topic Multicast client on flexconnect AP in Wireless

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

MATS KARLSSON — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 06:13:25 GMT

Hi !

Is it possble for a client connected to a flexconnect AP to use multicast ?

How do I enable that ? Will it be enough to enable Multicast VLAN on the SSID ?

Apparently it do not work in default settings.

My controller has no connection to the vlan my customer use for there clients. It is a pure

flexconnect solution were WLC only handles management to the accesspoints.

Mats Karlsson

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Scott Fella — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:21:43 GMT

Well you need multicast enabled on the network also....

The controller can send multicast packets in the form of unicast or multicast packets to the access point. In FlexConnect mode, the access point can receive multicast packets only in unicast form.

Thanks,

Scott

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

MATS KARLSSON — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:55:24 GMT

Hi Scott,

thanks for your answere but . . .

If you mean the wired network, so of course it's on there or is there any global settings on WLC that need to be on ?

This SSID i switched to it's vlan directly in the AP and do not pass the WLC.

"FlexConnect mode, the access point can receive multicast packets only in unicast form"

So a flexconnected client won't get any multcast trafic at all from the local vlan were his SSID is localy switched to !?

The AP is not letting any multicast traffic throu !

Should I read it that way ?

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Scott Fella — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:42:54 GMT

I should have posted this part also:

Multicast-Unicast Distribution Mode

If the wired network is not properly configured to deliver the CAPWAP multicast between the controller and AP or FlexConnect mode and APs will be used for centrally switched WLANs supporting multicast, then unicast-multicast mode is required.

Go to the Controller tab on the General page and make sure the AP Multicast Mode is configured to use Unicast mode.

Thanks,

Scott

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

MATS KARLSSON — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:01:18 GMT

I admit that I'm not very good on multicast and I might missunderstand your answeres.

But I get the impression that we always talk about centrally switch WLANs but that not the case here.

/mats

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Scott Fella — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:06:41 GMT

Okay. when your using FlexConnect and require multicast, you have to use unicast and that is why you have to set that up on the WLC. Even if your doing local switching, you need to define unicast. Now the AP will do multicast but using unicast but also requires you to have multicast enabled at that remote location. Now will it work... well.... I don't really use multicast with FlexConnect. If I have to have multicast due to iDevices, I put a WLC out there so I can use a bonjour gateway.

Thanks,

Scott

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Saravanan Lakshmanan — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:19:12 GMT

Scott is right.

Is it possble for a client connected to a flexconnect AP to use multicast ?

For flexconnect mode AP, AP to client Multicast traffic is unicasted over the air.

How do I enable that ? Will it be enough to enable Multicast VLAN on the SSID ?

No, it can't be enabled(irrespective of locally or centrally switched) because it doesn't support it.

On flexconnect using locally switching, the Multicast server has to be at the site or local vlan accessible at the site. Means the AP to client multicast traffic is always unicast and it hits wireless performance because if 5 clients needs to receive same streams then it will receive 5 packets(one per client) instead of one multicast packet.

#Flexconnect Mode APs doesn't join Multicast group like Local mode APs.

#Wireless clients always send Multicast to APs(Local/Flexconnect) as unicast, however the AP to client is Multicast(if Multicast to Multicast is enabled on WLC) for local mode APs and it is unicast for Flexconnect mode APs(irrespective of centrally/locally switched.)

#VLAN select, Multicast to Multicast, igmp snooping, videostreaming helps directing the Multicast traffic better to increase wired and wireless network performance.

Note: Multicast to Multicast mode, videostream(unicast the multicast for reliability) and VLAN select are unsupported on flexconnect mode APs.

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Scott Fella — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 02:36:17 GMT

Saravanan,

Thanks for explaining it better!

Thanks,

Scott

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

MATS KARLSSON — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:28:52 GMT

Ok, thank you both !

I belive I have a better picture of how I can achive this. I will put the scenario in my lab and verify the settings and the function.

I will come back to the discussion. Thanks so long.

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Sauchanka — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:46:57 GMT

Hi,

I have 5508 WLC and a lot of AP 1142N. All AP work in flexconnect mode with local switching and aaa override.

WLC software is 7.2.111.3. I've configured WLC for multicast-unicast mode according to

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4570/products_tech_note09186a0080bb1d7c.shtml.

But any wireless client is unable to see multicast packets generated from wired LAN. If packets are generated from wireless clients then wired users are able to see these packets.

According to documentation WLC should encapsulate multicast into lwapp tunnel and sent it to AP as unicast. Then AP deliver multicast to client. But by some reason this is not working.

