topic Bizzar WiFi issue in Wireless

Bizzar WiFi issue

Messy — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:42:48 GMT

Hello,

I have a weird WiFi issue I cant explain and need some help.

We have two SSIDs - one public and one internal.

The internal SSID uses Enterprise with RADIUS authentication.

The public wifi is just password auth.

These have been working for a long time, but today when walking around, I noticed I couldn't connect to the public, but connecting to internal was ok.
As I moved a bit more about the factory I suddenly was able to connect to the public again.

It wasn't a signal issue, the SSID was always there about about 60dB - it was just a connection problem.

Do testing, it seems like I could connect on one specific spot, but if i moved 5 meters or so I lost the ability (Internal was always ok everywhere).

Long story short, I did a lot of tests walking all over and initially thought maybe it was related to specific APs but I think my actual location or AP was just a coincidence and the issue was in fact just random and it didn't matter where I was.

The one exception was a break room that had its own AP inside - every test for public failed in there, internal was ok.

Everywhere else I tested, sometimes public worked, sometimes not.
Tested on a laptop and 3 or 4 mobile phones - all had the same results.

I checked the DHCP server which is hosted on our MX - pool is a /22 and was 70% available.

I don't know how long the issue has been going on for, we have recently updated all our APs from MR 33's to MR46's.
All APs share the same config on the same RF profile.

The internal and public SSIDs are both broadcast on both bands on every AP.

Any ideas?

Re: Bizzar WiFi issue

aleabrahao — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:48:24 GMT

Have you already validated the configuration of the Switch ports to which the APs are connected?

Is this SSID tagged to a specific VLAN?

Re: Bizzar WiFi issue

Philip D'Ath — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:05:44 GMT

What does Wireless Health say?

What does the Meraki WiFi event log say?

Are you using a bridged VLAN?

Re: Bizzar WiFi issue

BlakeRichardson — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 02:47:47 GMT

Can the device see the SSID and just fails to connect or is the SSID not visible. Have any changes been made to the RF profiles recently?

If you connect to the public network via a ethernet connection does it behave as expected?

Re: Bizzar WiFi issue

Adrian41 — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:26:32 GMT

The switch ports config is fine.

Our factory has about 70 access points and have been running ok for years.

When we upgraded the AP's, none of the switches/wiring was changed - literally just swapped the devices.
The SSID is tagged to a specific VLAN but that hasn't changed in years.

Meraki health doesnt show anything out of the ordinary on that SSID. Some devices have auth and DHCP issues but its about 10 out of 400.

WiFi logs during my laptop tests in the location where public failed every time.

Red is public SSID yellow is internal SSID

Yes using a bridged VLAN

The device can see the SSID and has good signal, it just doesnt connect. The device tries until it times out.

There was a change the RF profile recently - 2.4Ghz was turned off on the internal SSID (the one that works).
There was no change to the public SSID on the profile

Re: Bizzar WiFi issue

Adrian41 — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 09:40:28 GMT

Its fixed! turns out it was a switchport config issue after all.

When the 70 APs were updated, apparently 1 new one was installed and the default VLAN on that switchport was set as the public VLAN instead of the management VLAN is was supposed to.

sorting the default vlan fixed the whole thing 😄

thanks for the replies!