01-03-2011 07:52 AM - edited 07-03-2021 07:36 PM
Welcome to the Cisco Networking Professionals Ask the Expert conversation. This is an opportunity to learn about the last generation of access points from Cisco and the integration of the clean air technology to locate and mitigate interferences with Nicolas Darchis and Federico Ziliotto. Nicolas is a wireless and Authentication, Authorization and Accounting expert for the Technical Assistance Center at Cisco Europe. He has been troubleshooting wireless networks, wireless management tools, and security products including Cisco Secure Access Control Server or Cisco Network Access Control since 2007. He also focuses on filing technical and documentation bugs. Nicolas holds a bachelor's degree in computer networking from the Haute Ecole Rennequin Sualem and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Liege. He also holds CCIE Wireless certification #25344. Federico is a Customer Support Engineer at the Cisco Technical Assistance Center in Belgium, where he specializes in solving high-severity issues in wireless networks, network admission control setups, identity based networking and 802.1X setups, Authentication, Authorization and Accounting solutions, and Cisco TrustSec. He holds an engineering degree from the University of Padova, Italy, with specialization in telecommunications. Federico holds CCIE Wireless certification.
Remember to use the rating system to let Nicolas and Federico know if you have received an adequate response.
Nicolas and Federico might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected during this event. Our moderators will post many of the unanswered questions in other discussion forums shortly after the event. This event lasts through January 14, 2011. Visit this forum often to view responses to your questions and the questions of other community members.
01-09-2011 11:14 PM
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE - DO NOT REPLY THIS EMAIL ***
Thank you for your email.
ETS will do our best to process your request as quickly as possible.
If you are a Repulse Bay employee please use the Web Help Desk (http://help.hkis.edu.hk/) for help requests.
For Tai Tam employees and parents ETS will respond as quickly as possible.
Educational Techology Services Department
>>> ndarchis
Simon Lau,
A new message was posted in the Discussion thread "ASK THE EXPERTS - CISCO CLEAN AIR":
https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3265364#3265364
Author : Nicolas Darchis
Profile : https://supportforums.cisco.com/people/ndarchis
Message:
01-10-2011 06:25 AM
Hi,
I would like to know more on the statement called " This is an opportunity to learn about the last generation of access points from Cisco ". Does this means there will be no more new models.
Thank you
Rama
01-10-2011 07:08 AM
Rama,
the "last" in that sentence means "most recent" and not "there won't be any new one after this one".
Nicolas
01-10-2011 07:09 AM
Hi Rama,
The expression "last generation of access points from Cisco" means that this is the latest/newest generation (so the last one as of the present day).
It does not mean that this will be the last APs that Cisco will ever design/produce.
More fun to come in the future ;-)
Regards,
Fede
--
If this helps you and/or answers your question please mark the question as "answered" and/or rate it, so other users can easily find it.
01-10-2011 07:35 AM
Hi Nicolas/Fede,
Thanks for clarification, I have a few units coming in soon, but it will be a mixture of 1252's and 3500's. Few Questions:
1. Would there be any difference on M-Drive technology between clean-air and other AP's
2. Since the clean-air technology is based on hardware, can it be turned off as well, just to know.
Many thanks
Rama
01-10-2011 07:45 AM
Hi,
1) For everyone, the "M-drive" marketing term englobes the following :
These 3 features are software features available also on non-cleanair AP models. So those feature stay identical on Cleanair AP models. No change at all.
2)Yes you can turn it off. On the WLC web page : "Wireless" - >802.11a/n -> Cleanair -> You have cleanair settings there and a general checkbox to disable it.
Same goes for the 802.11b/g menu to disable clean air on 2.4 Ghz.
01-10-2011 07:37 AM
Hi guys,
I understand that the spectrum analysis runs in parallel to the regular AP duties so that client connectivity can be maintained. Can you explain the clock cyles involved in simple terms with regards to the AP going off-channel to detect interferers? Also how this impacts clients, or if there is a hold-off period when the AP is busy.
Thanks in advance
Rob
01-10-2011 07:45 AM
Hi Rob,
CleanAir is run in parallel with standard client serving processes, so no need for the AP to go off-channel.
Interferers will be detected only for the same channel for which you are serving clients, if you are using a local mode AP.
