How to decode what Datarates used by wireless client obtained from debug client

[Saravanan Lakshmanan]

Introduction

Logic used to calculate Mandatory and Supported data rates while negotiating client associations.

Mandatory Rates (>128) = (#-128)/2

Supported Rates (<128) = #/2

Ex:1 G-only cient. Success. statusCode is 0.

*apfMsConnTask_0: Mar 28 13:49:57.849: 34:bb:1f:73:7d:d0 STA - rates (0): 140 18 152 36 48 72 96 108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*apfMsConnTask_0: Mar 28 13:49:57.849: 34:bb:1f:73:7d:d0 suppRates statusCode is 18 and gotSuppRatesElement is 0 
*apfMsConnTask_0: Mar 28 13:49:57.849: 34:bb:1f:73:7d:d0 STA - rates (8): 140 18 152 36 48 72 96 108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*apfMsConnTask_0: Mar 28 13:49:57.849: 34:bb:1f:73:7d:d0 extSuppRates statusCode is 0 and gotExtSuppRatesElement is 1

STA - rates (0): 140 18 152 36 48 72 96 108

140 - 6 ==> Mandatory
18 - 9 ==> Supported
152 - 12 ==> Mandatory
36 - 18 ==> Supported
48 - 24 ==> Supported
72 - 36 ==> Supported
96 - 48 ==> Supported
108 - 54 ==> Supported

Datarates enabled on WLC:-
802.11b Configuration
802.11b Network.................................. Enabled
11gSupport....................................... Enabled
11nSupport....................................... Enabled
802.11b/g Operational Rates
802.11b/g 1M Rate............................ Disabled
802.11b/g 2M Rate............................ Disabled
802.11b/g 5.5M Rate.......................... Disabled
802.11b/g 11M Rate........................... Disabled
802.11g 6M Rate.............................. Mandatory
802.11g 9M Rate.............................. Supported
802.11g 12M Rate............................. Mandatory
802.11g 18M Rate............................. Supported
802.11g 24M Rate............................. Supported
802.11g 36M Rate............................. Supported
802.11g 48M Rate............................. Supported
802.11g 54M Rate............................. Supported

in this example, there is no complaint about the rate negotiation.

Ex:2 b-only client. failure - status 18.

*apfMsConnTask_6: Jan 24 13:54:42.120: 00:40:9d:51:2c:81 STA - rates (4): 130 132 11 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*apfMsConnTask_6: Jan 24 13:54:42.120: 00:40:9d:51:2c:81 Sending Assoc Response to station on BSSID 00:21:a0:e3:04:d0 (status 18) ApVapId 3 Slot 0

STA - rates (0): 130 132 11 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

130 - 1 ==> Mandatory
132 - 2 ==> Mandatory
11 - 5.5 ==> Supported
22 - 11 ==> Supported

Datarates enabled on WLC:-
802.11b/g Operational Rates
802.11b/g 1M Rate............................ Disabled
802.11b/g 2M Rate............................ Disabled
802.11b/g 5.5M Rate.......................... Supported
802.11b/g 11M Rate........................... Mandatory

in this example, it is complaining about rate negotiations with status 18. That means client supports different mandatory rate could be 1/2/5.5 and not 11. on WLC, enable one at a time to find the right supported mandatory datarate.

802.11 Association Status, 802.11 Deauth Reason codes
https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-33185

Alternatively, Wireless packet capture or AP span can be used.

[Kamaljeet Singh]

Thank you Sarvanan.

This is really helpful.

Regards,

Kamal

[Marc Abaya]

I'm troubleshooting this small site of ours running WLC 2504 and two 2700 APs wherein all clients are only connecting to the 2.4-GHz even if both 802.11 a/b/g/n are all enabled on the WLAN. Running the debug client command, here's the what is showing from one of the clients:

*apfMsConnTask_1: Oct 14 14:45:05.874: ec:ad:b8:77:f9:eb STA - rates (8): 2 4 11 150 36 48 200 108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

*apfMsConnTask_1: Oct 14 14:45:05.874: ec:ad:b8:77:f9:eb suppRates statusCode is 18 and gotSuppRatesElement is 0

*apfMsConnTask_1: Oct 14 14:45:05.874: ec:ad:b8:77:f9:eb STA - rates (12): 2 4 11 150 36 48 200 108 12 146 152 96 0 0 0 0

*apfMsConnTask_1: Oct 14 14:45:05.874: ec:ad:b8:77:f9:eb extSuppRates statusCode is 0 and gotExtSuppRatesElement is 1

*apfMsConnTask_1: Oct 14 14:45:05.874: RSNIE in Assoc. Req.: (20)

Any ideas? Thanks.

[samtsung]

What does the (0) and (8) mean in the debug just before the data rates?  Example:  STA - rates (0) and STA - rates (8)