Understand Network Interfaces : Support

Network interface selection is very important while creating a wireless SSID profile.

Let's go through the common scenarios and interface selection.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Gateway Mode
2) Bridge+firewall
3) Bridge no firewall

1) Gateway Mode

Ray in only Gateway mode is a simple and common scenario for the home-based Wi-Fi internet setup as displayed in the below picture.

In this case of gateway mode, only interface selection will be as explained in the following snapshot.

It is not always mandatory for particularly Ray gateway mode AP SSID profile to select any interface under "Gateway" field.

You can leave it blank the "Gateway" filed without selecting any Interface. check below snapshot.

All 3 fields indicate the different possible modes with Ray APs.

In Gateway mode, the network interface needs to be selective in the Gateway section of the SSID profile window.

The rest of the options are for other modes and network scenarios.

Why choose the LAN interface for SSID in Gateway-only mode?

This is because the LAN interface will be the gateway interface for both wired and wireless clients connected to the network.

And interface selection will behave based on the AP you have set up in a particular mode.

2) Bridge+firewall

If your AP receives the IP Address via DHCP then, none of the settings except WLAN need to be created.

In this case, the Default WAN will already have the IP Address via DHCP.

The Ray AP shall be in "Bridge Mode" with the WAN Interface.

AP with bridge mode is almost similar to the AP in individual client mode with a different gateway than Ray AP.

But AP with bridge mode will enhance and extend the services like captive portal access for the guest users,

policies pushed by the gateway firewall, etc. With client mode, these things are not possible to work with.

The below snapshot is the best example of a "Heterogeneous network" for bridge mode APs.

Network Interface selection in the Bridge + Firewall will be as explained in the below snapshot.

The client mode is the same as the Bridge mode with one key difference.

Unlike Bridge mode, client mode has the firewall turned off and it purely works as a client.

The ideal use case of client mode is behind a firewall or an SD-WAN gateway.

Below is the best example of a "Heterogeneous network" for client mode APs.

Network interface settings for the Bridge no firewall will be as given in the following snapshot.