Wireless Distribution System

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A Wireless Distribution System is a system that enables the wireless interconnection of access points in an IEEE 802.11 network. It allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them, as is traditionally required. The notable advantage of WDS over other solutions is that it preserves the MAC addresses of client packets across links between access points. ^[1]

An access point can be either a main, relay or remote base station. A main base station is typically connected to the wired Ethernet. A relay base station relays data between remote base stations, wireless clients or other relay stations to either a main or another relay base station. A remote base station accepts connections from wireless clients and passes them to relay or main stations. Connections between "clients" are made using MAC addresses rather than by specifying IP assignments.

All base stations in a Wireless Distribution System must be configured to use the same radio channel, and share WEP keys or WPA keys if they are used. They can be configured to different service set identifiers. WDS also requires that every base station be configured to forward to others in the system.

WDS may also be referred to as repeater mode because it appears to bridge and accept wireless clients at the same time (unlike traditional bridging). It should be noted, however, that throughput in this method is halved for all clients connected to a router that is connected with WDS.

1 Implementations
2 Technical
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Implementations

WDS may be incompatible between different products (even occasionally from the same vendor) as it is not certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

AVM FRITZ!Box WLAN 7xxx FRITZ!Box
Apple Inc's Time Capsule, Airport Extreme 802.11-(pre)N, Airport Extreme 802.11b/g and Airport Express are all able to use WDS.
The WRT54G from Linksys is able to make use of the Wireless Distribution System via a 3rd party firmware like DD-WRT, FreeWRT, HyperWRT, OpenWrt, Sveasoft, Tomato Firmware, Tarifa and X-Wrt. WRT54G also supports WDS as an undocumented feature with stock firmware.^[2]
All OpenWRT supported hardware should theoretically support WDS when OpenWRT is installed.
Some Buffalo routers support WDS. All of the Nfniti routers plus the WHR-HP-AG108 do not support WDS.
All NETGEAR ProSafe access points (WG102, WAG102, WG302, WAG302) natively support the full implementation of the Wireless Distribution System. Several of their SOHO devices do also, whether with full implementations like the WG602v2/v3 or partial implementations like the WPN802. With firmware version V1.02.08, the Netgear DG834N.WNR834B offers native repeater mode.
U.S. Robotics Professional Access Point (5453), MAXg (5432, 5441, 5451, 5455, 5461, 5465, 9108) and Ndx (5454, 5464, 9113) wireless products support WDS.
All Comtrend wireless 802.11g products support WDS.
MSI's RG54SE and probably other routers support WDS, while providing both wireless and ethernet connection to the router.
Renasis SAP36g 820 mW Super Access Point supports WDS.
Zoom X6 (Firmware Version 2.0.4) supports WDS
Siemens Gigaset SE551, SE 366, SX763 WLAN supports WDS.
CNet Wireless-G MIMO Router (CWR-903)
SMC EZ Connect G Wireless Access Point (SMCWEBT-G), SMC7908VoWBRA support WDS.
The SMCBarricade SMCWBR14T-G
The SMCBarricade SMCWBR14-G2
Edimax Access Point EW-7206APg and Router Broadband BR-6304WG support WDS
E-Tech WGRT04, WGRT05, WMRT01, ADWG05, ADWG06 support WDS.
Eminent EM4032, EM4114, EM4115, EM4030, EM4040, EM4050, EM4214, 4216 support WDS
Thomson's SpeedTouch 780 WL & 585 support WDSs
D-Link DGL-4300 (Firmware 1.8 and later)
Draytek 2700, 2800 series routers and some 2600 series (Wireless hardware v2) support WDS.
Canyon CN-WF514M MIMO Wireless Broadband Router supports WDS
3COM OfficeConnect ADSL Wireless 11g Firewall Router Version 1.00.00.T13 supports WDS
3Com Wireless 7760 11a/b/g PoE Access Point supports WDS
ProCurve AP 530
Allied Telesis AT-WA7400, AT-WA1104G, AT-WR4561 & AT-WR4562 are supporting WDS
Alcatel SpeedTouch 716 and 780 supports WDS
Some ValuePoint products including the 700g MultiSSID AP support WDS, sometimes with a firmware upgrade.
Motorola WR850G and WR850GS with firmware 6.14.
Zonet ZSR1134WE
Acer W422g product supports WDS
BEWAN SYSTEMS BWIFI-AP54T
Trendnet TEW-450APB Supports Access Point, AP Client, Repeater and Bridge (PTP & PTMP) Modes
Airlink101 AP431W Multi-function Access Point supports WDS.
PLANET wireless AP & Router, WAP-4000A, WAP-4033, WAP-4035, WAP-4036, WAP-4060PE, WRT-414, WRT-416, WNRT-620, support WDS.
EnGenius 3220 series (EOC and ECB) Not compatible with the 8610 & 3610 series due to different chipsets. The 3220 currently uses the Realtek chipset while the 8610 & 3610 uses Atheros chipset.
ENGENIUS TECHNOLOGIES ESR-9710 can be used as a WDS.
Cisco wireless AP (such as aironet)
BT Home Hub can support WDS. No direct support from BT is available.
Asus WL-520gC

Note: Wireless Distribution System is distinct from the WDS implementation by Cisco, which stands for Wireless Domain Services.

[edit] Technical

WDS can be used to provide two modes of wireless AP-to-AP connectivity:

Wireless Bridging in which WDS APs communicate only with each other and don't allow wireless clients or Stations (STA) to access them
Wireless Repeating in which APs communicate with each other and with wireless STAs

Two disadvantages to using WDS are:

The maximum wireless effective throughput is halved for each additional retransmission (hops) that is made. For example, in the case of two routers connected via WDS, and communication is made between a computer that is plugged into router A and a laptop that is plugged wirelessly using router B's access point, the throughput is halved, because router B has to retransmit the information during the communication of the two sides. However, in the case of communications between a computer that is plugged into router A and a computer that is plugged into router B, the throughput is not halved since there is no need to retransmit the information.
Dynamically assigned and rotated encryption keys are usually not supported in a WDS connection. This means that dynamic Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and other dynamic key assignment technology in most cases can not be used, though WPA using pre-shared keys is possible. This is due to the lack of standardization in this field, which may be resolved with the upcoming 802.11s standard. As a result only static WEP or WPA keys may be used in a WDS connection, including any STAs that associate to a WDS repeating AP.

Recent Apple base stations allow WDS with WPA, though in some cases firmware updates are required. Firmware for the Renasis SAP36g Super Access Point and most third party firmwares for the Linksys WRT54G(S)/GL support AES encryption using WPA2-PSK Mixed Mode security, and TKIP encryption using WPA-PSK, while operating in WDS mode. However, this mode may not be compatible with other units running stock or alternate firmwares.