Sophos XG Firewall Web Interface Reference and Admin Guide v16.5

Access Points

List of all the access points in this group.

Figure 170: Access Point Groups

Add Access Point Group

This page describes how to add an access point group.

1. Go to Protect > Wireless > Access Point Groups and click Add.

2. Specify the access point group details.

Name

Enter a descriptive name for the new access point group.

Wireless Networks

Search for wireless networks and select the wireless networks that should be broadcasted by the access points of this group.

Note: For an access point to broadcast a wireless network some conditions have to be fulfilled. They are explained in the chapter

Access Points

in the section Rules for

Assigning Networks to APs.

VLAN Tagging

Select Enable if you want to activate VLAN tagging.

Note: Make sure that the VLAN interface is assigned to the zone which is selected in the Allowed Zone list on the System > System Services > Wireless page.

Access Points

Search for access points and select the ones you want to add to this group.

Note: Local Wi-Fi Devices cannot be grouped and do not appear in the Access Point list. Local Wi-Fi Devices appear in the Access Point Groups list.

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Figure 171: Add Access Point Group

3. Click Save.

Mesh Networks

The Mesh Networks menu allows you to create mesh networks and associate APs.

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Protect > Wireless > Mesh Networks

In a mesh network, multiple access points communicate with each other and broadcast a common wireless network.

On the one hand, access points connected via a mesh network can broadcast the same wireless network to clients, thus working as a single access point, while covering a wider area. On the other hand, a mesh network can be used to bridge Ethernet networks without laying cables. Access points associated with a mesh network can play one of two roles: root access point or mesh access point. Both broadcast the mesh network, thus the number of other wireless networks they can broadcast is reduced by one.

Root access point

This has a wired connection to Sophos XG Firewall and provides a mesh network. An access point can be root access point for multiple mesh networks.

Mesh access point

This needs a mesh network to connect to Sophos XG Firewall via a root access point. An access point can be mesh access point for only one mesh network at a time.

A mesh network can be used to implement a wireless bridge or a wireless repeater:

Wireless bridge

Using two access points, you can establish a wireless connection between two Ethernet segments. A wireless bridge is useful when you cannot lay a cable to connect those Ethernet segments. While the first Ethernet segment with your Sophos XG Firewall is connected to the

Ethernet interface of the root access point, the second Ethernet segment has to be connected to the Ethernet interface of the mesh access point.

Using multiple mesh access points, you can connect more Ethernet segments.

Wireless repeater

Your Ethernet with your Sophos XG Firewall is connected to the Ethernet interface of a root access point. The root access point has a wireless connection via the mesh network to a mesh access point, which broadcasts wireless networks to wireless clients.

This page displays a list of all the available mesh networks. You can add, edit or delete a mesh network. For each network the list shows:

Mesh-ID

Identifier of the mesh network.

Status

Indicates the current status of the mesh network

Frequency Band

Frequency band on which the associated access points broadcast the mesh network.

Related tasks

Add Mesh Network

on page 167

This page describes how to create mesh networks and assign access points to them.

Add Mesh Network

This page describes how to create mesh networks and assign access points to them.

1. Go to Protect > Wireless > Mesh Networks and click Add.

2. Specify the General Settings details.

Mesh ID

Enter a unique ID for the mesh network.

Frequency Band

Select a frequency band from the available options:

• 5 GHz

• 2.4 GHz

Access points assigned to this network will transmit the mesh network on the selected frequency band. Generally, it is a good idea to use a different frequency band for the mesh network than for the broadcasted wireless networks.

Description

Enter a description or other information to identify the mesh network.

Access Point

Select one or more mesh access points.

a) Click the + icon to select access points that broadcast the mesh network.

b) Specify the Mesh Network Role details.

Access Points

Select an access point.

Note: Except for AP5 and AP10, all the APs can be used for broadcasting mesh networks.

Role

Define the access point's role for the selected mesh network. A root access point is directly connected to Sophos XG Firewall. A mesh access point, after having received its initial configuration, once unplugged from the Sophos XG Firewall will connect to a root access point via the mesh network.

Note: An access point can be mesh access point only for one mesh network.

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Figure 172: Add Mesh Network

c) Click Save.