Disabling Low Rates on a WLC

[Ivaylo Georgiev]

I was wondering if disabling low rates could cause issues for clients in higher density areas. For example, if I have 9 meg as the minimum allowed rate, what is actually taken under consideration for that rate? If I have a significant number of clients connected to that AP, is that going to be taken under consideration by the controller when calcultating the minimal supported rate to all clients? Or does it only take under consideration the distance between the nearest AP and the client and the obstructions in between?

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

Mandatory rate is what the client must be able to negotiate at. Supported rate are rates the WLC will allow the client to negotiate to. Disabling the lower data rates only affect old devices that might require 1 or 2 Mbps data rate. Distance from the AP is a factor as what the client and ap negotiate at. In a high density deployment for example, I have had 24mbps as mandatory and everything below 11 or 12 disabled and the rest supported. I might also add another mandatory rate if I'm using multicast. You need to know your RF to really decide what you can have a a mandatory and it supported.

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[Ivaylo Georgiev]

makes sense

[Leo Laohoo]

Old "school" was to lower the power of the AP.  But this means that if an AP fails, then surrounding APs will be unable to power up to cover the "holes".

Disabling of data rates is the best option because this enables AP's TX power to be dynamic while you lower the coverage range of the APs and minimizes channel interferrence from nearby APs.