Configuring Mobility for Clients

Instant Access Points (IAPs) form a single IAP cluster when they are in the same Layer-2 (L2) domain. As the number of clients increase, multiple subnets Subnet is the logical division of an IP network. are required to avoid broadcast overhead. In such a scenario, a client must be allowed to roam away from the network to which it first connected (home network) to another network supporting the same WLAN Wireless Local Area Network. WLAN is a 802.11 standards-based LAN that the users access through a wireless connection. access parameters (foreign network) and continue its existing sessions.

Layer-3 (L3) mobility allows a client to roam without losing its IP address and sessions. If WLAN access parameters are the same across these networks, clients connected to IAPs in a given network can roam to IAPs in a foreign network and continue their existing sessions using their IP addresses. You can configure a list of Virtual Controller IP addresses across which L3 mobility is supported.

Home Agent Load Balancing is required in large networks where multiple tunnels might terminate on a single border or lobby AP and overload it. When load balancing is enabled, the VC assigns the home AP for roamed clients by using a round robin policy. With this policy, the load for the APs acting as Home Agents for roamed clients is uniformly distributed across the IAP cluster.

Configuring L3 Mobility Domain

To configure a mobility domain, you have to specify the list of all HPE Aruba Networking Central networks that form the mobility domain. To allow clients to roam seamlessly among all the APs, specify the VC IP for each foreign subnet. You may include the local HPE Aruba Networking Central or VC IP address, so that the same configuration can be used across all HPE Aruba Networking Central networks in the mobility domain.

HPE Aruba Networking recommends that you configure all client subnets in the mobility domain. When client subnets are configured:

  • If a client is from a local subnet, it is identified as a local client. When a local client starts using the IP address, the L3 roaming is terminated.
  • If the client is from a foreign subnet, it is identified as a foreign client. When a foreign client starts using the IP address, the L3 roaming is set up.

To configure a Layer-3 Mobility domain, complete the following steps:

  1. In the WebUI, set the filter to a group containing at least one AP.

    The dashboard context for the group is displayed.

  2. Under Manage, click Devices > Access Points.

    A list of APs is displayed in the List view.

  3. Click the Config icon.

    The tabs to configure the APs are displayed.

  4. Click Show Advanced.
  5. Click the System tab.

    The System page is displayed.

  6. Click the Layer-3 Mobility accordion.
  7. Turn on the Home Agent Load Balancing toggle switch. By default, home agent load balancing is disabled.
  8. Under IP Address, click +, and enter an IP address name in the New IP Address window, and then click OK.

    Repeat Step 7 to add the IP addresses of all VCs that form the L3 mobility domain.

  9. Under Subnets, click +, and specify the following:
    1. Enter the client subnet in the IP Address box.
    2. Enter the mask in the Subnet Mask box.
    3. Enter the VLAN Virtual Local Area Network. In computer networking, a single Layer 2 network may be partitioned to create multiple distinct broadcast domains, which are mutually isolated so that packets can only pass between them through one or more routers; such a domain is referred to as a Virtual Local Area Network, Virtual LAN, or VLAN. ID in the home network in the VLAN ID box.
    4. Enter the home VC IP address for this subnet in the Virtual Controller IP box.
  10. Click OK.