This article shows how to configure the Smart Mesh in Nebula, how to bridge WiFi to LAN using Wireless Bridge, and what enhancements that have been made to the Nebula mesh system. It also shows supported models, mesh downlink, specify mesh AP, Mesh Failover, how to check signal strength on your mesh system, unstable mesh, if mesh won't connect.
1) Introduction
1.1 What is Nebula Smart Mesh?
Smart Mesh technology operates by designating a single access point (referred to as the "root AP") to maintain a wired connection with the primary network infrastructure and "repeaters AP" connected to the root AP" via a wireless connection.
While it is technically possible to establish a mesh network across multiple wireless hops,
for optimal performance and the most reliable operation, our recommendation is to position the APs around the facility within the effective range of the root AP, thus minimizing the number of wireless hops required.
While it is technically possible to establish a mesh network across multiple wireless hops, but for optimal performance and the most reliable operation, our recommendation is to position the APs around the facility within the effective range of the root AP, thus minimizing the number of wireless hops required. These units ("repeater AP") will interconnect with the root AP build a wireless bridge and repeat the SSID in which the root AP is propagating. It is also good to know that there may be more than one root access point. But still, if you decide to use the multiple hop option, please keep in mind each next hop loses 50% of throughput (more details in the article below.).
You can still use the WiFi of the mesh-link because it dedicates 1 band (e.g. 5GHz) to the mesh-link and the WiFi users will be load balanced to the other band (e.g. 2,4GHz)
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1.2 Supported model list
Smart Mesh supported model list:
2) Configure Smart Mesh
In order to set up Smart Mesh, first, you need to have two Smart Mesh compatible access-points connected to the same site, one of them being connected via Ethernet cable to the main network infrastructure.
First set up respective SSID-profiles to your likings via:
Site-wide > Configure > WiFi SSID Settings
2a) Enable Smart Mesh on both access points
Navigate to
Site-wide > Configure > Access Point > AP & port settings
and make sure to activate the "Smart Mesh"-Slider:
You may also navigate to:
Site-wide > Device -> Access Points > "Select Access point"
Then make sure that the Smart Mesh is enabled.
2b) Connect both access points to Nebula a network
Make sure that both access points come online so that they can get the configuration from Nebula.
2c) Place the AP where you want it
After you enabled smart mesh & wireless bridge and connected both access points to the network, make sure you wait 5 minutes for the AP to get the new configuration you configured in NCC and then disconnect the Repeater AP from the network.
2d) Connect the Repeater AP (with power cable)
Connect the Repeater AP with only the power cable (or if you have a PoE switch you can connect it to the PoE switch which is not connected to the network). It will go offline and you need to wait for up to 15 minutes for the mesh link to be established and the AP to become online again. The mesh link is done automatically.
2.1) How "Smart Mesh" works
Root AP – Any AP that is directly connected to the wired network and can reach the gateway. If a Root AP loses connection to the gateway, the Root AP will change to the repeater role.
Repeater AP – Any AP that is not directly connected to the wired network or has no connection to the gateway.
Default Mesh – The mesh that forms between Root AP and Repeater AP's BEFORE Repeater AP's has been successfully added to the site. This mesh uses a common mesh ID among all Nebula AP's.
Site Mesh – The mesh that forms between Root AP and Repeater AP's AFTER Repeater AP's has been successfully added to the site. This mesh uses a unique ID shared between AP’s in the same Nebula site.
That means that the AP's (from a specific firmware) not necessarily need to be connected with a cable to be provisioned by NEBULA. Only adding them to your site will allow them to communicate with the root AP via Site Mesh.
2.2 Things to consider
- Establish mesh across multiple wireless hops (no limit)
- Recommended wireless hops: less than 2 hops from wired network
- Rule of thumb: throughout is halved across each wireless hop
Building up a mesh network, the smart mesh will usually build up via 5G first and if the signal is not good enough, it will change to 2.4G connection.
