CAPWAPprotokollalla

CAPWAP, which stands for Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points, is a protocol that enables wireless controllers to manage and provision wireless access points (APs). It acts as a standard interface between a wireless LAN controller (WLC) and one or more APs, regardless of the manufacturer. This standardization allows for greater flexibility and interoperability in wireless network deployments.

The CAPWAP protocol defines how the WLC and APs communicate, including the exchange of control messages and data traffic. It supports two primary modes of operation: split-MAC and local-MAC. In split-MAC mode, the WLC handles many of the time-sensitive MAC layer functions, while the AP performs basic packet forwarding. In local-MAC mode, the AP handles most of the MAC layer processing locally. CAPWAP also uses encryption to secure the communication tunnel between the WLC and the APs, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of the transmitted data. This protocol is fundamental to the operation of many enterprise-grade wireless networks.