Cisco AnyConnect 4.6 NAM / Windows 10 losing WiFi connectivity / Domain authentication

[DannyVe_17]

Good day folks

I was hoping to get some assistance with some issues that we have been having within our environment that we can't quite figure out related to the Cisco NAM and wireless connectivity

We currently run several different models of Dell Latitude laptops as well as Optiplex Micro PC's (wifi) that for some reason will lose wireless connectivity. So the issue isn't related to a device.

Below are some symptoms that we are experiencing within our organization.

- A freshly imaged PC with Cisco installed can produce an error where a user will not authenticate to the domain at the Windows logon (Domain not available, make sure you are connected....). Even though I have successfully authenticated over WiFi prior. To fix the issue, and this is random; we can either re-authenticate ourselves to the network, logout, and have the user sign in again, and it will work. Running the batch file to reinstall Cisco will also fix the issue.

- Cisco will lose wireless connectivity at any given time and the result being, the AnyConnect NAM portion will be stuck on Associating and never connect to the wireless. Note* This can also happen to folks who are offsite - at home on their own network. To fix this for our remote users, we guide the user to simply reinstall the Cisco batch file as Administrator and reboot and this works. An alternative that we noticed that works too - and is much simpler is to perform a Network Repair within Windows. After the user reboots and logs in, they can then connect to their home network.

- At times, the Cisco AnyConnect service will fail to start correctly thus resulting in reimaging the device entirely since uninstalling Cisco, deleting the registry keys, as well as the folders in Program Files (x86) and Program Data, result in the same behavior after a reinstall. I've spent quite a bit of time on this particular issue. I came to understand that reimaging the device is the easiest way and less time-consuming.

A couple of details worth mentioning about our environment:

- We use an XMl configuration to push our corporate wifi once we install the Cisco Any Connect Mobility client - version 4.6. this includes the VPN module as well as the NAM.

- We currently run Windows 10 Build 18362. *note: This has been happening since the very first migration to Windows 10.

- This doesn't seem to happen to folks who are still on Windows 7

- We use machine authentication followed by user authentication.

- All latest and greatest Dell Drivers are up to date on our devices.

- This has been happening since the rollout of Windows 10, so roughly 18 months now - if not more.

- Some Dell models to point out: Dell Optiplex 9020m, 7050m. Latitude 5300, 5310, 5320, E6440, E6230, 7280, 7250.

We've opened up tickets with Intel and Microsoft in the past. It seems Intel recommended newer NIC drivers that were not released at the time (now are), however, the issues are still prevalent. I can't remember from a Microsoft perspective but we've done a few Build versions between.

With more and more wireless devices on Windows 10 in our environment, we are noticing these issues happening more and more frequently. And doing a Network Repair does resolve the issue - albeit a Band-Aid solution, therefore I am seeking help from the community since I am running out of troubleshooting ideas and what exactly it could be.

I thank you all for your time

Cheers!

Danny

[paul driver]

Hello

Is it possible these users wired connected also - have you enabled the wifi nic cards to disable upon a wired connection

How aggressive is roaming set for those clients

What frequency bands  they connecting at - have you tested changing this!

windows client:

netsh wlan show wlanreport

[DannyVe_17]

Hi Paul

Thanks for the reply

These clients are strictly on wireless. We explicitly use 5.0ghz in our environment. We actually disabled the 2.4Ghz band over a year ago.

As for roaming, I am not quite sure. I do know there are roaming properties built-in within the NIC itself that we haven't changed unless you are referring at the Wireless Controller level, I am not certain. Although I can certainly find out it required.

Just to point out, some folks who are at home have this issue where the Cisco AnyConnect is just stuck on associating.

I ran your command and looked at the file. is there anything I should be looking for or you would like me to share?

Thanks

Danny

[paul driver]

Hello
i know it not a definitive solution but have you tried running the cisco client or wifi nic in windows 7 compatibility mode to see if that resolves the issue then you know for sure it’s an something with win 10 ios

[DannyVe_17]

Good day!

