AP-1200 802.11G radio default supported rates

[ccie]

Having problems with a Symbol 802.11b handheld connecting to the 802.11g radio of an AP-1200 using 12.3(2) firmware. When 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps data rates are enabled on both the station and AP and only 5.5 is set to basic, the station will not associate if any of the 6, 12, or 24 Mbps OFDM rates are disabled. Is this a bug or is the AP's radio considered to not be fully backwards compatible when 6, 12, and 24 Mbps rates aren't being supported?

[thisisshanky]

Have you tried a different radio ?

[ccie]

Multiple Symbol handhelds have been tried - all act the same. Other 802.11b units work fine. Multiple Cisco AP-1200a/g units with the exact same code have been tried - all act the same.

[thisisshanky]

Try a different IOS (like 12.2.15XR2) and see if that helps! Not sure if its a bug, would recommend opening a TAC case.

[ccie]

It can't be firmware because we have two identical APs running the same firmware - one works, one doesn't. The only difference is the supported rates. Opened (and closed) a TAC case. TAC was no help at all. They may know routing/switching, but they don't know wireless at all - especially analysis. Maybe they should all go get CWAP certified: http://www.cwnp.com/cwap/index.html

[thisisshanky]

Not all TAC engineers are at the same level of expertise. If you are not satisfied with your engineer, you can ask for the Duty manager and requeue the case to another engineer. You will probably get a more experienced engg to work on this case..

I will be interested in knowing the outcome of this problem, as I have a client who is planning for a wireless deployment based on Symbol handhelds and Cisco 1200 APs.

[ccie]

The outcome was stated in the original statement. By simply enabling 6, 12, and 24 Mbps (mandatory rates for 802.11g compliance), 802.11b backwards compatibilty was achieved with the Symbol units. Intersil handhelds, in contrast, work whether these G rates are enabled or not, so long as the basic (required) rates specified by the AP are enabled on the client (which they are). So this lead to my question about whether the G radio is considered backwards compatible with 802.11b unless madatory G rates are enabled. If that's true, then they need to change it - that's bogus.

TAC....hmph!