Single-channel architecture
Open-knowledge reference entry
In computer networking, single-channel architecture (SCA) is the design of a wireless network in such a way that the wireless client sees a single point of access to the network. This design utilizes a centralized controller to decide which access point (AP) will be used to communicate with a client device. This method allows the network to maintain a higher level of control over the communication medium than does multiple-channel architecture, which allows client devices to determine which APs to communicate with.
Principles
Single-channel architecture is based on a principle of "virtual cells". All APs joined to a virtual cell use the same wireless channel and identify themselves with the same basic service set identifier (BSSID, i.e. a MAC address). The APs in a cell are managed by a centralized Wireless LAN controller (WLC) that coordinates the APs such that APs/transmissions do not interfere with one another. From a client's point of view, a virtual cell appears as a single AP.
Multiple virtual cells can co-exist, with each virtual cell having its own BSSID and channel. This topology effectively simulates a multiple-channel architecture and can be used to reduce channel congestion in environments with high AP density and overlapping signal range. For example, in a classroom with two cells, clients can be directed to associate with one or the other cell, leaving more bandwidth available to the clients on each channel.
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This entry incorporates text from “Single-channel architecture” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.