Have anybody faced such problem and managed to resolve it?

Thanks in advance

BR, Ruslan

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Stephen Rodriguez — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:37:19 GMT

Where all are you PIM enabled? You need to be PIM enabled on all client, and AP vlans as well as the management interface.

HTH,
Steve

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Sauchanka — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:39:31 GMT

Stephen,

Thanks for your reply!

I will test it, and post result here.

But currently I'm not understand why i need PIM, because PIM is necassary for multicast-multicast mode and i have multicast-unicast. May be i missed something.

BR, Ruslan

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Saravanan Lakshmanan — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:34:23 GMT

In your local switching flexconnect setup, the Multicast packet is not going to hit the WLC on either direction, so what info your referring here is not applicable to this setup. With flexconnect local switching "All the wireless traffic will be bridged to its connected wired switch on that vlan and vice versa"

With local swtiching, Multicast traffic are still Multicast when it hits the AP from wired infrastructure, the AP encapsulates it on Unicast directed to that requesting client on that ssid/vlan.

Are the intended wired and wireless device on the same vlan. Its bonjour requirement to have source and destination on same vlan unless you've a bonjour gateway.

Display the wlan config.

Re: Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Sauchanka — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:31:01 GMT

Hi, Saravanan

The problem we faced is that Mac unable to discover printer via wireless LAN. Packet capture show that Mac2 sends MDNS query to 224.0.0.251 and printer sends MDNS reply to 224.0.0.251. But reply from printer is not coming to Mac2.

Yes, all devices are in the same vlan (vlan 199), see topology enclosed. Vlan 199 is also allowed on all trunks from LAP to WLC. Currently IGMP snoping and multicast routing are disabled on all switches.

WLC also have dynamic interface in vlan 199. AP manager interface is in vlan 101 and LAP BVI in vlan 124. Vlans 101 and 124 are being routed through L3 switch.