If using a monitor mode AP, then the AP will cycle through different channels (without serving clients) and detect interferers on multiple channels.
Regards,
Fede
--
If this helps you and/or answers your question please mark the question as "answered" and/or rate it, so other users can easily find it.
01-10-2011 07:55 AM
Thanks Fede that makes sense.
So with regards to off-channel scans for say IDS? Do these still happen?
Another thought is regarding RTLS - will the AP assist with location of interferers that aren't on the operational channels?
Regards,
Rob
01-10-2011 08:03 AM
Sure Rob,
We can think of CleanAir as of a parallel feature set, but separate with regards to the previous "standard" features of other APs.
So for example, RRM off-channel scans will also still works the same as for other non-CleanAir APs.
For locating interferers, a CleanAir AP in local mode will definitely help to locate interferer, but only on the channel on which it is serving clients.
CleanAir APs in monitor mode can help locating interferers on multiple channels.
Regards,
Fede
--
If this helps you and/or answers your question please mark the question as "answered" and/or rate it, so other users can easily find it.
01-12-2011 04:15 PM
Hi,
I am looking for the procedure to completley default a 3502i AP and reset the username and passwords. It has previously been associtated with a controller at another clients site. All the documentation I have found so far outline procedures for older APs.
Thanks Daniel.
01-13-2011 12:46 AM
Hi Daniel,
To reset an AP we could have different options.
1. Through the MODE button:
- Power off the AP.
- While keeping the MODE button pressed, power on the AP.
- Still keep the MODE button pressed until the Status LED turns to red and then release it:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/3500/quick/guide/ap3500getstart.html#wp46485
This, however, may not fully reset the AP to its factory defaults.
2. By downloading the recovery image to the AP and let it reload after that. Through a telnet/console connection:
debug capwap console cli
archive download-sw /overwrite /reload tftp://
The recovery image for 3500 APs can be found on Cisco.com:
Regards,
Fede
--
If this helps you and/or answers your question please mark the question as "answered" and/or rate it, so other users can easily find it.
01-15-2011 10:54 AM
HI Nicolas and Federico,
I'm currently in the site survey stages of a 500 ap deployment (3502i and 3502e). We will be running 2 5508's, WCS and MSE and majority of ap's will be 3502i's. Myself and my coworkers have questions regarding the signal coverage from the internal antenna of these devices. We are planning to mount most of the ap's with internal antenna parallel to the floor as we think that gives the best signal coverage. What are the down falls of mounting a 3502i horizontally towards the "users"? If we have to mount horizontally should we be using the 3502e? This is in a library area, 50 foot ceilings, high density, future voip, mostly concrete and and many bookshelves. Do books cause a lot of signal loss if you have multiple rows of bookshelves? I know the bookshelf itself being made out of metal will cause signal bounce but I wonder about the books. If we put ap's up in monitor mode only, what is the recommendation for number of monitors per number of client accessing ap's?
thanks for any info you can provide me with.
craig eyre
01-16-2011 04:26 PM
A library with 50 ft ceilings? Seems unlikely.
I just surveyed our AP deployment in the main campus library. "Survey" might be to generous a word -- I wandered around with a laptop and recorded some RSSI numbers at 2.5 GHz. The big surprise is that there is a lot more floor-to-floor penetration through poured in place concrete than I would have imagined. If possible, you should stagger the pattern of your deployments so that APs on adjacent floors are not directly lined up. In california, poured concrete is more popular than steel-frame construction for libraries because it is stronger. Books weigh a lot.
-jim warner, UCSC
01-16-2011 11:45 PM
The APs with internal antennas (1130,1140,3502i) have a dome-like coverage, so they are designed for ceiling placement.
Imagine a dome on an AP placed on a wall, perpendicular to floor, the coverage will be awesome on the floor above and below the AP but 20 meters from the AP on a horizontal plane, you'll get nothing. For wall placement, a 3502e with antennas correctly oriented is then better.
The height of your ceiling is a bit of a concern and that means that the coverage on the ground will not be so exciting. However, it would sound like ceiling placement is recommended rather than wall placement since that would mean higher number of obstacles (all the book shelves).
Hope it helps.
Nicolas
Find answers to your questions by entering keywords or phrases in the Search bar above. New here? Use these resources to familiarize yourself with the community: