How to use/configure 802.11ac in AP3600

[wfqk]

Hi, As the datasheet indicates, AP3600 has 802.11ac function. but in WLC, we can see it is "802.11b/g" and "802.11a" instead of "802.11ac"(In WLC, Wireless -----> chose one AP ----> Interface). Do we need to configure it for us to see 802.11ac? Thank you. 

[Scott Fella]

802.11ac is enabled by default under:

Wireless | 802.11a/n/ac | High Throughput (802.11n/ac)

[Flavio Miranda]

Hi,

Which WLC version do you have?  Bear in mind that not only the AP should have 802.11ac support but also the WLC.

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[wfqk]

Thank you for your reply. WLC is 5508 ver 8.0.152. I can see 802.11ac on left side when clicking Wireless, but cannot see it on individual AP(In WLC, Wireless -----> chose one AP ----> Interface). and if PC is connected with the AP, I can see it is "n" or "a" with different ssid(with the same AP), but not "ac". It looks like that we can change "n" and "a". can we change it to "ac"?

[Flavio Miranda]

i dont think so. This should be shown on the AP individually with no intervention. You can try upgrade your WLC a little bit. I´d recommend 8.2.166.0 for instance.

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[Scott Fella]

802.11ac is only available on 5GHz and on an open SSID or WPA2/AES.

[wfqk]

When we click on Wireless in WLC, we can see 802.111a/n/ac and 802.11b/g/n under Radios. There are a lot bands for users. But when user PC is connected with the AP, the PC only can select one of bands, such as, a, n, ac, b, or g. My question is which configuration decide the the selection? n and ac are available(enabled), Why user's PCs get n instead of ac? 

 Thank you

[patoberli · Accepted solution]

On the WLC you need to enable the higher speeds under Wireless -> 802.11a/n/ac -> High Throughput (802.11n/ac). Enable all rates there.

Once that is done (and your 5 GHz is enabled) the client will decide by itself which AP and Band to join. You can make the client the 5 GHz bands a bit more interesting, by enabling 40 or 80 MHz channel width on the AP (either manually per AP, or under RRM -> DCA).

There are other functions to influence the clients choice, but start with this one.

[wfqk]

"Once that is done (and your 5 GHz is enabled) the client will decide by itself which AP and Band to join."

What you mean is the clients need to select AP or its SSID to join the AP or SSID which has been assigned to have ac band? If so, we still need to associate the ac with the SSID, right? but it looks like that the action ( Wireless -----> 802.11a/n/ac ---> RRM ----> DCA) is working for all APs instead of individual AP.  

" On the WLC you need to enable the higher speeds under Wireless -> 802.11a/n/ac -> High Throughput (802.11n/ac). Enable all rates there."

Yes, they are all enabled. it looks like they are enabled by default

The issue is we cannot get ac band on PC side through these AP3600, is this configuration issue or other? 

[patoberli]

What kind of wireless nic is in your clients? Are the drivers updated?
Is the AP using an 80 MHz channel? This you see under Wireless -> Access Points -> Radios -> 802.11a/n/ac -> and here on this screen under Channel, if the AP uses 4 channels, like "(36,40,44,48) *".

[wfqk]

Thank you so much for your answering. You asked good questions, which could be reason that AC cannot work. The configuration in the WLC shows the channel width is 40 MHz and DCA channel list includes more than 4 channels. but under Wireless -> Access Points -> Radios -> 802.11a/n/ac, i can only see two channels for each AP. Is this one of reasons that AC band cannot work? Or we have to assign channel width as 80 MHz instead of 40? Thank you again.

[Scott Fella]

*02.11ac will work with one channel enabled.  Very high density environmnets will only have one 20mhz channels. 

[patoberli]

No 80 MHz aren't required, but in low density setups faster.
What kind of client do you use for testing?

[wfqk]

client is enterprise network. 

If there are a lot bands available, such as b, g, n and ac etc. but users PC would select fastest one automatically. For example, if 802.11ac is not available due to any issues( PC nic, wlc, or ap etc), user PC would select 802.11n automatically, am I right? 

[patoberli]

Only if the client has an adapter built in that supports 802.11ac. That's why I asked you for the models of the clients.