Bridges are used to connect two or more wired LANs, to create one large LAN.
The LANs are usually located within separate buildings, as pictured in Figure
. In some cases,
they can both reside in the same location
.
There are three basic models of Cisco bridges: the BR350
, WGB350
, and 1400
. The BR350 is
sometimes called the multifunction bridge. A comparison of the models are shown
in Figure
. For a more
detailed study of the BR350, the Photozooms can be accessed below. This module
will focus on the BR350 configuration. The 1400 bridge will be covered at the
end of the module.
In Figure
, the BR350 or
the 1400 can be used to create a site-to-site wireless link. In Figure
, a
WGB350 can be used for up to eight devices while a BR350 can be used for up to
2007 devices theoretically. A BR350 is ideally suited for harsh and industrial
environments.
Cisco bridges can be controlled and configured though
command line and Web interfaces. Management can also be done through
traditional protocols like SNMP. A variety of antenna options can provide
additional reach or speed, depending on the installation. Cisco bridges also
provide enterprise level security, monitoring, and manageability.
Bridging has quickly become one of the most popular uses of wireless
networks. This is partially due to the ease of installation and setup. It is
also due to the variety of emerging markets, to which WLAN bridging can be
applied. As shown in Figure
, some of these
markets include the following:
- Campus environments, such as hospitals, schools, universities, and
corporations
- Areas where geography may exclude other solutions
- Temporary network installations
- Internet service providers (ISPs)
- Backup or alternative connections
- Developing countries, where alternative solutions may not be available
- International markets