I wouldn't necessarily say that a layer 2 mesh is more difficult to troubleshoot than a layer 3 mesh with tunnels on top to achieve layer 2 functionality is... :) L2 mesh networks can be quite scalable, especially when separating end user traffic by performing l3 routing over the l2 mesh or by using VLANs.
On Sun, 2008-06-15 at 23:32 -0400, Clint Ricker wrote: > I can't think of a reason why anyone would deploy a layer 2 mesh with > an Ethernet based medium (which wifi inherently is). Conventional > wisdom in large scale sp architecture is to do anything of any size or > complexity in layer 3. Layer 2 is really bad at scalability and > really hard to troubleshoot compared to layer 3 as layer 2 "routing" > is inherently quite "dumb". > > If you need l2 functionality or protocol agnostic (although the latter > is more of an academic feature than a practical benefit), then go l3 > and tunnel. Most l2 services provided by service providers are, in > the end, tunneled over a layer 3 infrastructure. Scalabiity and > stability are the 2 concerns of a service provider, and both are very > weak at layer 2 of any size.. > > -Clint Ricker > > On Jun 15, 2008, at 21:00, Matt Hardy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > On Sun, 2008-06-15 at 20:52 -0400, Matt Hardy wrote: > > > >> Yes a layer 2 mesh is protocol dependent, so you're stuck to IP > >> traffic > >> only. > > > > > > > > Oops... i mean, Layer 3 is protocol dependent :) > > > > > > > >> Also, when using a layer 3 mesh, roaming and convergence time can > >> also > >> increase (slowing things down) as when things move around, extra > >> things > >> have to happen... layer 3 stuff... OLSR tables updated, IPs > >> updated, ARP > >> entries updated, etc > >> > >> For instance, if a laptop migrates from one mesh AP to a different > >> mesh > >> AP in L3, they will be assigned an IP in a different subnet, while > >> with > >> a Layer 2 mesh, they can use the same IP. > >> > >> -Matt > >> > >> On Sat, 2008-06-14 at 10:08 -0700, Charles N Wyble wrote: > >> > >>> Rogelio wrote: > >>>> Matt Hardy wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> I guess one question would be is it a Layer 2 or Layer 3 me > >>>>> sh? That > >>>>> would influence what options you have. > >>>>> > >>>> > >>>> Good question. Thus far, I've only played with "layer 2" meshes. > >>>> (MobileIP is, I believe, a "layer 3" one, right?) > >>>> > >>> > >>> Yes that is correct. > >>> > >>>> (Layer 2 meshes, I have heard from others, are "better", but I'm > >>>> not > >>>> exactly sure why this is the case, to be honest.) > >>>> > >>> > >>> Well. It's completely transparent and application/protocol > >>> independent. > >>> > >>> Charles > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> WISPA Wants You! Join today! > >>> http://signup.wispa.org/ > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> --- > >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> > >>> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >>> > >>> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > >>> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >>> > >>> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > >> > >> > >> --- > >> --- > >> --- > >> --- > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> WISPA Wants You! Join today! > >> http://signup.wispa.org/ > >> --- > >> --- > >> --- > >> --- > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >> > >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >> > >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > > > > > --- > > --- > > --- > > --- > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > > http://signup.wispa.org/ > > --- > > --- > > --- > > --- > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