Show wlan from WLC

(Cisco Controller) >show wlan 3

WLAN Identifier.................................. 3

Profile Name..................................... wg-office-lan-201

Network Name (SSID).............................. wg-office

Status........................................... Enabled

MAC Filtering.................................... Disabled

Broadcast SSID................................... Enabled

AAA Policy Override.............................. Enabled

Network Admission Control

Client Profiling Status ....................... Disabled

Radius-NAC State............................... Disabled

SNMP-NAC State................................. Disabled

Quarantine VLAN................................ 0

Maximum number of Associated Clients............. 0

Maximum number of Clients per AP Radio........... 200

Number of Active Clients......................... 62

Exclusionlist.................................... Disabled

Session Timeout.................................. Infinity

CHD per WLAN..................................... Enabled

Webauth DHCP exclusion........................... Disabled

Interface........................................ office-wifi

--More-- or (q)uit

Multicast Interface.............................. Not Configured

WLAN IPv4 ACL.................................... unconfigured

WLAN IPv6 ACL.................................... unconfigured

DHCP Server...................................... Default

DHCP Address Assignment Required................. Disabled

Static IP client tunneling....................... Disabled

Quality of Service............................... Silver

Scan Defer Priority.............................. 4,5,6

Scan Defer Time.................................. 100 milliseconds

WMM.............................................. Allowed

WMM UAPSD Compliant Client Support............... Disabled

Media Stream Multicast-direct.................... Disabled

CCX - AironetIe Support.......................... Disabled

CCX - Gratuitous ProbeResponse (GPR)............. Disabled

CCX - Diagnostics Channel Capability............. Disabled

Dot11-Phone Mode (7920).......................... Disabled

Wired Protocol................................... None

Passive Client Feature........................... Disabled

Peer-to-Peer Blocking Action..................... Disabled

Radio Policy..................................... 802.11b and 802.11g only

DTIM period for 802.11a radio.................... 1

DTIM period for 802.11b radio.................... 1

Radius Servers

--More-- or (q)uit

Authentication................................ 10.128.0.101 1812

Accounting.................................... 10.128.0.101 1813

Interim Update............................. Disabled

Dynamic Interface............................. Enabled

Local EAP Authentication......................... Disabled

Security

802.11 Authentication:........................ Open System

FT Support.................................... Disabled

Static WEP Keys............................... Disabled

802.1X........................................ Disabled

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2)............. Enabled

WPA (SSN IE)............................... Disabled

WPA2 (RSN IE).............................. Enabled

TKIP Cipher............................. Disabled

AES Cipher.............................. Enabled

Auth Key Management

802.1x.................................. Enabled

PSK..................................... Disabled

CCKM.................................... Disabled

FT-1X(802.11r).......................... Disabled

FT-PSK(802.11r)......................... Disabled

FT Reassociation Timeout................... 20

--More-- or (q)uit

FT Over-The-DS mode........................ Enabled

GTK Randomization.......................... Disabled

SKC Cache Support.......................... Disabled

CCKM TSF Tolerance......................... 1000

Wi-Fi Direct policy configured................ Disabled

EAP-Passthrough............................... Disabled

CKIP ......................................... Disabled

Web Based Authentication...................... Disabled

Web-Passthrough............................... Disabled

Conditional Web Redirect...................... Disabled

Splash-Page Web Redirect...................... Disabled

Auto Anchor................................... Disabled

FlexConnect Local Switching................... Enabled

FlexConnect Local Authentication.............. Enabled

FlexConnect Learn IP Address.................. Enabled

Client MFP.................................... Disabled

Tkip MIC Countermeasure Hold-down Timer....... 60

Call Snooping.................................... Disabled

Roamed Call Re-Anchor Policy..................... Disabled

SIP CAC Fail Send-486-Busy Policy................ Enabled

SIP CAC Fail Send Dis-Association Policy......... Disabled

KTS based CAC Policy............................. Disabled

Band Select...................................... Disabled

--More-- or (q)uit

Load Balancing................................... Disabled

Multicast Buffer................................. Disabled

Mobility Anchor List

WLAN ID IP Address Status

------- --------------- ------

802.11u........................................ Disabled

Access Network type............................ Not configured

Network Authentication type.................... Not configured

Internet service............................... Disabled

HESSID......................................... 00:00:00:00:00:00

Hotspot 2.0.................................... Disabled

WAN Metrics configuration

Link status.................................. 0

Link symmetry................................ 0

Downlink speed............................... 0

Uplink speed................................. 0

Mobility Services Advertisement Protocol....... Disabled

Saravanan Lakshmanan wrote:

With local swtiching, Multicast traffic are still Multicast when it hits the AP from wired infrastructure, the AP encapsulates it on Unicast directed to that requesting client on that ssid/vlan.

Do you mean that actually client recieve unicast packet with encapsulated multicast? but does it expect such packet from AP?

Thanks

BR, Ruslan

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Saravanan Lakshmanan — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:20:06 GMT

#you've mentioned AAA override, does it changes the client vlan to

#Are the wired client able to use the printer using bonjour service on same vlan?

#could you try different bonjour service other than printer.

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Sauchanka — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 06:49:18 GMT

Hi,

Yes, it changes client vlan to vlan 199

Wired clients able to use printer using bonjour service on same vlan

Wireless client able to send multicast and all wired clients see it, but multicasts from wired LAN are not coming to wireless lan. I tried ping multicast address (for example 224.0.0.251, 224.0.0.250 and others), every wired client in the same vlan see my ping, but not wireless.

BR, Ruslan

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Sauchanka — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:24:16 GMT

Stephen,

I enabled multicast routing on L3 switch for all vlans and it didn't help

BR, Ruslan

Multicast client on flexconnect AP

MATS KARLSSON — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:21:36 GMT

Now have I done some testing in lab inviroment and got it working. With a multicast source ( VLC-video) three router hops away I have a L3 switch, C3750 conneted to several L2 switches. On on of them, C3560CG-8PC, I have both a wired client and an AP i flexconnet mode. Both the wired and teh wireless client get the streamed video.

The SSID i localy switched to vlan100. The multicast stream is only on vlan100. The WLC has no connection, no interface, to vlan100.

Vlan 700, used for managemet of WLC and AP do not have multicast enabled in L3 switch.

(In my real customer network the WLC is not in the same site and has no connetions to any customer LAN.)

The only parameter that seems to be necessary is the global parameters (in NCS)

Global Multicast mode - Enable

Ethernet Multicast Support - Unicast ( i guess that is what in WLC gui is called AP Multicast Mode - Unicast)

/mats

Re: Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Scott Fella — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:44:40 GMT

Try to enable broadcast forwarding on the WLC. Seems like others required that to get things to work.

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Multicast client on flexconnect AP

Saravanan Lakshmanan — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:59:04 GMT

#remove vlan 199 and its subnet from wlc.

#take off AAA override and just map vlan 199 to that ssid. (I doubt, it could be breaking multicast)

#what datarates used/enabled on the AP radio where test client is connected.