I just had a client this morning that experienced the same behavior: He was working on his device and had seemed to lost connectivity. When he came to our office, he was able to sign in again after rebooting. I did a capture of his WLAN report from your command you posted and shared it here via .ZIP. I noticed a lot of events related to WLAN Auto-config not working.

Thanks
Danny

[paul driver]

Hello

Did you try running the wlan nic cards drivers and anyconnect software in windows 7 compatiabilty mode ?

[DannyVe_17]

Good day,

I will check with an affected device and follow up

Thanks

[DannyVe_17]

Alright, quick update:

After gathering more data, we have concluded that this event seems to occur after the device has gone into a sleep state. Either when a user comes back from lunch, etc. Or a device is idle for a period of time by which a user returns to use said device. This is true for our Workstation on wheels: Where nurses will use these devices, then park them, and someone else can come at a later time and use the device.

Once the device is woken from a sleep state, it is when the Cisco wireless will get stuck on "associating". This is where the Network Repair seems to do the trick

Thanks

Dan

[hasitha siriwardhana]

@DannyVe_17  have you find solution for this? We are having the similar Cisco NAM stuck issue?

[DannyVe_17]

Hi Hasitha

No, we have yet to resolve this issue.

We have recently migrated to Cisco NAM version 4.10 since the upgrade of Cisco ACS to ISE, so we will see if performance is better. However, I believe my team has already had some calls despite running 4.10

CheeRS

Danny

[hasitha siriwardhana]

In our case we run anyconnect 4.10 latest version, sometimes when users reboot or hibernate the laptop, next time when logging no wireless SSID is shown in the NAM module. Always had to do network repair and users are complaining due to this.TAC always says NAM hasn't installed it correctly..have to reinstall it again..but we are using the same Cisco setup file...so even that doesn't solve our issue.

[evgeniakahanek]

Hello!

was there any continuation to this story and was the resolution found? Looks like discussion was a year ago, and I faced this “stuck at Associating” issue now. And that happens all the time when laptop goes to sleep mode. Help would be appreciated.

Evgenia

[DannyVe_17]

Hello 

Yes, the problem is still occurring in our environment. We are on Windows build 21H2. We are still using Cisco NAM 4.10.

We've seen this where devices to into sleep mode as well.

It happens the most when we have users work from home, and once they come back on site, they can no longer connect to the wifi. 

My own laptop is a great example: I worked from home one day, came back the next, it refused to connect to the wifi. I reinstalled Cisco, and it still fails.

We are in the process of changing our wireless controller and AP's in the next little while. Will be curious to see if that helps. 

[RexWong]

This keeps happeening in Windows 11, mine is 22H2 Build 22621.1848，NAM has been upgraded to 5.x. Something funny is that with NAM uninstalled, everything solved, we changed Windows power plan, sleep settings, wireless chips driver, BIOS, registry, none of them fixed this, BUT uninstallation NAM works haha.

[DannyVe_17]

**bleep**, even on Windows 11. 

It's safe to conclude it's a Cisco bug perhaps coinciding with the device.

If uninstalling the NAM, how are your clients authenticating over wifi?

Some more findings from some continuing troubleshooting

- we've found out if a client who comes back to work from being at home and the problem of auth occurs and stuck on associating, we let the device at log on screen for about 30minutes, try again and it will work. Very odd. 

- We've noticed powering off as well and trying again in half hour works. 

- I had another device that failed, got it going after a few network repairs, Windows NIC reset, a couple reboots, eventually it came back. Once the user came to pick it up, started failing again. 

We looked at some logs on ISE and it gave some errors related to LDAP. 

We have given up on Crisco, we will revisit the Windows XML profile that we have tested as well. Coincidentally, that also gave us some issues of not connecting to wifi after a client would work from home and return on site. But, it's less problematic than the NAM.

We start testing next week. I'm putting a working group together to move forward with Windows native client.

Cheers

Danny