WILI MESH Installation Guide
From wiliGear wiki
Contents |
Introduction
Mesh installation guide shows systematic instructions of how to set up a mesh network with the new WILIGEAR product MESH-mini. It is dedicated for building smaller-scale indoor mesh networks. This document shows how to set up Gateway and mesh nodes that will be used in the network. Also, basic instructions and recommendations are given for the use of Mesh GUI (graphical user interface) and quick presentation of mesh monitoring application WILI Scout. After reading this guide, you will be able to setup a secured mesh network.
Mesh Network Deployment
Mesh network consists of two elements: Mesh Node and Mesh Gateway. Mesh Node provides data transport, monitoring and AP functionality for connecting regular 802.11 wireless clients to the network. Mesh node connected to wired backbone will function as Mesh Gateway. To create a Mesh network the mesh gateway should be configured first.
Gateway Configuration
A gateway is a Mesh device connected to the Internet. Follow the steps to configure Mesh Gateway:
Step 1. Plug in the power cord and the LAN cable of the Mesh gateway to your switch or router and wait a few seconds for the device to boot up:
Step 2. Run WILI Scout Java utility from the WILIBOX site http://www.wilibox.com/wiliscout/wiliscout.jnlp for graphical representation for WILI Mesh network topology.
 | The WILI Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the WILI Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged. |
Step 3. As Mesh device acts as a DHCP client on WAN interface by default, the local DHCP server (running on your router or switch) will provide the IP address. Use the Device Discovery tool integrated into WILI Scout utility (navigate Tools-> Device Discovery) to find your Mesh device IP by MAC address.
Step 4. Right-click the entry appropriate to your Mesh device and click Launch Browser to open the Mesh device Web management interface.
Step 5. Enter the login credentials to access Mesh device management interface:
| | The default administrator login settings for Mesh device are:
|
Step 6 Navigate to the Configuration -> Mesh and assign the gateway role to the Mesh device. The main parameter is Mesh role, remaining parameters can be left unaltered.
Use the Apply button to save changes made on the Mesh gateway.
| | The Apply button does not save the configuration permanently, only temporary. Once the Apply button is clicked, the SAVE&REBOOT should be used to save the configuration to the device. |
Step 7 Use Save&Reboot button to save the changes made and reboot the Mesh gateway:
Step 8 Your Mesh gateway is ready for operation now.
Node Configuration
When the Mesh gateway is running, the Mesh Nodes should be installed to create a Mesh network.
| | Repeat the following steps for every Mesh Node. |
Step 1. Plug in the power cord to the Mesh Node and wait a few seconds for the device to boot up.
Step 2. As Mesh device acts as a DHCP client on WAN interface by default, the local DHCP server (running on your router or switch) will provide the IP address. Use the Device Discovery tool integrated into WILI Scout utility (navigate Tools-> Device Discovery) to find your Mesh device IP by MAC address.
| | The WILI Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the WILI Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged. |
Step 3. Right-click the entry appropriate to your Mesh Node and click Launch Browser to open the Mesh device Web management interface.
Step 4. Enter the login credentials to access Mesh device management interface:
| | The default administrator login settings for Mesh device are:
|
Step 5 Navigate to the Configuration -> Mesh and assign the Node role to the Mesh device. The main parameter is Mesh role, remaining parameters can be left unaltered.
Use the Apply button to save changes made on the Mesh gateway.
| | The Apply button does not save the configuration permanently, only temporary. Once the Apply button is clicked, the SAVE&REBOOT should be used to save the configuration to the device. |
Step 6 Use Save&Reboot button to save the changes made and reboot the Mesh node:
Step 7 Your Mesh node is ready for operation now.
Mesh Network Monitoring
Use WILI Scout the standalone Java application for graphical representation of the Mesh network topology.
Run WILI Scout
Launch of the WILI Scout via Java WebStart is very easy. You should run this application from the official WILIBOX site http://www.wilibox.com/wiliscout/wiliscout.jnlp.
| | The WILI Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the WILI Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged. |
Heartbeat Polling via Multicast
After the WILI Scout already runs on your PC, you must enable Heartbeat Polling via Multicast to view your Mesh network topology.
When enabled the WILI Scout gathers information about all WILI devices in local network and has ability to display Mesh network topology graphically:
Device Discovery Tool
| | The WILI Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the WILI Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged. |
Use Device Discovery tool to discover WILI devices within reach of a single multicast packet. Navigate Tools->Device Discovery to run this tool:
Successfully loaded multicast discovery is listening for multicast request packet and will respond with following information about device:
- WAN interface MAC,
- WAN interface IP address,
- device firmware version;
Mesh Configuration Recommendations
After the Gateway and Nodes are up and running at least few of parameters should be changed according your needs: administrator’s password and Security enabled on the Service Set. Follow the instructions how to change these key parameters.
General Configuration Instructions
The configuration of the Mesh elements (Mesh Gateway and Mesh Nodes) in running Mesh network should be done starting the outermost Mesh Node.
For example if mesh topology is as displayed in the picture above, then Mesh Node configuration should be started with the outermost device which IP is 192.168.28.37.
Changing Administrator’s Credentials
Navigate to the System -> Administrative Account menu of the certain Mesh device Web management interface and change credentials of the current administrator.
Username – displays the username of the current connected administrator. This parameter is not changeable.
Old password – enter the old administrator password.
New password – enter the new administrator password for user authentication.
Verify password – re-enter the new password to verify its accuracy.
| | The only way to gain access to the web management if you forget the administrator password is to reset the WILI device to factory default settings. |
| | The default administrator login settings for Mesh device are:
|
Apply – click to save changes. The Apply button does not save the configuration permanently, only temporary. Once the Apply button is clicked, the SAVE&REBOOT should be used to finalize the configuration to the device:
Enabling Security on the Service Set
The Service Set is a wireless interface that is dedicated to service provisioning for 802.11 clients (notebook computers, PDAs, Wi-Fi phone sets, etc.). Navigate to Configuration -> Service Set and enable the of the Service Set for security purpose:
Authentication method – choose the security method and the key selection method for the client access from the drop-down list.
Passphrase – specify the WPA or WPA2 passphrase [8-63 characters]. The passphrase will be converted to pre-shared key format, selected above.
| | Be sure that WLAN card of the mobile clients supports the chosen authentication method. |
We recommend to set the same authentication methods with the same passphrase as only then wireless client can seamlessly roam between all mesh Nodes without re-authentication.
