Patent ID: 9210644
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A wireless distribution system including a root access point (AP) wirelessly coupled to a number of repeater devices, wherein the root AP comprises: a transceiver to couple the root AP to a wired network; a WLAN port to exchange wireless signals with the repeater devices; a WLAN controller to control an operation of the WLAN port; a number of virtual interfaces, each assigned to a corresponding one of the repeater devices; a bridging engine coupled to the transceiver, to the WLAN controller, and to the virtual interfaces, wherein the bridging engine is to selectively forward data packets received from the wired network to the repeater devices via the virtual interfaces, and each of the virtual interfaces appears, to the bridging engine, as a dedicated physical interface for a corresponding one of the repeater devices; and a bridging table coupled to the bridging engine and including a plurality of first bridging entries, wherein each of the first bridging entries is to store a media access control (MAC) address of an associated repeater device and a port number of the virtual interface corresponding to the associated repeater device, wherein: the bridging engine is to discard all broadcast packets destined for the virtual interfaces, and is to discard all broadcast packets received from the virtual interfaces.