Microsoft Windows issue detecting Wireless Networks

[c.walsh]

We have deployed C9120AXI-E WAP's  with a Catalyst 9800 WLC running version 17.3.1.

The issue we have is that any windows laptop running version 1703 does not see any of the SSIDs on either 2.4g or 5g propagated by the Cisco WAP's. It does however connect to a personal hotspot & to the old wireless networks in other buildings.

Other (newer) versions of windows work fine & we have tested MacBook's & various mobile phones with no issues.

We have tried forcing the laptop to use either 2.4g or 5g, but it does not see any of the SSID's.

Has anyone else experienced this scenario, is there some setting within windows (for this version) that we need to change?

[marce1000]

 - Sadly but -> https://www.lansweeper.com/news/microsoft-warns-for-windows-10-version-1703-end-of-life/

                                        Can you use more recent version of Windows ?

 M. 

[c.walsh]

Thanks for the reply, we are aware of that, but the business has over a 100 laptops running that version so the upgrade will take a while.

But surely there must be a fix, as i cannot understand why that version cannot detect an SSID on the Cisco WAP's, but works with other vendors?

[Scott Fella]

Have you looked at updating the wireless nic driver on one device just to test?  You always should test before going into production so that users don't get a bad taste about the network.  The fix is to either fix the client side or try tp downgrade the controller of figure out what setting to tweak if any that might help.  The later is a wild work around and seeing that you already isolated it to a specific client type, you need to at least upgrade the driver and or the operating system and see if it works.  It also can be that your wlan has too many features enabled.  Create a test SSID and disable as much as possible.  Test with an open SSID and see if that works, but don't think there is a quick fix here.

[marce1000]

 - In the same context the wireless-nic driver(s) might be outdated, better to check on a similar model-laptop (a reference case) with recent windows version and check if problem is still present or not. That then becomes a strong argument for upgrading....

  You may also use these intel-info's useful (if applicable) :

                  https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/support/articles/000054799/wireless.html

 M.

[Leo Laohoo]

I am with @Scott Fella:  What is the exact model of the wireless NIC and what exact firmware version is the wireless NIC driver. 

[Grendizer · Accepted solution]

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You can try to disable 11x globally (per WLAN is available only on 17.5) and test, if successful then the NIC driver need to be updated.

[c.walsh]

Tested by disabling AX for all WLAN's & works fine.

Will schedule an upgrade, to see if we can disable on a per SSID basis

[JPavonM]

I completely agree with the previous colleagues.

Due to the fact your laptops are pretty old if they're running Win10 1703, and most of the Windows laptops build Intel 802.11ac wNICs, you're likely to be hitting a known issue with latest 802.11ax APs.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000054799/wireless.html

HTH
-Jesus
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