2.3 Verification - Successfully connected
The units should show online and by different symbols:
The hollow-green-symbol indicates that the respective AP is working as a repeater AP, while the color-filled icon displays the AP is running as a root AP.
Congratulations, you have set up successfully Smart Mesh on your Nebula devices!
2.4 Smart-Mesh Enhancements
2.4.1 Disable Mesh Downlink
Since Firmware 6.30 we can now disable the Smart-Mesh Downlink on Repeater APs to avoid other Mesh APs siphoning away Bandwidth.
Enabling Downlink on AP-2 means that AP-4 cannot mesh to AP-2.
To deactivate the Downlink, go to:
Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"
Then edit the Smart-Mesh and disable the Downlink.
Please note that the AP will still be functioning as a Mesh AP.
2.4.2 Specify Uplink AP
We can now specify which AP should be used as the main Uplink.
To do so, go to:
Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"
Then edit the Smart-Mesh and chose the main root AP for this repeater AP.
2.4.3 Failover in Smart-Mesh
This function depends on having chosen a specific root AP for this repeater AP (see point 8 above).
When the repeater AP fails to connect to the specified root AP, it will then connect to other available APs to keep the Internet connection up.
The Error status will be displayed on the AP List:
Site-wide > Devices > Access Point > "Specific AP"
The Administrator can manually trigger a reconnect from the AP status list.
3) Configure Wireless Bridge
Wireless bridge is bridging your traffic from a mesh system to a wired LAN system.
3.1 Connect the Repeater AP to the network
Connect the repeater AP to network make sure it is online before continuing.
3.2 Enable Smart Mesh & Wireless Bridge on both APs
Make sure that both APs have Smart Mesh & Wireless Bridge enabled by going into "Access Point -> Access Point, and then going into the configuration of both APs. You can find the Smart mesh and Wireless bridge configuration under "Status" section and click on the little "paper & pencil" to edit the configuration:
3.2.1 Enable Smart Mesh
Click on "Enabled" to enable the Smart Mesh:
3.2.2 Enable Wireless Bridge
Click on "Enabled" to enable Wireless Bridge.
3.3 Place the AP where you want it
After you enabled smart mesh & wireless bridge, make sure you wait 5 minutes for the AP to get the new configuration you configured in NCC and then disconnect the Repeater AP from the network.
3.4 Connect the Repeater AP (with power cable or PoE)
Connect the Repeater AP with only the power cable (or if you have a PoE switch you can connect it to the PoE switch which is not connected to the network). It will go offline and you need to wait for up to 15 minutes for the mesh link to be established and the AP to become online again. The mesh link is done automatically.
Under Side-wide -> Monitor -> Topology, you can see the status of the topology (Pro Pack feature):
3.5 Successfully Connected!
When the mesh link is connected, you will see that the Repeater AP has a white symbol with green details. The root AP will have a green symbol with white details.
3.6 Check the signal strength of the mesh connection
Before you continue, we highly suggest you to take a look at the wireless link strength, which is of high importance for the stability of your mesh system.
Go to:
Site-wide > Devices > Access Points
Then click on the little paper in the right-hand side of the webpage. Then mark the uplink signal.
Now you have the uplink signal (and Uplink Tx/Rz rate if you also want to see the uplink capacity of the link):
Please refer to this picture to see if you have a good signal or not:
Reference: https://chetnet.ltd.uk/wireless/wifi-signal-strength/
3.7 Connect your switch (or other network equipment) to the AP's LAN port
Now, connect your switch (or other network equipment) to the AP's LAN port (NOT uplink port) and then you have now successfully configured the Wireless Bridge in Nebula.
Under Site-Wide > Topology you can see that the our Repeater AP is successfully connected to the switch.
Note! Both APs (root & repeater) need to support Wireless Bridge for the bridge to LAN to work.
You can still use the WiFi of the mesh-link because it dedicates 1 band (e.g. 5GHz) to the mesh-link and the WiFi users will be load balanced to the other band (e.g. 2,4GHz)