topic Re: AP roaming issue in Wireless

AP roaming issue

ivorontsev — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 16:02:22 GMT

Hello,

I have very strange issue with vWLC controller and 1832 access points.

Wireless network deployed as Flexconnect. We have 5 access points installed in a row, one by one, with around 10-15 meters beetwen. It`s numbered from 1 to 5. 5 is far access point, 1 is nearest access point. Issue is with clients on Windows and appears as disconnecting from nearest access point and connecting to far access point. Even if signal/noise is -85 db. Client may work with local access point 2-3 hours, but after some time disconnect from near AP and connect to far AP. We placed access point in room with 2m distance to client, but client choose far access point with lower signal strengh.

Controller firmware is 8.3.143.0

All AP is equal.

Re: AP roaming issue

Sandeep Choudhary — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 08:17:52 GMT

Hi,

The final decision to join which AP falls entirely on the wireless NIC(Client). If the wireless client wants to associate to the furthest AP then there's nothing you can do.

One way of minimizing this from happening is to ensure your wireless clients are running the latest drivers. On the AP-side, you could also try to disable the low-speed data rates (from 11 Mbps and below, make 18 Mbps as Mandatory and the rest are Supported). Do NOT enable Client Load Balancing.

Mian imp: Best way is to do proper site survey.

Regards

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Re: AP roaming issue

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 08:44:00 GMT

@ivorontsev wrote:

Issue is with clients on Windows and appears as disconnecting from nearest access point and connecting to far access point.

We see this all the time, particularly when the wireless NIC drivers have never (ever) been updated.

Update the wireless NIC drivers and see if this improves things.

Re: AP roaming issue

George Stefanick — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 09:14:01 GMT

I agree wirh Leo. But before you just update a driver check and document the drivers you are seeing issues with perhaps you can find commonalities.

Re: AP roaming issue

ivorontsev — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 12:47:05 GMT

Thank you for advices!

We use latest drivers, disabled Load Balancing and restricted speed.
But, unfortunately, clients connect to far AP at 6 Mbit/s speed...

Re: AP roaming issue

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 22:30:35 GMT

@ivorontsev wrote:

We use latest drivers, disabled Load Balancing and restricted speed.
But, unfortunately, clients connect to far AP at 6 Mbit/s speed...

What is the model of the wireless NIC?

What is the firmware they're currently loaded?

What radio is/are the client(s) connected to, 2.4 Ghz or 5.0 Ghz?

Re: AP roaming issue

ivorontsev — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 06:30:25 GMT

What is the model of the wireless NIC?
intel dual band wireless-ac 3165

What is the firmware they're currently loaded?
We was try different drivers by different vendors - Intel, Lenovo. Today we use latest driver by Lenovo, from official support page. Results is same.

What radio is/are the client(s) connected to, 2.4 Ghz or 5.0 Ghz?
This issue is only on 5 GHz. 2.4 works as expected.

Re: AP roaming issue

Leo Laohoo — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 07:07:05 GMT

@ivorontsev wrote:
Today we use latest driver by Lenovo, from official support page. Results is same.

Download the latest Intel drivers from HERE.

Re: AP roaming issue

ivorontsev — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 08:55:22 GMT

Thank you!

We are downloaded drivers and will be observe PC behavior.