Cisco Meraki - User Manual

Using a Cisco Meraki Access Point as a Mesh Repeater
Mesh Repeater Overview
In a Meraki network, "mesh repeaters" are AP's without a wired path to the cloud. Repeaters rely on other mesh repeaters and or "mesh gateways" to route
client traffic towards the Internet. Mesh repeaters make use of mesh routing metrics to determine the best quality route to use when forwarding client traffic. Any
Meraki AP can function as a mesh repeater. At least one mesh gateway must be installed on the network before you add a mesh repeater.
Note: Only Cisco Meraki APs can function as repeaters and gateways. Wireless MX security appliances, Z1/Z3 teleworker gateways, and third-party APs cannot
participate in a wireless mesh.
Prerequisites:
• Add the serial number of the mesh repeater AP to the network in Dashboard.
• Add the serial number of the mesh gateway AP to the network in Dashboard.
• Install a mesh gateway AP within range of the mesh repeater.
Installing a Repeater
1. Install the mesh repeater within wireless range of the mesh gateway.
2. Connect the mesh repeater to its power supply. The power supply can be a Meraki PoE injector, plug-in AC power adapter, or IEEE 802.3af compliant PoE
switch. If using Meraki PoE injectors/adapters refer to the instructions in the AP product setup guide. If the LED's do not light up when the power supply is
connected try the following:
• Swap power supplies with known working supply.
• When using PoE adpaters or switches try swapping cables, PoE adapters or switches.
• Make sure the cables are less than 100 meters long
Note: If the repeater is being powered via PoE and/or has any sort of link back to a network, if it is configured with a static IP, it will not come online as a
repeater and continue attempting to function as a gateway.
3. Once the repeater is powered the LED's go through a series of sequences. Please refer to the Product Setup Guide for the model AP to determine the exact
LED locations for your model.
• Pre-2014 Models
◦ Radio light will turn solid green or solid orange (MR Units). If the radio light is off make sure power supply is
working.
◦ Signal lights will move back and forth as the AP search for neighbors. The repeaters lights will turn solid green
after 2 minutes of scanning if a working route to the mesh gateway can be found. If the lights continuously
move back and forth and never turn solid green, the repeater cannot find a route to the mesh gateway.
• 2014 and beyond Models (single LED)
1

Summary

Mesh Repeater Overview

Installing a Repeater

Pre-2014 Models LED Behavior

Describes solid green/orange radio light and signal lights moving for older Meraki APs.

2014 and Beyond Models LED Behavior

Details single LED behavior during boot, scanning, and gateway connection for newer Meraki APs.

Impact of Meshing on Throughput

Selection of Band or Channel for Meshing

Overview

1. Function Description
2. Prerequisites for Installation
3. Installation Steps
4. Impact of Meshing on Throughput
5. Selection of Band or Channel Used for Meshing

This document describes how to use a Cisco Meraki Access Point (AP) as a mesh repeater within a Meraki network.

Function Description

A mesh repeater is a Meraki AP that operates without a wired connection to the cloud. It relies on other mesh repeaters or "mesh gateways" to route client traffic to the internet. Mesh repeaters utilize mesh routing metrics to determine the optimal quality route for forwarding client traffic. Any Meraki AP can function as a mesh repeater, provided at least one mesh gateway is installed and online within the network.

Important Note: Only Cisco Meraki APs can function as repeaters and gateways. Wireless MX security appliances, Z1/Z3 teleworker gateways, and third-party APs are not compatible with a wireless mesh network.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before installing a mesh repeater, ensure the following steps are completed:

• The serial number of the mesh repeater AP must be added to the network in the Meraki Dashboard.
• The serial number of the mesh gateway AP must also be added to the network in the Meraki Dashboard.
• A mesh gateway AP must be installed and operational within wireless range of the intended mesh repeater location.

Installation Steps

1. Placement: Install the mesh repeater within wireless range of the mesh gateway.
2. Power Connection: Connect the mesh repeater to its power supply. This can be achieved using a Meraki PoE injector, a plug-in AC power adapter, or an IEEE 802.3af compliant PoE switch. For specific instructions on Meraki PoE injectors/adapters, refer to the AP product setup guide.
   • Troubleshooting Power Issues: If the LEDs do not illuminate after connecting the power supply, consider the following:
     • Swap the power supply with a known working unit.
     • If using PoE adapters or switches, try swapping cables, PoE adapters, or switches.
     • Ensure all cables are less than 100 meters in length.
   • Note: If the repeater is powered via PoE and/or has any network link, and is configured with a static IP, it will not function as a repeater. Instead, it will continue attempting to operate as a gateway.
3. LED Sequence During Boot-up: Once powered, the repeater's LEDs will cycle through a series of sequences. Refer to the Product Setup Guide for your specific AP model to identify exact LED locations and behaviors.
   • Pre-2014 Models:
     • The radio light will turn solid green or solid orange (for MR Units). If the radio light is off, verify the power supply is working correctly.
     • Signal lights will move back and forth as the AP searches for neighboring devices. The repeater's lights will turn solid green after approximately 2 minutes of scanning if a working route to the mesh gateway is found. If the lights continuously move back and forth without turning solid green, it indicates the repeater cannot establish a route to the mesh gateway.
   • 2014 and Beyond Models (single LED):
     • The LED will initially appear orange during booting, then cycle through all colors while initializing and scanning for a gateway.
     • After successfully locating a working gateway, the LED will turn green.
     • If the LED continually blinks orange, it signifies that the AP is unable to locate a gateway.
   • Troubleshooting if AP Cannot Find a Working Gateway:
     • Verify that the gateway has been added to the Dashboard network.
     • Confirm that the gateway is online with the Dashboard.
     • Ensure the gateway or another mesh repeater with a route to the gateway is within range of the mesh repeater. This can be improved by moving them closer together, ensuring a line of sight, and minimizing physical obstructions.
4. Firmware and Configuration Download: After establishing a route to the gateway, the repeater will connect to the cloud to download its firmware and configuration. During this process, the Radio light will flash green or orange (for MR units). Once the firmware upgrade is complete, the AP will reboot and repeat the same light sequences.
5. Operational Status: Once the AP has booted up and confirmed it has the latest firmware, the radio and signal lights will turn solid green, indicating successful operation as a repeater.

Impact of Meshing on Throughput

Due to the half-duplex nature of wireless communication and the retransmission required for signals passing through a repeater AP, throughput is significantly reduced when using a repeater. While various factors influence wireless throughput, it is generally safe to assume that meshing can reduce throughput by approximately 50%. This reduction applies for each subsequent repeater that must be traversed to reach a gateway. Therefore, it is recommended to minimize the number of hops between a client device and the gateway to maintain optimal performance.

Selection of Band or Channel Used for Meshing

Meraki's meshing technology incorporates a self-healing mechanism where access points automatically detect each other and select the best route to a gateway. All Cisco Meraki APs supporting meshing will automatically attempt to mesh if their wired connection is lost, or they will be available for connections from repeaters if connected as a gateway. For this reason, it is generally recommended to allow auto-channel selection in networks that utilize repeaters.

While direct selection of the frequency band for meshing is not possible, manual adjustment of channel selections can influence the AP's behavior. For detailed instructions, refer to the article on manually changing channels in a mesh network. If the goal is for two APs to mesh on 5GHz rather than 2.4GHz, both APs should be configured to the same 5GHz channel, but different 2.4GHz channels. It's important to remember that a frequency band cannot be exclusively allocated for meshing; both bands will remain available for servicing clients unless the SSID is specifically configured to use the 5GHz band only.

Cisco Meraki Specifications