Wireless segmentation using groups, profiles, and tags

3.3 Wireless

📘CCNP Encore (350-401-ENCORE-v1.1)

Wireless Segmentation Overview

Wireless segmentation is about organizing and separating your wireless network so that devices, users, and traffic are grouped logically. This helps with:

Security – making sure different users or devices can’t access resources they shouldn’t.
Performance – applying different policies to different types of users or devices.
Management – easier configuration and troubleshooting on large networks.

In Cisco wireless networks (like those managed by a WLC – Wireless LAN Controller), segmentation is done using three main tools: Groups, Profiles, and Tags.

1. Groups

Groups are used to organize Access Points (APs) and controllers into logical sets.

Think of a group as a container for APs that share the same settings.
Example in IT context:
- You have APs on different floors of an office. Each floor has different SSIDs or policies. You can group APs by floor.
Groups allow you to apply settings to multiple APs at once instead of configuring each AP individually.

Key Points for Exam:

Groups help in scaling – easier to manage large deployments.
Policies applied to a group override default settings but can be inherited by APs or profiles within the group.
Groups can be nested in some Cisco systems, allowing hierarchical management.

2. Profiles

Profiles define the behavior or configuration of wireless networks.

They are like templates for wireless network policies.
Two main types of profiles:
1. SSID/Profile – defines the wireless network name, security type, VLAN assignment, QoS, etc.
2. AP Profile – defines AP-specific settings like transmit power, channels, RF settings.

Example in IT context:

You want all guest users to connect to an SSID called Guest_WiFi and only allow internet access. You create a SSID profile with those settings.
You want all office APs to transmit at medium power and avoid interfering channels. You create an AP profile and assign it to the group of APs on that floor.

Key Points for Exam:

Profiles simplify configuration by avoiding repetitive manual setups.
Profiles are applied to groups or tags to enforce consistent settings.
Profiles support security policies, QoS, VLAN mapping, and RF settings.

3. Tags

Tags are used to apply policies to users or devices dynamically.

Tags are often applied to SSIDs or client devices to control access.
They allow fine-grained control without changing the SSID itself.

Example in IT context:

You have an SSID Corporate_WiFi used by employees.
Some employees are in the HR department, some in Finance. You create tags: HR_Tag and Finance_Tag.
Each tag can assign:
- Specific VLANs (HR on VLAN 10, Finance on VLAN 20)
- Security policies (HR requires stronger authentication)
- Access control lists (ACLs) – HR can access payroll servers, Finance can’t.

Key Points for Exam:

Tags provide dynamic segmentation at the user or device level.
They are flexible – you can change policies by changing the tag, without touching the AP or SSID configuration.
Tags work with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) or internal WLAN controller features.

How Groups, Profiles, and Tags Work Together

Here’s a simplified workflow:

Groups organize APs (or controllers) by location or role.
Profiles define how the wireless network behaves for those groups.
Tags further refine policies for specific users, devices, or VLAN assignments.

Example Scenario:

Layer	Component	Purpose
AP Organization	Group: `Floor_1_APs`	Apply floor-specific settings
Network Settings	Profile: `Corporate_SSID_Profile`	SSID, security, VLAN 100
User Segmentation	Tag: `Finance_Tag`	Assign VLAN 200 for finance users only

This way, your APs on Floor 1 can serve multiple user types securely without manually configuring each user/device.

Exam Tips

Remember the hierarchy: Groups → Profiles → Tags.
Know which component controls what:
- Groups → AP placement & policy inheritance
- Profiles → Network or AP behavior
- Tags → User/device-level segmentation
Be able to match scenarios to these tools in exam questions. For example:
- “You want all APs on a floor to transmit at medium power” → Use AP profile applied to a group.
- “You want HR users to go to VLAN 10 while Finance goes to VLAN 20 on the same SSID” → Use tags.

✅ Summary in Simple Terms

Groups: Organize APs for easier management.
Profiles: Templates for network and AP configurations.
Tags: Dynamic policies for users/devices on a wireless network.

Together, they let you segment, secure, and manage a wireless network efficiently.