A method for providing communication in a wired/wireless local area network (214, 234, 302) comprising a first switch connected to a first plurality of access points (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314) and a first plurality of access devices (322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338), and a second switch connected to a second plurality of access points (224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 316,1318, 320) and a second plurality of access devices (322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338), the method comprising: communicating at least a first messaging protocol message between said first switch (202, 306) and one or both of said second switch (222, 308) and a first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314) of said first plurality of access points; responsive to said communicated at least a first messaging protocol message, communicating at least a second messaging protocol message between said one or both of said second switch (222, 308) and said first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314) of said plurality of first access points, and at least a second access point (224, 226, 228, 230, 232. 316, 318, 320) of said second plurality of access points, wherein one or both of said at least first messaging protocol message and said at least second messaging protocol message comprise a set of parameters; and centrally controlling switching functions or activities of one or more of said first switch (202, 306), said second switch (222, 308), said first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314), said second access point (224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 316, 318, 320), and at least one access device (322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338) of said first and second plurality of access devices using said set of parameters comprised in one or both of said at least first messaging protocol message and said at least second messaging protocol message. communicating at least a first messaging protocol message between said first switch (202, 306) and one or both of said second switch (222, 308) and a first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314) of said first plurality of access points; responsive to said communicated at least a first messaging protocol message, communicating at least a second messaging protocol message between said one or both of said second switch (222, 308) and said first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314) of said plurality of first access points, and at least a second access point (224, 226, 228, 230, 232. 316, 318, 320) of said second plurality of access points, wherein one or both of said at least first messaging protocol message and said at least second messaging protocol message comprise a set of parameters; and centrally controlling switching functions or activities of one or more of said first switch (202, 306), said second switch (222, 308), said first access point (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 310, 312, 314), said second access point (224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 316, 318, 320), and at least one access device (322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338) of said first and second plurality of access devices using said set of parameters comprised in one or both of said at least first messaging protocol message and said at least second messaging protocol message.