Cisco WLC 9800 - SSIDs keep shifting frequently from client device

[TanurajSaha25120]

Dear All,

I have deployed cisco WLC 9800-L recently. APs have already joined with WLC and clients are also getting IP from the WLC as DHCP pool has been configured in WLC. But the problem is WLANs are frequently keep shifting, like the WLC is broadcasting two SSIDs , but clients are getting joined with both SSID simultaneously and it's happening automatically. If one client is joined through WLAN-1 he is getting automatically disconnected and joined WLAN-2 after sometimes.

From debug, we got below message, CO_CLIENT_DELETE_REASON_IPLEARN_CONNECT_TIMEOUT

WLC iOS version : 16.12.1

AP Model : 2802i

Please suggest me what I should do to solve this issue.

[patoberli]

Do you have one two more than one SSID configured?
If it's more than one, do the clients have one or more configured? Usually the roaming intelligence is at the client. So if the client decides to switch the SSIDs (because it has more than one configured) it will do that.

[TanurajSaha25120]

Hi Patoberli,

Actually we have created two WLANs against two SSIDs say WL-1 and WL-2 and made policy profile for them. And finally pushed the common profile in to access point. Both SSID's are being broadcasted to client's device. But when the client gets connected to WL-1 after 2/3 minutes WL-1 disconnected and  it's automatically taking the client's to the WL-2. It's not stable.

Is there any other thing I am missing?? Waiting for your reply.

[TanurajSaha25120]

Another thing client is getting correct IP address from DHCP pools from both of these WLANs. Only problem is SSID's getting shifting from one to another randomly and automatically.

[Scott Fella]

What you should do first is to only have one ssid or else only have one wireless profile defined in the client device. What this does is provides stability and also provides data to us if the device stays connected and the user experience is good.
Having multiple wireless SSID’s is fine, but having multiple wireless profiles on a client device is bad. Basically you are allowing the client device to decide what ssid to connect to based on availability and priority.
Remove all but one profiles on the client device and provide us with detail to his/her experience.

[TanurajSaha25120]

Thanks a lot Scott for your reply. Basically, Client's requirement was to get different IP's for different SSID. So what we did first, we configured different vlans (like vlan11(10.10.10.0/24 for WL-1 and vlan12(10.10.20.0/24 for WL-2). These vlans are tagged with their DHCP pools respectively. Finally  these policy profiles are tagged with a single common profile which is pushed in to an access point. Now client is getting desired ip address whenever he/she connects that respective  SSID. But after sometimes one SSID is getting disconnected automatically and shifted to other SSID. So if you think i am doing it in wrong way please suggest me the best practice in detail. It will be very helpful for me. 

[Scott Fella]

The problem is the client is the one that is switching. That is why you should have a set of devices that only connect to ssid 1 and another set to ssid 2. If that is solid with no issues then you have validated the wireless is working. When you introduce two SSID’s, you are allowing the client device to decide what ssid to connect to. This isn’t a wireless issue if your initial test with a single ssid is fine. Never roll out in production two SSID’s for a device, it doesn’t make sense and it’s not for backup purposes.
So test with a single ssid and provide feedback. We already know that multiple wireless profiles, the device will choose. I have a setup at home with a bunch of SSID’s, eventually my iPhone or laptop will be in an ssid I didn’t want it to be on. Even if I have multiple profiles, I don’t enable auto-join for any except for the one I want. This helps to keep my device on a specific ssid.