MR44 visibility

[berty]

Hello, do MR44 APs need to see each other over the LAN management or do they only need Internet access to contact the Meraki cloud?

[mloraditch]

For connection to the cloud they just need internet. I'm not aware of any feature that requires the APs be able to talk to each other directly.

Example: https://documentation.meraki.com/Wireless/Design_and_Configure/Architecture_and_Best_Practices/Seamless_Roaming_with_MR_Access_Points The requirements for roaming have no need for direct communication.

[p.deleuw]

Since L3 Roaming (without concentrator) tunnels the user traffic directly from AP to AP, this feature depends on direct communication between the APs. The communication occurs on the management VLAN.

[aleabrahao]

Only internet access.

[berty]

ok thanks you

[berty]

Ok, I was wondering because I’m having ARP update issues with iPhones, and I only encounter this problem at headquarters where I have a different network topology than the other branches. At headquarters, I use policy rules on my core network that redirect the management VLAN traffic of the access points directly to the firewall. As a result, when the APs are not on the same switch stack, they cannot see each other. But in the branch offices, I haven’t implemented this specific routing, and I don’t encounter the problem.

[aleabrahao]

Meraki roaming optimization assumes APs can communicate over their management VLAN.
When APs lose that visibility, the system falls back on client behavior (gratuitous ARP), which Apple doesn’t reliably provide after inactivity.
Android masks the problem because it refreshes ARP aggressively.

If possible, allow AP management VLAN traffic to traverse between switch stacks (even if limited to Meraki control traffic). This preserves fast roaming and state sync.

[aleabrahao]

Some useful documents.

Broadcast Suppression and Control Technologies for MR Access Points - Cisco Meraki Documentation

Roaming Technologies - Cisco Meraki Documentation

Seamless Roaming with MR Access Points - Cisco Meraki Documentation

[berty]

Ok, I was also considering this hypothesis. I will test it and get back to you. Thank you.

[Philip D'Ath]

https://documentation.meraki.com/Wireless/Design_and_Configure/Architecture_and_Best_Practices/Roaming_Technologies#Client_Tracking

"Client tracking information is shared with Access Points via broadcast messages, so ensure that port isolation and private VLAN features are not enabled upstream in a configuration that can block broadcasts between APs."

[berty]

Hello everyone,
I ran a test by modifying the network topology so that the access points can communicate with each other across all switch stacks. Unfortunately, this did not resolve my issue: Apple devices are still regularly losing their Wi-Fi connection.