Client Density Issue

[paulhughes5]

Hello.

I'm fairly new to the whole Cisco WLC system so this may be a more simple question than I realise.

We are having an issue with some laptops dropping on and off the WLAN while sat on peoples desks not roaming anywhere.  I can see that some APs have Load profile failed.  Looking in the docs is says that client density may have been exceeded.  The AP in question has 12 clients attached however I read that the 1130's should be able to handle 24 clients.  Is there a setting on the WLC that limits each AP to 12 users?

Also is there a way to identify the AP by making its light flash for example via the WLC?

Thanks in advance

Paul

[Federico Ziliotto · Accepted solution]

Hi Paul,

In the WLC there is a feature called aggressive load balancing:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/controller/7.0/configuration/guide/c70ccfg.html#wp1085099

This cannot enforce a limit in the number of clients associating through an AP, but it can influence the client to choose a different AP.
If the client is "sticky" and keeps trying to associate through the same AP (up to 11 times as a max.), it will eventually be allowed.

To identify an AP, we can make its leds blink at the same time through the following commands on the WLC:

debug ap enable

debug ap command "led flash "

Regards,

Fede

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[paulhughes5]

Hello

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately our WLC is running version 4.0.206.0 which I suspect is as old as the hills.  I have inherited this when I started and not had a lot of experience with them so there's a bit of stabbing in the dark.

We are running 1130APs so I would have thought they could handle more than 15 clients each.  Is the load profile message just a warning log message rather than an actual limit being reached?

Would we be able to upgrade our WLC to a later version with relative ease and/or would a newer (or just more) AP allow more clients to be connected from the same location?

[Federico Ziliotto]

Hi Paul,

The load profile is generally used as a warning and 1130 APs should be able to handle more than 15 clients.

If you'd like to upgrade the WLC to 7.0 for example, you could easily follow the path

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn7.0.html#wp233863

4.0.206.0 > 4.2.176.0 > 7.0.98.0

Of course, the more APs you have the more clients you can serve. 15 clients should not be a tough limit for 1130 APs, but this may vary according to the client's activity.

Regards,

Fede

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