891W ISR: Argh, can't get SSID to broadcast

[cluovpemb]

I'm working with some 891W's that have the internal 800-series AP.  I'm not overly proficient yet with Cisco or IOS but I'm learning. 

I have this router set up initially using Cisco Config Express, then, using Cisco Config Professional 2.5 I set up the firewall and other featuress that CCE doesn't do.  Overall this is a very simple router, meant to be a small business Internet gateway device but is currently in my lab. 

The intended WLAN setup is very simple.  One SSID, with broadcast enabled, using WPA2-Personal.  Auth: open  Encryption is both TKIP and AES-CCM. 

However no matter what I do I cannot get thhis thing to broadcast . In the past I had sometimes run into issues where if I had more than one AP running independently it would cause a channel conflict and one or both would cancel each other's radio, so I disabled all other AP's in my vicinity. 

Also I've had issues in the past where f I enabled both TKIP and AES, sometimes clients can't find the AP as a result.  I have no idea whyt his is but my solution had been to disable one of them leaving just the other - no change here however. 

Via the IOS, ssid config shows mbssid guest-mode which I believce is default. 

Interestingly, if I do the following:

ap# Config t

ap(config)# dot11 ssid <myssid>

ap(config - ssid)#guest-mode

end

I end up with both "guest-mode" and "mbssid guest-mode" in the sh run for the AP, and voila, my AP broadcasts the SSID.  However clients end up joining without any security at all, no prompts for pre-shared key or anything. 

So, I am lost.  Can anyone suggest? 

[cluovpemb]

Update:  Moved discussion to LAN switching and routing - wasn't getting any responses in the Other Wireless - Mobility forum. 

Also want to add that while I can't get the SSID to broadcast, I am still able to join a client by inputting the settings. 

Also I unboxed another 891W and did a completely default/basic initial configuration and still asme issue, so clearly this behavior is default on new 891W's.  I did do some searching in Google but haven't found an answer as yet.  Surprisingly, search terms like "how to enable ssid broadcast in cisco ios" and thelike are turning up absolutely useless junk.  Not sure why I'm having such a difficult time with this obviously basic setting. 

Can anyone help? 

[Peter Paluch]

Colin,

Would you mind posting the entire configuration please?

Best regards,

Peter

[cluovpemb]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the reply.  Here's a sh run from the AP but I don't see the mbssid stuff in there and can't remember how to view that. 

AP#sh run
Building configuration...

Current configuration : 1684 bytes
!
version 12.4
no service pad
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
service password-encryption
!
hostname HOSTNAME
!
enable secret 5 abc123
!
no aaa new-model
!
!
!
dot11 ssid myssid
   authentication open
   authentication key-management wpa
   wpa-psk ascii 7 123456abcD
!
!
!
username bob privilege 15 secret 5 abc123
!
bridge irb
!
!
interface Dot11Radio0
no ip address
no ip route-cache
!
encryption mode ciphers aes-ccm tkip
!
ssid myssid
!
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
!
interface Dot11Radio1
no ip address
no ip route-cache
shutdown
dfs band 3 block
channel dfs
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
!
interface GigabitEthernet0
description the embedded AP GigabitEthernet 0 is an internal interface connecti
ng AP with the host router
no ip address
no ip route-cache
bridge-group 1
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
!
interface BVI1
ip address 192.168.90.2 255.255.255.0
no ip route-cache
!
ip http server
no ip http secure-server
ip http help-path http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/smbiz/prodconfig/help/eag
bridge 1 route ip
!
!
!
line con 0
privilege level 15
login local
no activation-character
line vty 0 4
login local
!
end

[cluovpemb]

Also I looked at the IOS command reference for AP's and saw a command, show dot11 bssid.  The results show one SSiD, Guest=No. 

Not sure if this matters or not.  I did a document search for "broadcast" on the aforementioned guide and still am not really seeing anything concrete. The following is the closest that it seem to get to an answer:

This example shows how to include a BSSID in the beacon:

AP(config-if-ssid)# mbssid guest-mode

It then talks about DTIM but it appears DTIM doesn't affect a client seeing the SSID.  On my original testing router, mbssid guest mode had been enabled but that hadn't affected my problem so I won't bother neabling it here unless advised to. 

[John Blakley · Accepted solution]

Colin,

mbssid guest-mode is used to allow the AP to broadcast 2 SSIDs at the same time. You don't need it enabled if you only have the 1 ssid configured. Guest mode on the other hand should be under the "dot11 ssid myssid" configuration. Your config looks correct otherwise.

HTH,

John

[cluovpemb]

Well, wireless continues to puzzle me.  I tested back and forth about 4 times, enabling guest-mode, and no guest-mode.  In the wlan scans my clients pick up or lose sight of the ssid accordingly.  The other day when I did all this, nothing happened no matter what I did. 

Anyway it's working now, thank you both Peter and John! 

[adam.brightwell]

I had this same issue, this solution worked great for me.  Thanks a bunch!