZoneFlex APs would advertise two WLANs in this case: one for the mesh and one for clients.

As a best practice, it is recommended to secure the backhaul link between the LMG and the ZoneFlex APs using WPA2/AES PSK (Note that 802.1x is not supported on the 2925-LMG).

Do I need to configure an IP address for the Lite Mesh Gateway?

During the setup wizard you can choose whether to use a static IP address or a DHCP-assigned IP address. This IP address should be documented and then used for future configuration and monitoring. Note that if you’re using a DHCP-assigned IP address it might change later on. Also, in the case where the mesh backhaul is not available, the DHCP lease might expire and the IP address will be restored to the default IP.

How many mesh hops does the Lite Mesh Gateway support?

The Lite Mesh Gateway was designed for cases where you need to extend the signal of an existing AP by one hop. By default, a Lite Mesh Gateway will not associate with another Lite Mesh Gateway. In the CLI use the following command: set reject-LMIE disable. This will allow a Lite Mesh Gateway to associate with another Lite Mesh Gateway.

How many WLANs/SSIDs does the Lite Mesh Gateway support?

In this release the Lite Mesh Gateway supports one uplink SSID (to the backhaul AP) and one downlink SSID (to clients).

What is the recommended distance between the LMG and the backhaul AP?

The recommended distance typically depends on the construction material and building layout. The best way to determine whether the mesh link is good enough is to associate a client to the LMG and try doing a performance test or browsing the Internet. You can also try checking the signal quality (see below).

How do I know if there’s good enough signal between LMG and backhaul AP?

The best way to determine whether the mesh link is good enough is to associate a client to the LMG and try doing a performance test or browsing the Internet. Alternatively you can also check the LEDs or the LMG Web UI.

• Steady Green – Good Air Quality: The current environment will support quality data transmission. The received signal strength (RSSI) of the backhaul AP signal to the LMG is 24 dBm or higher
• Green flashing – Marginally Acceptable Air Quality: A fast flashing Green LED (one flash per second) indicates that the current RSSI strength is between 19 dBm and 24 dBm; a slow flashing green (one flash every 3 seconds) indicates RSSI strength is between 7 dBm and 19 dBm. While data transmission is possible, the quality will vary.
• Off – Bad Air Quality: The current environment is not suitable for data transmission. The current RSSI is below 7 dBm.

On the LMG Web UI you can also find the SNR for each backhaul AP (StatusﰀWirelessﰀMesh WLANﰀConnected devices) – usually SNR of higher than 30dB should be good enough.

Can I control which backhaul AP the Lite Mesh Gateway will associate with?

• Any BSSID – the admin can configure an SSID on the Setup Wizard without specifying a specific BSSID. The LMG will associate with the AP with the strongest signal. If that AP fails, the LMG will try associating with another backhaul AP with the same SSID.
• Preferred BSSID – the admin can choose the specific backhaul AP from the list on the wizard (or configure it manually if it’s not there). If that AP fails, the LMG will try finding an alternative backhaul AP with the same SSID. This option usually achieves the best tradeoff between control and redundancy.
• “Locked” BSSID – in this case the admin specifies the BSSID of the backhaul AP and if that AP fails the LMG will lose connection (no fallback). To configure that option, login to the Web UI of the LMG and set the BSSID to be “locked” on the Wireless configuration page.

What would be the upgrade process from LMG to ZoneDirector-managed mesh?

1. Unmounting the Lite Mesh Gateway from its current location
2. Connecting a PC to one of the Ethernet ports and upgrading the software image as well as the backup software image
3. Resetting the Lite Mesh Gateway to factory default
4. Following the standard steps for deploying a new mesh AP (including associating it with the ZoneDirector). Details to follow when the mesh release is available.

Can I associate the Lite Mesh Gateway with a non-Ruckus AP?

The Lite Mesh Gateway was designed to work in concert with Ruckus ZoneFlex APs. Technically, it might also associate with other APs if they support WDS. However, not all features might be available and performance might vary.