ZyXEL Communications wireless n gigbit router zyxel User Manual

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Chapter 7 Wireless LAN
NBG-460N User’s Guide
122
The roaming feature on the access points allows the access points to relay 
information about the wireless stations to each other. When a wireless station 
moves from a coverage area to another, it scans and uses the channel of a new 
access point, which then informs the other access points on the LAN about the 
change. An example is shown in 
With roaming, a wireless LAN mobile user enjoys a continuous connection to the 
wired network through an access point while moving around the wireless LAN.
Enable roaming to exchange the latest bridge information of all wireless stations 
between APs when a wireless station moves between coverage areas. Wireless 
stations can still associate with other APs even if you disable roaming. Enabling 
roaming ensures correct traffic forwarding (bridge tables are updated) and 
maximum AP efficiency. The AP deletes records of wireless stations that associate 
with other APs (Non-ZyXEL APs may not be able to perform this). 802.1x 
authentication information is not exchanged (at the time of writing).
Figure 88   Roaming Example
The steps below describe the roaming process.
1
Wireless station Y moves from the coverage area of access point AP 1 to that of 
access point AP 2
2
Wireless station Y scans and detects the signal of access point AP 2
3
Wireless station Y sends an association request to access point AP 2.
4
Access point AP 2 acknowledges the presence of wireless station Y and relays this 
information to access point AP 1 through the wired LAN. 
5
Access point AP 1 updates the new position of wireless station Y.