Cisco AIR-AP1220B-A-K9 Hardware Installation Guide - Page 29

Chapter 2 Installation Installation Guidelines Coverage Options The network architecture options of wireless stations and access points provide for a variety of coverage alternatives and flexibility. The network can be designed to provide a wide coverage area with minimal overlap or a narrow coverage area with heavy overlap. A narrow coverage area with heavy overlap improves network performance and protection against downtime if a component fails. Note The following coverage options apply to both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz wireless LANs. Minimal Overlap Coverage Option By arranging the access points so that the overlap in a coverage area is minimized, a large area can be covered with minimal cost (see Figure 2-1). The total bandwidth available to each wireless client device depends on the amount of data each mobile station needs to transfer and the number of stations located in each cell. Seamless roaming is supported as a client device moves in and out of range of each access point, thereby maintaining a constant connection to the wired LAN. Each device in the radio network must be configured with the same SSID to provide roaming capability. Figure 2-1 Minimal Overlap Coverage Option Wired LAN 74001 Heavy Overlap Coverage Option By arranging the access points so the overlap in coverage area is nearly maximized, a large number of mobile stations can be supported in the same wireless infrastructure. However, devices in overlapping coverage areas on the same frequency detect adjacent cell traffic and delay transmissions that would cause collisions. This configuration reduces the aggregate radio system throughput. Heavy cell overlap is not recommended for maximum system throughput. OL-2155-02 Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Point Hardware Installation Guide 2-5