User Manual

CHAPTER
CISCO CONFIDENTIAL - Draft 1
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Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point Hardware Installation Guide
OL-12632-01
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Overview
The Cisco Aironet 1520 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point (hereafter called the access point) is a
wireless device designed for wireless client access, point-to-point bridging, point-to-multipoint
bridging, and point-to-multipoint mesh wireless connectivity. The access point is a standalone unit that
can be mounted on a streetlight pole or on a building wall or overhang. It is a self-contained outdoor unit
that can be configured with a wired backhaul connection to an Ethernet segment for a rooftop
deployment or can be configured with a wireless backhaul for a pole-top deployment. The access point
can be installed where power is available without the need for a wired network connection.
The access point is available in two models: LAP1522 (supports 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radios) and
LAP1521 (supports a 2.4-GHz radio).The access point provides client access and wireless mesh
backhaul that supports 6 to 54 Mbps data rates without the need for a license. The LAP1522 model
dedicates the 5-GHz radio for backhaul operations to reach a wired network and uses the 2.4-GHz radio
for wireless clients. The LAP1521 model uses the 2.4- or 5-GHz radio for both backhaul and wireless
clients.
The access point can also operate as a relay node for other access points not directly connected to a wired
network. Intelligent wireless routing is provided by the patent-pending Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol
(AWPP). This enables each access point to identify its neighbors and intelligently choose the optimal
path to the wired network by calculating the cost of each path in terms of signal strength and the number
of hops required to get to a controller.
The access point is configured, monitored, and operated through a Cisco wireless LAN controller
(hereafter called a controller) as described in the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide.
The Deployment Guide: Cisco Mesh Networking Solution describes how to plan and initially configure
the Cisco Mesh network, which supports wireless point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and mesh
deployments. The controllers use a browser-based management system, a command-line interface (CLI),
or the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) network management system to manage the controller and
the associated access points. The access point is compliant with Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2) and
employs hardware-based Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption between wireless nodes to
provide end-to-end security.
This chapter provides information on the following topics:
Main Hardware Features, page 2
Network Configuration Examples, page 6

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