WDS and MESH

What this chapter covers

WDS and MESH are two ways to link wireless devices to each other instead of only to clients.

WDS joins access points over the air so that a wired network can be extended without a cable. A mesh goes further, with many devices linked together and a routing protocol choosing the path.

The chapter follows the eighth part of the MTCWE syllabus. It has two topics, covered by three pages.

How the topics fit together

Both topics build on the same link, which is a WDS interface between two devices.

The pages follow that idea:

• WDS with dynamic and static links covers how the links are made and what must match.
• WDS bridges and RSTP covers how the links join a bridge, and how loops are prevented.
• Wireless mesh with HWMP+ covers a routing protocol that picks the best path for each destination.

The main choice in the chapter is between RSTP and a mesh. RSTP is simple and standard, and it blocks the extra links. The mesh keeps all the links in use, and it is MikroTik specific.

How to use these pages

Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.

• What it is: the idea in plain words.
• How it works: the mechanism, with diagrams and example commands.
• What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise.
• Common mistakes: the classic traps.
• Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.

The syllabus marks both topics as labs. Build a chain of three devices, first with static WDS and then with dynamic WDS, and add a bridge with RSTP. Disconnect one link and watch how the network recovers.

Then repeat the exercise with a mesh and compare how the paths change in the forwarding database.